Hi List -- As Eminem says to Moby, "Let go, it's over!"
The Empire that is the USA is what it is. It will run itself into the ground eventually, or morph into something different. All empires do. In the meantime, it will kill a lot of people in an effort to sustain itself. I am not saying that this is bad or good, just that so far as I can see, it is true. The tribal warlords who give the terrorists their power base are the last vestige of a global resistance to our Empire , one that has co-opted most of the world, led by the massive corporations which homogenize everything, including the music business. Insofar as we, as US citizens, support this hegemony, we are part of the problem (if you see it as a problem). However, at this point there are few options. Our entire existence is dependent upon the industrial machine and LIMITED oil reserves (they are limited, you know). Ain't no getting back to the Garden. If there were a genuinely maverick and visionary leader in the US, one who could survey the global landscape and envision, in 100 years, a peaceful, clean, unified planet...and then develop a plan to get there, and then survive those who would seek to quell her voice...well, we could support her. But our savior has yet to materialize. In the meantime, we are protecting our own. Period. And that's fine, but let's not claim that we are doing otherwise. We will kill whatever we need to in order to keep what we have for another 40 years or so. The people who control Bush are just trying to insure that it's 40 years instead of 30. As I see it, this terrorism is the last gasp of pre-industrialized mankind. The global oligarchy calling the shots will continue to do so, and in the end, what will be left? Even mankind itself is being threatened by Science, as we manipulate the very genetic code which creates us. I applaud the president of Costa Rica for recognizing the treasure trove that is a genuinely pristine, bio-diverse enclave, but I doubt that Costa Rica will have the military muscle to stop the drilling machine when it comes. Now maybe I am just a pessimist, or full of shit, or unable to fully understand the political intricacies of global politics (in fact, I am sure that the latter is true). I have a lot of respect for the many people on the list who have been posting with love in their hearts, with concern for mankind. The serious and intelligent nature of their posts blows me away. I'm sorry that I haven't the kind of mind that can dissect all of the posts and take them on point by point. And I recognize that this mini-rant offers not a single solution. All I am saying is that as we approach a new war, at the very least we should think about our long-term goals, and be honest about our motivations. Perhaps, if I may dig myself a bit deeper into this hole, we might begin with meditation? The spiritual call to arms of the 60s, is it relevant anymore? Best, David p.s. Please stop slamming Joni after listening to those shitty mp3 files on your computer speakers! If i wait one more minute I will erase this so I am pressing the "send now" button..........
