America: the mean kid on the playground of the world

This archived article was written by: Chris Kiahtipes

A group of religiously and politically opinionated men ambush a group of soldiers on their way to maintain order in a country of economic importance. The balance of trade is threatened by these fanatics and the soldiers are there to quell their little rebellion. The rebels attack from hiding places that the soldiers are not trained to see nor find. The soldiers are defeated and thus retreat. The rebels fight because they disagree with the soldiers and their government politically, religiously and ideally.
However, the government and the soldiers believe their system to be in favor of not only themselves, but of their true god, and not the god of these poor, uneducated rebels. Though most of the rebels are uneducated they are led by a few charismatic, wealthy and educated men whose ideas directly clash with those of the reigning government and their soldiers. Those leaders target not only political and military institutions, but they also attack the economic institutions of said government.
The tactics described are often associated with the “evil” practice of terrorism. These are also the tactics of those men that founded the United States of America used during the battle of Lexington and Concord. Thus, it may be reasonable to ask if terrorism is as “evil” as George W. Bush Jr. and the American government have portrayed it to be. Terrorism is simply the method of attack used by individuals that are too few in number to fight otherwise.
Terrorism and guerilla tactics are only frowned upon because American money and guns have little affect on them. The hypocrisy is as obvious as the absurdity. America has declared war against a way of making war that was pioneered by those that founded the U.S. Would George W. Bush Jr. rather the Afghani people take up their guns and their grievances (both of which were given to the Afghani people by Bush’s predecessor and equal: Ronald Reagan) and meet the U.S. military in open combat?
The U.S. spends more on defense than the rest of the world. There is no possible way that a poor country full of impoverished religious zealots could possibly win such a war. Thus, they turn to the only measure left to them, terrorism.
What of the Iraqi citizens that, despite the removal of Saddam Hussein, are still unhappy enough with the presence of the U.S. military to shoot rockets at helicopters? Should they schedule a diplomatic appointment with the good President Bush? Should they use their meager wages to book a flight and rooms at some ritzy Washington D.C. hotel with other international diplomats?
Should they present their views to the U.N. despite the fact that the U.S. holds a veto power in that institution? Exactly what do the citizens of the U.S. expect those poor people that do not travel under the graceful arms of “lady liberty” to do with the problem that the U.S. poses to them and the rest of the world?
Most Americans do not consider their wonderful government to be a world “problem.” However, the dull roar outside the windows that surrounds your TV is the sound of protest and dissatisfaction. All hope, however, is not lost.
Those “terrorists” that founded the United States of America also wrote one of the most thoughtful and intelligent political documents ever, the Constitution. Because of that document, the American people still possess a voice and a vote. The American people are the gasoline in the car that careens off and on the road as the Democrats and Republicans battle for control.
The answer is not easy, but it is simple. The American people need to take the power out of money. The U.S. is an aristocracy, but should not be one any longer. Every four years the American people vote for two men that they would not normally trust to take out their garbage, let alone take care of their country. The only reason that those two men are in their (dis)respective positions is because they posses the money to do so. Despite the revolution, warring and peacemaking, the world is still possessed by the almighty dollar.
Even the American continent pays homage to that merciless god, mammon (the Greek word Christ used for money.) So again we are on the brink of revolution. Either the people will own it, or the people will be owned by it. When the U.S. government’s deficit spending bears fruit and the continent is plunged into depression, the darkened shopping malls will become the haunts of the homeless, and all that is fashionable will become useless.
Terrorism is not the indication of an “evil” force that envies freedom and desires its end. Terrorism is the hallmark of a people that are used, oppressed and desire freedom at any cost. Even that of their own lives. Revolution is taking place all around the world and it has come to the very doorstep of the U.S. The voice of the poor will be heard, by protest, or by bombs.