Sent to us by Pontiac Tribune“Patriotism is supporting your country all the time and your government when it deserves it.” ~ Mark Twain
Today, July 4th millions of Americans will go to parades decked out in red, white and blue, waving the flag and sing patriotic songs. More than a day off to enjoy summer, Independence Day is to commemorate the official succession from the British Crown and the birth of a new nation where it’s citizens were free to pursue life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
High probability you were able to sleep last night without the sounds of bombs being dropped nearby or helicopters flying over. No sound of machine guns blasting you awake from your slumber. When you awoke this morning the electricity was on, your water was running and you still had a roof over your head not to mention food in the fridge for your hearty breakfast.
We don’t risk having our homes, schools or churches destroyed by drone strikes. And chances are relatively slim your door is going to be kicked down by a man dressed in fatigues screaming at you to raise your hands over your head while he points an AK-47 in your face. Your children don’t worry that they may not have a mother or father tonight.
These are things we as Americans have taken for granted. We have not fought a war within our shores since the Civil War. We live in relative peace. But what about the rest of the world?
Studies reveals that U.S. military forces were directly responsible for about 10 to 15 million deaths during the Korean and Vietnam Wars and the two Iraq Wars. The Korean War also includes Chinese deaths while the Vietnam War also includes fatalities in Cambodia and Laos.
The American public probably is not aware of these numbers and knows even less about the proxy wars for which the United States is also responsible. In the latter wars there were between nine and 14 million deaths in Afghanistan, Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, East Timor, Guatemala, Indonesia, Pakistan and Sudan.
The victims are not just from big nations or one part of the world. The remaining deaths were in smaller ones which constitute over half the total number of nations. Virtually all parts of the world have been the target of U.S. intervention. The overall conclusion reached is that the United States most likely has been responsible since WWII for the deaths of between 20 and 30 million people in wars and conflicts scattered over the world.
Let that register.
The US military has been responsible for the deaths of 20 to 30 million people, which include high numbers (90%) of civilians; men, women and children who are guilty of nothing except living in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I will not be celebrating Independence Day today. My government does not deserve my support. I will once again celebrate July 4th when Washington D.C. serves “We the People.” When it is a government for the people and by the people.
Ask yourselves how FREE are we? We are required to pay taxes to pay for the ever expanding military complex that continues to claim innocent lives almost daily. If we don’t pay those taxes, we loose everything we have and may end up incarcerated.
Our phones and emails are continually monitored (violating our 4th Amendment rights), our right to habeas corpus has been crushed via Section 1031 of the 2012 NDAA (violating our 5th and 6th Amendment rights), we are now told that we can only protest in “free speech zones” due to the Protestor Law (violating our 1st Amendment rights), our President is negotiating trade deals in secrecy utilizing corporate advisors and shutting out Congress that if passed will strip us of our national sovereignty and make us slaves to transnational corporations (violating Article 1 Section 8), our bank accounts are monitored and we are kept from accessing our own money if we divert from our “usual” banking patterns thanks to the Patriot Act, (violating again our 4th amendment rights).
If you really think that the acts of aggression committed by the US military is to defend our right to our freedom you have been sitting in front of the electronic marketing machine known as your television for too long.
Our government does not deserve our support right now. The patriotic thing to do is to join movements across the United States to help stop the further advancement of the military industrial complex that Eisenhower warned us about. Do not vote for the lesser of two evils. If you can’t find a candidate that is not accepting special interest money, then don’t vote for that office. We all must stand together, united to reclaim our republic and our democratic process. Please get involved! Our country needs you now!
This is but a tip of the iceberg.
No more status quo. Why are we doing the same things over and over and expecting different results? It’s time for change.
http://pontiactribune.com/dmarie-mulattieri-i-will-not-be-celebrating-independence-day-today/
If only all the noise on the 4th could be the revolt against this rotten government! That would be something to truly celebrate.
Yea, I know. I was thinking that same thing last night, too.
Thank You. I am ashamed to be an american, and proud of it…. Here is something I wrote for indeinterdependence day, which is everyday….
http://readersupportednews.org/pm-section/78-78/24559-qhappyq-independence-day-everyday-folks