Article I Wrote Sept. 15, 2001

[Lightning Rod]

This is an article that I wrote Sept. 15, 2001
Did I get anything right?

NATURAL DISASTER

"When you hear some politician declare war on something it's time to grab your ankles because you are about to get fucked."--BillyB


The "War on...." mentality is the Western equivalent of Jihad.
I fear we are about to go after a rat with an atomic bomb. But then this country and especially the crew in power right now has always been inclined to cut butter with a chainsaw. Sure, the chainsaw is a technological marvel compared to the butter knife and ever so much more a statement of raw power.
Suppose an earthquake or a meteorite had destroyed the WTC. Upon whom would we declare war? The Universe itself perhaps? Situations of fright and hysteria have long been the playground of demogogues and other opportunists. Tragedy and disaster always render the populace suggestable and compliant to the ambitions and rapine of the greedy and power hungry. In the name of security they'll be glad to pull your pants down and stick their fingers up your butt. And no matter how many times you tell yourself you're not getting fucked...it's all for security....you are getting fucked.
The disasters in NY and Washington ain't NUTHIN compared to the pervasive and sustained disaster that is about to commence in the name of the War on Terror. Every tyrant from Caeser to Hitler has used the tactic you are observing--seize upon calamity and disaster to fan fear with patriotism for the purpose of screwing down their control over society. But a soft heart is almost as impermeable to reason as a hard dick, so I expect this neo-jingoism to prevail. My advice would be to buy stock in Brinks and Pinkerton and entrepreneural prison companies. And when our crusaders go off to battle the saracen instead of a cross at the vanguard will be a video tape replay of the towers collapsing. Those videos could not have been more convincing if they had been staged by Industrial Light and Magic. When you think of all the recent cinematic depictions of this kind of event it has to feel a bit like Greek theater coming to life. We have all been teased and briefed about this possibility. And always the vague enemy--brown skinned and accented, worshipping gods with foreign names.
Don't be fooled by the cool and metered manner of the Cheneys and the Ashcrofts. It's merely the rhetorical style of the TV age. They are bigger vipers than Goebels and Goering. Bush, like the fumbling orator Claudius, is the king on the board. All pieces protecting but no real power in him. The chessboard has always been controlled by the queens, bishops and knights.
This hysteria is so cool that it almost passes for reason. Terrorists are much better boogie men than commies or atheists or homos or drug lords. But don't worry because the DC Boys will spend your money down to the last dollar to convince you that you are protected from evil.
The alterations we are about to suffer in our lives are the very end and purpose of terrorism. How long before we decree that ideas are more subversive than actions?
Three hundred thousand souls can perish in a Calcutta earthquake or a flood in Bengladesh and nobody wants to sue God. We see it as a natural disaster. But if five grand get crunched in Manhatten within one hour the entire world changes color, temperature and odor. Curious. Not to mention we provided both the dart and the bullseye. I tell you this was a natural disaster as well. Remember, the last time this country was so unanimous we rounded up all the Japs and put them in camps.
Don't misunderstand me. I would not waste my breath on this if I did not love this country. What I love about it is not the realization of freedom (because it is not realized) but the ideal of freedom. And I hate to see honest people conned. Why don't they just call it the War on Freedom?
However, if you feel like appropriating money to chase the devil--jump on the bandwagon. I love you and my heart joins yours in grief for our countrymen lost.

Lightning Rod--Sept. 15, 2001

[mtmynd]

right on!

[stilltrucking]

perspicacious