JULY 4th - TERRORIST NATION

Independence Day 2001

This disturbing message came to me from a very dear friend.

A few Americans will not be flying flags this weekend.

We will not be attending parades.

We will not be singing the National Anthem or the idolatrous "God Bless America."

We will not be celebrating America's "victories", past and present.

Instead, we will commemorate our Declaration of Independence by meditating on the most troubling and searing questions of our age:

HOW DO WE JUSTIFY CONTINUING TO LIVE IN THE WORLD'S GREATEST TERRORIST NATION???

WHY DO WE STAY?

ARE WE AFRAID, OR DO WE JUST NOT CARE ANYMORE???

Peace,

Bob

I also do not celebrate this holiday with flags, go to parades or sing patriotic songs. I will read over that wonderful document the Declaration of Independence that moved the colonies to separate from Great Britain. I rejoice that Thomas Jefferson wrote, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, and they are endowed by their creator with unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Jefferson was of course a slave holding hypocrite, as were George Washington and others of the signers. However, the words do express what others and I want for all Americans and the people of the planet.

I believe with my friend Bob that we are a terrorist nation, vengeful, mean, lacking compassion, hurting the earth and enslaving the poor. On 9/11 several thousand Americans died in a vicious attack against American buildings and institution. The then president and the congress chose to go to all out war against two of the poorest nations on the planet seeking revenge, not peace or justice. The present incumbent continued the revenge model by finally joyfully assassinating Bin Laden.

Meanwhile in a ten-year wasteful and meaningless war, The United States of America has killed hundreds of thousand of civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan in addition to the thousand upon thousand of soldiers of those countries. The use of unmanned stealth bombing of villages, the brutalization of prisoners of war and supporting corrupt governments indicates further that we are a terrorist country.

The U.S. unqualified support for Israel, disregard for the brutal treatment of the Palestinians indicates all the more our terrorist agenda.

Conservative Republicans, military propaganda, Big business, brazen supporters of Israel’s brutality, and sadly unthinking, lazy, frightened American citizens sit by and let it all happen.

Yes, we are a terrorist nation.

WHY DO WE STAY?

I stay because I have place else to go. I am comfortable in the United States. Social Security and the Church Pension Fund give me money to support my self and my wife. I do have some voice as a writer, keeper of the Vigil, and supporter of social and political groups that keep the pressure on the government to be humane.

I also believe that all people are created with an infinite power to be and do evil. A human being’s job is to work for good knowing it will never be perfect. As a follower of Jesus I am clear that my job is to work to feed the poor, house the homeless, heal the sick and bring peace and justice to the world. I am content to be frustrated, do not expect to win and am grateful to be alive with a sense of purpose and delight.