When chants of USA are used to drown out calls to end war, there is a word... JINGOISM

Part two of this series. I try to only steal your attention for five-hundred or so words at a time, as always thanks for reading.





Jingoism: extreme chauvinism or nationalism marked especially by a belligerent foreign policy


      One accusation that is being hurled at the Republican and Democrat national conventions is that we witnessed a kind of role reversal. Did the DNC succeed in being more hawkish than Trump's parade of hangers on? After watching sound bytes and a hullabaloo of partisan free association, I think the answer to that question is, yes. This New Democrat party is the reigning champion for the military industrial complex. Disagree? Go back and watch the video, especially during Leon Panetta's speech. Convention goers attempted to start anti-war chants, which were quashed by chants of USA... USA... What is that? What is this tribal "as long as my team does it, it's not wrong" out burst of cognitive dissonance?

     The talking heads at MSDNC immediately labeled the pro-peace chants as the lunatic fringe of the Bernie Sanders supporters. If pushing for an end to endless warfare at the DNC is only committed by the lunatic fringe what does this say? Do we not collectively remember that the way candidate Obama won the 2008 nomination was on a anti-war, pro improved health care platform? Except on issues like marriage equality and some hollow promises on the fight for fifteen, has our national dialogue shifted rightward again? This is a whole other topic to explore, but in terms of foreign policy I think the answer is yes.

     After eight years of Bush and needless, endless wars, and eight years of a lukewarm continuation gradual, pull out and then even more gradual increase of troops into Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya followed by a heaping does of bombings and drone warfare, we are now ready to go do it all over again. This is unacceptable.

      FIFTEEN YEARS INTO THE WAR ON TERROR, The toxins of perpetual war are in the bloodstream of the body politic. War without any hint of end has become normal. A sustained leap of moral imagination and powerful activism will be necessary to lift the United States out of what Martin Luther King Jr. called "the madness of militarism." - Norman Solomon

     In terms of foreign policy, If this DNC convention went on during the 2000 election, the cable news talking heads, wouldn't know who to label as neo-cons. I realize you are thinking about ISIS right now. How many boogeymen are we going to fear before we realize the fear is within ourselves? In the 60's it was Vietnam and the soviets, then in the 70's it was Iran and the Soviets, and the Soviets, and the Soviets, and then Saddam Hussein, and then, and then... We must consider ourselves insane if we can continue to buy threats based on domino theories. Now I suppose you are thinking about when the battle field is brought home. The killer in our so-called enemy is the killer in ourselves. The terrorists don't hate our freedom, they hate how we have obtained our freedom. Any student of history knows our brutal imperial and the extra covert means in which we have manipulated the game of capitalism towards our own western favor.
   
     If this endless war, and ever increasing hawkish battle cry of both parties is anathema to the kind of foreign policy you feel is morally responsible, I can only offer one solution. No, it's not about third party voting, or Hillary versus Donald, nearly all of us already have our tribal minds made up, and in the end the only reason I think Trump is the greater of two evils is because his victory would embolden other no talent, moronic demagogues to attempt the very BS reality schtick, which has made Trump so successful this election cycle. This would further dumb down our body politic and then we would all have to admit that Mark Mothersbaugh was right (that's a joke).

     We must come together, beginning immediately. Look at your local social media groups, newspapers, every resource you can get your hands on. If there is a meeting or gathering of like minded folks PLEASE GO! If your area is sparse in activists, make your own group, link up with other groups in near by places. We have to begin to embrace our collective vigor, and fortitude.

    We must become the force which keeps our politicians honest. We know they cannot do right by us if we are not standing over there shoulder (a few honest people are out there). Organize around all issues, but most importantly organize around the issues which the most at risk endure. Organize with all racial issues, environmental issues, economic issues, senior issues, technology issues, net neutrality issues. Organize, because we are only strong when we stand together in solidarity. Organize for unity, organize for peace, organize because we want this, and we want to do it together.