Wherefore Art Thou, O Romeo?

While working on last weekend's Circular, I had bouts of weariness during which I watched TV. I chanced upon a May, 2004 lecture by Larry Everest to the Commonwealth Club of San Francisco (CSPAN, BOOK-TV). Mr Everest has written a book, Oil, Power and Empire, which Common Courage Press describes as:

"This unique volume compiles in one place a history of US intervention against Iraq and the devastating consequences for the people and the region. It shows the ways in which war today is a continuation of that history, but also a radical leap to more direct military control in Iraq and around the world. The “Bush Doctrine” is both built on our imperial history and yet new and far more dangerous." [emphasis mine]

I was thrilled to hear someone else express views similar to my own. When asked about the 2004 election, Mr Everest flatly put Kerry and Bush into the 'same Imperialist tradition.' So, even if Kerry is marginally better than Bush, nothing basic will be changed by the election.

This brings up the question which has bothered me all along: how to change America's direction?

It does seem pretty hopeless. After all, the near-revolutionary conditions of the Great Depression (1930s) and the Great Liberation (1960s) did not overthrow the government. FDR saved America by reforming capitalism, and LBJ saved it by ending legal apartheid, but their efforts are fading away. The market fundamentalists (reborn capitalist) and right-to-lifers (anti-feminist) and "equal opportunists" (anti-affirmative action) are back in strength. They are overwhelming a supine and feckless population, more fearful of losing whatever it has than hopeful of gaining anything new.

A recent piece of hypocrisy was the reported complaints of wealthy Texans, that their children were not admitted to the University of Texas (UT). This was the result of then Texas Gov George W Bush's plan to end affirmative action. Affirmative action was replaced by a program to admit to UT the top 10% graduating from each school district. (A similar plan is in effect in California.) The result has been that Black and Native American enrollments are miniscule, but Hispanic and Chinese (Asian) enrollments are booming. The effect is to put the squeeze on white students. (The same thing has happened in Calfornia.)

Wealthy Texan parents are dismayed, and want the system "fixed." They want the superior quality of their school districts to be recognized, and a larger fraction of their graduating classes accepted to UT. I think it is plain that there is a problem letting all those colored people into UT. George W Bush, never known as a genius, didn't think the problem through, so the "right" people aren't going to UT. That is what it's all about, isn't it? The right people, I mean.

Same thing when it comes to yesterday's even huger-than-expected trade deficit: it's all the fault of those Chinese devils. Everyone knows they work long hours for nothing wages; slaves taking jobs away from honest white people. If there weren't something wrong with China or the trade system, they couldn't possibly compete with real Americans. So, embargo the China trade.

If you get my drift, nothing much has changed since before the 1960s. The same old bigots (SOBs) are still in charge. The problem, then, is how to get rid of them?

Where I start is this:

It should be plain that Imperialism is just some wrapping on a package containing sexism, racism, fundamentalism, and all the other SOB-isms.

Since I'm nearly dead, I am learning there are no more excuses for getting out there and doing what I can. My mouth is getting LOUDER.

Politicians: Please note.

June 15, 2004

Last update: 11/02/2007

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