|
coming to a mall
near you: just war
by david potori
The phrase "Just War," used in reference to the battle being
waged in Afghanistan, is beginning to resonate not as a deep philosophical
concept, but like the names of those specialty stores you find in shopping
malls: "Just Lamps," "Just Bulbs," "Just Paper." In
fact, "Just War" turns out to be an eerily accurate marquee for
the little shop known as the United States of America. War, to the increasing
exclusion of everything else, is the only thing that America collectively
cares about anymore.
We don't manufacture much of anything, Just War. We don't concern ourselves
with education; Just War. We don't attend to the 40 million Americans without
health coverage; Just War. We don't' support the arts; Just War. Even though
a multitude of human needs were in existence prior to September 11, and
have only increased since then we continue to direct our attention and
our resources into what we do best; Just War.
Need a billion dollars for the military? No problem. Need an extra $40
billion for the war on terrorism? Here it is. Need a blank check to pursue
an undeclared struggle with the unexplained means and undefined ends. You
got it, because that's what America is all about, Just War. America is
the biggest supplier of conventional weapons. America's the biggest supplier
of torture weapons.
America manufactures and exports terrorists at its
School of the Americas (now the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security
Cooperation). America exports violent entertainment around the globe. Prison
construction remains one of our top industries. Global slavery is the secret
behind our economic success. The military remains our biggest budget item.
Whether its war on people of color overseas, or war on our rights at home,
that's what we're all about: Just War.
[]
david potori's brother died in the
World Trade Center on 9-11
excerpted from american comments web magazine - http://www.iwchildren.org/ -
dedicated to raising the native american viewpoint of past and current
bigotry.
|