It is funny to hear of America talked about this way. Not that I can't relate to this perspective, I hate the things you mentioned. But it isn't the America I interact with. The one I live in is a multi-cultural vortex, so on any given day, I interact with more foreign born people than American born Americans. I guess if you live in Iowa it is different, but where I live I just feel like a citizen of the world who happens to be here.
And because we are a vortex everyone can hang with their own foods and POVs and the place is really well suited to host that party. Most countries have such a strong national identity through long history and don't have the same creative freedom to invent. We don't only export war, we export ideas. Some really good ones. There are a lot of Americas, we are huge in diversity. And we have been at that longer than most countries because we are a nation of immigrants. Wave after wave of people coming here to experience something. It isn't all hype, I live with immigrants. People from Europe may not need to come here now. But a lot of the rest of the world seems to still have us on their wish list. Each country has its pros and cons, its special charms. The power elite in every country has its buttholiness. Ours is just a little more invasive on the rest of the world. But don't sweat it Europe. We maxed out our credit card now. We will be eating some humble pie in the next decade, and maybe you will like us better. But I know for a fact that the Ipad 5 will be invented here. And you are gunna want some. --- In [email protected], turquoiseb <no_reply@...> wrote: > > Since Judy seems to have embarrassingly expanded upon her > self-appointed role of "Defender Of Maharishi And TMers > And All Things Similarly Holy" and now wishes to be seen > as the "Defender Of America" as well, I shall clarify > how I feel about both the phenomenon and the groups in > question. > > First, the phenomenon. I don't think Judy gives a shit > about either the TMO or America. She just uses them as > excuses to get up on her high horse and rant at people > she's developed a long-standing hatred for. The goal is > to rant and hate, not to "defend." > > Second, I believe that there are good people, both in the > TMO and in America. Sadly, those good people are IMO few > and far between, and don't even come close to "balancing > out" the consciousness or the intent of the vast majority > of members of the group, or the overall intent and goals > of the groups themselves. > > Third, I have a lingering fondness for the *landscape* > of America; the only thing that I in fact miss about it > are its beautiful canyons, mountains, forests, and shore- > lines. I have no such fondness for America itself, and > wouldn't live there again willingly or pay taxes into its > war-making machine on a bet. > > That said, I tend to believe that both organizations (the > TMO and the United States Of America) are in similar pos- > itions -- verging on both economic and moral bankruptcy -- > and that this bankruptcy would be a Good Thing. I think > that America's greed and stupidity causing it to implode > upon itself may be (similar to what happened with the > Soviet Union) the only thing that can save the world from > its "evil empire" aspirations. > > I agree with former President Eisenhower that America is > a country run by the "military-industrial complex," except > that I would add one more word to that description and say > that it's run by the corporate-military-industrial complex. > America has *never* been about Democracy, just as the TMO > has *never* been about promoting individual freedom and > world peace. Both organizations are oligarchies, intent > on preserving the rights and the fortunes of the elite, > with no thought to what that may mean for anyone else. > > I walked away from the TMO in 1978, and haven't felt bad > about doing so once since that time. I walked away from the > US shortly after 9/11 2001, and ditto. Having lived in > Europe all these years since, and thus having seen a number > of polls taken of EU residents, I would suggest that *most* > Europeans agree more with me about America And What It > Really Is than agree with Judy. In a couple of these polls > -- one in France and one cross-EU poll conducted by the > Dutch, people were asked which countries in the world posed > the greatest threat to the future in terms of war -- either > continuing existing ones or starting new ones. Suffice it > to say that, contrary to "what's currently playing" in the > US media, Iran was not #1. It was #3. Second place was > held by Israel and the #1 spot was held by America. > > I agree with their assessment. America is a country that > has become *dependent* on exporting war to the world. War > is one of the only viable exports it's got. > > And I fervently hope that its ability to do so will soon > be crippled by the country's own economic collapse. I can > think of nothing that would -- in the long run -- benefit > the world as a whole more than the United States Of America > becoming the same impoverished nation economically that it > is morally. > > I hope this clears up things with regard to Barry and what > he thinks about either the TMO or America. I think both > groups suck, although both groups contain good people. > Those who defend either group compulsively are almost by > definition excluded from the definition of "good people." > > Are we clear now? :-) >
