A corporate financial state has replaced true democracy in America. The mass consciousness is being controlled by a corporate state. Thanks to a slow and steady flow of propaganda, the American people has become desensitized, turning a blind eye to the decisions our government makes on our behalf. From ecology to war, to the unrealistic democratic process we have settled for. The concept of checks and balances, which is one of the principles of democracy, has been replaced by the uncontrollable need to consume, freedom of choice reduced to mimicking the images fed to us via mass media, and with the blessing and support of our "elected" government. We went to war and will continue to wage war on the basis of fear. We are so controlled by fear that we allow our government to inflict torture, to kill children and innocent people in their own homes. We are willing to sacrifice basic civil liberties granted to us by the Constitution in the name of safety. Quoting Benjamin Franklyn: "Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety" and this is happening in America. Prime example is the absurdity of the so-called war on drugs. After the Supreme Court ruled that roadside drug checkpoints are unconstitutional, we now have immigration checkpoints manned by members of the National Guard and Border Patrol, which means that if you're driving within 100 miles of the Canada or Mexican border, you can be stopped and searched, and you don't have to carry a significant amount of any controlled substance to be labeled a criminal and put in jail. United States has the highest documented rate of incarceration rate in the world and it has quadrupled in recent decades because of mandated sentences related to drug charges. In the name of safety we allow the government to spy on us, they can wiretap our conversations, install cameras anywhere they want and in the works is a national ID card. Granted, the new administration has the intention of reversing some of the laws implemented by the former President, and has already done so in some instances, but it is also allowing the corporate machine to continue propagating the illusion of freedom and power. We are so fearful of losing the lifestyle we have been instructed to embrace, that we're willing to give our hard earned money to the banks that caused the economic problems we're now facing. Because without credit we can't buy the things that makes us better and happier, according to the mandates of the mighty capitalist system we've come to depend on.
It is tragic that a first world nation, which calls itself free is unable to provide any guarantee to its citizens; that 20% of them live under the poverty level; that they don't have access to decent or affordable healthcare (forget about free). The only guarantee the American people have is the opportunity to compete against each other for work, money, and status.
Unless the American people regain the ability to think for ourselves and realize that ownership and domination are not really rewards, and that we're capable and responsible of respecting and accepting one another as citizens of the planet earth, the social justice and the freedom on which this nation was supposedly founded, will continue to be an illusion.
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Public Disillusion of Government Power
ReplyDeletePersonal Liberties seems to be the key idea in Maria’s blog and I agree that Americans are giving up their rights based off of fear. The mass media is eating every crises and every opportunity to grab their audience’s attention. The thoughts of fear are consistently repeated and instilled in our mind which in turn, gives our government an open door to do what they want. An example is The Patriot Act which was sign by congress shortly after September 11th, contained many discrepancies that threaten our personal freedoms. We gave the government power to gain access to our medical records, tax records, information about the books we buy and rent from libraries with out probable cause, allowing the government to break into our home to conduct searches without telling us, wire-tap our phone lines, and detain who they feel is a threat to national security. All of this seems to be ok by the public eye, because they fear that terrorist could be right next door and they could be subjected to a threat. The president enabled his executive powers gaining more control over our lives. Since these orders were issued during an emergency, good luck on seeing them return to the original state before they were placed.
Today’s financial crisis is another example of how our government is taking control of our lives. Again the mass media is eating up at this opportunity to gain viewers attention by providing them with the latest update of how the market it doing. The public is in fear of what they call “the great depression” part 2. The government now owns several large banks, auto industries, insurance companies and more. Isn’t it the government who lessen the restriction on banks lending procedures, allowing them to lend as much as they wanted to who ever they wanted, causing this recession to occur in the first place?
Our freedoms are being taken away, one day at a time, regardless of how you may see or what ever the government may call it. Our freedom is on a thin line. Controls are in place to protect you and the future generation, but the nation fails to realize that we are capable of taking care of ourselves and our families when crisis do arise. If we rely on the government as they want us to, then we will be subjected to new laws that will insure the governments control and order. This can be done by the discretionary power the president has when he feels there is a national emergency. Are we willing to watch our freedom disappear? Will we remain in the illusion that our government will protect us? I believe our national government has too much power right now which our founding fathers tried to prevent when they ratified the Articles of Confederation to our National Constitution. I think it is time that people need to voice their opinion and force our national government to change. A great start would be to write to your congressman. Let freedom rein!