what we really learned from 9/11...

now that it is six years since the greatest act of mass murder on american soil (although texas is doing its damnedest to have a mass execution that could top it) and we are all busy pretending we haven't just gone about our consumeristic bullshit lives the same as we were beforehand...let's look at what we have really learned from 9/11 and its aftermath...

if you are just present at some things it apparently qualifies you as a great leader...all evidence to the contrary aside...see a certain republican candidate for president that used to be a completely useless mayor before he happened to be present six years ago...

after having been kicked in the nuts, it appears americans would rather have a brawling, incoherent fool claim to "have their back" than an intelligent, tough, thoughtful and cunning leader...

manipulating thousands of murders for political gain can keep you in the white house if you are lucky enough to get there in the first place...

death is big business...

war is big business...

hundreds of billions of dollars is not enough to "avenge" ourselves...but it is way too much to educate ourselves...

no politician worth their party's nomination is below pandering to militarism...evidenced by an email I received from obama today telling me how dangerous the world was and how al queda was lurking everywhere and gathering steam...

when someone slaps you across the face to get your attention, it is best not to ask why...just cut off their daughter's arms...

the united states does not torture...except when it does...and if you say we can't, you must love bin laden in an unnatural way...

the united states government can build the a-bomb within a few years...it can't renovate a hole in the ground in six...

when the world dislikes overreaching, imperialistic, militaristic ventures...the best response is to blow up part of it...

you may be worthy of giving your life to your "country"...but that doesn't mean you are worthy of recognition upon return...

our way of life must be protected to the death...and by "way of life" we of course mean buying useless shit we can't afford and don't need...because things like freedom of speech, expression, religion, civil rights, etc. just get in the way...

democrat, republican...there's really no difference is there?

scare people enough, and they will think pat buchanan's heir seems logical...

the free market should govern...except when it isn't advantageous to major campaign contributors...

if we ask you to go to war for no good reason and you actually listen...be prepared to recuperate from your amputations surrounded by mold...

paris hilton is important...

if you've served in the military and don't want to see soldier's die unnecessarily you are a pansy...if you never served but can puff your chest really big and stand behind someone with a gun pointing over his shoulder while he dies, you are presidential material...

it is un-american and immoral to not have anyone in your family with "kill foreigners" in the job description if it isn't at least in your's...

god is on america's side...

repressing sexuality will really help you climb the ranks of the GOP...and eventually blow up in your face...

there is no hypocrisy in waging war to save liberty while asking that the constitution be amended to deny civil rights...

nuclear proliferation cannot be tolerated...except when it can...

regardless of how the founding fathers felt about a standing military in a democratic country...it is entirely un-american and immoral to question militarism in this country...

when all else fails...show them your dick is bigger...even if he is worse with a shotgun...

some people will try to make money off of anything...and they run the country...

we are all, as they say, royally fucked...

take a look at me now...

with or against us, and what "change" candidates?

you are either with us or against us...apparently it applies to artificial borders concocted by scheming men and tribal warfare...apparently it applies to fighting a war against a tactic (as long as we are at war with terrorism...how about we go to war with frontal assaults and trench warfare...sounds rather ridiculous when you substitute another tactic doesn't it?)...my question, why does it never apply to class? why are we so afraid to talk about class in a society that is so clearly divided between the haves and the have nots? don't get me wrong...I know why they don't want us to talk about it...why they are so quick to pull out "class warfare" as if being on the side of the downtrodden is something no self-respecting politician would ever stoop so low as to be a part of (unless of course that politician was jesus of nazareth...but ignore the true teachings of the religion they claim to adhere to please, it only causes trouble when you think for yourself). but why do we listen to them? class is the single most important aspect of our lives. look around yourself...more than anything else, your life is determined by your class. social mobility? please...it has long gone the way of the dinosaur. hard work to get ahead? the people that work three jobs are just one sick day away from being evicted. think you're middle class? what does that even mean anymore? you still are living paycheck to paycheck, trying desperately to stay out of the poor house and wondering how you are supposed to afford insurance for all the things that every other civilized nation provides for its people. want to have a say in anything? want to be listened to by your leaders? want the media to pay attention to you? sure hope you exist in the upper echelon.

we now have perpetual campaigning by useless hacks parading around in populist clothing. yet none of them ever dare to speak of class and its relationship to the rather bleak reality of america today. you are either with us or against us...so next time a politician gives you some bullshit about how he feels your pain ask yourself this - if the shit hit the fan, would they side with the wealthy, with corporate power, with money...or with you?

which brings up my next rant...caught some crap on charlie rose last night from some wannabe journalist (there really aren't many left anymore) from the times about how the democratic frontrunners are "change" candidates. and I wonder...change from what? don't get me wrong, I think it is an embarassment that we have not had a woman or a racial minority in the white house yet...but if that is all it takes to qualify as a "change" candidate, then Big Business has done a better job of taking over our lives and our politics than I ever thought. are any of them questioning whether "globalization" is such a great thing? are any of them not supporting monied interests? are any of them not overly militaristic? (when they try to be peace candidates, listen closely...none are questioning the wisdom of a gigantic standing army in a "democratic" nation, none are pointing out the danger in military values overtaking society. none are even questioning the wisdom of going to war...just going to one particular war in this particular way). are any of them serious about cleaning up the way politics are run in washington? (look at their fundraising activities...and ask yourself, if it comes down to it, who will win on an issue...money, or regular joes like you?) the answer is no...it is the same old crap without a penis or white skin. we're fucked.

it's a war on war...you're gonna lose...