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On September 11 2001, the day of the terrorist attack that took out the world trade centre, american president george w. bush gave a national address that was, unfortunately, also broadcast into Canada. I was curious about how fast the propaganda machine would swing into action, so I watched it. Or at least, as much as I could stomach. And I was not disappointed. Check this out:
(my comments are in blue. Keep in mind that I do not in any way support the action that was taken to kill and injure all of those people.)
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THE PRESIDENT OF aMERICA: Good evening. Today, our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom came under attack
How do you get that, Georgie? What about this attack was an attempt to enslave america? It was freedom that brought this about, you dork. Freedom to get on a plane with a knife. Freedom to take action for your beliefs, however scary they may be. Because in spite of your nasty little slogans and propaganda, america is not the home of the free. What about England, Canada, Germany, France, etc etc. In a lot of ways they're more free than the poor americans.
in a series of deliberate and deadly terrorist acts.
as opposed to accidental terrorist attacks. Hey, there's a book in the making.. "The Accidental Terrorist"
The victims were in airplanes, or in their offices; secretaries, businessmen and women, military and federal workers; moms and dads, friends and neighbors. Thousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of terror.
Hey! Maybe that explains why they call it terrorism. But evil? Horrid, yes, unspeakable, yes, but you have to understand that in democratic countries we make a distinction between civilian and military. If this was the work of Arab nations, not all of them make that distinction. So civilian targets are perfectly legitimate to them when pursuing the military or political goal. But then, america isn't here to deal with the cause of the problem. You're here to put on your avenging angel hat and deal with the effect. Understanding of any kind is not what propaganda is about, after all.
The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning,
rather than fires gushing.. who writes this stuff?
huge structures collapsing, have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness, and a quiet, unyielding anger.
Look how tough we are! Look how much bigger our collective penis is! Don't try to understand the cause of the problem! Get angry! Anger solves everything, right?
These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed; our country is strong.
And so is our ego. We won't be cowed into hiding, frightened! Oh, and by the way, your flights are cancelled for the next six weeks. There's nothing wrong with being frightened of this, but for christ's sake stop with all of the posing and sabre rattling. You don't impress anyone except yourselves.
A great people has been moved to defend a great nation.
And we should probably do the same for our country, america! I think they edited that bit out.
Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings,
Did he actually watch the film of what happened?
but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shattered steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve.
They cannot dent the steel of american brains!
America was targeted for attack because we're the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world. And no one will keep that light from shining.
The brightest beacon of freedom to mug and rape people in the streets. Freedom of hospitals and other medical facilities to turn people away because they don't have the money to pay for emergency medical treatment. The opportunity to have your head bashed in by someone who cares more about the six dollars in your wallet than he does about your life. That's what america is all about. Go capitalism! You don't think then, Georgie, that america was targetted for this attack because it's constantly telling every other country how much better it is? Because of the way it deals with every other nation on earth? You don't think that it's because of your foreign policy? You put the Taliban in power, you dork. You created Osama bin Ladin. You're the ones who are supplying funds and arms to the IRA, the one's who've involved yourselves in issues all over the world that are none of your business and through it all you've told the rest of the world how much better than them you are. Do you expect thanks? Are you so cut off from reality like the rest of your people that you don't realise just how much the rest of the world hates america? You have money. You have resources. You're a valuable tool. (and believe me, Georgie, you are a tool.) You're like the guy at the party that no one can stand, but he has all of the beer
Today, our nation saw evil, the very worst of human nature.
since Ronald Reagan.
And we responded with the best of America -- with the daring of our rescue workers, with the caring for strangers and neighbors who came to give blood and help in any way they could.
Yes, ok, I'll give him that one. People came out and donated blood for free, and free isn't in the american vocabulary except in the songs. I saw the lines for people wanting to donate blood, and they were people, not Americans. (Note the capital A) It's the one and only time I've ever been impressed by america. Of course, had the people who were harmed been Canadian, or anything else not american, the americans wouldn't even have noticed. And that's really telling, you know. If you look at our Canadian Blood Services centres, hospitals, etc, the lines in Canada are just as long as the ones in america. We've donated tons of blood, and will donate tons more before this affair is done. You're welcome.
Immediately following the first attack, I implemented our government's emergency response plans. Our military is powerful, and it's prepared.
Wave that flag George! Wave it! Of course your military is powerful. Other than money it's the only thing you guys think about. And the reason that you were attacked in the first place (most likely) is that you go waving that military in everyone's face. Remember high school, George? How everyone wanted to take down that guy who went around telling everyone how tough he was?
Our emergency teams are working in New York City and Washington, D.C. to help with local rescue efforts.
Our first priority is to get help to those who have been injured, and to take every precaution to protect our citizens at home and around the world from further attacks.
All of you non-americans in danger out there, you can go hang. Like the roughly 150 Candians who were in the World Trade Centre at the time. But they weren't americans, were they George? We don't care about them, do we? And who knows how many other non-american denominations were there?
The functions of our government continue without interruption.
We still need your tax money. I haven't finished that new extension on my retirement home yet.
Federal agencies in Washington which had to be evacuated today are reopening for essential personnel tonight, and will be open for business tomorrow. Our financial institutions remain strong, and the American economy will be open for business, as well.
Because all we care about is the money, ladies and gentlemen.
The search is underway for those who are behind these evil acts.
Of course, when I say 'search' what I mean is 'search for current political nuisances so that we can use the situation to elminate some embarrasment.'
I've directed the full resources of our intelligence [snicker] and law enforcement communities to find those responsible and to bring them to justice. We will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them.
And you see this sabre? You see it? Look at me rattle it! Look at that! Makes you proud to be an american, that does. Look at me go!
Let's be realistic. The people who live in the countries you're talking about probably have no idea that these terrorists are there. And even if they do, what are they supposed to do about it? Is the poor shop owner who can barely get by supposed to leave his entire life behind and escape with his wife and children to some foreign and potentially hostile country because of something that someone else in his own country did? Again, assuming that he even knows about it. america is a long way away from his little shop, you know. Five lives or five thousand, murdering innocents is still wrong to western societies George, no matter which nation does it. Does he deserve to die because you have to avenge the deaths of other innocents? Do his children? Do two wrongs make a right? Following that mentality, George, do you know how many american serial killers have been loose in Canada over the years?
I appreciate so very much the members of Congress who have joined me in strongly condemning these attacks.
"Look guys, the americans just love a good war. My dad showed us that. You get all righteously angry and you'll have them eating out of your hand. Oh, and it would help if you sing a song, too."
And on behalf of the American people, I thank the many world leaders who have called to offer their condolences and assistance.
But screw the people. I'm not going to thank them because they have no political power to strengthen my position. Never mind that it's their blood that is saving my people's lives, and that it's their homes that are housing my country's refugees.
America and our friends and allies join with all those who want peace and security in the world, and we stand together to win the war against terrorism.
If you want peace you have to be willing to fight for it, right Georgie? And what about changing the way america deals with the world? Deal with the cause, not the symptom.
Tonight, I ask for your prayers for all those who grieve, for the children whose worlds have been shattered, for all whose sense of safety and security has been threatened.
Yes, america doesn't feel so invulnerable now, does it? This incident has been horrible. It's a tragic, tragic event and it should never have happened. And countless people have been injured and killed through no fault of their own. Shouldn't you be asking yourself why? And don't give me that beacon nonsense. Try to be realistic. Part of the responsibility of a government is to protect its people, and that involves being proactive as well as reactive. Going and beating up the bad guys won't bring back fathers and sisters and fiances and daughters. america's government has failed them in the single most important duty that it has, and it won't make amends through violence. The Romans tried to stamp out christianity with violence, but it survived. What makes you think that you'll be any more successful? Deal with the cause, not the symptom George. You've been out there pushing around the other countries, freely making enemies, and all without thought of the repercussion on your own people. america isn't a walled fortress Georgie. And as terrible as what happened was, imagine how bad it could have been. Just think how small a nuclear device can be, and how many cars there are out there.
And I pray they will be comforted by a power greater than any of us, spoken through the ages in Psalm 23: "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me."
Of course, if you aren't a christian, you're on your own. america is a christian society, so if you happen to be Muslim, Jewish, Taoist, Shintoist, Atheist (god forbid, so to speak), or anything else non-bible based, there's no comfort for you. I won't even acknowledge your existence. George Bush the elder reportedly once said that atheists shouldn't consider themselves real americans because america is 'one nation united under god.'
So not the land of freedom of belief, then.
It was this point at which I couldn't stand to watch this address any longer, and with a sigh of "they'll probably buy all of that, too" I turned off the television.
This is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our resolve for justice and peace.
Now let's go and blow up some innocent people!
America has stood down enemies before,
Will you look at the size of our collective penis!
and we will do so this time.
and if we can't find an enemy, we'll bloody make one!
Not so far-fetched. america is good at making enemies.
None of us will ever forget this day. Yet, we go forward to defend freedom and all that is good and just in our world.
As long as it's american.
Thank you. Good night, and God bless America.
It says something, doesn't it, when the only person who reportedly likes america is a fictional character from an old book of waning popularity.
American military analysts have been on CBC national radio here in Canada recommending the use of a nuclear weapon. Now, given that the major tragedy here was the loss of innocent life, and that a hell of a lot more people are innocent wherever these terrorists came from than are guilty of attacking the US...
Well, to put it another way, are you out of your minds? Use of a nuclear weapon is the last thing this planet needs. Wake up, for the love of god. You can't go around nuking everything in sight. If you have nuclear power, the responsibility is yours to not use it.
What goes through their tiny little minds, these guys?
A friend of mine, a Canadian, sent me this message the day after New York happened. It was sent to me but it was directed at america (so that's who 'you' is). I might have worded it differently, but...
Keep in mind that neither this friend nor I support the deaths of those people in any way.
I KNOW WHO IS RESPONSIBLE!
The emasculation yesterday of the United States through the destruction of its organs of wealth-creation and policy-enforcement should not be distorted in its motive.
There has been no attack on 'freedom,' and confusing the issues here by evoking the antiquated rhetoric of a cold war, which ended some thirty years ago, is pointless.
Drawing biblical reference to sanction an eye for an eye retaliation, impotently chest-thumping, hinting dangerously at a 'quiet, unyielding anger,' and massing politicians to sing God Bless America while prematurely pointing fingers at fundamentalists are the irresponsible acts of a child.
Moreover, awakening memories of Pearl Harbour and the deployment of war ships on the East Coast in support of this erroneous interpretation as an act of war also completely draws attention away from the real issue.
The only parallel that exists here is that what has been and will continue to be attacked is the world order whose inception began on December 7th, 1941.
The fact that the target is the United States is not because YOU are 'a beacon of freedom' as the predicable descent further into police-state measures there will show, but because it is the symbol of a egregious mistribution of global wealth and its counterpart, power.
And the monomaniac pursuit of wealth and the weight of its concentration breeds greed and avarice, invariably spiraling into an auto-catalytic descent into callousness and inhumanity.
Symptomatic of this virulent ill are the repeated assertions that 'the U.S. would be open for business;' the errant meeting convened by European leaders to discuss closing markets in recognition that 'some people may profit on the misfortune of others' - when this in no way is a new development and the people in question are none other than themselves; and the rather sudden shift in media focus to the implications for international finance.
In the wake of these events, two leaders in particular have appeared before us visibly shaken. The first, with good reason, is Yassar Arafat. For as CNN continues to function as the de facto voice of State Department propaganda and with gross lack of journalistic objectivity consistently makes reckless allusions to the Middle East, Arabs, 'fundamentalists' and Osama Bin Laden, Arafat realises how tenuous is his position and that of the David and Goliath struggle of his stone-wielding followers. Predictably the Israeli response was as quick as it was resolute; the ramifications for Palestinians manifest in Israel's avowal to escalate its repressive activities. Actions for which a wide consent has already been 'manufactured' just as it has for whatever form the United.States' retaliatory strikes may take.
In realisation of this officials in Afghanistan and leaders of many of the suspected terrorist organisations have rushed to condemn and distance themselves from the act. But will YOU listen? Or will The United States in the eagerness to pacify an outraged public; to assuage a frightened nation; to recover a shattered trust and to smother an awakening consciousness take unilateral action as judge, jury and executioner as precedent has demonstrated?
The other now finding himself in a precarious situation is Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, who perhaps only now realises the 'Himalayan miscalculation' of his defense plan. Continued U.S. unilateral adventurism and blatant violation of foreign sovereignties may partially explain the strategic targeting of the Pentagon, however, defense spending has long been one of the engines of innovation and wealth in the United States and this corroborates the symbolic economic aspect. The Defense Department's clear inability to protect the U.S. from attack contains an important lesson that seems already to be falling upon deaf ears.
Rather, what is more frightening about the fallout are the misguided lessons that are being learned today; by the United States and by the thousands of groups all over the world who claim legitimate grievances and are every day growing more desperate. What has been shown them is a dramatic avenue of protest where U.S. policy has opened only blind alleys. These attacks in their escalating horror of scope will continue so long as the policy of the United States insistently fails to recognise the causes at their root. One need look no further than the rural opium farmers of South America who are being denied their only source of income by aerial spraying, while the steady demand for cocaine stemming from White collar America is ignored.
The time is come for The United States to rationally address the origins of this abhorrent act and redress the ugly scars of injustice it has so long turned a blind eye to. The time is come for YOU to assume the role of World leader that only YOU can rather than that of the vengeful 'Western' gunslinger.
This was NOT an 'act of war' against the United States. It is the renunciation of humanity. Today across the world billions of people find themselves either in mourning or celebration. But scarce few are those who do not wear the blood of those slain. And again though the reckless media insists on showing only the jubilant celebration of a few Palestinians (witness the misplaced attacks of retribution that will follow in the weeks to come), no doubt numerous similar scenes have occurred the world over.
Does not this fact in itself require that we reassess what could have led to the necessary misery and hopelessness that would countenance such a heinous act against our fellow human beings?
Yes, the world has been impressed by the audacity of this attack but billions will remain unmoved because they have been inured to death. A life is a life, regardless of geography, nationality and occupation and how many unknown have been and still are being lost. Indeed, their muted deaths seem to pale in comparison to the strident cry of the thousands lost yesterday. But we should not forget them for they are the 'faceless coward' whom the U.S. continues to blindly personify in Bin Laden, Saddam Hussein, Quaddafi and others. The face is man's and looms in the gaunt aspect of the billions of dispossessed, forgotten, oppressed, murdered, repressed, disenfranchised, and hopeless who have fallen through the tattered net of global prosperity.
If YOU want to find out who is responsible listen to the Iraqis who issued perhaps the day's most poignant statement that this is 'the fruit of' the United States' (and the rest of the world's) 'crimes against humanity.'
If YOU want to find a solution, it begs consideration that the staggering wealth lost on this day could perhaps have helped create the world where scenes such as this are never conceived of, in the process saving thousands of lives and our own humanity.
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