“I know who I am and who I may be if I choose.”
(Don Quixote in Don Quixote de La Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes)
Preamble Number One: We have Civil Liberties "Just In Case"?
Visit for more information the IAVW organization
Preamble: A Message from Ayn Rand
Preliminary food for thought - 1959 Mike Wallace Interviewing Ayn Rand - Part I
Ayn Rand - Part II
Part III
The Globalized Universal Dream
(Don Quixote in Don Quixote de La Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes)
Who are the Vicarious Traumatized Prisoners of The Iraq War?
At the verge of the USA elections (two months from it), we are facing tremendous challenges ahead, at both fronts, nationally and internationally. Perhaps, we need to understand them within the context of our most common, dearest, and accepted globalized aspirations and dreams, by which I mean, as simple human beings, and even better, as prisoners of war [It is a matter of fact we are kind of, because the cost of this recursive Iraq war not only in money, but also because of the lives of the innocents that have been taken away in horrible ways and tremendous horror and pain that have been transmitted not only to the victims' families but also to all of us. We, all, have become indirectly, simultaneously and illogically, victims and prisoners of war. We are living in a rather unnecessary virtual Guantanamo]. In the end, Who can understand better the value of freedom than a vicarious traumatized prisoner? Only the Prisoners themselves.
Thinking outside the Skinnerian American Box would benefit us greatly. We could see us as being part of something larger and greater than ourselves and not just the citizens of an extraordinary North-American empire. Besides, It seems, altogether not a bad idea or time to accept China in our club too. We can [for these elections] see ourselves simply as being citizens or creatures of this world and not the incredible angry greenish Hulks of all the bushistic democracies of this universe. Heretofore, many paradigms would shift before our own eyes, if we just were able to understand our identity in more universal terms, evenly you can help yourself by trying to understand the concepts of Buddhism, Taoism or simply a Rogerian empathy.
Thinking outside the Skinnerian American Box would benefit us greatly. We could see us as being part of something larger and greater than ourselves and not just the citizens of an extraordinary North-American empire. Besides, It seems, altogether not a bad idea or time to accept China in our club too. We can [for these elections] see ourselves simply as being citizens or creatures of this world and not the incredible angry greenish Hulks of all the bushistic democracies of this universe. Heretofore, many paradigms would shift before our own eyes, if we just were able to understand our identity in more universal terms, evenly you can help yourself by trying to understand the concepts of Buddhism, Taoism or simply a Rogerian empathy.
Elections For Change? The Memes of Mind Destruction
The people of the world seem to be eagerly looking after these American elections as ciphering them into the terms that could define their future. Today, we all can "sleep" but not quite too well, because we know that we are resting over a set of accepted memes that are not necessary failure-proof or proven beyond reasonable doubt to be adequate for solving the problems that we are facing, let alone for those we are seeing coming rather quickly towards us. Some of the most stupidest memes have been restated over the last two presidential terms. We have endure almost eight years of the most sacred and dangerous stupidity from extremist American partisan hardliners with the only hope that after this period they will be gone for good from our lives. It is still two months ahead from it, but I feel the relief already, don't you?
The roots of these memes seem to come from the times were people believe that the earth was flat and at the center of all universes. Perhaps, these are the same assumptions that propelled ancient Mongols and Romans to conquered other civilizations, kill and enslave people for expanding theirs onto other territories; which by now seem to have been ingrained on the souls of many Americans as well. For some people, mostly of the 'Rebushlican' type (and McCain does not seem to be in this category, since he has been a prisoner himself), being an American, signify to be a Roman, a Mongol or an Ottoman, or better than that, the dictators of the world.
They have this need to be at the center of all cultures because they think they know the answers of the conundrum from all the twilight zones or the location of all the black holes in the whole meta-universe within infinite galaxies of the perceivable and unperceivable reality or virtuality might have or ever could have had in the eons that were gone, are coming or will somehow come. Therefore, be an American, for this illusionists, means to be the most Non plus ultra-man or woman in the entire God’s creation, they feel as if they were the only chosen people, the Adams for whom the whole paradise has been created but for only they alone. They are the lions kings and the lionesses queens and the rest of us in the world are just inferior creatures. Is that right? Perhaps, they might want to ask the French about their psychological complexes. OK they are not going to be surprised by this but what about the other "creatures" in the rest of the globalized "jungle", Oh yeah, who cares they are so self-righteous; therefore, they can promise to the rest of the world democracy or Death. They will state what they still telling to the "Indians" or what ever they think the first Americans are that, "We have received directly God's commandment to take your lands and lives if necessary to fulfill our needs, ambitions and impose our way of life and to select the best life for all of you and for the rest of the world as well"
Anyway, Should the "creatures" love them? Should the rest of the world approve this? Should this typify the American Spirit? In few words, it is the eternal imperialist arrogant interpretation of the war and the peace. This is far from being fair or realistic. In this way a new world order, as an “E Pluribus Unum” [“out of many one” or “one from many”] partisan firewall has been installed in our imperialistic democracy, incidentally to facilitate the imposition of some views, mights and dreams from this seemingly extraterrestrial center stage in wish irrationally some Americans are collocated themselves. Is this Leadership "a lá Guantanamo"? Therefore, we have fought an American Revolution to go back and become the extension of a new degenerated version of the British Empire or the Roman, Mongol and Ottoman Empires? Are we proud of our accomplishments? I think that we should think once more in what kind of America do we really want, specially for this elections.
They have this need to be at the center of all cultures because they think they know the answers of the conundrum from all the twilight zones or the location of all the black holes in the whole meta-universe within infinite galaxies of the perceivable and unperceivable reality or virtuality might have or ever could have had in the eons that were gone, are coming or will somehow come. Therefore, be an American, for this illusionists, means to be the most Non plus ultra-man or woman in the entire God’s creation, they feel as if they were the only chosen people, the Adams for whom the whole paradise has been created but for only they alone. They are the lions kings and the lionesses queens and the rest of us in the world are just inferior creatures. Is that right? Perhaps, they might want to ask the French about their psychological complexes. OK they are not going to be surprised by this but what about the other "creatures" in the rest of the globalized "jungle", Oh yeah, who cares they are so self-righteous; therefore, they can promise to the rest of the world democracy or Death. They will state what they still telling to the "Indians" or what ever they think the first Americans are that, "We have received directly God's commandment to take your lands and lives if necessary to fulfill our needs, ambitions and impose our way of life and to select the best life for all of you and for the rest of the world as well"
Anyway, Should the "creatures" love them? Should the rest of the world approve this? Should this typify the American Spirit? In few words, it is the eternal imperialist arrogant interpretation of the war and the peace. This is far from being fair or realistic. In this way a new world order, as an “E Pluribus Unum” [“out of many one” or “one from many”] partisan firewall has been installed in our imperialistic democracy, incidentally to facilitate the imposition of some views, mights and dreams from this seemingly extraterrestrial center stage in wish irrationally some Americans are collocated themselves. Is this Leadership "a lá Guantanamo"? Therefore, we have fought an American Revolution to go back and become the extension of a new degenerated version of the British Empire or the Roman, Mongol and Ottoman Empires? Are we proud of our accomplishments? I think that we should think once more in what kind of America do we really want, specially for this elections.
The Eternal Internal Problems: Memes for the haves vs. don't haves
The problem arises internally, specially, when the “low and upper houses” are each divided and so out of touch with what is the interpretation of the American dream by the mere American people, not to mention what the American dream means for the Mexicans or the Russians. It does not matter too much at this point, as it matters more for Americans themselves, their values and principles and the enormous gap between the dominant minority and the others.
It is craziness but is a reality, most of what Americans are proud of, fight and die for and about it, in other words, for the most part what America has represented to their constituencies and to the rest of the world, have been twisted, distorted, and in a many ways damaged up to an almost irreversibly point by real nuts. It is a fantastic serious joke. How could I cry? by laughing nervously? What really is the great favor we have done to the people of Iraq in that case? let alone to the “Iraqitects” (when you read this ◄ Iraqitects article, do not forget to read also the comments) or where are they anyway? What has happenned with the word impeachment or at least an Ecce Homo in here? Should Monica Lewinsky be remembered in here too?
Thus, some of these memes appear to have been enforced forever and persistently by the powers that wish to be [I have almost wrote bush to be]. These imperialistic memes have been utilized from generation to generation as highly effective habits of imposing, organizing and conquering or enslaving people on the pretenses of political freedom, religion, culture or racial superiority and now because we seem to be running out of gas again. The “us against them” syndrome; however, after the cold war was won, for the most part we have become primarily, our own worst enemy. It is like as a civil cold war in every front and corners. Pro-choosers vs. Pro-lifers; Darwinists or neo-Darwinists vs. Creationist or hyper-creationists; neo-conservators or neo-cons vs. Anarchists or Extra-libertarians, just to mention all these in simple dichotomies; I think the diversity is fine and productive but strangely only the media appears to be uniformed in here. They are well paid, well dressed, have reached the status of celebrities by harmoniously giving the same news, same topics, images and just the same baloney everyday. God forgives them, because they know very well what they are doing and evenly are getting pay for it? What do they have done with the fourth power? They have weaken our democracy that is all, up to the point of almost not return. Hope it is not the case yet, and we can comeback to have at least one Murrow to expose for the people what the people should know by now.
What are the results from these last years operatic and operational ultra-right Dick-alignment? For once, instead to live the American dream we have endure the new neo-puritan hell with Ali Baba and the 40 thieves included as gift. What a ride! Dante could not have done it better than Cheney? and Goethe's Faust at least signed the contract with Mephistopheles and not with America of Bush. In addition forget about to focus in our aspirations, just remember our bills and please do not get sick in the middle of the “transaction” then you won’t have any salvation, of course except by your internal organs, they most likely will end in eBay. Welcome to hell, it is the American nightmare full of mortgages, foreclosures, looting while being harrass under storms and hurricanes, student loans and houses made out of Sheetrock and jails out titanium. While the owners of the Gas and combustible companies are singing from their mansions and in chorus the most beautiful union songs, like the pigs described by Orwell in the "Animal Farm".
We have allowed people who have not merits or skills whatsoever, and only perhaps for some form of cronyism, to partake in the important processes for our development and in the lives of our children. They have been for so long in power that by now our most cherish dreams seem to be just another impossible dreams or simple unreachable chimeras. If we heard conversations based on freedom, equality, justice, free speech, freedom of the press, we fear to be identified as terrorist procuring sedition to our home security and just we look down and perhaps we walk away undisturbed and rather quickly from all sort of colloquium like that. We are just too afraid in the "open" [if it were one left]. We have doubts about the security of our jobs and so we fear to be confused and be marked or blacklisted forever (read ahead what happened to the actor Lee J. Cobb) by those who are associated and looking to enact their hidden agendas. Are we feeling more secure now than before? Do you trust the press? Oh yeah! Quit a lot. Don’t you? OK they show to us the hurricanes and what will happen to us if we were living the Katrina's syndrome and how lucky we are we did not.
The Dominance of the Misfits
Over the last decade this syndrome has been recycled again and again, and once more by a dominant minority or culture [DC], a set of individual that have form societies under the belief that it is necessary the “homo homini lupus” for their ‘frugal’ survival and for the well being of their families; all others do not count in this calculation though. In many ways is a historical malady. A stupid Nietzschean eternal returning of the same, a political life cycle that reminds us of the roman circus. More Christians for the lions and for the 'long live Caesars!' We, as a globalized humanity, just cannot get over it, no matter in what times, whereas Zarathustra’s, Jesus’ or Mandela’s, it is all quietly the same tragedy and drama for power based on just greedy. Even in the most effective democracies, there are always those incompetent misfits that are able to join under weird membership ties, ridiculous pretenses and/or ritual passages with the aim to obtain absolute power or popularity; as Nero, Caligula or Hitler and with the aid of their followers and supporters they end up doing all sort of nasty and abominable things in the name of their roses.
Over the last decade this syndrome has been recycled again and again, and once more by a dominant minority or culture [DC], a set of individual that have form societies under the belief that it is necessary the “homo homini lupus” for their ‘frugal’ survival and for the well being of their families; all others do not count in this calculation though. In many ways is a historical malady. A stupid Nietzschean eternal returning of the same, a political life cycle that reminds us of the roman circus. More Christians for the lions and for the 'long live Caesars!' We, as a globalized humanity, just cannot get over it, no matter in what times, whereas Zarathustra’s, Jesus’ or Mandela’s, it is all quietly the same tragedy and drama for power based on just greedy. Even in the most effective democracies, there are always those incompetent misfits that are able to join under weird membership ties, ridiculous pretenses and/or ritual passages with the aim to obtain absolute power or popularity; as Nero, Caligula or Hitler and with the aid of their followers and supporters they end up doing all sort of nasty and abominable things in the name of their roses.
These people believe that they own the right to be right to impose their might and so they have sent people to kill under this impression and without any contemplation. They believe as if they were licensed by and under God to act upon over such terrible societal complexes of superiority; to dictate to others on this earth how to live, in what to believe and for what and whom to work for. People who have chosen their own path have been seen as outcasts and otherwise have been sentenced to crucifixion, electrocution, torture, prison, and death or even ostracism from their imperial paradise, but only in the special "best-case scenarios".
The thirst for power and dominion mixed with their operating style motivated mostly by ignorance, ambition, jealousy and brutality, become the purpose of their whole lives. They pursue their goals with not other reason than to receive the “glory” of being able to cast their ideas of superiority over the minds of others. It is a mental masturbation. These people are fearfulness, because they do not know what fear is. They have been extirpated from it. They believe in what they have been told while being at the cradle of their upbringing, and thus their decisions are made on behalf of skulls and bones, or other nonsensical secret fraternity or association.
Consequently, all these symbols are interpreted as their “preterit memes”, they would never recognize doing any wrong, exactly as Charles Mason, Hitler, Ceausescu, Milosevic, or Saddam Hussein never did. They just cannot, because they speak the “language” or the metasemantics of the “winners, killers and predators”, and for such these memes are all they have learned, inasmuch, it is impossible for them to figure out any of their wrongdoing. It is the historical survival of the fittest misfits throughout the automatic and moronic utilization of well rooted preserved assumptions and memes, as we know, unfortunately they only do not have few but plenty followers to finally commit their organized and premeditated atrocities.
Theretofore, all societies end up defining their mechanisms of preserving some people at the top, it is all based in ignorance of how to survive in other way and lack of understanding, it is all a robotic imitation, based on a frivolous ways of oppression, envious or convenient discrimination. As many memes are just dangerous viruses that corrupts the souls and steal the hearts of entire civilizations, I just wonder if this were the reason why many ruins and lost cities are documented in archeology.
What kind the government do we want and what would we finally get in 2009? Hoping, it will be the one that we need the most and for the most people without tearing apart the freedoms therein of the well-intentioned independent individuals.
Theretofore, all societies end up defining their mechanisms of preserving some people at the top, it is all based in ignorance of how to survive in other way and lack of understanding, it is all a robotic imitation, based on a frivolous ways of oppression, envious or convenient discrimination. As many memes are just dangerous viruses that corrupts the souls and steal the hearts of entire civilizations, I just wonder if this were the reason why many ruins and lost cities are documented in archeology.
What kind the government do we want and what would we finally get in 2009? Hoping, it will be the one that we need the most and for the most people without tearing apart the freedoms therein of the well-intentioned independent individuals.
Such pervasive memes are being permanently set as the foundational stones of our political landscape. They have molded the behavior of our political representatives, and yet we all know that they are just mere superstitions of the sorts and once more, we go to vote, because voting is a meme too; Oh, we believe so deeply in our on memes. Therefore, how can we become a better person, family, group, city, nation, or world? Where is the battlefield? Who should be the leader? Do we really need to make or engage in wars overseas? Who invented such a terrible political artifacts? Yes, it is a human trait; however, have not we learned enough to overcome such bellicose and technological attitude? Can we make money otherwise and without exploiting other people? Is this the end of the capitalism, at least as we know it? Is the free market compatible with our humanism? In a free market Shark-like monopolies are eating the baby companies and other entrepreneurs? Does the future need humans or capital? Capital or human, are the humans the capital? Do we want to embrace so readily the ideas behind the transhumanism? Can we do better than the capitalism or is a dogmatic economic truth too? Let me build a church then, "the Capitalistic Church of the Empire of the holy Transhumanists" and all shall be welcomed.
Dreams, Madness and Civilization
Perhaps in the middle of his madness Don Quixote had interpreted our perpetual dream, a globalized yet universal dream. No matter under what economical, religion or political tendency an empire, nation, tribe, group, family or individual might be imbued into it, there is a sense and a lesson of freedom, freewill, determination and justice in Don Quixote's ideals and yet as they seem unreachable at all levels, the mission is stated clearly, real versus ideal. Establishment versus Change, Status Quo versus Flux and adaptation to newer imposed demands. It is beyond the Greek agony and tragedy. It overpasses Oedipus's destiny, it is our most divine and humane quest.
The Impossible Dream
The Impossible Dream
The impossible quest was idealized, verbalized and realized by a man living within one of the most terrible situations that a human being could ever endure. A man destined to live dramatic times. Times filled at its fullest from all sort of war calamities and barbaric and moronic ideas. Where racial and creed intolerance towards other groups were the law of the land and the means of survival and belief. Four centuries ago, Don Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra was confined with many others, in a prison most likely located very near to those chambers of torture; imprisoned in some castle under the once mightiest power on earth, that is, the Spanish Empire. He was and did many things well and not just only one; as soldier he fought for freedom, and as a writer, he was living under the shadows of another enlisted soldier-writer of the “invincible armada”, that is, Lope de Vega, a writer who with his more than 1,800 comedies will become second only to Cervantes in the Spanish literature of all the times.
Miguel de Cervantes lost his left arm fighting [there are accounts that state that he only lost his hand] for the fleet of 206 galleys of the "Holy League" commanded under Don John of Austria against the Ottoman Empire in the battle of Lepanto at the Gulf of Patras, located at the western part of Greece. The battle of Lepanto was a decisive turning point for the history of Europe and Cervantes always was proud to be there and "fight for the right without question or pause" as he gladly did loosing his arm [or hand] in the interim.
It was a time in which people were forced to “purge” their souls, while the inquisitions castigated and tortured people because ethnic, cultural or religion differences, all in the name of God and under the name of the Spanish Empire and other empires as well. Presumably, all those souls have been saved already from eternal damnation. However, only Cervantes was able to capture the madness of a our civilization 400 years before the French philosopher Michel Foucault would try to explain it to us. From those dark dungeons built under castles, galleys, thrones and churches, people would suffer in this earth all their sins with blood, pain and torture for their future redemption and death was their only hope and most cherish wish at the time.
In the middle of this nonsensical imperialistic medieval apparatus, Don Quixote was written. Cervantes, who have being enslave at one point by Algerians for many years, was able to redeemed his soul and stamped in Spanish an universal commandment by using arguably the first modern novel and one of the best books of all the times. In fact, Thomas Jefferson love Don Quixote and keep a copy of the book near him at his office at all the times. I think that Don Quixote inspired and motivated him.
In the middle of this nonsensical imperialistic medieval apparatus, Don Quixote was written. Cervantes, who have being enslave at one point by Algerians for many years, was able to redeemed his soul and stamped in Spanish an universal commandment by using arguably the first modern novel and one of the best books of all the times. In fact, Thomas Jefferson love Don Quixote and keep a copy of the book near him at his office at all the times. I think that Don Quixote inspired and motivated him.
Cervantes simplified the main golden rule for the people of the centuries to come. It is difficult to comprehend the impact of this novel, but each century we understand and disentangle a new facet of it. All civilizations have embraced Don Quixote, and those individuals who have read it, have laughed and cried but with all their tears [what are your waiting for, find a copy and start reading it! again]. Cervantes’ dictum seems to be: “Do what needs to be done in your life, do what is right, "not matter how hopeless, no matter how far" or how weak, just do the right thing. Now, that sound American and more so humane, doesn’t it? Don Quixote is a main metaphor and is the metasemantic motto behind the Bolivar's statement: “plowing the sea”, meaning again: “To fight for the right without question or pause.” It might be seen as an “impossible dream”; nevertheless, it is a choice, a difficult option, a way of life. It is an alternative, we most likely know that by doing it we would fail most of the times; notwithstanding, "the brave and the free", shall march forward to meet those challenges and the consequences of our shortcomings. We must renew our strength, good faith and will. In the same time, we should recognize our mistakes by moving far from them and for those people to whom albeit we delegated the function to make decisions on our behalf have abused this position, and we need to do it as fast and as much as we possibly can. So what is right, what is normal, who should decide this? It seems that democracy is our best tool.
We cannot continue building our civilization over a house of cards and with the same pretenses of this recently past, that yet it has not finished to pass or happening, it still remains and wants to state with us. We cannot sustain our growth by returning to concepts or constructs that epitomized the obscurest moments of our history. We need to recognize the knowledge that we have already acquired. In that knowledge, rest our freedom and justice.
We have experienced over this last decade a brutal assault to the dearest and most sacred principles and values of our present civilization. It has been a period of degradation and violence, no matter what the reasons were, are or will; we have experienced the effects of real violence and all this has been canned repeatedly and distributed in videos for us to watch as many times as we may please. Is it enough yet?
We should have learned our lessons, but it seems to be very difficult to do it so, as violence or overpowering nations are not the answer to our problems, however, they continue doing business as other empires did since thousands years ago but with better technology based on the same code of Hammurabi. It is just as way of exacerbating our problems.
War is a business too, but also it is just the end of reason and the liberation of the inhumane beast within us. Not matter whom we are going to blame for it. Blaming is a game and not the solution, for hunger, immigration, overpopulation, terrorism, climate change, energy crises, or poverty. All these have been with us and will continue as it seems, to be with us, as long as we continue to embrace false assumptions or constructs about the roots of these societal problems based on statistical lies and make-up or cosmetic democracies. It is an "Obamistic change" to think that by mentioning the "word" change the best change just will appear or occurred to change everything for good of the most people. It appears as we just forgot the Malthusian calculations, it is really common sense, we not need to call Nostradamus in here to tell us that we are living an unsustainable rhythm; however, it seems that we cannot stop our running tempo towards our own destruction. I argue that we can and we should stop the nonsense. We have enough talent and there are knowledgeable people out there. The system is not too bad, but it might be in danger though and irremediably needs to be upgraded rather soon. We have time for changing again, over these elections; the question remains, how fast or how drastically could we or need to change? From the "certainties" of an ultra right to the uncertainties of a new figure, whose strings we really just do not know enough about it from where they come or who are the ones who really own them.
Thus, USA is about to engage in another challenge for this upcoming elections. It is not a question even related to this almost new “cold war 2.o” with Russia cutting Georgia like cheese in two, it is not the “renewal or revival of oil crisis 2.0” problem. Neither, the effects of the environment by our consumerist behavior, nor the horrible outcomes of the new "Vietnam version 2.0”, but many times augmented, the Iraq war revised. It is not only the stupidity, arrogance, myopia or sarcastic emptiness of the fourth power; or how well they seem to be prevailing or be followed or believed by their audiences neither. Although, the effects of the media have been very influential and biased over the last primaries, for example. We are talking about the preservation of our most sacred human values and principles epitomized by/for/in the American revolution.
Thus, USA is about to engage in another challenge for this upcoming elections. It is not a question even related to this almost new “cold war 2.o” with Russia cutting Georgia like cheese in two, it is not the “renewal or revival of oil crisis 2.0” problem. Neither, the effects of the environment by our consumerist behavior, nor the horrible outcomes of the new "Vietnam version 2.0”, but many times augmented, the Iraq war revised. It is not only the stupidity, arrogance, myopia or sarcastic emptiness of the fourth power; or how well they seem to be prevailing or be followed or believed by their audiences neither. Although, the effects of the media have been very influential and biased over the last primaries, for example. We are talking about the preservation of our most sacred human values and principles epitomized by/for/in the American revolution.
This last decade has been far from being moderated. The individual freedoms in USA have been minimized (Patriotically) at its most minimum expression, almost they have been removed from us, in the name of the security of our homeland. I wonder what the philosopher Ayn Rand would have been written about these times, but I remember reading that in a television interview she stated that trying to make impossible things is interesting to people in general.
On the other hand, I have the intuition that the former Senator McCarthy would have been jumping of happiness in the realization that such level of fear, doubt and uncertainty could have been possible to instill in the American citizenship, all in the name of incompetence and beyond this, made out of the stupidest and simpleton vaquero’s arrogance.
McCarthyism 2.0: Murrow and Smith
Mentioning Joseph Raymond McCarthy, I remembering two significance passages, which apply precisely and unequivocally, as far as my understanding goes, to these times, and more so, to this concurrent Republican contumacy of the current white house. One come to my mind from Edward R. Murrow, a newscaster, who was a pioneer of TV news broadcasting journalism with his 1950 TV Show “See it Now”. Murrow started precisely alerting people about McCarthy’s Red Scare tactics by broadcasting and commenting over some of McCarthy's hearings and other public speeches or conversations. Incidentally, Murrow was one of the first and principal personalities that aided in the elimination of the unsubstantiated practice, known as McCarthyism, from our political arena; especially with his 30 minutes episode entitled, “A Report on Senator Joseph McCarthy”. I would like to indicate that even Eisenhower, a war hero and USA President, would have contemplated deeply and more than twice, before he would have referred to McCarthy, in spite he wanted to do it so; in fact he was criticized for his lack of antagonism towards the senator's behavior. McCarthy’s power could put anyone at risk, at that time, to be accused as a communist or as a traitor; then, who really wanted it to be in that position or dealt with that sort of man? Eisenhower, although he was irritated by McCarthy’s attacks against to his mentor, the General George C. Marshal, who is another war hero and the architect of Japan’s reconstruction after the WWII, known as the plan Marshal, and a 1953 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, never devoted publicly his attention towards McCarthy. It was a lesson in politics. Anyhow, the first clear definition of what really McCarthyim was, has been asserted by the following Murrow’s statement:
“His primary achievement has been in confusing the public mind, as between the internal and the external threats of Communism. We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. We must remember always that accusation is not proof and that conviction depends upon evidence and due process of law. We will not walk in fear, one of another. We will not be driven by fear into an age of unreason, if we dig deep in our history and our doctrine, and remember that we are not descended from fearful men. [...] We proclaim ourselves, as indeed we are, the defenders of freedom, wherever it continues to exist in the world, but we cannot defend freedom abroad by deserting it at home. The actions of the junior Senator from Wisconsin have caused alarm and dismay amongst our allies abroad, and given considerable comfort to our enemies. Moreover, whose fault is that? Not really his. He didn't create this situation of fear; he merely exploited it -- and rather successfully.” (For reading all Transcript - See it Now: A Report on Senator Joseph R. McCarthy. [CBS-TV March 9, 1954. Retrieved on 29 August 2008]) I will comeback to Murrow latter in this blog as I enjoy his line of work.
Senator Margaret Chase Smith
The Declaration of Conscience
The second passage is a direct answer to the “Rebushlicans” of this time. It stated in the “The Declaration of Conscience”. The text was written by the Senator from Maine, Margaret Chase Smith, the first women to be nominated to run at the primaries for the Presidency of the United States of America, for the Republican Party or GOP, released upon delivery on June 1, 1950. This declaration is a remainder of the four cornerstones for every American, The right:
“His primary achievement has been in confusing the public mind, as between the internal and the external threats of Communism. We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. We must remember always that accusation is not proof and that conviction depends upon evidence and due process of law. We will not walk in fear, one of another. We will not be driven by fear into an age of unreason, if we dig deep in our history and our doctrine, and remember that we are not descended from fearful men. [...] We proclaim ourselves, as indeed we are, the defenders of freedom, wherever it continues to exist in the world, but we cannot defend freedom abroad by deserting it at home. The actions of the junior Senator from Wisconsin have caused alarm and dismay amongst our allies abroad, and given considerable comfort to our enemies. Moreover, whose fault is that? Not really his. He didn't create this situation of fear; he merely exploited it -- and rather successfully.” (For reading all Transcript - See it Now: A Report on Senator Joseph R. McCarthy. [CBS-TV March 9, 1954. Retrieved on 29 August 2008]) I will comeback to Murrow latter in this blog as I enjoy his line of work.
Senator Margaret Chase SmithThe Declaration of Conscience
The second passage is a direct answer to the “Rebushlicans” of this time. It stated in the “The Declaration of Conscience”. The text was written by the Senator from Maine, Margaret Chase Smith, the first women to be nominated to run at the primaries for the Presidency of the United States of America, for the Republican Party or GOP, released upon delivery on June 1, 1950. This declaration is a remainder of the four cornerstones for every American, The right:
- To criticize
- To hold unpopular beliefs
- To protest
- Of independent thought
"The Democratic administration has greatly lost the confidence of the American people by its complacency to the threat of communism and the leak of vital secrets to Russia through key officials of the Democratic administration. There are enough proved cases to make this point without diluting our criticism with unproved charges.
Surely these are sufficient reasons to make it clear to the American people that it is time for a change and that a Republican victory is necessary to the security of this country. Surely it is clear that this nation will continue to suffer as long as it is governed by the present ineffective Democratic Administration.
Yet to displace it with a Republican regime embracing a philosophy that lacks political integrity or intellectual honesty would prove equally disastrous to this nation. The nation sorely needs a Republican victory. But I don't want to see the Republican Party ride to political victory on the Four Horsemen of Calumny -- Fear, Ignorance, Bigotry and Smear.
I doubt if the Republican Party could -- simply because I don't believe the American people will uphold any political party that puts political exploitation above national interest".
Edward C. Murrow and Margaret Chase Smith were able to deal with the McCarthyism of the time; their voices are applied as well to the conditions that we are experiencing previously to the USA elections. Is there today any journalist or anchor to hit the nail as well as Murrow did? where are they? However, Don Quixote after four centuries continues galloping in our imagination.
Naming Names and Lee J. Cobb
Lee J. Cobb as "Johnny Friendly" at the Left of the photo,with Marlon Brando as "Terry Malloy" in the 1954 film "On the Waterfront".
[Photo is Public Domain]
Incidentally, it is all too weird too; Lee J. Cobb starred the first show of the play, the “Man of la Mancha”. He in one point of his career was blacklisted as being possible Communist before the House Un-American Activities Committee or HUAC for short (This time Senator McCarthy did not have anything to do with this House Committee). Cobb stated the following interesting remarks, after he gave testimony naming twenty people as former members of the communist party, during an interview conducted in 1982 by Victor Navasky, professor of Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and former editor of the magazine “The Nation”, for his book “Naming Names”:
[The Statement of Lee J. Cobb]
“When the facilities of the government of the United States are drawn on an individual it can be terrifying. The blacklist is just the opening gambit — being deprived of work. Your passport is confiscated. That's minor. But not being able to move without being tailed is something else. After a certain point it grows to implied as well as articulated threats, and people succumb. My wife did, and she was institutionalized. The HUAC did a deal with me. I was pretty much worn down. I had no money. I couldn't borrow. I had the expenses of taking care of the children. Why am I subjecting my loved ones to this? If it's worth dying for, and I am just as idealistic as the next fellow. However, I decided it was not worth dying for, and if this gesture was the way of getting out of the penitentiary I'd do it. I had to be employable again.”
In addition, I have experienced Cobb’s description and no one should have exposed to something like this, it is terrifying, therefore, now we have our opportunity. To enact the impossible dream, just let us sing together these lines and many times over, asking, “Who really are moving the strings or our presidential candidates today, right now? and who are blowing their windmills and why? Anyway, here are the lines of one of the most beautiful songs ever, as the lawyer-poet, Francis Scott Key about the anthem, I would put it here to reflect on his thoughts: “Let the praise, then, if any be due, be given, not to me, who only did what I could not help doing, not to the writer, but to the inspirers of the song!” (Our Flag, 2003, p. 6 or Acknowledgment) and as Senator John McCain stated while remembering his imprisonment during the Vietnam War: "As far as this business of solitary confinement goes-the most important thing for survival is communication with someone, even if it's only a wave or a wink, a tap on the wall, or to have a guy put his thumb up. It makes all the difference."
To dream the impossible dream,
To fight the unbeatable foe,
To bear with unbearable sorrow,
To run where the brave dare not go,
To right the unrightable wrong,
To love pure and chaste from afar,
To try when your arms are to weary,
To run where the brave dare not go,
To reach the unreachable star!
This is my quest to follow that star,
No matter how hopeless, not matter how far,
To fight for the right without question or pause,
To be willing to march into hell for a heavenly cause!
And I know, if I'll only be true
To this glorious quest, that my heart will lie peaceful and calm,
When I'm laid to my rest,
And the world will be better for this,
that man scorned and covered
with scars, still strove
with his last once of courage,
To reach the unreachable star
Last Review by JMK on April 29, 2010
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