"Why I Am A Terrorist"
By Charles Sullivan
9-4-6
According to the twisted logic recently espoused by Secretary of
Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, the failure to support illegal, immoral and
unnecessary wars defines one as a terrorist. Let me be clear about
where I stand: I know who the real terrorists are, and can name each
one of them-Rumsfeld among the rest.
Everywhere you go in America you see the slogan, "Support our troops."
You see it on bumper stickers, storefronts, flags and banners, yellow
ribbons and even in the windows of private homes. But what does it
mean to support our troops? Is it to send them into harm's way; to
invade and occupy sovereign nations in illegal wars for empire? Is it
to ask them to commit heinous crimes, to maim and to kill innocent
civilians; to torture, insult, and to humiliate people who have done
us no harm? Is it to steal the natural wealth that belongs to other
nations and turn it over to American corporations?
If that is what it means, then I cannot support our troops. I cannot
wish them well if their purpose is conquer other people, and plunder
the wealth of other countries that have done us no harm. That would
require me to endorse crimes against humanity conducted under the
guise of national security and patriotism. I cannot do that-I will
not. It is simply wrong.
Neither should we, as we so often do, confuse supporting our troops
with supporting the president, or wrongful and immoral policies of
corrupt government. The president and his ilk do not support our
troops or he would not use them as pawns; he would take care of them
when they come home broken and torn with psychic scars. He does not
care about them-they are only a means to an end.
No, the best way to support our troops is to take a principled stand;
to hold the moral high ground-to bring them home alive and whole. A
government must not be allowed to require any of its citizens to
engage in immoral or criminal behavior on its behalf. When a
government behaves like a crime syndicate it does not mean that the
people should follow its example-they must provide a better
alternative, and refuse their allegiance to it.
So, if the failure to support a government's wrongful policies makes
me a terrorist-so be it. If speaking truth to power makes one a
terrorist-sign me up; move me to top of the NSA and FBI lists of
suspects. Send forth the assassins with their rifles. If exposing the
lies and corruption that attends power makes me a terrorist-I will
proudly wear the crown and bear the cost. I will cheerfully take my
place alongside other terrorists with names like Thoreau, Debs, King,
Gandhi, Einstein, Zinn, and Christ.
Charles Sullivan is a photographer and free-lance writer residing in
the hinterland of West Virginia. He welcomes your comments at
csullivan@phreego.com
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article14815.htm
.
|
