(Ir)religiosity

Part I: Only Americans Matter
Part II: We Draw Our Circle too Small

Last time, I mentioned the first reason we as Americans tend to both individually and collectively — individually as preoccupied public population and collectively via the manufacturing of consent through the politically driven corporate media machine — suppress and ignore non-domestic acts of violence: the political symbolism of the current Bush regime and the reality of assumed indirect consequence.

I concluded by noting that we “draw our circle too small” only including in our spheres our care those who look and act like us; in short, those who remain “citizens” of the particular and arbitrarily created — usually as a result of geopolitics and social convenience — “nation-state” in which we live.

The second justification for our indifference stems from, and is the direct result of, the first.  It is the intense and deep-seated emotional feeling most of every American, of virtually every political stripe is overcome with this time of the year.  I am of course speaking of the feeling of many, rightly or wrongly, call patriotism. Read the rest of this entry »

This is something that crosses my mind every now and again.  I’ve watched many an episode of South Park and I’ve seen my fair share of risque comedians, movies, and television shows.  And, I’ll be honest.  I laughed at the jokes.  We all have at some point.

But I wonder where — in our post-9/11 world, as the cliche goes — the line should be drawn.  How, if at all, do we distinguish between humor and the perpetuation of hurtful and racist stereotypes?  For what its worth, in drawing out this line of thinking, I’m not so much interested in political correctness as much as I am interested in the implicit promotion of fear mentality, xenophobia, and cultural jingoism.

I bring this up because I was disturbed — and, a little angered — when I read this article about Adam Sandler‘s new cult comedy, You Don’t Mess with the Zohan (ironically, the article is titled, “You Don’t Mess with the Racism”).  Now, to be honest I haven’t seen the movie (I guess I’m being that guy, who critizes something without having watched or read it) so I’m giving the author the benefit of a doubt. Read the rest of this entry »

Last month I listed some of the top prospects for the Democratic veep slot topping the list with my pick, Sen. Jim Webb from Virgina.  Looks like Webb doesn’t want the job as the semi-short list continues to shrink.  In a statement given today Webb stated, “Under no circumstances will I be a candidate for vice-president.” I’m a little disappointed, but the guy has got a bright future in the senate, and, maybe, perhaps the cabinet? [Ht. Jeremy Smith]

On this day last year, I wrote a post expressing my regret and distaste for the Fourth of July also known as Independence Day in the United States.  The celebration of any empire is, to me, to undermine the better qualities of human nature not mention to the rejection of the teachings of Jesus.

To be clear, I still hold those convictions, perhaps even more today than last year given the state of affairs in the US and the climate of the global economy, but that is another matter altogether. However, to associate those convictions with Independence Day is somewhat of misnomer because July 4, 1776 isn’t so much a commemoration of the United States and the celebration of American empire itself as much as it is a commemoration and celebration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the document on which the United States was founded and the document — along with what is left of the Constitution — from which it dubiously justifies its imperial existence.

So, I will celebrate the fourth of July not because I’m an American nationalist who will rally around the flag, praise the prospects of empire, eat grilled meat, and blow stuff up.  No, I will celebrate the fourth because I want to commemorate the Declaration of Independence and because I want to actually take it seriously. Read the rest of this entry »

Last time, I mentioned the blatant biases, omissions, and failings of the corporate media in the United States in regard to non-domestic acts of violence, and as of late, the war and occupation of Iraq.  I touched on the fact the in our minds, only Americans matter when it comes to international violence and I ended with the question: Why are we indifferent when it comes to this?

Over the next few posts, I want to unpack several reasons that I believe will help answer that question.  But before I do I want to make it clear that I don’t believe the blame to this phenomenon should be placed solely on the corporate media.  True, they are more culpable, they are in fact — at least in theory — obliged to report to us the viewers, and to speak the truth.  That is true and deserves attention because they have failed by all accounts. But I think this phenomenon is bigger and more widespread than just that.  Individual conditioning and indifference coupled with the fueling of the corporate media machine has ultimately led to our collective indifference in regard to non-American violence (e.g. the war in Iraq, the conflict(s) in Africa, etc.)

So, let’s look at the first reason and perhaps the most obvious, at least in terms of the current war Iraq, the most current and ignored example. Read the rest of this entry »