The Boy Who Cried Iraq

http://www.theboywhocriediraq.com/ THIS below, is the last page from "the boy who cried Iraq": By Dan Berman Feb 2003

Alternatives:

There is no question that this war is about oil and money. Pro-war arguments about "freeing the oppressed Iraqis" backed up with statements like "Why don't you go live over there and then see if you support the war" are irrelevant. Again, freeing the Iraqis and taking down a brutal dictatorship is definitely a positive effect of this massive blitzkrieg, but still, just a side effect.

Similarly, taking out Saddam Hussein's American-funded government will not hinder terrorists or make us any safer at home. It sure will increase the number of our enemy though.

The only pro-war argument I've ever come across is the educated Republican stance: We are dependant on oil and controlling the oil supply will keep us on top, therefore I believe this unprovoked invasion is worth it.

If this statement was factually correct, then it would be a completely valid argument. However, oil is no longer our only option for power and energy.

Alternative fuel sources are constantly being developed, with completely new ones coming up every few months. The technologies are being advanced and refined in universities and independent laboratories, but are not backed enough to effect the market. A relatively small investment by the government or energy companies could give these labs the resources they need to perfect and mass produce these fuel sources.

In early March 2003, researchers at St. Louis University created a new type of fuel cell powered by Ethanol alcohol. Shortly before that, a Carthage plant figured out how to turn turkey byproducts into diesel fuel. Fuel cells are close to powering small electronic devices, and hydrogen cells have continued to make progress and shown immense potential.

But how would the energy companies make money off the Sun? How does the government tax an un-measurable source? California has tried to tax solar power, but has so far been unsuccessful.

They can't, and that is why they will not put in the resources necessary to bring these alternative fuel sources into our homes, offices, and cars.

As the industrial revolution ushered a new age, alternative fuel sources will bridge the gap to the next era of humanity.

America's military budget is almost $400 billion dollars. Less than ten percent of that would be more than enough to perfect existing alternative fuel sources and leave oil, with the greed, torture, and murder it brings, in our past. The money spent on this unprovoked invasion alone would have been enough to make significant strides in the technologies.

Some would argue that along with securing oil resources for ourselves, being able to control oil distribution to other countries would further define America's role as sole superpower. While true, it is still defeated by efficient and reliable alternative fuel sources. While the rest of the world would fight to control what's left of the finite, material resource, we would be decades ahead of them all with an infinite energy source. Imagine how much stronger the military would be without being dependent on oil. Imagine how many more $300 checks George Bush Junior would be able to send out to buy even more support. The possibilities are endless.

But alas, oil is the black gold, and in the same way Columbus murdered an entire race of Indians for gold, oil will continue to bring about war and murder and terror until it is all gone.

40° N "If you want to know your past life, look into your present condition. If you want to know your future, look into your present action" -Padmisambha

Our country has developed a cultural divide, a virtual Mason-Dixon line separating the sheep and the intelligent people in a way that would make Pol Pot jealous.

We have a portion of this country blindly supporting the presidency no matter what is carried out. Questioning the Washington Autocracy is met with fascist accusations of not supporting troops and supporting terrorism and every other backwards declaration of stupidity imaginable.

Whether you are for the war or against it really doesn't matter now. What does matter is if you are for America or against it.

Trying to suppress dissent and blindly supporting the swift destruction of the constitution is not being American. No matter how many crosses are waved or "God Bless America" stickers are put on cars.

This country was founded on dissent. Our greatest president encouraged dissent to keep the government in line, publicly declaring that the day the public stops questioning the government is the day democracy in this country has died.

This is the eulogy.

How did the anti-freedom pro-war zealots get to reserve the "support the troops" propaganda for their side? That makes as much sense as an arsonist yelling to support the firefighters.

Supporting the troops is desiring to get them out of harm's way. Supporting the troops is trying to end an unjust invasion that has caused over 100 American soldiers to be killed. Supporting the troops is not supporting the crooked dynasty that has caused more death globally than any Iraqi dictator ever could.

People bring up the fact that "I'd rather live here than there" and all that irrelevant drivel. That's not an excuse to let things go. The "lesser of two evils" argument does not cut it. Hitler was not better than Stalin because he killed less people. We must strive for more. For better.

It's the same as telling a black guy in the 40's to "deal with it, at least you're free" - it's just doesn't work. Nothing should ever be "good enough."

The people that resort to this baseless nonsense are the same people that would have owned slaves. Of course, now they would be the first to say "racism is wrong!" while carefully using political correct terms to "politely" keep up the dividing lines.

It's just amazing to me how people can say the most unbelievably racist things against Iraqis and Arabs and French and whoever else we are told to hate and really think they are not racist. Someone needs to explain to these narrow minded Klan candidates that racism means judging ANY race, not just black.

Even worse is the "if you don't like it, leave!" cliché. Tell that to the Jews in Nazi Germany.

Tell Martin Luther King Junior to go to Canada. Tell Rosa Parks to walk. Tell George Washington to find a new continent. Tell Susan B. Anthony to go vote somewhere else.

Look at the bigger picture. It's the mentality. Sure, many people can now agree that slavery is bad, but only after being raised that way. It's relative to the environment. Hating the French because they can actually stand up for themselves? Oh, so you still can hate an entire group of people.

Relating Bush to Hitler isn't accusing him of trying to set up death camps and murder ten million people. But it is illustrating that he and his administration are taking the same steps and doing the same things that Hitler did to accomplish what he accomplished. We don't need a color-coded early warning chart to see the danger in that.

In order for us to live in a free country, dissent should be encouraged. The government, by nature, will always end up being an oppressive and corrupt body. It is up to the people to continuously question the government and tell the politicians what to do. We need to become aware of what our government is doing, and we can't rely on their media to tell us the truth. On September 11th, we learned why.

It is important that we are aware of how our actions affect other people in other countries. Osama bin Laden himself stated that the reason he will target civilians is that in a republic like ours the actions of the government are representative of the will of the people. That statement is correct. If we do not become aware of what is being carried out in our name, we will continuously, and more frequently, be attacked and killed in acts of desperation and retribution.

That is why we must educate ourselves about the results of our actions and respond to them accordingly.

Our culture is in a horrible downward spiral aimed right in the center of the story that Adolph Hitler, George Orwell and Aldous Huxley all wrote chapters of.

Our future is not bright. Things will not "get better." Praying will do nothing but encourage complacency. Our only hope is to work together, to rise up from our sheep mentality and educate ourselves. Once we are aware of where we are and why, we can take the right steps to move forward to better things.

And that is why I wrote this. Now do your part. Read more. Educate yourself. Educate others. Encourage dissent and questions. Do what needs to be done to make this world a better place for everybody.

Thank you for reading.

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