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In an election cycle that has scored the lowest in human decency, civilized behavior and speech – from Maine’s Gov. Paul LePage to Donald J. Trump; a cycle characterized by hate, viciousness, competing scandals, voluminous unproven allegations, scapegoats, fear-mongering, incitements to violence, death threats, and general moral decline bordering on decadence, I advise no child be exposed to any of it – none!
These public displays are not examples of an “indispensible”, “exceptional” and “greatest” nation in the world. Great leaders don’t sink to adolescent catcalls, jeering mockery, vulgar insults and verbal abuse, or instigate violence. Great nations don’t threaten other countries and sovereigns with regime change, assassination or war if they recoil from its political and economic diktats.
Said about some people can be said of some Americans: They don’t ever point out a pink elephant in the room! They sweep it under the rug. If it is too big to hide, they blame it on Putin, Russia, China, terrorists, foreign hackers, socialists, environmental fascists, “baby killers”, atheists, Black Lives Matter, welfare cheats, humanists, tax-and-spend liberals – even FDR.
Be a “good American” – don’t question? Stand in line, keep your mouth shut and believe what you’re told to believe?
Don’t ever question the supremacy of money, markets and property – the Holy Trinity of the Austrian School, the Chicago School, and the neoliberal and libertarian?
Don’t ever question the unassailable military-industrial-intel complex – the largest brute-force cartel in the world?
Don’t ever question the corrosiveness of fiercely competitive dog-eat-dog living at a vulture stage of capitalism where selfishness and profiteering are virtues and mutual cooperation and respect are Deadly Sins?
Don’t ever question Corporate America that has outsourced jobs; keeps profits in offshore tax havens; seeks to privatized government itself; controls the flow of commerce; restrictsMain Street, small business and the entrepreneur; disavows innovation to meet quarterly analyst expectations and pay insider bonuses?
Don’t ever question the usury of bankers who manipulate the money supply, dominate the markets, set interest and finance rates and have weaved almost every American into a web of life-long debt?
Don’t ever question flagrant consumerism – the sanctified and obligatory acts of buying, buying, buying, buying non-essential products produced by slave-labor in Southeast Asia and sold by slave-wage laborers here inAmerica’s retail mega-chains?
Don’t ever question the markets – the “indicator of the nation’s health”. Disregard any fall in pension payments, interest, retirement benefits or freezing of COLA because the “indicators” all say the patient is in ideal health?
Don’t ever question if any Republican is an agent of the ubiquitous downturns in personal fortunes. Always remember: These events are due to liberals and leftists, the people who are destroying this country?
Don’t ever question the superior white male that “manifest destiny” (allotted by Providence itself!) has entrusted with safeguarding the nation’s pure stock and who is granted inalienable rights over the alien – especially the non-Christian Muslim – and over the inferior races of black-, brown-, yellow- and red-skin, as well as nearly half the world population who are women?
Don’t ever question the morally righteous religionist who throws the first stone? They think themselves God’s judge and jury and want to save you from Hell.
Don’t ever question police brutality and the murders of innocent young black males; or ever question why police have been militarized by Homeland Security to fight against their own townspeople?
Don’t ever question America’s seamless dragnet surveillance state that protects you from terrorists; or question the harmlessness of Google, Facebook, Twitter, and friends sweeping, collecting, analyzing and profiling every last measure of your privacy (it’s “only to sell advertising”)?
Don’t ever question the objectivity of mass-media news that earns its keep from advertising dollars? Advertisers who have the most to spend get the most copy, and the most protection. Those who have no money you’ll never learn about.
Don’t ever question Rush Limbaugh who will convince you Hitler was a Leftist and the Pope a Marxist; or question Elmer Gantry demagogues on TV and AM radio who will convince you Satan rules the world?
Most importantly, don’t ever, ever, ever, ever, ever question the Second Amendment? Even if the Constitution needs to be suspended in order to save it, retain the “2nd Amen”.
Finally, don’t ever sayAmericais a divided nation when almost every American AGREES on how divided it really is.
Somewhere underneath the rising rubble formed by collapsing jobs, wages, infrastructure, institutions and civility; underneath citizens chaotically spinning and dizzy from civil, political, religious, gender and culture wars; awash in high-velocity propaganda and psychological conditioning; witnessing neighbors thrash against other neighbors and identity groups and wedge issues fight for supremacy over others … is to be found … America.
But this historic and singular melting pot of immigrants, ethnics, races and creeds, thisAmerica, this house divided, cannot stand.
Michael T. Bucci is a retired public relations executive who currently resides in New England. He has authored nine books on practical spirituality collectively titled The Cerithous Material.
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