[lbo-talk] re:Margolis: Why There is No WMD Outrage

[Maria Gilmore]

I encounter this alot.  Lots of average Americans who seem to think Might
Makes Right, that's the way it is, if these "shitty countries" think they
can mess with the US they've got it coming, we have to protect ourselves.
Maybe that's proof of the tremendous ignorance of Americans, that so many of
them were so utterly shocked by 9/11, they know nothing of the outside world
and the behavior of their govt so that attack seems to them to be completely
senseless and unprovoked.  (Speaking for myself, I was horrified and scared
and sick that day, but the sad truth is I was not shocked in the sense of
being surprised.  More like, "so it's finally happened.")
That perception of irrational unprovoked terrorism leads to rampant fear and
a willingness to do "whatever's necessary" to protect ourselves.  It's "USA
#1" and racism and jingoism all wrapped up in one really ugly ball.   And I
doubt this attitude is going unnoticed abroad.   Those who would kill more
Americans if they could are being given confirmation of their opinions  of
us as a people, and they will be back with more death and terror.  Right
here.

***There is no such thing as apolitical art. ***


> There is however, a more sinister strain of American> thought that I've
recently become aware of: people who
> never believed that Iraq was a threat and always> thought that the Bush
admin was using the WMD story as
> a smokescreen but who, despite all this, are not the> least bit bothered.
>
> This is the acculturation of gangster morality, > 'street credibility'
must be periodically demonstrated
>  through displays of lethal force.