BuzzFlash
presents Southern Style
by Rebecca Knight
Never Give Up!
by Rebecca Knight
June 17, 2002
"Of all the enemies to public liberty war is, perhaps, the most to be dreaded because it comprises and develops the germ of every other. War is the parent of armies; from these proceed debts and taxes. And armies, and debts, and taxes are the known instruments for bringing the many under the domination of the few. In war, too, the discretionary power of the Executive is extended. Its influence in dealing out offices, honors, and emoluments is multiplied; and all the means of seducing the minds, are added to those of subduing the force of the people. The same malignant aspect in republicanism may be traced in the inequality of fortunes, and the opportunities of fraud, growing out of a state of war...and in the degeneracy of manners and morals, engendered by both. No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare."
- James Madison, April 20, 1795
How prescient are those words by James Madison. They describe precisely the circumstances American citizens find themselves in today. Pay special attention to the last sentence in warning against continual warfare. The Bush administration is singularly responsible for placing American citizens in a most precarious situation both at home and throughout the world with the possibility of serious ramifications for years to come.
"I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country… Corporations have been enthroned, an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money-power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until the wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed."
- Abraham Lincoln
The goal of our government should be to make the American people safer by any means. The Bush administration has chosen the military path and turned its back on diplomacy necessary to address the causes of terrorism. In pursuing a military solution to the extent that it has, the Bush administration has exposed its motivation to impose its will upon the world rather than constructing a just foreign policy for the safety and security of all human beings.
The Bush position on the "war on terrorism" is that there is no way to determine the length of the effort, the countries involved, nor the actions to be taken. This is somewhat understandable due to the unknowns inherent in terrorism. It would be difficult to lay out a detailed war plan under such circumstances. However, Cheney has stated that this effort could take as long as fifty years and the original goal of getting bin Laden apparently has been abandoned. On September 13, 2001, Bush said, "The most important thing is for us to find Osama bin Laden. It is our number one priority and we will not rest until we find him!" Six months later, on March 13, 2002, that aim was totally reversed when Bush said, "I don't know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and I really don't care. It's not that important. It's not our priority."
"In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist."
- President Dwight David Eisenhower
Could there be a motivation other than the unknowns of terrorism for prolonging military conflict? Absolutely, that's what President Eisenhower's statement warns against. The Bush administration is being influenced by the military industrial complex through the Carlyle Group, through George H. W. Bush, James Baker, and many other influential Republicans. Never forget that war can be a profitable venture for those invested in or working for the right conglomerates.
"Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of congress; but I repeat myself."
Twain's quote is humorous, but it also has a certain ring of truth. The Constitution bestows sole authority for declaring war on Congress, which has not done so to date. Can Congress be relied upon by the American citizens to responsibly monitor the prosecution of current military actions? Not at this time, because the House of Representatives and the White House are both controlled by the Republican Party. The Democrats have timidly questioned the direction and the duration of military involvement around the world, but quickly backed down when criticized by Republicans. Elected officials, regardless of party affiliation, who shirk their responsibilities, by failing to question matters of such critical urgency, must be held accountable. Elected officials who defend and participate in actions counter to the best interests of American citizens are doubly responsible and should be ousted from their positions. But who has the strength of character to take such actions?
"The people are the ultimate guardians of their own liberties. In every government on earth is some trace of human weakness, some germ of corruption and degeneracy. Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone."
- Thomas Jefferson
American citizens are also guilty of the same complacency as our Congressional leaders. The masses have asserted throughout history that no tyrant could quell our lust for independence and liberty. Now we stand before a government that exploits every opportunity to take away the rights guaranteed by the wisdom of our forefathers and we appear to be self-centered cowards. Are we willing to relinquish our rights under questionable justifications without a fight? If so, we are following a dangerous historical path to the end of America, as we know it. Is this an overstatement? Not when taken in the context of historical events.
"The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it."
The similarities between the conditions facing the German citizens in the 1930's and the American citizens now are impossible to ignore. The American people, just as the German people did then, remain passive to actions usurping our freedoms under the assumption that we are safe and secure due to strict laws regarding what the government can and cannot do. The government prefers it that way as a fearful public is easier to govern than a courageous one. Both governments requested temporary extraordinary powers casting aside existing laws and regulations. The temporary powers recently conferred by Congress will be no more temporary in America than they were in Germany. In addition, both governments expanded the military budget to manufacture weapons of mass destruction to be used from long distances so that individuals would not be face to face with the horrors of war.
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
- Edmund Burke, British Statesman, 1729 – 1797
Also similar to the German people, when confronted with a situation demanding individual courage, in the form of a government gone wrong, Americans simply pretend that the situation does not exist. Americans, just as the German people did, will themselves blind to the evidence and nod in agreement with their leader, while still imagining themselves to have courage, even as they avoid the one situation most requiring real courage. In that simple self-deception by the German citizens lay the ruin of an entire nation and the coming of the Second World War. Americans should be wary of falling into this pattern of self-destruction.
"He who joyfully marches in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would suffice."
TIME magazine's Man Of The Year in 1938 was Hitler and in 1939 and 1942 it was Stalin, proving that it is not easy to spot a tyrant when you live with one, especially one whom the press supports and promotes. The German people did not stand up to Hitler because their media betrayed them, just as the American media is betraying the American people by abandoning its role as a watchdog for governmental abuse. Television news is preoccupied to the point of obsession with pro-Bush talking heads such as retired military officers, think-tank propagandists, and flag-waving journalists. They consume hour after hour with inane discussions delving into such peripheral matters as under what circumstances to attack Iraq, how many troops to send to which countries, or whether those accused of "terrorist" acts should have any legal rights at all. One rarely, if ever, sees anyone interviewed who questions Bush administration actions or policies.
"Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable."
- Sydney J. Harris, American Journalist, 1927 – 1986
Do we believe that tyrants appear only in other nations and that somehow America is immune simply because we're Americans? If so, we are deluding ourselves. Unless we somehow find the moral courage to stand up and point out where the government is lying to the people, we may be doomed to a similar fate. Then future generations may well look back on the American people with the same harshness of judgment with which we look back on the 1930's Germans.
"Experience should teach us to be most on our guard to protect liberty when the government's purposes are beneficial. The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by men of zeal, well meaning but without understanding."
George W. Bush is taking advantage of the terrorist attacks in pursuit of a political agenda that is detrimental to and destructive of the very ideals and principles on which America was founded. His administration has engaged in a tireless campaign, fueled by self-righteous absolutism, to fashion upon Americans a police state. Just consider the following actions: Secret trials by military tribunals, from which there would be no right of appeal; the close monitoring of telephone and Internet communications, banking and medical records, and credit card purchases; the power to declare war on whatever country he deems appropriate; the threatening of those who dissent from his policies; the creation of a "Homeland Security" cabinet post; and an increasing irrelevance of Congress in the development of government policy. The fact that these actions fail to arouse interest from most Americans demonstrates how easily distracted Americans can be from our duty to protect our rights. When our minds are not focused on our moral obligations to keep our democracy safe from internal destruction it ultimately leads to dictatorial encroachment upon our civil liberties.
"Those who give up liberty for the sake of security deserve neither liberty nor security."
- Benjamin Franklin
Americans have somehow come to the belief that as long as they have done nothing wrong and have been obedient, law-abiding citizens, their freedoms are safe. This self-centeredness totally disregards how interconnected we are. When the rights of one single American are endangered, so are the rights of all Americans. We have a duty, an obligation, to protect each other. Liberty is dependent upon it. So it saddens the heart of many Americans to hear statements made that discount the seriousness of encroachments on our liberties. How can any American not be concerned?
"We must remember that a right lost to one is lost to all."
- William Reece Smith, Jr., Former President American Bar Association
German pastor, Martin Niemoller, was arrested by the Gestapo in Nazi Germany, sent to the concentration camp at Sachsenhausen, and later to Dachau. He survived eight years in these concentration camps before being liberated in 1945. He then enjoyed a remarkable and distinguished career as a Christian spokesman and leader. His famous words are relevant in America today: "In Germany they came first for the Communists and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me and by that time no one was left to speak up."
Those of us who seek to understand the circumstances involved in the problems currently facing America are negatively labeled for simply questioning the motivations of Bush administration actions, even though we have the right to do so under the First Amendment. The problem with that attitude is that our critics fail to understand that their right to criticize us is the same right we have to not agree with them. Most of us would do battle for their right to believe the way they do and speak about it publicly. Would they do the same for us? Obviously not, since they seek to silence us. Will we allow ourselves to be silenced? Will we be censored by the Bush administration's warnings that we had better watch what we say? No, we must remain resolute in the face of their criticism.
"I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; I will not refuse to do something I can do."
Many are asking what can I do? I am only one person. Heed the words of Helen Keller in the above statement. We can all do something! We can get involved! We can make a difference! We can speak out, write letters, make phone calls, work for and donate to political candidates we believe in, or any number of things. We have too much to lose if we remain passive.
The quotations of the famous interspersed in this article represent the warnings and advice of those who learned from history and set about making a difference, leaving with us their eloquent words as guidance in struggles they knew we would face. If we follow their wonderful examples, the historical battles they endured for the very freedoms we enjoy will live on through our actions. We can have no greater calling than to honor those who have gone before us by being as courageous as they were. We must never give up!
"It is no use saying, 'We are doing our best.' You have got to succeed in doing what is necessary."
* * *
Rebecca Knight is a native Tennessean, who grew up in Nashville. She currently resides in a small town about sixty miles outside of Nashville. Ms. Knight observed the political struggles of the civil rights movement, the Vietnam era, the Watergate era, and the cold war. Her political awareness evolved throughout those years. The debacle of the 2000 election intensified her interest in political activism. She may be contacted via e-mail at tennessee_gal655@yahoo.com.
© 2002 by Rebecca Knight
