Fact #04: Despite a resounding popular opinion to the contrary, America is NOT the land of the truly Free.

I figured that these “anti-patriotism” (i.e. ironically, pro-Freedom) posts would get a bit of flak, and indeed they have! It seems that quite a few of you have read them to be anti-American — which is simply not at all the case. I have nothing at all against America per se, and adore Americans to the same full-fledged degree that I adore all the other citizens of all the other countries (and all the other species) on our amazing planet. Indeed, these posts are NOT about the United States as a concept or the America that once was and could be again. These posts are about patriotic fervor and the very real dangers it poses to Peace, and they are about the United States that IS today — a country that is still behaving very poorly towards its neighbors (two words: Drone War), and a country that is still actively denying most of its citizens most of the fundamental rights promised in its own Constitution.

Even though we have been taught that America is all about Freedom & Liberty & Justice — and even though the American Constitution (a truly amazing document that does indeed provide the skeletal framework for a potentially noble form of government) promises these values, it is important for any true Patriot to realize that the rights it promises are NOT being upheld; indeed, they are actually being violated to an astonishing degree.

Consider …

*Despite Barack Obama’s bold statement that “We don’t have a domestic spying program” and “There is no spying on Americans”, the United States government is most certainly doing just that — and has been for quite some time.

… This is not real Freedom.

*Despite the Declaration of Independence’s espousal that all beings have the right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”, homosexuals in America still cannot marry, capital offenders there are still electrocuted or poisoned, American marijuana growers are still regularly convicted, and American peaceful protesters are still regularly thrown in jail.

… This is not real Liberty.

*Despite the U.S. Constitution supposedly granting every accused the right to a fair & speedy trial — along with punishments that are not “cruel or unusual” (Constitutional Amendments #06 & #08), over 60% of all jail inmates in the U.S. have yet to be convicted of a crime (i.e. they are still awaiting trial). In addition, American prisons are severely overcrowded and in deplorable condition — and they are mostly filled with nonviolent offenders &/or individuals who have been wrongly convicted (often on the basis of race). Indeed, for a country that sells itself as a defender of the innocent and a champion of justice, it is more than a bit disturbing that American prison populations continue to rise while violent crime rates continue to plummet.

… This is not real Justice.

In conclusion, please note that I am NOT putting these facts out there to either “put America down” or raise other countries up. What I AM intending to do is wake Americans up to what is broken in their country, with the faith that they will then go forth into their communities and commence making the necessary repairs.

Amen … Let it be so.

“The true terrorists of our world do not meet secretly at the docks at midnight, or scream ‘Allahu Akbar!’ before committing some act of violence. No, the true terrorists of our world wear 5000 dollar suits and work in the highest positions of government, finance and business.” ~ inspired by Peter Joseph

“True patriotism hates injustice in its own land more than anywhere else.” ~ Clarence Darrow

 

 

Filed under: Purifying Patriotism by Scaughdt