One famous English writer, George Orwell, once had a vision that there would be a government that would not allow individual freedom and would make every individual under that government a subordinate of every authority of the government. Many years after Orwell’s prediction, the consequences of such a totalitarian government are now seen on the current and continuous attacks made on city workers and their unions, colored people that are poor, social states, high education, and students. These new elements can be used to describe the new situation in the United States, which is manifest in almost all the government and private institutions. I do not support the practice of totalitarianism, as it is unnecessary and creates violence and fear in the population.
Public centers that used to offer progressive ideas and enlighten people on new policies and unbiased governmental criticisms have been now privatized and converted into military holdings. Those that are yet to be metamorphosized into military bases were commercialized into corporate settings that maintain a core objective of increasing profit margins for a few wealthy individuals.
Specifically, one can all agree that democracy cannot be applicable in the present political settings, as it has been abused as a pretext through which the people abandon civil rights, democratic values, and misconceive democracy and its tenets as justice. Furthermore, it is agreeable that currently, Americans live in a society in which the state resorts to violence for every “problem.” Consequently, the government is reported to be legalizing war, legitimizing it before the eyes of humanity, and making violence a permanent feature of the society.
Crimes against humanity are carried out in the open now and then. They are carried out using the Orwellian bureaucratic language. The propulsion of crime against humanity occurred at the dawn of post 9/11 and had seen the emergence of the very much-celebrated America’s war on terror.
After the September 11th terror attacks on the World Trade Center, the United States government has accused to be accountable for some serious human rights violations and democratic abuses. Among many of these abuses, some of them have been carried out in partnership with other governments. Moreover, the war on terror has made its way into people’s homes as poor states are changed into war zones, with the administration police having no difference with the military.
Nevertheless, terrorism has always been part of America’s history. Dating back to the first century, America is remembered for the lynching of several black men and women, among other atrocities that can be termed as terrorism in the present age. There have been accounts of several occurrences of terrorist attacks, such as the 1963 Birmingham church bombing and the recent torturing of black men in Chicago by the Chicago Police department. Such occurrences have resurfaced, and now racism is more spoken of than it was back then.
One Jeffery St. Clair asserted that terrorism and lawlessness had now become the normalized features of the government. It is now more evident that more Americans support torture, even though they are well aware that it is the most ineffective approach to intelligence gathering. The United States has seen a growing appetite for violence towards black and brown youths, immigrants, and Muslims. Specifically, it is quite difficult to point out whether this appetite for violence is an act of entertainment or just a manifestation of the increased demonization of particular groups of people by some government divisions.
It is no surprise that most presidential contenders agree that arms are the symbol of freedom in the United States and that probably all the American citizens should bear arms. Unfortunately, guns will provide the perfect political scenes for politicians willing to maximize the pleasure of violence to build their political carriers both at home and abroad. Furthermore, war and violence these days work as an aphrodisiac for a society overwhelmed with products and services that are inundated in idiocy emanating from celebrity culture.
This submission to the desire for violence has been made easier by the lack of civic education that is now sweeping most neighborhoods in the United States. Specifically, the group comprises of the people who are against climate change principles, religious fanatics, and those against civic education, the love-America crowd. It is also made of those who show pride in exhibiting a kind of stupidity. All these groups of people have conformed to some political helplessness and allow the perpetrators to get away with the corrupt ideologies.
The present extremists dictating over the Congress are extremely angry that American goes to war with Iran and bombs Syria using drones. Indeed, this is done to advance the reach of the United States’ empire using its overly resourced military to any country or state that brings up the question of the use of the United States’ power. One common instance it the number of increased homegrown terrorists who threaten to bomb places of public gatherings, malls, and schools. These occurrences are attributed to the selfish congressional representatives and leaders who work to perpetuate war and violence.
Another instance is found in the increased talks of the military and Islam phobia. These talks have been converted into the primetime news by the government media puppets and machines. What these media houses do not mention are the endless calls for improved security, reduction of drone attacks, and constant mention of vengeance on our TV screens. Also missing from these media houses’ stories is the history of imperialism, torture, and lawlessness that have since been the foundation of some regimes that have ruled the United States.
The media takes advantage of the bottled up emotions and a public that is hungry for revenge, full of anger that is fueled by misconceived Islam phobia. Moreover, the reports made by the media houses on terrorist attacks amplify the public outrage and quests for revenge globally. Additionally, the media propels the need for retaliation and surveillance. Similarly, conservatives write numerous articles and appear on unending television talk shows fueling the spirits of “patriotism”.
The propaganda is achieved by requests to the United States government to extend the war against terrorism to any member of the Islamic states that are thought to be among terrorist states. For instance, John Bolton, for The New York Times, titled “To stop Iran, Bomb Iran”, has written an article. The article insists that any attempts made to negotiate an arms deal with Iran will be a sign of weakness and cowardice. According to Bolton, the only way to deal with Iran is to have the United States launch a nuclear missile attack against Iran.
Presently, the notion of uncontrolled revenge and lawlessness appears to be winning the day. This is a notion that seems to be unaware of or the refusal to acknowledge the need for democratic processes and values. This notion is unaware of the need for social justice that will function to reduce the killing of innocent civilians, regardless of their culture, religion, or their geographical occupation. The forces opposing democracy that have since been used to characterize the United States cannot be forgotten.
Violence against civilians and homegrown terrorism has long been part of United States history, both in domestic and foreign policies. One cannot turn a blind eye to the current dark period covering the United States’ democratic atmosphere. The Americans have to learn from the legacy left by the world wars, as well as the cold war. The effects that these wars had on the United States should be a reminder that the quest for turning the state into a militarized nation is misled.
In conclusion, the real issue here is the need to develop a vision for society and worldwide order that functions to protect its most fundamental civil freedoms and philosophies of human rights. Fights against terrorism must start with an agreement with the United States that it will work with other world organizations, especially the United Nations organization. Passage of the Act will not resolve the issue of terrorism. Therefore, the United States must also agree not to undertake any military missions that may endanger the lives of innocent civilians. Additionally, the United States must also agree that it will make a review of its Act that threatens the civil freedom of individuals suspected of terrorism.