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Removing America's Blinders

By Howard Zinn, The Progressive. Posted April 24, 2006.


If Americans were more aware of how often our leaders have lied in order to wage war, would anyone have believed this president's justifications for attacking Iraq?

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Now that most Americans no longer believe in the war, now that they no longer trust Bush and his Administration, now that the evidence of deception has become overwhelming (so overwhelming that even the major media, always late, have begun to register indignation), we might ask: How come so many people were so easily fooled?

The question is important because it might help us understand why Americans -- members of the media as well as the ordinary citizen -- rushed to declare their support as the President was sending troops halfway around the world to Iraq.

A small example of the innocence (or obsequiousness, to be more exact) of the press is the way it reacted to Colin Powell's presentation in February 2003 to the Security Council, a month before the invasion, a speech which may have set a record for the number of falsehoods told in one talk. In it, Powell confidently rattled off his "evidence": satellite photographs, audio records, reports from informants, with precise statistics on how many gallons of this and that existed for chemical warfare. The New York Times was breathless with admiration. The Washington Post editorial was titled "Irrefutable" and declared that after Powell's talk "it is hard to imagine how anyone could doubt that Iraq possesses weapons of mass destruction."

It seems to me there are two reasons, which go deep into our national culture, and which help explain the vulnerability of the press and of the citizenry to outrageous lies whose consequences bring death to tens of thousands of people. If we can understand those reasons, we can guard ourselves better against being deceived.

One is in the dimension of time, that is, an absence of historical perspective. The other is in the dimension of space, that is, an inability to think outside the boundaries of nationalism. We are penned in by the arrogant idea that this country is the center of the universe, exceptionally virtuous, admirable, superior.

If we don't know history, then we are ready meat for carnivorous politicians and the intellectuals and journalists who supply the carving knives. I am not speaking of the history we learned in school, a history subservient to our political leaders, from the much-admired Founding Fathers to the Presidents of recent years. I mean a history which is honest about the past. If we don't know that history, then any President can stand up to the battery of microphones, declare that we must go to war, and we will have no basis for challenging him. He will say that the nation is in danger, that democracy and liberty are at stake, and that we must therefore send ships and planes to destroy our new enemy, and we will have no reason to disbelieve him.

But if we know some history, if we know how many times Presidents have made similar declarations to the country, and how they turned out to be lies, we will not be fooled. Although some of us may pride ourselves that we were never fooled, we still might accept as our civic duty the responsibility to buttress our fellow citizens against the mendacity of our high officials.

We would remind whoever we can that President Polk lied to the nation about the reason for going to war with Mexico in 1846. It wasn't that Mexico "shed American blood upon the American soil," but that Polk, and the slave-owning aristocracy, coveted half of Mexico.

We would point out that President McKinley lied in 1898 about the reason for invading Cuba, saying we wanted to liberate the Cubans from Spanish control, but the truth is that we really wanted Spain out of Cuba so that the island could be open to United Fruit and other American corporations. He also lied about the reasons for our war in the Philippines, claiming we only wanted to "civilize" the Filipinos, while the real reason was to own a valuable piece of real estate in the far Pacific, even if we had to kill hundreds of thousands of Filipinos to accomplish that.

President Woodrow Wilson -- so often characterized in our history books as an "idealist" -- lied about the reasons for entering the First World War, saying it was a war to "make the world safe for democracy," when it was really a war to make the world safe for the Western imperial powers.


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Howard Zinn is the co-author, with Anthony Arnove, of “Voices of a People’s History of the United States.”

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View:
Faces of war
Posted by: nbrown on Apr 24, 2006 12:48 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I read this essay a couple months ago when it was first published in The Progressive. Howard Zinn, as usual, nailed it. He's a breath of fresh air. I hope alternet will re-publish more of his work.

This war has to stop. Have a look at these Iraq war photographs. These are real people. Always remember them when supporting any political party that funds this war, which means both parties.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» Zinn of passive reflection Posted by: brasilaron
» I disagree!!! Posted by: nergohs
» RE: I disagree!!! Posted by: aonghus36
» RE: I disagree!!! Posted by: nergohs
» RE: I disagree!!! Posted by: afrothetics
» RE: I disagree!!! Posted by: nergohs
» RE: I disagree!!! Posted by: bqtrain
» RE: I disagree!!! Posted by: gar
» RE: I disagree!!! Posted by: nergohs
» Wake-up Call: Europe Is Better! Posted by: Steven Wanzell
» RE: I disagree!!! Posted by: Aussie Kim
» RE: I disagree!!! Posted by: buffeliscious
» RE: I disagree!!! Posted by: macdon1
» RE: Faces of war Posted by: wernersi
Born from LIES
Posted by: thinkverybig on Apr 24, 2006 1:00 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
This war was born from lies and thousands have lost their lives because of it. When will American WAKE UP. Whether you are Democrat or Republican, a wrong doesn't make a right and many congressional leaders are neglecting their duties by overlooking and not acting on the preponderance of evidence that tells us all that this war was started from lies and therefore should be stopped. Those who played a role in starting this war should all be held responsible and tried for crimes against humanity.

I can feel a change coming in this country and we all need to make sure we do not lose steam and continue with this revolution. It's way overdue.

We must change. A REVOLUTION is needed in this country and needed now.

I am in the process of creating a website by the name of "WeMustChange.org" and I'm looking for volunteers who might be interested in coming aboard and helping me get this concept off of the ground. I need a website designer, and some talented and creative people who are willing to put forth an effort to make a difference in this world. I am presently pondering websites formats etc. Please email ideas to david@thinkverybig.com

One thing I do want to address is oppression world wide. I need more ideas and view points. Let's make "WeMustChange.org" a household name. I need some good people on my team.

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So the big question is.....
Posted by: thinkingsooner on Apr 24, 2006 3:34 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I agree wholeheartedly with Mr. Zinn. Always have. Always will.

But a fundamental question remains that my brother, a Viet Nam Vet, always asks: So you tell our soldiers that they did this for a lie? So you tell a mother her dead son died for a lie?

The answer is, yes, the same lie that is clarified in a massive, worldwide, ongoing apology to the rest of the world.

If we could actually do that and make it a reality perhaps we could begin to fulfill some of the "dreams of America" that we want to believe in and make a living truth for everyone.

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» RE: So the big question is..... Posted by: buffeliscious
Not the good news.
Posted by: gazooks on Apr 24, 2006 4:10 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Here's a post from the Daily Telegraph that, hovever bizarre, may give pause to the speculation as to why the administration wants a premanent, battle tested force present in the Gulf. Wolfi's policy planning required a new and permanent strategic location after we wore out our welcome in Saudi. Goes a long way to explaining why we were "predestined" to invade and are willing to tolerate "instability" to justify a continuing presence. This Iranian view is really no less strange than our own "manifest destiny". So, here we go towards the self fulfillment of our own cultural prophecy. I didn't know Islam had it's own counter version. Enjoy what you've got while you've got it,..... then all fall down.
The Frightening Truth of Why Iran Wants a Bomb
By Amir Taheri ( Amir Taheri is a former Executive Editor of Kayhan, Iran's largest daily newspaper)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/ opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/ opinion/2006/04/16/do1609.xml
(Filed: 16/04/2006)

Last Monday, just before he announced that Iran had gatecrashed "the nuclear club", President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad disappeared for several hours. He was having a khalvat (tête-à-tête) with the Hidden Imam, the 12th and last of the imams of Shiism who went into "grand occultation" in 941.


According to Shia lore, the Imam is a messianic figure who, although in hiding, remains the true Sovereign of the World. In every generation, the Imam chooses 36 men, (and, for obvious reasons, no women) naming them the owtad or "nails", whose presence, hammered into mankind's existence, prevents the universe from "falling off". Although the "nails" are not known to common mortals, it is, at times, possible to identify one thanks to his deeds. It is on that basis that some of Ahmad-inejad's more passionate admirers insist that he is a "nail", a claim he has not discouraged. For example, he has claimed that last September, as he addressed the United Nations' General Assembly in New York, the "Hidden Imam drenched the place in a sweet light".

Last year, it was after another khalvat that Ahmadinejad announced his intention to stand for president. Now, he boasts that the Imam gave him the presidency for a single task: provoking a "clash of civilisations" in which the Muslim world, led by Iran, takes on the "infidel" West, led by the United States, and defeats it in a slow but prolonged contest that, in military jargon, sounds like a low intensity, asymmetrical war.

In Ahmadinejad's analysis, the rising Islamic "superpower" has decisive advantages over the infidel. Islam has four times as many young men of fighting age as the West, with its ageing populations. Hundreds of millions of Muslim "ghazis" (holy raiders) are keen to become martyrs while the infidel youths, loving life and fearing death, hate to fight. Islam also has four-fifths of the world's oil reserves, and so controls the lifeblood of the infidel. More importantly, the US, the only infidel power still capable of fighting, is hated by most other nations.

According to this analysis, spelled out in commentaries by Ahmadinejad's strategic guru, Hassan Abassi, known as the "Dr Kissinger of Islam", President George W Bush is an aberration, an exception to a rule under which all American presidents since Truman, when faced with serious setbacks abroad, have "run away". Iran's current strategy, therefore, is to wait Bush out. And that, by "divine coincidence", corresponds to the time Iran needs to develop its nuclear arsenal, thus matching the only advantage that the infidel enjoys.

Moments after Ahmadinejad announced "the atomic miracle", the head of the Iranian nuclear project, Ghulamreza Aghazadeh, unveiled plans for manufacturing 54,000 centrifuges, to enrich enough uranium for hundreds of nuclear warheads. "We are going into mass production," he boasted.
(end part 1)

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Not the good news.(p2)
Posted by: gazooks on Apr 24, 2006 4:12 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
(part 2)
The Iranian plan is simple: playing the diplomatic g ame for another two years until Bush becomes a "lame-duck", unable to take military action against the mullahs, while continuing to develop nuclear weapons.

Thus do not be surprised if, by the end of the 12 days still left of the United Nations' Security Council "deadline", Ahmadinejad announces a "temporary suspension" of uranium enrichment as a "confidence building measure". Also, don't be surprised if some time in June he agrees to ask the Majlis (the Islamic parliament) to consider signing the additional protocols of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT).



Such manoeuvres would allow the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director, Muhammad El-Baradei, and Britain's Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, to congratulate Iran for its "positive gestures" and denounce talk of sanctions, let alone military action. The confidence building measures would never amount to anything, but their announcement would be enough to prevent the G8 summit, hosted by Russia in July, from moving against Iran.



While waiting Bush out, the Islamic Republic is intent on doing all it can to consolidate its gains in the region. Regime changes in Kabul and Baghdad have altered the status quo in the Middle East. While Bush is determined to create a Middle East that is democratic and pro-Western, Ahmadinejad is equally determined that the region should remain Islamic but pro-Iranian. Iran is now the strongest presence in Afghanistan and Iraq, after the US. It has turned Syria and Lebanon into its outer defences, which means that, for the first time since the 7th century, Iran is militarily present on the coast of the Mediterranean. In a massive political jamboree in Teheran last week, Ahmadinejad also assumed control of the "Jerusalem Cause", which includes annihilating Israel "in one storm", while launching a take-over bid for the cash-starved Hamas government in the West Bank and Gaza.



Ahmadinejad has also reactivated Iran's network of Shia organisations in Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Yemen, while resuming contact with Sunni fundamentalist groups in Turkey, Egypt, Algeria and Morocco. From childhood, Shia boys are told to cultivate two qualities. The first is entezar, the capacity patiently to wait for the Imam to return. The second is taajil, the actions needed to hasten the return. For the Imam's return will coincide with an apocalyptic battle between the forces of evil and righteousness, with evil ultimately routed. If the infidel loses its nuclear advantage, it could be worn down in a long, low-intensity war at the end of which surrender to Islam would appear the least bad of options. And that could be a signal for the Imam to reappear.



At the same time, not to forget the task of hastening the Mahdi's second coming, Ahamdinejad will pursue his provocations. On Monday, he was as candid as ever: "To those who are angry with us, we have one thing to say: be angry until you die of anger!"



His adviser, Hassan Abassi, is rather more eloquent. "The Americans are impatient," he says, "at the first sight of a setback, they run away. We, however, know how to be patient. We have been weaving carpets for thousands of years."



• Amir Taheri is a former Executive Editor of Kayhan, Iran's largest daily newspaper, but now lives in Europe

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© 2006 Independent Media Institute. All rights reserved.

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» RE: Not the good news.(p2) Posted by: aonghus36
» RE: Not the good news.(p2) Posted by: gazooks
» RE: Not the good news.(p2) Posted by: nergohs
Amercia, "Get Real"!
Posted by: Beverly on Apr 24, 2006 4:14 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Alas, time and again, someone has spoke out about the real truths of America's presidency and their need for absolute power.

Just who do we really think we are, that we can create so much havoc in this world and then wonder why so many people of other Nations look upon us with such hatred. Most of us want to believe what we've been told all our lives about how great and powerful America is. We are reminded constantly, to trust in our presidents and to support them to keep our Nation strong.

The author of this article should be given a medal of Honor for speaking out about the real truths regarding America and her presidency. Let's face it people, we've been living a "big lie", because we've been taught never to question the motives of our elected officials because, "they know what's right for the well being of our country"!

Don't you think that it's time to stand up for ourselves and speak out against these "war agenda's" and stop these people from using the lives of innocent Americans and those of the countries the president chooses to "take over" for personal reasons"?

Shame on the Republican and Democratic parties who bow down to these "wrongful acts", just to keep their parties united.

Get rid of the parties let independent thinkers take their place and give America back to it's citizens who seem to have more common sense as to how to represent America than the elected officials do!!

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» RE: Amercia, "Get Real"! Posted by: Lincoln fan
Thank you Howard! Again!
Posted by: greentime on Apr 24, 2006 4:55 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The gifts that this man has given the people of this nation and the world is beyond measure. I have given so many copies of 'People's History' and Howard Zinn's other books as gifts to friend and foe alike that I have lost count.

This is a man who has changed my life in more ways than any other and who validated what my own eyes have seen and my soul has witnessed.

If you haven't read A People's History of The United States, or any of his other works, go out today, TODAY, and get yourself a copy. Buy one more as a gift to someone you want to believe in.

It will help you understand yourself and your fellow citizens as never before. It will give you reason to stand and be counted.

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» RE: Thank you Howard! Again! Posted by: lindalee
A Peaceful Feeling of Zinn
Posted by: evd on Apr 24, 2006 5:02 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I always feel grateful knowing that the two great minds of our time, Howard Zinn and Noam Chomsky are on OUR side!
In his book on U.S. History, Zinn explains that during slavery the white masters kept the slaves from rebelling by assuring that the following conditions were in place: hard labor, dissolution of the family, lulling effects of religion, enforcement of the law (based on the white elite's definition of it) and display of power (punishments, lynchings, etc.)

The ruling elite surely have improved their understanding and implementation of how to keep the masses from rebelling.

Aren't those same condition in place now?
1. Hard labor - people working long hours just to survive and feeling so spent that there is no energy left to rebel.
2. Dissolution of the family - The slaves were forced apart; we break our families apart by our own volition.
3. Lulling effects of Religion - We might also add the lulling effects of entertainment (i.e. T.V., movies, sports, etc.)
4. The ruling elite's laws have become even more oppressive.
5. We are told and shown through the media over and over what happens to those who don't obey...how examples must be made.

As I live outside of the U.S. and have been for the past 15 years, it's much easier for me to see the wrong path America has taken.

I do feel strengthened in knowing that there are sites such as AlterNet getting the truth out and that there are still a lot of Americans honest enough to listen to voices like Zinn.

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» RE: A Peaceful Feeling of Zinn Posted by: Lincoln fan
» RE: A Peaceful Feeling of Zinn Posted by: blueneck
all governments lie and media is commissioned to tell the truth
Posted by: eileenflmng on Apr 24, 2006 5:03 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
But without integrity and a burning passion for the truth,
we the people
won't know jack

ALL governments lie, obfuscate and use the media to disseminate their propaganda

We the People of WAWA are
"the change we want to see in the world"-Gandhi

Only a dozen out of 100 of the DVD's
30Minutes with Vanunu
that did not go through Israeli Military Censors are still available

For any donation to Vanunus' Defense Fund WAWA will provide you with the DVD with the hope you too will burn many and disseminate widely.


"We have it in our power to change the world"-Tom Paine

But you have to DO SOMETHING to make it happen
WAWA:
http://www.wearewideawake.org/

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Class Warfare
Posted by: Lincoln fan on Apr 24, 2006 5:46 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I agree with Professor Zinn on his assertion that politics is a struggle between economic classes. Our government like all governments is controlled by the rich and powerful minority. Our advantage is that we have the Bill of Rights to protect the poor and weak majority, the working class.

Today our government is controlled by unrestrained capitalism and run to benefit corporations. Both parties represent the same special interests that finance them. I believe that it would be preferable to have the government controlled by people, by the majority of people and that the minorities be protected by the Bill of Rights.

We can take control of the platforms of both parties before the next election and make "government of the people, by the people, and for the people" a reality. Join the Lincoln Initiative. Click on Join us today

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Who Cares Anymore?
Posted by: dlf on Apr 24, 2006 6:30 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Why does it matter if he lied? People lie all the time to promote their agenda. Lies abound all over this magazine. Depending on your point of view, the lie becomes the truth. When not lying it's okay to infer. When not inferring it's okay to deflect. When not deflecting it's okay to ignore. It's the new intercourse of discourse. So since both sides are doing it, why does it matter anymore?

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» RE: Who Cares Anymore? Posted by: VisionQuest
» I care Posted by: jwg
» RE: I care Posted by: dlf
» What? Posted by: Steven Wanzell
» RE: What? Posted by: dlf
» RE: What? Posted by: Steven Wanzell
» RE: What? Posted by: dlf
» RE: I care Posted by: buffeliscious
» RE: I care Posted by: dlf
A gentle step in the right direction.
Posted by: Barrington James on Apr 24, 2006 6:42 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Howard's piece is a gentle step in the right direction. All leaders lie. That's what they do. Churchchill and FDR lied about the power and intentions of Hitler and we ended up supporting Stalin and communism in that ridiculous war that killed 50 million, left half the world under Stalin, initiated a 60 year cold war that cost us trillions of dollars and set the stage for every war since that evil time. FDR, Lincoln, Regean, Clinton, Nixon, and every other president before and after have had lied about their never ending wars. We were fed lies about " a land with no people for a people with no land" and have been supporting that lie ever since, as the land that gave us three great religions becomes less and less about kindness and decency and more and more about power, more land, and racism. We were lied to about Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq (twice), most of Africa, all of Central America, Cuba, Korea, Vietnam, and dozens of other places near and far. We are lied to because it works. Until we find a way expose the lies and free the truth the lies will continue, the rich will become more richer and the poor and weak will continue to suffer and die. Innocent American men and women will continue to die and rot in foreign fields until the day we find a way to stop the lies and learn the truth .

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Here we go again
Posted by: RichardT on Apr 24, 2006 7:15 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Now a case is being built to attack Iraq.

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» we already attacked Iraq Posted by: brasilaron
Sorry, I meant to write Iran.
Posted by: RichardT on Apr 24, 2006 7:26 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
My mistake.

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so refreshing!
Posted by: The Butcher on Apr 24, 2006 7:52 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
at last someone who writes NOT about virtuous america.
someone who acknowledges that the american dream is based on subjugation, exploitation, expansion. nothing short of disguised imperialism.Mexico?El Salvador?Nicaragua? Panama? Columbia? Chile?....
In my work, I am always amazed by the average american's kindness, hospitality but as a country, this is the meanest, most jingoistically embarrassing place in the world.
Do you know that 80% of americans have never been overseas?That is very scary.
Just think about Iraq. Most deaths are civilians. This is not a war, this is genocide and YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE for it.
Collectively.
I am not american.
if i were
i would be sitting in front of the fucking white house.
and you gentle readers of alternet should be ashamed for your lack of courage. and action.

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» RE: so refreshing! Posted by: deltadancer
» RE: so refreshing! Posted by: Baranga
» RE: I'm a joke too!! Of course Posted by: The Butcher
ZINN IS SO RIGHT!
Posted by: Cathyc on Apr 24, 2006 8:45 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I live in Ireland and our government is in bed with the Bush Administration and they too are telling lie after lie after to the irish people, who like the majority of Americans, are indifferent to this systematic lying, to say nothing of the systematic abuse of power. I feel like a foreigner in my own country, a minority of one - I'm just flabbergasted at the sheer indifference and docility of the Irish people (per se)... I think they must be mentally retarded or something, why else do they keep voting in the same liars and thieves and marauders over and over again??? I agree with the previous commenter that the American people (per se) are responsible for their brutual and dangerous government - as are the Irish. The fact is, no democratically-elected government (if indeed these governments were democratically elected - they probably won't need our votes the next time around?) who routinely lie to and abuse civil and human rights (dissappearing by the day) could possibly remain in power without the passive or active collusion of the people themselves. We get the government we deserve?

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» RE: ZINN IS SO RIGHT! Posted by: aonghus36
» RE: ZINN IS SO RIGHT! Posted by: Cathyc
Excellent writing
Posted by: Rod from Canada on Apr 24, 2006 10:13 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
This article is an example of why I regularly check Alternet for opinion pieces. I don't read them all, but some are really outstanding, like this, and deserve to be read. And I can't help thinking that the site is likely going to be shut down at some point for publishing such controversial views.

Incidently, and needless to say, I would just point out that American governments are hardly unique in lying to their citizens about the reasons for going to (a) war. It seems to be trait shared by governments/rulers in all sorts of societies and countries down through history.

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TIMELESS
Posted by: timeless on Apr 24, 2006 10:17 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
THE ENEMY IS IN AH ME SO THAT IS WHERE TO START TO FIND THE TRUTH THAT WE ARE ALL IN THIS WORLD TOGETHER AND BEST STOP IN THE NAME OF LOVE THE FIGHTING SIT DOWN AND DISCUSS THE OPTIONS. THE REPUBLIC IS A PLACE WHERE THE MELTING POT OF PEOPLE CAN EXIST ONLY IF THERE IS FREEDOM TO EXPRESS AND RELEASE THE POWER OF CORRUPTION SO WIDE SPREAD IN HIS STORY. NOW IS THE TIME. TODAY IS THE DAY.

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Removing America's Blinders...all the way!
Posted by: ncg96773 on Apr 24, 2006 10:17 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
As usual, Howard Zinn's article is profound and enlightening...yet it falls short of giving us the entire explanation for the gullability of the American public (or any public for that matter).
As Mr. Zinn knows, I'm sure, by the time children enter the school system, by the time they are asked to pledge allegiance, the deepest imprints onto them have already been delivered by their parents. Accepting or rejecting abusive behavior, or being allowed to object to abusive heads of family, for example, is learned very early on in childhood. How we perceive these larger than life creatures, our parents, grand parents, older siblings, etc. who rule over every aspect of our lives while we're infants and children is what shapes our attitude towards authority figures.
The answer to the question, why a public falls silent with fear while lies and injustices pile up sky high around them can be found by analyzing the methods in which children are being raised in any given culture. We all know, that the formative years in childhood are laying down the tracks for a life time.
So how come, no one is looking for answers where they could so easily be found?
I remember watching Amy Goodman asking Noam Chomsky about his childhood. It was the only time ever, that I saw the man run out of words. Though I cherrish Mr, Chomsky immensely, I wonder what keeps such brain power steer clear of their own childhoods. Humans are ancient beings as are most species on this planet. We evolve slowly. How we enter into this world, how we bond, learn to speak and walk and grow up, has not changed all that much. We learn from and in our nuclear families. And it is in midst of those, our nuclear families that the acceptance of the lie and the silence in the face of an abusive authority is born.
I was born and raised in post war Germany by two traumatized children of the second World War. And it was by looking closely at the horrific child rearing practices they had to endure, that I understood how any nation can be manipulated to embrace lies, nationalism, death and destruction in their rulers.
For us to be ready to demand truth, accountability and justice from our leaders, we have to feel deserving and familiar with these phenomena...and maybe, still, the abusive, corrosive lie of yesterday, today and tomorrow is all we, as a people, feel we deserve, because it mirrors best what we know and have grown up with.

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» Heart of the Matter Posted by: O.B.Server
» I Couldn't Agree With You More! Posted by: Steven Wanzell
workers of the world unite!!! you make me want to hurl
Posted by: gerdhansel on Apr 24, 2006 10:54 AM   
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I'm surprised the author didn't end his Marxist diatribe with "Workers of the world unite, you have nothing to lost but your chains!"

I read quite a bit of Noam Chomsky and company when I was in graduate school at the University of Texas, and I honestly could not understand how so many Ivy League-educated people could fall for this socialist claptrap.

Read your history book: the Soviet Union FAILED, big time! Socialism denies human nature, that's why it always fails when pushed to extremes like it was with Stalin and Mao.

Human beings will ALWAYS pursue their self-interest. When socialism denies this fact, the floodgates are opened to Breznev-style corruption and eventually the TRAINS STOP RUNNING ON TIME, DUMMY!!

Roosevelt had it right. What we need is just the right balance between rampant robber baronism and the Stalinist disaster that's still starving millions in North Korea.

Imperialsm is never going away because that's the way homo sapiens is hard-wired. The strong take from the weak, and no amount of socialist tinkering or Orwellian language games is going to change that one iota.

Our best bet is to take Lincoln's advice, and pay more attention to the "better angels of our nature."

These pin-headed academics need to take a hard look at what they've been smoking, and stop trying to peddle this nonsense to the rest of us.

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» Pinheads of the world unite!!! Posted by: AlanSmithee
» hurt me baby! Posted by: gerdhansel
» Dave, Gerd... Posted by: Scientz
» RE: Dave, Gerd... Posted by: dave236412
» I'm There, Too. Posted by: Steven Wanzell
» Nothing is as it seems Posted by: mite
Some people get it
Posted by: jsquire on Apr 24, 2006 11:37 AM   
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There's one group in America that assumes leaders lie to them. They don't accept the bull that we're always right, because they see, more than anyone else, the divisions that make an American we impossible now or any time in the near future. They were overwhelmingly against the war in Iraq from the beginning and saw through the lies. I'm talking about black people. Arrogant Americans are an almost completely white group.

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» RE: Some people get it Posted by: dlf
Quantum Physics Interpretation?
Posted by: sionep on Apr 24, 2006 12:49 PM   
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I can't believe that all those folks who have jumped up and down complaining that the administration has lied about Iraq? Every 3 year old kid at the time prior to the invasion KNEW VERY WELL that it was not about WMD (weapons of mass destruction). The reason was to remove Saddam Hussein , end of story. He is the WMD and also potential future risk for security in the region. Congress approved during the Clinton years to fund a program to get rid of Saddam. I have noticed that most whingers reason within the logic and framework of Quantum Physics. That is reality does not exist until a conscious observer observes. If no observation is made, then there is no reality exist. An example is 'the moon doesn't exist until you look up to the sky and witness or observes’ and as far as Quantum Mechanics (QM) is concerned that it is true. The moon just happens to not exist until someone looks. It does materialise whenever somebody looks. This is ABSURD as Einstein challenged Neil Bohr about the ridiculous proportions of QM.

Now, in Iraq. The reason for moaning here and there by the anti-bush camps, is because Iraqi themselves have been given an opportunity to have a prosperous life after removing their dictator, Saddam and they chose to mess it up? If the Iraqis, would take up the opportunity given to them (in a million years they would never ever get rid of Saddam) and form a democratic government, then respect the rights of the individual, things would have got better for their children and their future generations. If the Iraqis found peace and move forward from post-Saddam, then no one would give a toss whether there was WMD or not? Now anyone can tell me if he agrees with this Quantum Mechanics interpretation? It does not matter whether the administration is lying or not as long that there is no casualties amongst the US soldiers. Most of the anti-Bush camps would support the effort of going to Iraq (even if the admin lied) if the Iraqis found peace amongst themselves and minimal US casualties. This is what is called 'Copenhagen Interpretation' of Quantum Mechanics.

What happens if the same number of casualties happens in Afghanistan? The anti-Bush camp will be calling all sorts of things like, lying to go into Afghanistan? See, a 3-year old can clearly pick that up? War is a deadly business, but no one would want to involve? All sorts of law international experts have said that going to Iraq is illegal? How about bombing Serbia in 1999? Was it legal or illegal? Every 3 year old at the time knew that the Security Council would not have approved such bombing campaigns, because Russia and China would have vetoed? Why is anyone (Michael Moore are you there?) not bringing that up? I would advise law experts who have given opinions to Iraq invasion to perhaps study Quantum Mechanics 101 and see the contradiction of logics before making comments about the legality of the invasions. What happens if the Bosnian Serbs started doing the same thing as the Iraqi insurgents are doing? Every anti-Bush person out there would be calling that Clinton lied about putting the NATO troops in that country? Look at how bringing peace has stabilized that country now? The people of that country have appreciated the efforts of NATO troops and see them as being there to stabilize the country before they leave, because they know if they leave too early, the civil war would return to the old days when Milosevic was in power.

So that anti-Bush people will only reason as:

- Lying is OK if there are minimal US casualties but not OK if it is high
- Leave Iraq now and let them shoot each other to stand still?

This is the logic of contradiction (Quantum Mechanics).

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And do the computers go to silicon heaven when they die?
Posted by: Lauren on Apr 24, 2006 1:46 PM   
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Wow, where to start?

There is no struggle between good and evil. Acts are good, or evil, or both good and evil; the abstractions 'good' and 'evil' do not struggle with each other. Computers are machines that ONLY do what they are programmed to do, infinitely easier to deal with then humans who do all kinds of things for all kinds of reasons, lying for example.

Politicians, or even people, who don't lie are as rare as bird's teeth. They exist, but they are awfully hard to find. Lying is pretty much a necessary self defense for most people. Imagine the life you have to lead to never find yourself in a situation where you have to tell a lie.

Good doesn't 'have' truth. There is no truth, there is only experience. Your 'truth' will be totally different them my 'truth', we have different experiences.

Crossed over? To where, the Dark Side? Children don't naturally lie or tell the 'truth'; families, communities and schools teach them the behaviors.

I think we have a great opportunity here to teach both the Republican and the Democratic partys a little lesson about telling us storys in a rush to war. Ask them about the drug war against peaceful American citizens. Any politican in favor of the drug war is dirty.

My friend Dean Becker, http://www.drugtruth.net/ can lay the truth on you if you previously missed it.

Support freedom, end the drug war.

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» Huh? Posted by: particle
Lying is good for 'Merka!
Posted by: texshelters on Apr 24, 2006 4:32 PM   
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"Professor" Zinn thinks he's all smart by all using facts to confuse 'Merka! Lyin' makes this country great! How else can we get the poor to fight wars to keep the wealthy, and thus our Great Nation, even richer!

Hail to the lies!

Yours,
Tex Shelters

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» Uh, what's your point? Posted by: NDnative
» RE: Uh, what's your point? Posted by: texshelters
» RE: Uh, what's your point? Posted by: NDnative
» (I believe it's a joke.) Posted by: Steven Wanzell
You should see the way history is taught up here in the Dakotas and how we were "graded"
Posted by: NDnative on Apr 24, 2006 4:35 PM   
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And I never forget how disgustingly schools would purposely omit any references to Native Americans from elementary school all the way to college. When I was in high school and college, I can recall the horror our teachers and instructors had thrust upon us students about saying or writing anything favorable about them. Our schools had racist 3 strikes policies which would record the number of times one got turned in for saying anything favorable about Native Americans. One sentence and you'd get an F on that paper/test ! Second time and you'd get an F in the course ! Third time and you'd face possible suspension to expulsion depending on your race ! I'll have to see if it's still happening but I wouldn't be surprised if it were. I'll bet they're putting such things on their "economics" classes in high school and college ! Imagine getting expelled for writing an essay on corporate scandals and/or the truth about our country's most useless and depriving wars !

P.S.: If you had anything utterly spiteful to say about the Native Americans, your instructor would give you an A even if you skipped classes all the time !

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The Truth Will Set Us Free
Posted by: mite on Apr 25, 2006 10:34 AM   
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All of us in the western world lost our insight to just what the plan is if we even knew about it. When the industrial age arrived and family disappeared along with the farmer. We replaced it with greed for self.
Tyrannical Character- an excessive desire for liberty at the expense of everything else is what undermines democracy and leads to the demand for tyranny. In the tyrannical personality's pursuit of pure pleasure, no shame or guilt is experienced. All discipline is swept away and usurped by madness. Tyrannical people are thus the least self-sufficient of all individuals. Their satisfaction depends entirely on external things and objects of maniacal desire. Tyrants will do anything and everything to satisfy themselves, even if they must perform terrible deeds and become hated in the process. (Plato)
The circle of our lives is very confusing and the secrets kept from the masses is scary but true. A opinion survey (boy we love survey's) was done of 2000 people selected at random, which gave participants a guarantee of anonymity, by Patterson, James and Kim, Peter authors of The Day America Told the Truth (1991). In this survey only 13% of Americans believe in the Ten Commandments, 91% lie regularly at home and work, 20% of women say they were raped by their dates (what about men) 33% of AIDS carriers have not told their spouses or lovers, 31% of married people are having or have had an affair, and 7% of participants say for $2 million they would commit murder.
Do we the people of the world understand that our governments, food, water, shelter, education, churches and places of workship are controled by the secret societies that want to destroy three areas of civilization: Family, Religion, and government by the people. How do these secret socities accomplish this? They control every means of media, education, food, water, and yes our religions.
Now if you have continued to read this far you are saying this is impossible and this person is a conspiracy nut. Well your attitude and mind being closed is common and I am familar with your understanding, thats how they have been able to succeed with their plan.
If I wanted to make things easy to control the populations for my success it only makes sense to keep those individuals that do drugs, refuse to pay taxes, and other simple crimes behind bars and not allow them to have a voice in the system. Have we ever asked the question how many people make money from the criminal justice system- inside and out?

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» This Was The Birth Of Religion Posted by: Steven Wanzell
JB
Posted by: drcosmik on Apr 25, 2006 5:23 PM   
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Zinn is just reflecting on C. Wright Mills' "The Sociological Imagination." You have to know history to better carve out a plan for the future. LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES!!! It really can be that simple.

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» RE: Learn from your mistakes Posted by: reddeer
Americans have been manipulated from the git go.
Posted by: bigfoot on Apr 27, 2006 10:05 PM   
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In each of mr. Zinn's historical accounts one theme has emerged ,give the people a common enemy,and you can get them to do whatever you want. The Roman empire had it down to an art form.Most famous example the old myth of nero playing the violin while rome burned. Nero was at odds with the roman senate, he wanted a bigger coleseum built the one that still stands as of today. Nero has some soldiers burn rome , after the fire was put out , he launches an investigation and promptly puts the blame on a new religous sect called the Christians. We know what happened after that now don't we. Lets time travel to the 20th century , Hitler comes to power in Germany He wants to go to war , the german people don't , he takes a page from history and has some german soldiers dress up as polish peasants and blow up a fuel depot. The German citizens are outraged and want blood. Starting to sound familar.

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Americans Blindly Sought Revenge
Posted by: Steven Wanzell on Apr 28, 2006 8:02 PM   
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Most Americans backed the war, knowing that Al Qaida, and not Hussein, was responsible. And they did it for purely selfish reasons, which is historically their primary motivation for doing or not doing anything. Admitting that and evolving its reasoning is the only way the collective society will convince itself to prevent an Iran invasion, and the perpetual war plan. Will they rise to the occasion?

Steven Wanzell
artist/activist/ex-American
www.wanzellarts.com.ar

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Country born on lies
Posted by: Wildroots on Apr 29, 2006 12:14 AM   
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Lie #1 - The indigenous people of this continent were sub-humans who needed to be "civilized" or if resistant, exterminated to exploit the natural resources of the land.

Lie #2 - The indigenous people of Africa were sub-humans who needed to be "civilized" by bringing them to this continent to be beasts of burden for the exploitation of the natural resources of the land.

Today we hear words like "democratization," "liberation," "modernization," "globalization" but it all sounds like the same old tune to me.

We're not in ancient Rome or WWII Germany. We are in the U.S. 2006, and what are we going to do today?

Wild roots

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» RE: Country born on lies Posted by: bigfoot
» Corporations ARE Evil!!! Posted by: Cathyc
Why Zinn Leaves Out War on Yugoslavia
Posted by: fairleft on Apr 29, 2006 7:56 AM   
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It's hypocritical to criticize Iraq but leave out Bill Clinton's trumped up war on Yugoslavia. Could it be because the destruction of Yugoslavia, which we were lied into on the humanitarian PR campaign, was the Democratic Party's most recent crusade? The war propaganda that got us into that, has proven to be just as false as what was sold to get us into Iraq. Zinn should be careful to be balanced and inclusive, or he'll come off as a Democratic Party shill.

Unless we get a better perspective on that party, we'll just have more, but spun as 'humanitarian', imperialism when the Democrats take over again. That kind of b.s. is what alienates so many from politics.

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» I used to admire Zinn Posted by: Torgo
» RE: I used to admire Zinn Posted by: fairleft
Willing Suspension of Disbelief
Posted by: tanstaafl28 on Apr 29, 2006 8:22 AM   
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People seem to have this need to believe that their leaders wouldn't lie to them, (even though most of them know better). Perhaps it is similar of our tendancy to view our parents as "infallible and perfect" when we're too young to know any better.

Way back in my undergrad days, my Introduction to Political Science professor defined Politics as: "The distribution of scarce resources." Politicians have to decide who gets what and how much, but they also have to try and keep everyone generally happy with such decisions. This sort of brinkmanship requires a great deal of charm, charisma, and, unfortunately, deception.

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Rev.
Posted by: Jerry on Apr 29, 2006 12:22 PM   
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Howard Zinn is a true blessing to all of us. I have read his books, A People's history... and Voices... His thesis in this piece is right on. Know the true history, and the truth will set us free. People like Howard Zinn and Randall Robinson, are true prophets for our time. They are national treasures! Keep writing! Keep teaching! You give us the will and courage to act.

I am in the right wing outpost called Mississippi. Yes, I did find progressives here, former freedom riders who stayed. Leaders like Rims Barber, Nsombi Lamnbright, Derrick Johnson, Bill Chandler, Jaribu Hill, Bennie Tompson, Jim Evans, Erik Fleming, to name a few. Some mentioned are in our state legislature. One is our congressman. All of them are guides for us who struggle for justice.

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http://911forthetruth.com/
Posted by: dlf on Apr 29, 2006 4:32 PM   
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9/11 Truth

More Truth

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Removing the Blinders; Seeing the Real World
Posted by: YANIRA06_66 on May 24, 2006 12:34 PM   
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This Zinn essay is excellent.

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