In the interest of my own pet Marines I was quite happy, this week, to see that Baghdad had fallen. Mind you, I still don’t support this war. I think it’s an exercise in hypocrisy. If anybody in the Republican administration would have the balls to admit that it’s an Imperialistic war, I wouldn’t mind. I have absolutely nothing against Imperialism; I feel that the United States didn’t do anywhere near enough colonization a century ago, and I’m bitter that Germany’s colonies were ripped away from her. As to England’s inability to retain her colonies—well, I’ll try to refrain from the usual comments on English power.
The problem here is that we’re not admitting it’s a war for oil. Oh, no, it’s a war of liberation. The United States, don’t you know, is ALL about liberating the oppressed. We don’t seem to be liberating oppressed people, though, who are NOT sitting on top of a giant oil well. People in Rwanda and Korea are being oppressed, too, but apparently not THAT badly. They should learn to suck up and deal. Oh, those poor, poor Iraqis, though! Only the Great And Powerful Oz—er, United States—can help them and their poor, oppressed oil fields. And, after thirteen years, it’s quite easy to forget that while Russia raped Lithuania for the three hundredth time in 1990, the gallant United States turned a blind eye because it was busy rescuing the poor oppressed people of Kuwait. Never mind the atrocities committed against the Lithuanian people—Russia is a slightly more daunting opponent than Iraq, and Kuwait has oil. Poor Lithuania has nothing that we want; all the Midus or Vititus that America might want can be made right in St. Alphonsus parish.
And where were we, we brave preservers of democracy and human rights, during the Soviet rape of Budapest, lo these forty years ago? Apparently, gulyas isn’t enough of a promoter for human rights, either.
For those who will accuse me of being unpatriotic, I apologize. When you can tell me how YOU have supported our troops, write me back. I have several very good friends who’ve taken direct fire. I support our troops wholeheartedly.
For those who have decided to hate the French: Remember that I am overwhelmingly pro-German, and therefore I should hate the French, right? Remember, though, while you’re jumping up and down and waving your Stars and Stripes that if the French hadn’t helped us out in 1780, you’d be waving the Union Jack. And you better had be Episcopalian, too; because the English Crown doesn’t think too highly of Catholics like me, or Baptists like you.
I’ve just been playing a computerized and synthesized version of E.T. Paull’s “Battle of Nations”. Paull was a well-known schlock composer of the late 19th century; he wrote “pictorial” pieces like this one and “The Burning of Rome”. And, he got his start in lovely Richmond, always a musical city.
The sheet music cover features flags of all the major powers: the British Empire, France, the German Empire, Russia, the Austrian Empire, Spain, the United States. The implication is that of a battle between all of the world’s giant powers.
Nowhere does the sheet music mention one of the world’s great powers jumping on a third-world country on the phantom suspicion of mustard gas.
Oh, and for those that want to call me weak-willed and an apologist, keep in mind that it was Baltimore that alone spurned the British—our allies in this little misadventure—in 1814. The Virginians, as a rule, caved. I’d do it today—what would you do, out there in Kansas?
The problem here is that we’re not admitting it’s a war for oil. Oh, no, it’s a war of liberation. The United States, don’t you know, is ALL about liberating the oppressed. We don’t seem to be liberating oppressed people, though, who are NOT sitting on top of a giant oil well. People in Rwanda and Korea are being oppressed, too, but apparently not THAT badly. They should learn to suck up and deal. Oh, those poor, poor Iraqis, though! Only the Great And Powerful Oz—er, United States—can help them and their poor, oppressed oil fields. And, after thirteen years, it’s quite easy to forget that while Russia raped Lithuania for the three hundredth time in 1990, the gallant United States turned a blind eye because it was busy rescuing the poor oppressed people of Kuwait. Never mind the atrocities committed against the Lithuanian people—Russia is a slightly more daunting opponent than Iraq, and Kuwait has oil. Poor Lithuania has nothing that we want; all the Midus or Vititus that America might want can be made right in St. Alphonsus parish.
And where were we, we brave preservers of democracy and human rights, during the Soviet rape of Budapest, lo these forty years ago? Apparently, gulyas isn’t enough of a promoter for human rights, either.
For those who will accuse me of being unpatriotic, I apologize. When you can tell me how YOU have supported our troops, write me back. I have several very good friends who’ve taken direct fire. I support our troops wholeheartedly.
For those who have decided to hate the French: Remember that I am overwhelmingly pro-German, and therefore I should hate the French, right? Remember, though, while you’re jumping up and down and waving your Stars and Stripes that if the French hadn’t helped us out in 1780, you’d be waving the Union Jack. And you better had be Episcopalian, too; because the English Crown doesn’t think too highly of Catholics like me, or Baptists like you.
I’ve just been playing a computerized and synthesized version of E.T. Paull’s “Battle of Nations”. Paull was a well-known schlock composer of the late 19th century; he wrote “pictorial” pieces like this one and “The Burning of Rome”. And, he got his start in lovely Richmond, always a musical city.
The sheet music cover features flags of all the major powers: the British Empire, France, the German Empire, Russia, the Austrian Empire, Spain, the United States. The implication is that of a battle between all of the world’s giant powers.
Nowhere does the sheet music mention one of the world’s great powers jumping on a third-world country on the phantom suspicion of mustard gas.
Oh, and for those that want to call me weak-willed and an apologist, keep in mind that it was Baltimore that alone spurned the British—our allies in this little misadventure—in 1814. The Virginians, as a rule, caved. I’d do it today—what would you do, out there in Kansas?
posted by Daniel | 11:36 PM
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