A Washington Post story about social protests in Israel contained the following paragraph today:
The cries for “social justice” have signaled a shift from the traditional preoccupation with security and the Arab-Israeli conflict to an economic agenda focusing on issues often shunted aside in the face of what have been presented as more pressing external threats.
Perhaps that is a good generalized description of the rising tide in the United States: For so many years the political accolades for fearing alleged enemies have kept the electorate docile and more or less united. Other, more self-serving, agendas are and were nourished behind this veil of 'patriotism' and 'defense.' Not the least of these is "re-elect me."
But this political misdirection -- this righteous legerdemain ... "Look! Look! Over there! Over there!" -- only works as long as there is some comfort, some security, worth defending. When comfort and security begin to fray -- when men and women can no longer provide for themselves or their families -- such programs as "the war on terror" lose their savor and the question begins to be asked, "who are the actual terrorists?"
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FYI -
ReplyDeleteIn NYC they have recently stepped up and intensified the "If you see something, say something campaign."
This means that if you see an unattended package on the bus or subway, one should report it to a transit clerk or police person.
The mayor of NYC is a multi-billionaire. Reading the post above I am wondering again if it could very well be that he is highly vested (but well concealed way) in the current status quo of financial finagling of the worst kind.