Posted by shelliR on October 8, 2001, at 23:27:22
In reply to Re: A Poem for Everyone - Please Read, posted by kid_A on October 8, 2001, at 18:35:26
> Last, and I think this is most important is the idea of "God Bless America"... Everyone is saying "God Bless America", but what does it mean? It is very very important to pay homage and respect and give the utmost aid and assistance to the families that have suffered from the events of September 11th, but how is this connected to "God Bless America"? It's not even an issue, why would someone say the opposite of this? It's jingoism at it's worst, like "support our troops", of course you support the troops, but do you support US policy? Thats the bigger question that gets burried under "God Bless America", who could possibly be against that? Quoting Chomsky, it has about as much relevance as saying do you support the people in Iowa? It's not even a legitimate question that can be answered... Just as "God Bless America" doesnt have any meaning outside of a means to distract people from the policy at hand... and what has gotten us into this mess to begin with and why in the world are we a target for agression? Nobody wan'ts to ask those questions because the national thrust is "God Bless America"... Who could possibly be against that?
>
> ....just my 2 cents.well, I do think that your critique is a bit heavy duty for a poem. And anyway, who said anything about the Palestinians? This Fundamentalist anti-woman, anti-America crazyness doesn't have any thing to do with the Palestinians. Ben Liden never mentioned the Palestinians before his last taped monologue.
But I do have a hard time with "God Bless America."
If there is a God, and I certainly can't say there's not, why do we spend so much time saying God Bless America.
In the same amount of time we could say, God bless the peoples of the whole world.
I think this is a great country with some major flaws. I think there are things we have done which leave me with shame as an American. Nevertheless, I respect that we have the freedom to say this, and the freedom to change and be an even better nation. So in general I feel proud and lucky to be an American.One thing that this show of terror has inadvertantly shown the world is how poverished Afghanistanians are. That is not our fault. They have been tumbling into Pakistan way before September 11 hoping to be housed and fed but have been kept in horrible camps. And then the border was closed. It is very very sad. Our recent "humanitarian" dropping of food touches such a minor part of the population, that it is barely worth mentioning. So God Bless the People of Afghanistan also. And all other people striving for a better life.
Shelli
poster:shelliR
thread:12252
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20011006/msgs/12270.html