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Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive |
Where's my America?BY JOHN MILLERPublished Wednesday, October 27, 2004 in the Nevada County Picayune For the past four years I've been looking for my America. After the election in 2000, the America I knew simply vanished. I woke up one day in what could only be compared to Superman's Bizarro world. In this America things look the same, but are almost the exact opposite. For example, in my America the government works to help the people. In this America, the government treats the people like infants unable to care for themselves. In my America the people would never stand for the government taking rights soldiers fought and died for, such as freedom of speech, from them without a fight. But, the people of this America did. They allowed, and agreed with giving up many such freedoms for the illusion of safety. These people favored the so-called Patriot Act, the most unpatriotic law ever conceived by a supposedly free nation. In my America the people choose the president by voting. The people in this America, though, allowed their supreme court to steal this right from them by appointing a president to curry political favor with the president's father, a former president. This wouldn't have happened in my America, the people would have revolted and the media would have had a field day, calling for the entire court to be impeached. But in this America, the theft occurred with nary a peep from any news source. This America is very Orwellian. It reminds me of both "1984" and "Animal Farm". Swine walk on their hind legs, considering themselves more equal than other "animals" on the farm. Along with this, Big Brother is definitely watching and is imprisoning people the Party doesn't like or claims aren't following the Party line. Big Brother has people arrested for disagreeing with the Party. In fact, in this America, I could become a political prisoner or considered an enemy of the state for writing this. Big Brother has his "Spies" everywhere in this America, and "enemies of the state" are paid visits by the FBI. These so-called "enemies" don't have to be charged with a crime, they can be detained as long as Big Brother, also known as the Bush Administration, wants without reason. One of the scariest things about Big Brother is how well adapted its administration is at doublethink. This is holding two opposing ideas to be true simultaneously. In this America Big Brother preaches WAR, always WAR. It doesn't matter if the war is with Eurasia or Eastasia, there must be WAR. Big Brother here follows Orwell's maxims, "War is Peace," "Freedom is Slavery," and "Ignorance is Strength." Oddly enough, Big Brother also borrows from Huxley's "Brave New World", with the idea of keeping the great unwashed masses busy with idle pursuits. While Huxley had electro-golf, Big Brother here relies on something called NASCAR. In my America education is important to the leaders, as they know the future and safety of the nation depends on an intelligent population. In my America the president and administration do everything possible to avoid war, as life is considered sacred, not something to waste. This America's leaders, though, are warmongers, fighting against an invisible enemy called "terrorists", an enemy that can't be properly identified nor defeated. So its young men and women are sent to foreign lands as cannon fodder. In my America the president is concerned with the economy, knowing every adult needs a decent paying job so they can contribute to the well being of the nation, and their families. In this America jobs are sold overseas where people will work for next to nothing. The CEOs get richer this economy and nation get poorer and more demands are placed on an overtaxed middle class. In my America the president works to preserve the environment, protecting the land and water. In this America, though, the president appointed the fox to guard the henhouse and allowed the environment to be plundered for its riches and for what, corporate profit. This America is a frightening place and I don't like it. It is most definitely a "Bizarro" world, but there is no Superman to come to the rescue. I don't like this America and want mine back. I hope I wake up soon and find I'm back where I belong, in my America home of the brave, land of the free. Search | Nevada County Picayune by date | Gurdon Times by date |
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