War propaganda
I was hoping after a while I could tune out this whole war crap and could maintain this blog war-comment-free... but it seems I can't. This is a rant about war, war propaganda and fake patriotism, so if you're touchy - well, you can leave or you can leave me a comment.
It's uncanny how this whole situation here reminds me of the wartime in Croatia - and I never even lived in Croatia when the war was happening. But the propaganda.. oh my, it is just the same. Sentimental soldier images on tv, tons of patriotic songs, wild discussions who is a true Croatian and who is not and what it means to be patriotic and how dare you not be blablabla. At least Croatia really had to deal with an aggressor in its own territory, whereas the US just picked one abroad.
I'm sick of the filtered information we get. All we ever hear is how Saddam wants to bomb us and tortures his own citizens. We don't know squat about Iraq.
I'm sick of Bush talking about "Operation Iraqi Freedom". Hello? The US will just spend billions of dollars only to free people from an oppressor? Does he know how many countries in the world are in the same situation? Are we going to "free" those too?
I'm sick of hearing how strange it is that the Iraqis are reluctant to surrender and hand their country over to the US. Saddam might be a terrfying tyrant, but Iraq is still their home. Don't their have a right to defend themselves from intruders? So the Americans are praised for defending their country but the Iraqis are damned?
I'm sick of hearing how Saddam has to be removed because he might use nuclear and chemical weapons, no, actually, he has to go because he HAS them.
Well, the US has them AND I'm pretty sure they'd use them if necessary. Who will be the judge for each head of state in the world when there is sufficient reason for "necessary"? G.W.? Why? Who is he? The self-appointed moral compass to the world?
I'm sick of seeing families of killed soldiers cry on tv and talk about how their son was a hero. Let the people mourn in privacy!!! And what if his death could have been prevented? What if there had been a way to avoid this war and remove Saddam without an armed conflict? Can Bush say he tried everything to spare this soldier's life? I don't think so.
I'm sick of hearing so many American Catholics support the war begging to differ with the Pope as if this issue is something that is unrelated to faith and morals, but merely of political nature. I'm sick of Catholics treating it as a political issue only, hiding behind the phrase "just war" unable to conceal their enthusiasm for fighting evil with bombs and cheering everytime the US military scores. Where does your faith end? Where your "patriotism" begins?
Even if this war was 100% justified, there is nothing to be enthusiastic about. War is sad, very very sad. Even if no death was preventable, it's still horrible, terrifying, destructive. Even if it was for a "good cause", war is a mess. It's not a western, where the bad guys are always really bad and easily recognizable and the good guys are always heroes and save the world in the end. It just doesn't work that way. Don't people see that? War is an evil that sucks you in, it comes over you and before you know it, you are there, killing or trying not to get killed and it has little to nothing to do with glorious defense or selfless sacrifice.
I remember when I was in Sarajevo about 2 years after the war had stopped and some young guys were telling us where they were when it all started and how they got guns and went into the woods and shot people. They were normal twenty-somethings with beer in their hands, we could've been in any European city at dusk, chatting and relaxing. Only they were telling me how they started killing, one said he might have killed the other's father. The expression on their faces was somewhere between disbelief and fear: The memory scared them, yet they still couldn't believe it really happened.
I kept asking them, but how could you just start shooting? How could you kill people you didn't even know were guilty? They just looked at me confused: "I don't know. There was no choice. The war just came. You don't think. You just do it. That's why we're not upset if one of us killed the other's family members. It was war, that's how it works."
War sucks. I know sometimes it's necessary, but it is SAD. It's a bad thing, no tear jerker song or pretty picture with a flag will change that.
Yeah, I know I'm not patriotic, I'm probably a really bad American, Croatian, Austrian, whatever. You can't insult me this way. I'd rather be a good person only, anyway.
yes!!!!!!!!! if only people had the chance to look at what they are doing just now from the point of view of 10 years later, if only ..... if only the only important concern for all of us was how to be good, just and loving persons .... and nothing else, really nothing
In a comment box, in a blog dated 3/26/03 Amy Welborn said:
I personally have sooo many conflicting feelings about this war, I have no idea where my patriotism/religion starts or ends, and it really, really bothers me. Seriously, I agree with the Pope about peace. On the other hand I want to support our troops. It's like I hear what the Pope says and I am like "yes, we need peace": and then I read about crimes Saddam has committed and I think "how horrible we need to get him out of there", then I read a catholic persective how this war is not just and I am like "that sounds right", and then I read more about his troops shooting innocent citizens and think "oh, I hope they get rid of him..."
All I can say is I'm glad my flip flopping opinions do not affect any decisions being made, and I am hoping my prayers for peace do...
Excellent post, Dinka, I can only agree! But you would have something to wonder at, if you'd come to Austria now!!! It seems as if our entire country would enjoy to see Bush fail!!! They always talk of him as a war monger and an a....yes
I would like to share another "i'm sick..." with you: I'm sick of people, who believe that they know every detail about this war and therefore think, that they are able to judge Bushes or the Iraqi's actions. I have seen nobody yet, who drew into consideration, that media is filtering MANY informations out in order to avoid uprisings or demonstrations. I believe, that nobody can declare neither Bush nor the Iraqis as a culprit, because nobody has the general survey of the situation down there.
If somebody wanted to achieve peace in Iraq, then I would suggest him to shut his mouth, pray for peace and try to become good himself.
Pansy, I can very much relate. I think Saddam should be removed, he is a tyrant and oppressor and the Iraqi do need to be "saved", I just can't really get into supporting this war. I'm not convinced there really was no other way.
And the troops, well I do support them, they can only do what is asked of them, I don't blame them for anything and they are the ones who will bear the real burden of this conflict - along with the civilians.
It is patriotic to question the government. The United States was found by people who questioned the current government establishments. There is nothing more American or Patriotic then thinking for oneself, and questioning if we are acting in the right way. It would be a pretty scary world if we all just did what our government leaders told us, since 99% percent of people in power use their power not to help others, but to benifit themselves. I guess I sound synical, but it is sort of true. How many people in power out there have their ever been who truly cared for the good of others? The reason I feel so comfortable backing the Pope, is I truly believe he is one of those saintly people, who does not do things for his own self interest, but for the good of the world.
Very good points. I, too, think it's pretty funny that the American public and military seem shocked that Iraqis aren't welcoming us with hugs and kisses. We've just stormed in and turned their lives upside down, While some may have a mix of positive and negative feelings about that, I think the negative feelings are very understandable.
You're not a bad American, Croatian, or Austrian. Although you might make a bad Inuit. :-)
Technically, which country are you a citizen of at this point?
you are right maryanne, i would be a lousy inuit. i am very anti-cold, i feel very strongly about low temperatures ;)
i'm a citizen of austria right now. it won't change for a while, i think i have to live in the US a while longer to be able to apply for citizenship. i'm not concerned with it now, a permanent green card is quite sufficient right now. i can't become president anyway, so what's the point? :) maybe i should start my own republic...
oh yes, do start your own republic - lincoln already has one. then I could choose to become a citizen of one of them, depending on what you can offer .... that would be fun .... the most important thing would be fabrics and crafts shops, but .. if lincoln doesn't care to offer that I could put up with cds as well. (hm, I guess I might be a little bit materialistic ;-)
Dinka, have you ever seen the documentation "Bowling for Columbine"? It's really a great film but beware, that you don't become a "bad American" after watching it. Well, I could be one now...
i haven't seen it but i do want to at some point.
by the way you are a bad american anyhow mostly because you are NOT american ;)
ds
My dear deaf Hilda! I said I COULD be a bad american, so it's you who deserves the ;)
By the way, I have seen it to the end yesterday and it was the first movie at which I had to cry! You should really check it out, it's tremendous!!!! Wanna copy from my copy? :)
Drag Dinka,
dozvoli mi da pisem hrvatski. Premda razumijem dobro engleski, ne mogu jos u tom jeziku imati vjestinu koju imam u cetiri druga jezika, kojima se dnevno sluzim.
Tvoju komentar obzirom na mucninu koju osjecas pri propagiranju rata si odlicno izrazila. Cestitam ne osobnom misljenju koje si odlucno iznijela. Divim se brojnim komentatorima koje si izazvala da se jave. Komentari su daleko bolji, iskreniji i ozbiljniji nego sto se mogu inace citati u dnevnim novinama. Vasa su misljenja iskrena, cak i onda kada se osjeca utjecaj pacifisticke propagande.
Sv. Otac, Ivan Pavao II, je najbolji i najzreliji. Nije ni protiv Busha ni protiv Saddama, ali niti na strani jednog ili drugog. Njegovo je poslanje da potice ljubav, razumijevanje medju narodima i ljudima, a na to su obavezni pred Bogom i pred ljudima obojica i svi odgovorni u svijetu. Savrseno sluzi svome poslanju kada opominje sve strane da tragedija sadasnjeg rata nosi u sebi opasnost da se to pretvori u KATASTROFU SVJETSKOG VJERSKOG RATA.
I'm sick...I'm sick...i'm sick.....
Nema sumnje da u svijetu postoji opasnost od transnacionalnog terorizma koji se povezuje sa diktatorskim rezimima. Takodjer je mudro taj terorizam nadvladati tamo gdje se radja, umjesto cekati da ti dodje pred vrata tvoga grada i tvoje kuce.
Ja sam takodjer zivo protiv rata kao sredstva rjesavanje sukoba interesa. Jesi li se ikada pitala, zasto sam postao svecenik i jos k tomu Isusovac? Odlucio sam se na to odmah po zavrsetku II svjetskog rata kojega smo i te kako osjetili na vlastitoj kozi, u vrijeme dok je tvoja mama izlazila iz pelena. Svjedok sam zlodjela nacista, fasista, Titovih partizana, srpskih cetnika i ustasa, kao i bombardiranja saveznika. Iznio sam zivu glavu. Nisam prihvatio svecenicko zvanje zbog mirotvorskih teznji, nego sam prihvatio Bozji poziv koji sam osjetio u citavom svijem bicu. No ono sto me je snazno potaknulo da taj poziv prihvatim, bila je MRZNJA zaracenih strana. Rat proizlazi iz ljudskog srca. Od toga se postjae sick and sick and sick.
Blasfemija je i svetogrdje u Ime Boga mrziti ljude, mrziti bilo kojeg covjeka. Ta Bog je nas Dobri Otac. Bog je LJUBAV. On nas je stvorio i on nas svojom ljubavlju miluje svakoga casa!!! Dok u sebi nosim tu milosrdnu Ocevu Ljubav, onda tek osjecam da je svaka medjuljudska mrznja sick and sick! Sve ostalo: propaganda, golemi ratni strojevi i sredstva za masovno unistenje samu su plod MRZNJE, koja dolazi od necastivoga.
Ne bih htio biti samo vikac protiv rata i ratnika, mozda krijuci se u komotnu privatnost. Htio bih pomoci da medju ljudima LJUBAV nadvlada mrznju.
Nadam se da Te nisam razocarao ovim komentarom, koji je u malo drukcijem stilu od ostalih. Zao mi je samo sto nemam dostatnih mogucnosti da to izrazim na engleskom jeziku.
Tebi i svima komentatorima zelim mir i zadovoljstvo u iskrenoj i stvaralackoj ljubavi koja dolazi od dobroj i milosrdnog Oca.
Nisam stigel pročitati sve komentare, al ovaj zadnji me oduševio. I to najprije jezikom pa iskrenošću i t.d.
Ni ovaj put neću pisati svoja razmišljanja, jer sam budan od jučer, a za suvislo pisanje mi ipak treba malo koncentracije. No za početak evo svima jedan člančić, koji ste vjerojatno već čitali. Al je zgodan i možete ponovno pročitati.
EKSKLUZIVNO: KNJIŽEVNIK PAULO COELHO JAVNO SE OBRATIO AMERIČKOM
PREDSJEDNIKU
Hvala vam, predsjedniče Bush
Nakon velikog odjeka u javnosti, ovo pismo Paola Coelha pročitano je u
brazilskom parlamentu
Hvala vam, veliki vođo George W. Bush.
Hvala vam što ste svima pokazali kakvu opasnost predstavlja Sadam
Husein. Mnogi bi inače mogli zaboraviti da je upotrijebio kemijsko oružje
protiv vlastitog naroda, protiv Kurda i protiv Iranaca. Husein je krvožedni
diktator i jedno od najjasnijih očitovanja zla u današnjem svijetu.
No, to nije jedini razlog zbog kojega vam zahvaljujem. Tijekom prva dva
mjeseca 2003. godine, svijetu ste otkrili još mnogo toga važnoga, pa stoga
zaslužujete moju zahvalnost.
Zato vam, prisjećajući se pjesme koju sam naučio još kao dijete, želim
izraziti svoju zahvalnost.
Hvala vam što ste svima pokazali da turski narod i njegov parlament
nisu na prodaju, čak ni za 26 milijardi dolara.
Hvala vam što ste svijetu otkrili jaz koji razdvaja odluke moćnika i
želje naroda. Hvala vam što ste jasno pokazali da ni Jose Maria Aznar ni
Tony Blair ne pridaju ni najmanju važnost, niti imalo poštuju dobivene
glasove. Aznar je savršeno sposoban oglušiti se na činjenicu da se 90 posto
Španjolaca protivi ratu, a Blaira nimalo ne uznemiruje najveći javni
prosvjed koji se u Engleskoj dogodio u posljednjih trideset godina. Hvala
vam što ste prisilili Tonyja Blaira da pred britanski parlament izađe s
lažnim dosjeom koji je prije deset godina napisao neki student, te ga
podastre kao "nepobitne dokaze koje je prikupila britanska tajna služba".
Hvala vam što ste omogućili da Colin Powell napravi budalu od sebe
pokazujući Vijeću sigurnosti UN-a fotografije koje je tjedan dana poslije
javno osporio Hans Blix, inspektor zadužen za razoružanje Iraka.
Hvala vam što ste zauzeli svoj sadašnji stav i tako osigurali da
proturatni govor francuskoga ministra vanjskih poslova Dominiquea de
Villepina na plenarnoj sjednici bude dočekan pljeskom - što se, koliko mi
je poznato, dogodilo samo jednom u povijesti UN-a, nakon govora koji je
održao Nelson Mandela.
Hvala vam i za to što su, zahvaljujući svim vašim nastojanjima da
promaknete rat, inače podijeljene arapske zemlje, tijekom sastanka u Kairu
održana posljednjeg tjedna u veljači, prvi put bile jednoglasne u osudi
bilo koje vrste napada.
Hvala vam za vašu retoričku izjavu da "UN sada ima priliku pokazati
svoju važnost", kojom ste i najnesklonije zemlje potaknuli da se
suprotstave bilo kakvu napadu na Irak.
Hvala vam za vašu vanjsku politiku koja je potaknula britanskoga
ministra vanjskih poslova Jacka Strawa da izjavi kako i u 21. stoljeću "rat
može biti moralno opravdan", te na taj način potpuno izgubi
vjerodostojnost.
Hvala vam što ste pokušali podijeliti Europu koja upravo teži
ujedinjenju; to upozorenje neće proći neopaženo.
Hvala vam što ste postigli ono što je vrlo malo njih uspjelo postići u
ovom stoljeću: ujedinjavanje milijuna ljudi sa svih kontinenata u borbi za
isti cilj, premda je taj cilj suprotan vašemu.
Hvala vam što ste nam omogućili da još jednom osjetimo kako su naše
riječi, iako neposlušane, barem izgovorene - zbog toga ćemo u budućnosti
biti jači.
Hvala vam što na nas ne obraćate pozornost, što omalovažavate sve one
koji se protive vašoj odluci, jer budućnost Zemlje pripada isključenima.
Hvala vam jer bez vas ne bismo upoznali vlastitu spremnost na borbu.
Ovaj put možda neće poslužiti svrsi, no u budućnosti će nam nedvojbeno biti
od koristi.
Sada, kada se čini da više nije moguće utišati ratne bubnjeve, želio
bih reći ono što je stari europski kralj rekao uljezu: "Uživaj u prelijepom
jutru, neka sunce obasja oklope tvojih vojnika, jer poslijepodne ću te
poraziti."
Hvala vam što ste nam - vojsci anonimnih ljudi koji se okupljaju na
ulicama u pokušaju zaustavljanja već započetog procesa - omogućili da
upoznamo osjećaj bespomoćnosti, suočimo se s njime i preobrazimo ga.
Zato, uživajte u svojem jutru i slavi koju će vam ono tek donijeti.
Hvala vam što nas niste poslušali i što nas niste ozbiljno shvatili,
ali znajte da mi slušamo vas i da nećemo zaboraviti vaše riječi.
Hvala vam, veliki vođo George W. Bush.
Hvala vam najljepša
Slazem se argumentima ali izvedba mu je dosta ogorcena i teatralna.
Mozda sam se jednostavno naslusala previse velikih pateticnih prijetnja od G.W. Busha da me cak i opozicijsko misljenje smeta ako je u istom tonu.