This statue, though I never got the chance to see it in real-life since relocating to the United States of America, represents the "freedom" and "democracy" that this country is built on. The torch in her right hand symbolically illuminating the path to America; a sure sign of hope, prosperity, and freedom that rooted deeply in the founding of this nation. This is the land of the "free" and the home of the "brave"; the land where dreamers reap the benefits of their dreams and where visions become reality. However, comparing the the US of today to the one founded some centuries ago by freedom fighters; those who shed their own blood to secure a land where their children would live free from tyranny and colonialism, a completely different America emerges. An America where individuals rights and freedoms of citizens are snatched out of under their noses every day; a nation where hypocrites rule day to day activities.THE BLOOD OF US SOLDIERS, THEN and NOW!
During the first World War, the United States saw itself as an isolate nation who had no interest in fighting in lands miles away from their homeland. The US supplied arms and volunteers to help out, but declared itself and isolated nation. Even during World War II when the invasion of England was on the horizon and that Russia was bracing for an imminent invasion by the NAZI leadership! United States still refusing to go to war--calling it an European war, or a war over yonder! Not long and America was attacked! no more pretension, no more isolation, no more denial. The US went to war by millions which contributed tremendously to the crashing of the NAZI regime. The US also sacrificed tens of thousands of lives to liberate Japanese occupied territories in the Pacific, and also ended the Japanese once believed to be an immortal, regime. Down the road, the US was called to hold off North Korea's advancement against the Republic South Korea. When South Vietnam was in peril, and future of the democratic nation of South Vietnam was at stake, the US led forces intervened, pushing NV back to the North and liberated South Vietnam. Though that war didn't end the way the US and its Allies expected, American lives were lost in a mission to render freedom to the a nation so wanted of it.
In 1991, the US led another body of nations to end an atrocious attack on the nation of Kuwait from the brutal regime of Saddam Hussein. Hundreds of Americans and thousands of Kuwaiti and Iraqi lives lost in that fight, but freedom and Democracy returned to Kuwait.
And in the mid 1990s, after refusing to intervene in Bosnia, the US, having persuaded by the graphic images of dead innocent people including children, intervened and put an end to that war. Arrested wanted fugitive leaders and brought them to trial for justice for the people of Bosnia.
But deep inside this decades of military interventionism, the military often used for political issues. Deep inside the hearts of military leaders, US involvements in the world were nothing more than moral responsibilities; missions against tyrannical rule. But to Politicians, it has never been a moral agenda rather than inventions to solidify US agenda in the world. But back here in the States, the US that politicians have been preaching to the world is completely a different story!
DEMOCRATIZATION OF THE WORLD!
To politicians, US interventions around the world served one very crucial thing, the gift of "democracy" to nations across the world who lived under dictatorship for centuries. In outlining his case against President Hussein, former President Bush (Jr) declared a new "sweeping democratization" mission across the Middle East. Also when speaking about other Islamic nations such as Syria and Iran, Bush warned that Iran would "lose its last claim to legitimacy" if ruling "clerics continued to resist moderates' calls for reform. He even urged Egypt, a key U.S. ally in the region, to embrace democratic reforms" ( OUD). This is perhaps the same feelings expressed by many who went before and after President Bush. It is sufficient, therefore, to make the case that American leaders view regimes across the non-Democratic world as tyrannical and corrupt!
US Double Standard
However, over the years, the US became more corrupt. The question becomes, 'what kind of a Middle East' the US government wants to see? A region where nations are controlled by corrupt leaders using the cover of the their own laws and Constitutions, or a region where the rule of law is not dictated by the ambitions of those in power, but by the ordinary people? When the Gazans elected their political leader, who is one of the active leaders of Hamas, the US and UK protested and launch a sanction against Gaza in the UN supported by their Allies. Food supplies, gas, and other essentials were banned from Gaza. The Prime Minister elected by the people of Gaza was disqualified in the eyes of the Europeans/US because of his role in Hamas, an organization sworn to destroy Israel. His election according to US/UK was considered "rigged".
Then the US slammed Pakistan and then Afghan governments for rigging their national elections. The US was quite dissatisfied with the way Pakistani reelected the former President Musharraf, and later the US slammed Afghanistan's first election result despite heavy monitoring of that election in which President Hamid Karzai won. The US refused to accept the result of President Karzai's election in Afghanistan, claiming that Karzai's supporters rigged the election and stole it for Pres. Karzai. After the result came out, under pressure by the government, Karzai agreed for a re-election. A few hours before the re-election, Karzai's opponent vowed out. Despite winning, the US still demanding that Karzai proves himself worthy of leading Afghanistan.
US Elections are no Better!
But lets get down to the way Americans hold their own election(s). It is quite interesting because the United States, while accusing the world of rigged elections and corruption, is no different at all. There are few elections in which corruption determined the outcomes, and many law-makers in US argued that these results are very very fair and just. It demonstrates the hypocrisy, the self-centered attitude of the US government (fed and states), and the people of US are led to believe that no corruption exists in the own soil. These are some of the examples of how and why corruption is ripe in the US; it is not, in my view, so different from Afghanistan and the Hamas election.
Rigged Senate Race in Massachusetts (2009)
This is Senator Richard Tisei predicting, back in 2004, exactly what the Massachusetts' Senate did in 2009 after Senator Kennedy died. The state law which calls for a statewide election on events that the sitting Senator dies, was scrapped by the majority ruling party, the Democrat Part, and a new legislation allowing the Governor (a Democrat) to appoint a Senator in place of late Senator Ted Kennedy was instituted. It is the highest of all corruptions; occurred in the highest body of the State government; the State Senate.
This is someone giving out his views on the corruption in Massachusetts' State senate. It is something that many people didn't pay attention to, but this is corruption in the highest place. Appointing a senator illegitimately and declaring it "legitimate" is the true definition of corruption. How is this different from the way Afghanistan's election?
Rigged Mayoral Race in New York (2009)
This is Mayor Bloomberg (I) making his case for a Third Term. He wanted to scrap a Senate law that the State which allows a Mayor to serve only two terms. His case was extremely, ridiculously weak. There's one major flaw in his case for a third term and that is--all Senators, Governors, Representatives, Sheriffs, if using these same arguments and standards, would never moved aside and let the people decide in an election. It is always the desires of all political leaders to lead as long as they are capable or able to. But there is also the rule of law in which leaders are allowed to lead for a certain period of time and then let the people decide whether to keep him or let him go. This is the only way to prevent government authoritarianism or dictatorship! If the people like that leader, they may keep him by way of election.
Mayor Bloomberg was given a third term as a Mayor after the New York Senate scrapped off the Two-years term law for elected mayors. This is rather stupid! These two elections were clearly rigged by the Democratic Party right in the face of the entire country and the world.
In Massachusetts, the Democrats and the Republicans are currently fighting for the Seat that many Democrats claimed to be "Kennedy's seat". If the Democrat party lost this seat, the Health care Bill now pending, will be defeated by only one vote. However, the Democrats have already cooked up plans to thwart Republican ability to trash this unpopular health care bill come voting day (Tuesday 19). This will include a delay of the Senator elect's confirmation; a challenge for recount of the absentee ballots, etc. They plan to stall any Republican advancements should their candidates lost their race, using legal means! These are big-time corruption in the land that claimed to be the example of freedom and Democracy!
Contrasting the Democrat Party, the Hamas, and the Karzai government, what do they have in common? They rigged their elections. Elected leaders won by either intimidation, alteration of the laws, and harassment of political opponents. This is sad indeed that right here in America, people's rights are taken everyday for the pleasures of the government, and yet those who do the day-light robbery on Americans' rights and liberty are out there preaching "freedom" and "democracy" to the rest of the world. This is corruption at best!
No comments:
Post a Comment