Toppling an Empire

America, the brave and the bold, the loving pledge of allegiance, the veneer of a greater society, oh America the virtuous.  

Now, let's strip that coding and the obnoxious propaganda that I just put forth.  People ask me: "why do you criticize America?  I mean, America doesn't murder people for witchcraft and sorcery like Saudi Arabia.  America doesn't abuse Muslims like they do in China or Myanmar.  America didn't do the holocaust like in Germany did or mistreat it's own citizens like what's being done in North Korea, so why criticize America?"  Well, the answer is quite simple, it is because I am an American. To illustrate this, I remember seeing Captain America II in theaters and thought that as a hero no one was more virtuous, as explained by Aristotle and his description of virtue ethics.  As some might say: "but this doesn't explain why you criticize America so harshly"; and to you I say be patient because I'm getting to that.  Captain America going up to Nick Fury and explaining to him the difference between security and fear was excellent, it's the first time I saw something that is "supposed to be" representative of the American ethos.  We are constantly blinded by fear and that often skews our judgement on certain matters regarding our security.  We blatantly ignore them because we perceive ourselves as better or superior.  Our cultures are better and our society is better, so really we just are good, and before I respond, I'll say this; I am not some cultural relativist.  But I am someone who cares about people and who doesn't want to see them hurt.  I want all people to have the same distinct value that is inexhaustible when it comes to we, as people, that includes poor Africans, White people or landless Asian peasants in Vietnam, that includes everyone.  So, yes, some societies are better, but that doesn't mean that our actions can be somehow justified.  Also, we don't take a good enough look at ourselves and what we have done as American citizens and let such atrocities continue.  I say to you that it's easier to think of America as this great symbol of peace when you don't have to think about the bodies buried beneath your feet, which is the essence of being privileged and lucky.  

I rather be Dr. Manhattan and see the present, past, and future all at once, then I would be able to see how I can deal with America in it's entirety instead of the snapshots, but for most people, they don't even want to look at the snapshots.  I maybe more cynical than most but I am also much more optimistic.  The truth is I love America, but I won't make excuses for American crimes, brutal crimes, even though it would make me and others feel more comfortable, if I did so.  This is what gets me frustrated, even more than usual. When I bring up the Native American genocide, slavery, segregation , or internment camps for the Japanese, there’s a staunch distinction between the actual America from the America we conceive in our heads. The dismissal then comes in like; "well, sure, we did some terrible things in the past, but that was the past, what about the present and the future."  Okay, if you don't like those examples, how about some present ones, like the Iraq War; where we demolished a country; torture, and the horrific things we did in Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay; or what about the support of states like, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Israel. 

The thing is I'm tired of my country doing bad things with my money and in my name.  The cynical part of me wants some form of cartoon-ish version of anarchism in the streets, with me as the leader.  The optimistic, and may I say more reasonable part of me wants to reform our past and take us to new heights in the future, like instead of tax dollars going to blow up poor brown people in the middle east, it can go to universal healthcare for all Americans.  I mean, don't get me wrong I embrace the cynical side from time to time, but the optimistic side is where I'm at now and the place I would like to continue to be.