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CounterPunch
October
14, 2002
Sleepers
by PHILIP FARRUGGIO
Just re-watched Barry Levinson's wonderful
1996 film "Sleepers". Got me to thinking about the
state of this nation. Putting aside perhaps one or two million
of us who protest the many things wrong with various gov't policies,
what about the rest of us? What about the 260 some odd "Sleepers"
who say nothing and do nothing to correct the wrongs in this
republic?
We have a Congress that acquiesced and
gave this President the power and ability to make war on Iraq.
Bear with me one minute, you who do not care about Iraq or the
fact of a military "first strike". Do any of you "Sleepers"
care about the cost of such a venture? The hundreds of billions
of dollars from our treasury into the pockets of the "War
Economy"? That means less chance to raise salaries of fire
and police and teachers. Less chance to build newer and better
schools (hear that "Mr. Education President"?). Less
chance to get a Nat'l Healthcare measure adopted (our allies
the Brits have it, as do our allies the French) to assure we
260 plus million medical security. How about this? Less chance
to obtain proper "homeland security" as the Bushes
rammed at us for over a year now All these "best laid plans"
and many others out the window in the name of getting this "Butcher
of Bagdad", the "New Hitler" with his "weapons
of mass destruction".
Irony strikes us when we open our eyes
to learn all the facts. Irony #1: this man is the same "threat
to our nat'l security" who gassed his people (and our mutual
enemy Iran) back in the mid 80's. Yet, the "Butcher of Bagdad"
was our friend then, receiving (purchasing, file that away for
the moment) mucho aid and weaponry and technology. Some say his
capacity to produce biological weapons was helped by guess who?.
U.S. corporations had many lucrative contracts with Iraq, and
the Reagan/Bush sr. administrations did little to stop this "New
Hitler".
Irony #2: thanks to Victor Thorn of Babel
Mag. and Sam Smith of the informative Progressive Review, lets
look at one of the major defense contractors (remember the "War
Economy" I spoke of earlier) that profits every time this
nation makes war. It's called the Carlyle Group. You cannot buy
public stock in this baby--ya gotta be part of the "In Crowd"
to profit from Carlyle. Let's see who this "holding group"
employs to help them influence gov'ts and get contracts: George
Bush Sr.-( we need no resume on him) Frank Carlucci--Deputy Dir.
CIA 1978-81, deputy Sec. of Defense 81-82, Nat'l Security Dir
87-89 James Baker Sec. of State 1989-93--represented Bush Jr.
in Florida recount 2000 Arthur Levitt --former head SEC John
Major--former Prime Minister Great Britain Fidel Ramos--former
Philippine President Afsaneh Beschloss--Treasurer of the World
Bank (conflict of interest perhaps?) Park Tae Joon--former Prime
Minister of S. Korea Alwakeed Sin Talai Abdulaziz Alsaud--Saudi
Arabian Prince(interesting coincidence) George Soros --int'l
financier and Bilderberg member (and multi billionaire)
Attention America! We know that the "deck
is stacked" against we who get up in the morning and go
to work from 9 to 5. We know there is little or no hope for real
and fair representation in the current political process. All
the more reason for you to step outside yourselves and complain.
America is not a nation of "street demonstrators', I know
that. I myself feel uncomfortable standing in public and shouting
and carrying signs. Yet, I "nag and challenge', "nag
and challenge" any elected official who I deem as not doing
the proper thing. It's time for the millions of you out there,
the ones who need not be politically active, to simply raise
your voice and shout "Enough is Enough" to these politicos,
nat'l state and local. If we, as a collective 260 plus million,
remain silent, the "Powers in power" will make sure
we stay that way, through laws and actions to chip away at our
civil liberties and rights of dissent.
Read Orwell"s "1984" to
realize that labels like the "Butcher of Bagdad" are
not something new. Nor is the technique of "Personalizing"
or defining an entire nation through the first or last name of
its leader or tyrant. We have many tyrants and despots in this
world--many are and have been our allies for decades. Wake up
"Sleepers", before its too late!
Philip A Farruggio is a baby boomer Brooklyn NY born bred and educated
(Brooklyn College '74), Currently, he resides in Florida and
is self employed as a mfg. rep for an environmental bacteria
company. Philip writes for many publications as a free lance
columnist. He can be reached at brooklynphilly@aol.com
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October 9,
2002
Hesham Hassaballa
Here
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Ann Pettifer
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