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CounterPunch
September
12, 2002
Overcome in
Philly
by John Jonik
Philadelphia mayor, John F. Street, at a 9/11
anniversary ceremony in the city, closed his remarks with the
phrase, "We shall overcome".
But in Philadelphia (Pennsylvania, not
Mississippi), no clarification was given about who "we"
refers to...or what's being "overcome". Such vagueness
allows everyone to create their own imaginary "we"
association so that a speaker won't alienate some by including
unacceptable others. Only in wasp or ant or other clone colonies
could "we" be as all-inclusive as our officials try
to pretend we are. Programmed robots would be an all-inclusive
"we".
"We", as spoken probably everywhere
in the country on 9/11/02, is intended to mean "the American
People" but it could as well mean the U.S. Corporate-serving
military...the Oil Industry...or officials who hope to overcome
growing public opposition to deprivations of Constitutional Rights
and to oil-seeking invasions, dressed up as wars. As we are dealt
liberty-restricting new laws, it's no stretch to believe that
the mayor meant "we, the corporate-funded officials",
will "overcome" us, the people.
For propaganda purposes, the Mayor was
referring to "we" overcoming "terrorism"...meaning
only anti-U.S. actions, of course. This is an arrogant, unfounded
presumption that ALL people are joined in this oil-slicked Bushwhacking
of civil rights, human rights and international law. Overcoming
terrorism on the U.S. (or on others by U.S. forces) by stopping
U.S./allied oppression and corporatization around the globe was
not an option on the menu.
Mayor Street stole "We Shall Overcome"
from the Civil Rights Movement. The phrase refers historically
and specifically to overcoming unconstitutional, institutionalized
racism in the U.S. It is jarring to hear Mayor Street, an African-American,
using these words in the current situation that has undermined
constitutional protections for all, especially those of people
who are, or seem to be, of certain races. He doubtlessly benefited
personally by civil rights protections gained in the 50s and
60s...yet here he is, taking advantage of his skin color, presumably
to appeal to others of similar color, co-opting the movement's
rhetoric to promote "patriotic" violence, global-scale
racism, and attacks on basic rights across the board. Use of
this phrase is also an attempt to con those of any color who
retain some "60s" principles of Peace and Brotherhood,
etc., into converting to the New World Religion of corporate
authoritarian militarism. A disappointing, stomach-turning procession
of former "60s" musicians, and others, now wealthy
establishment icons, have come solemnly forward to condemn "terrorism"...without
an iota of qualification of that word to include U.S. caused/perpetrated
terrorism. In quite un-groovy fashion, they are against some
terrorism, not all.
One who was born yesterday might think
the Mayor was promoting a progressive, leftist position. Listen
to those radical, activist words! Those born somewhat earlier
know that this rhetoric promotes Big Oil, Big Military Contracting,
a virtual U.S. police state, and U.S. dominance of every corner
of the globe where other people's resources are there for the
taking. It also excuses "reasonable" suspicion and
profiling of all Muslims, Middle-Easterners, Central Asians and
others. All the "compassion", "love", "coming
together" and religious talk and flowers and flags and the
rest can't cover up the smell of lies, oil, gun-powder, and blood.
This stuff is piled deep out there. Watch
your step. Keep shovels handy...lest we be overcome.
John Jonik
lives in Philadelphia. He can be reached at: jejonik@juno.com
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September
11, 2002
Anis Shivani
How to
Survive in Ashcroft's America
Pierre Tristam
Abusing
the Sorrows of 9/11
David Krieger
Resisting
Bush's
"Relentless War"
Jerre Skog
9/11 One
Year Later:
Remember the Others, Too
Dave Marsh
Illegal
Music?
A Sampler's Delight
Norm Dixon
How the
Warmongers Have Exploited 9/11
September
7 / 8, 2002
Bill Christison
A
Year Later: It's Happening Here
Alexander
Cockburn
The
Tenth Crusade
Susan Davis
Mr. Ashcroft's
Neighborhood
Bruce Jackson
When
War Came Home
David Krieger
Looking
Back on September 11
Mike Leon
Bush and War
Peter Linebaugh
Levellers
and 9/11
William McDougal
September 11 One Year On:
That's Entertainment!
Riad Z. Abdelkarim
and Jason Erb
How American Muslims Really Responded
to 9/11
Jeffrey St.
Clair
The Trouble
with Normal
Tom Stephens
Rise Up...Dump Bush
September
6, 2002
Jeffrey St.
Clair
Stolen
Trust
Gale Norton, Indians and the Case of the Missing $10 Billion
September
5, 2002
Ben Tripp
Jesus vs.
George the Second
William Hughes
McKinney's
Defeat:
Undue Meddling
Gavin Keeney
Beaux
Reves, Citoyens!
Wayne Saunders
War
Begins; Nobody Notices
Irit Katriel
Drunk
with Power:
Israeli Chief of Staff Calls Palestinians a "Cancerous Demographic
Threat"
Gary Leupp
Who's Afraid
of Iraq?
Resources:
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About 9/11
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Five
Days That
Shook The World:
Seattle and Beyond
By
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and Jeffrey St. Clair
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Read
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How the CIA's Backing of the Mujahideen Created the World's Most
Robust Heroin Market and Helped to Finance the Rise of the Taliban
and Osama bin Laden
Whiteout:
CIA, Drugs & the
Press
by Alexander
Cockburn
and Jeffrey St. Clair
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