The forefathers were right. The truth of the matter is, the American populace is generally just incredibly stupid. We're simply not smart enough to choose our own president. And we're certainly not smart enough to have any say in what our country will do in response to terrorism.
We might think that after the deaths of more than 6,000 people, we should take some time to grieve, to deal with our losses so we can face the next steps with clear minds.
But the government says we need to move on, buy stuff, pretend death doesn't get to us. If we look upset, the terrorists will take that as their cue to attack again, right?
We might think an economy that threatens to collapse if we take some time to grieve instead of running out to buy things we don't need is perhaps not such a great economy after all. But questioning capitalism at a time like this is paramount to treason. So if you think that way, just keep your mouth shut.
We might think the fact that our country trained Osama bin Laden and built the airport we bombed a week ago is a bit ironic. We might think that our country has been responsible for a great deal of suffering throughout the world, and that understanding this must be a part of our solution.
But the government says we don't need to worry about that; just wave your flags and act unified. After all, difference of opinion is a threat to national security.
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We might suppose that terrorists would know better than to sit around in the most obvious targets and wait for us to bomb them. We might think the best we can hope to accomplish through an air strike is to kill some innocent Afghanis.
We might think that dropping enough food for a tiny fraction of the Afghani population into their decimated and landmine riddled country doesn't really make up for the fact that we're bombing them. But the government says we're doing the right thing, so it must be true.
We might think that bin Laden's promise to retaliate against our retaliation could have been expected, that instead of bringing safety, our attacks only place us in further danger.
But if the government thinks bombs do in fact make us safe - in spite of their warnings to local police to increase security - who are we to question them?
We might wonder why, when there isn't enough money to bolster Social Security, expand financial aid to actually meet students' needs, or provide even the most basic social services to legal immigrants, among other things, we suddenly have $20 billion to spare on a war against terrorism that promises to be about as effective as the war on drugs. But the government says . well, they haven't really said anything on that point, but they must know what they're doing.
We might think that now is as good a time as any to focus on healing the world, repairing the damage we've done, and rethinking our unjust foreign and domestic policies. But the government hasn't raised that possibility, so it must not be that important.
If you disagree with the actions the U.S. has taken, you must remember that it is only because you are dumber than the government is.
In fact, if you're opposed to military retaliation, and especially if you're one of those peace protestors, you should just go join the military. That way, maybe all you damn dissenters will be shot down and we'll finally be rid of you.
The only way we can defend our nation's freedom is to realize we're too stupid to do or think anything but what the government tells us to. So, all hail King George.
by Sari Krosinsky
Daily Lobo Columnist
