Democracy, Tyranny and the 'good American' –the clock is approaching Midnight

By: Michael_T_Bucci

What is so difficult for the majority of Americans to recognize, and for a majority of critical writers to accept, is that they—the so-called "people"—have turned to stone. They—the so called "people"—have become "good Germans". They—the so-called "people"—have been induced into an authoritarianism that threatens to open the door to tyranny: tyranny in government, in religion, in corporatism, in finance, and in and through a mushrooming military-security state that already is the deadliest toxin permeating every air molecule democracy inhales. Fascism and Totalitarianism are the watchwords of the day. The solution is not a Gold Standard, but a Moral Standard.

Should a time of tyranny come, the so-called "people" of today will be held responsible by their progeny for this and for the loss of American democracy; for they and they alone remain responsible.

Should that day come, I will not blame the politicians or the corporate-financial oligarchs who are about to turn America into a feudal state and its people into prisoners of debt service and "the markets". I will not blame the Pentagon or Department of Homeland Security for erecting a paramilitary police-state with little or no resistance. I will not blame religionists who promote bigotry and hate against ethnic and religious minorities when they believe the Prince of Peace actually is a wrathful Avenger carrying a Sword. Nor I will blame Wall Street for thievery done with impunity in full daylight.

Should the day come when tyranny fully overtakes democracy, I will not accept the German excuse from any "good American" who, when faced and challenged with dreadful and truthful facts, replies in self-defense, "I didn't know"—the "good American" who had every opportunity to know but didn't believe, didn't care or otherwise chose to ignore.

Yes, I will blame the so-called "people"; and if this makes me a pariah—so be it.

Who else but the people chose to remain idle; to be complacent and lazy; to be absent; to remain purposely ignorant and blindfolded; to forgo vigilance; to luxuriate in happy mediocrity, affluence and materialism while ignoring their responsibility of influencing and controlling the actions and policies of government, the military and economic planners? Who else but "the people" have failed to be the "We" in Tom Paine's "We the People"? There are no other "people". We are it!

American democracy requires intelligence, wisdom and caretaking. Without these democracy cannot exist. Without democracy, America as we know it cannot and will not exist. And without morality, no nation can survive.

The clock is approaching Midnight!

. . . .

For too many Americans the world barely exists until the "world at large" speaks, and it is now speaking through economic, financial, political and human channels—loudly! Several days ago, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Cairo in an armored vehicle. She was pelted with shoes and tomatoes by protestors. Her classroom instruction on democracy to the people of Egypt—conveyed to their undemocratically installed military junta—spoke volumes on the dichotomy between the American perception of the Middle East and the one flooding the bloodstreams of Egyptian people. "Real democracy," she lectured, "means that no group or faction or leader can impose their will, their ideology, their religion, their desires on anyone else."

The shoes and tomatoes vehemently replied:

"But the Secretary of State, White House and Congress need live by those words first rather than finance and foster regime changes across the Middle East; threaten to incite confrontations with China and Russia; mercilessly impose ruthless neoliberal austerity schemes on countries, impose sanctions on others; make overt preparations to invade the sovereign states of Syria and Iran; assassinate by drones or otherwise anyone anywhere considered a threat to its hegemony; or impose the U.S.-NATO 'will', 'ideology' and 'desires' on any nation wishing independence from foreign occupiers and the overthrow of lackeys those occupiers have placed into power at home."

One shoe added:

"Mrs. Clinton, you are not the world's teacher. To the contrary, I think Egypt and the world of the Middle East are beginning to teach you what constitutes democracy."

. . . .

In conversation, a seventy-year old maintenance man described what he had learned from attending a "Constitutionalist" seminar. He went on to berate "Obama the socialist" ("his father should have had his b*lls cut off," he quipped). Being familiar with socialism but in no position to dispute his mentors Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly and local minister, I diplomatically replied: "John, at seventy, be happy you lived through the best years of America."

Later, a silver-aired neighbor named Janet, struggling with her speech impediment and quite bright-minded, conveyed to me in a mostly non-verbal way her apprehensions about the future of America. I could see into her mind a shower of good memories, happy days, past affluence and her optimistic love of country. But, for whatever her reason, she wanted to hear my truth. I knew Janet could bear hearing what John couldn't and told her my truth.

Some, like John, are battling and will do battle to arrest the setting of the sun. Others, like Janet, will move alongside change and upheaval to emerge a survivor.

If civil and social wars are in the future of America—which they might be—they are both a natural reaction to shock, awe and inexplicable loss, and an unnatural one for defeating all forward motion toward integration with a new world (or paradigm) that is presently evolving on the global horizon. A rise of fascism and totalitarianism is an extreme defensive response against, in the present example, an "inevitable". It is characteristic of "reactionary" thinking and politics, and ultimately defeats itself.

Contrary to egocentric economic, political and technocratic thinking, the rotation of the planets is not due to human efforts, will-power, thought-projections or money; likewise, social or civil wars in America, and U.S.–NATO nuclear arsenals, never will alter where the sun will set and where it will rise. If nature is our guide, the sun is setting in the West and rising in the East.

All the rest is commentary.

. . . .

Epilogue and bittersweet credo:

To the young: I, for one, am convinced that people will need to restructure their lives during the oncoming period. By this I mean to develop small, intimate communities of self-help and solutions, away from the severe negativity that will be threatening all but the most firmly rooted. The big solutions will emerge much later (organically) from what develops within enclaves (and cannot be foretold, predicted or anticipated beforehand).

There truly is a new America at the end of this road, but it might be a long, dark night in the interim between lifetimes.

At age 64, I am blessed to have lived through the best years of America.
But I know they are over.
I now am living through the worst years of America.
But I know someday this too shall pass.

I will dedicate myself to the young. They have no other "time frame" than the present one.
They will need help and moral support through difficult transitions.
In time, they WILL build a new America, and a better America. I do believe.

They will move forward.
In time, whether we wish it or not, we will also.

By Michael T Bucci

Michael T Bucci is a retired public relations executive from New Jersey presently residing in New England. His essays have appeared at The Market Oracle. He is the author of nine books on practical spirituality including White Book: Cerithous.

© 2011 Copyright Michael T Bucci - All Rights Reserved Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors.

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