FROM 13 STRIPES TO 50 STARS TO...

My nations birthday on July 4th. Happy belated birthday, America.

235 years old. A lot has happened since the Founding Fathers said "UP YOURS!" to the British Empire. That took a lot of cajones. (bawls) For when you rebel against the empire, the empire WILL kill you if you fail. They'll cut you up in pieces and put your head atop a wall for all to see and for you to see all.

Our nations history is one of immense, rapid change. From thirteen colonies throwing off the shackles of a global empire to becoming a global empire in just 169 years. (1776 Declaration of Independence to the end of  World War II in 1945, though the U.S. established a global presence much earlier, in particular during the Spanish-American war in 1898, and many gains have been made between 45' and 2011 - see map below). Not surprising if you realize America is the bastard child of the Spanish, Dutch, French and British empires.

And by empire I don't just mean a military presence. I prefer Norwegian Sociologist Johan Galtung's definition of empire: "an unequal exchange of resources" (even within its own borders). A "tetrapus" with four  tentacles;  economic (economic extraction), political (political submission-repression - using the U.N., NATO, IMF, World Bank etc...), military (military intervention), and cultural (cultural cloning).

I feel at present our imperial "tetrapus" is on the rocks, rocks of our own making, and we'll go down in history as one of the quickest in and out of global power in world history. Not out of power or influence completely, just out of global hegemony. That's just my take. Happened to the Romans. Mongols. Byzantines. Holy Roman Empire. The Raj's of India. Chinese dynasties. Japanese Shoguns. The Spanish, French, British empires. All dominant in their known worlds.

Insane to think it won't happen to us. And its happening now.

But not to fear, my fellow Americans! A period of internal blossoming is around the corner. A time for the Republic to flourish. (Galtung predicts the transition in 2020). If you look at more recent former world empires Britain and France and Germany (well, not globally for the Germans, but they expanded well beyond their borders last century), they're all holding their own and prospering for the most part.

Sure you'll lose some GDP (Gross Domestic Product) lacking the direct acquisition of foreign resources you had when entrenched across the sea, (militarily or economically), but with WAY WAY less money needed to upkeep foreign bases and forces, that's more loot to spend coast to coast. ( Hawaii and Alaska too)

Change is a'comin'! But then, it always is. For us, for them, for we all. Change is the one constant. We spend so much of our time trying to fight it. Hold it off. Wear blinders to it. But its there. Might as well go with the flow.

We're not corks bobbing helplessly on the river of life.

We ARE the river.

Happy birthday America. Every precious current, falls and eddy.

MJW

THE BORN (in the u.s.a.) IDENTITY

Okay my fellow Americans. Once and for all, you have GOT to stop playing Bruce Springsteen's song, "Born In The U.S.A." at 4th of July Independence Day fire-works shows, political rallies, and hate-gatherings like those against Muslims near the former World Trade Center because you don't want them to build a community center.

This song is NOT PRO AMERICAN. It is CRITICAL OF AMERICA. SARCASTIC.

In particular of the Vietnam war, the poor sent to fight it, and treatment of veterans upon their return. I read it was originally titled "Vietnam", but was changed. You can challenge the specifics of my interpretation of the lyrics (which are coming up) but proving its pro American would be a neat trick.

Now, I used to sing along with the chorus at fire-works shows myself. I'm as guilty as any other American. Let's face it. No one can understand much of what Bruce Springsteen is saying. He, Michael Jackson, and Michael McDonald (from the Doobie Brothers - BEAVIS: heh heh... doobie...) have all had successful music careers with no one having a damn cloo what any of them are saying.

(You know what I'm talking about)

MICHAEL JACKSON

• What I know of his song, "Smooth Criminal" (a big hit in the States)
• "Annie are you okay? Annie are you okay Annie?" 
• "And the blood-stains on the carpet"
• "You were struck down, it was your doom" 
• What the HECK is any of the above about? 
• No cloo. 
• Hit song.
• Or "Billy Jean"
• "Do a dance. On the floor. In the round." 
• ??????
• Big hit.

But that's no excuse for the complete stoopidity that underscores the pro-American stance when the song is played.

In my opinion its symptomatic of Americans in general. Not paying enough attention to what they're railing passionately about, which is usually something bad for them though they scream they want it. (war, tax cuts for the rich, bail-outs for the rich, ending their own social security, increased military spending, disbanding unions - yes they, like any other human institution can become corrupt, but balance them, like we should balance government, banks, business', don't get rid of the workers only representation - you want your greedy-ass profit-motive managers to have all the power in deciding when to fire you when you and your pension and medical coverage is cutting into their bottom line? SO DO THEY.)

So, here, once and for all, I share the lyrics to Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A." so we're all on the same page. You wanna be proud of your country, be proud of more than just being born there. It was chance. Big whoop. What ELSE are you proud of?

BORN IN THE U.S.A. by Bruce Springsteen

Born down in a dead man's town
The first kick I took was when I hit the ground
You end up like a dog that's been beat too much
Till you spend half your life just covering up

Born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.

Got in a little hometown jam
So they put a rifle in my hand
Sent me off to a foreign land
To go and kill the yellow man

Born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.

Come back home to the refinery
Hiring man says "Son if it was up to me"
Went down to see my V.A. man (mark note: V.A. = Veteran Affairs)
He said "Son, don't you understand"

I had a brother at Khe Sahn fighting off the Viet Cong
They're still there, he's all gone

He had a woman he loved in Saigon
I got a picture of him in her arms now

Down in the shadow of the penitentiary
Out by the gas fires of the refinery
I'm ten years burning down the road
Nowhere to run ain't got nowhere to go

Born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
I'm a long gone Daddy in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
I'm a cool rocking Daddy in the U.S.A.


MJW