[Powderworks] [Fwd: Coverage of Bali in the US media...]
Kate Adams
kate@dnki.net
Sun, 20 Oct 2002 11:26:35 -0400
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The reason we have a level of terrorism in the world that is swallowing up
not only US interests and citizens but spreading into the rest of the world
has little to do with the individual actions of the victims and everything
to do with patterns of power and economic coercion which do not seek to
promote justice and equity amongst its inhabitants.
You can look at it as "the US is fucking up and its accomplices are getting
their due now too", but that is a judgmental attribution masquerading as an
explanation. The truth is that the harder you tug on the string of "x
causes y" the more you start to dredge up all that stuff that happened
before during and after WWII, before during and after WWI, before the US
existed and back into the depths of pan-European colonial expansion and beyond.
In short, the remnants of continuing waves of expansionist societies
invading and overrunning others (heading back to pre-Roman times) are what
create the unstable world we have today. The US is only the latest on the
domineering bandwagon, and the driver is drunk to say the least! We can
either attack and blame the current big brother as each takes a turn, or we
can look at what kind of world we would like to construct (look at what is
happening in Qatar since the new leader came aboard ...) and contain the
poison at a higher level. Remember, the US only roared forth on the global
stage after the sun set in Britain. Simply containing US policy is not the
answer.
An eye for an eye leaves us all blind. Instead of blaming victims because
they may have enjoyed the privileges of consumer states while having little
control over actions or policy directions, why not envision a better scheme
of things that escapes the tit-for-tat of the rat race of the millenia and
figure out how we might get there now that communications and travel and
shipping have rendered the world a single small ball.
<wonk hat off>
Kate
At 11:21 PM 10/20/02 +0930, Anna Offler wrote:
>I find this a spurious reply in the extreme. One line of thought over here
>is that the bombing in Bali was due in some part to our Prime Minister's
>unqualified initial support for the US over Iraq which I might add was
>contrary to the opinion of 80% of the citizens of this country. It should
>also be pointed out that Australia is not a super power like the US, and
>does not have a history of influencing world foreign/military policy .
>East Timor excepted. You should also note that very few people in
>Australia are now running up the nationalistic flag. The sentiment quite
>rightly at this point is one of quiet determination to mourn for those
>lost, and to guard in the fight against terrorism.
>Not withstanding that I dont agree with the "had it coming" people.
>More the its time to "listen to other people's opinions rather than run up
>the battle flag again", and I dont mean the terrorists opinions. Sublety
>and co-operation is required rather than the "gunboats" that Dubya wants
>to solve all problems. They will just create more martyrs for Al Queda and J2 .
>
>
>< Bawolski wrote
>
>In a message dated 10/17/2002 11:21:56 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
>craiggy@ozemail.com.au writes:
>
>>I mean, if you reverse the argument, why should I care about some sniper
>>in Washington? It is so far away from Australia, and in any case a result
>>of childish gun laws. Maybe Australia shouldn't care about what happens
>>to the US anymore.
>
>
>At least you haven't heard any Americans say that Australia "had it coming"
>or "caused this to happen," something which was said about the U. S. after
>the September 11 tragedies.
-------------------------------------------
Kate Adams
-------------------------------------------
Gradual Student
Researcher
Cyclist
Activist
Friend
Wife
Mother
Person
-------------------------------------------
"Keep Joy out of the reach of children.
If Joy gets in your eyes, flush thoroughly with water.
If Joy is swallowed, drink a glass of water to dilute"
- label for Joy dishwashing liquid
-------------------------------------------
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Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii"
<html>
The reason we have a level of terrorism in the world that is swallowing
up not only US interests and citizens but spreading into the rest of the
world has little to do with the individual actions of the victims and
everything to do with patterns of power and economic coercion which
do not seek to promote justice and equity amongst its inhabitants.<br>
<br>
You can look at it as "the US is fucking up and its accomplices are
getting their due now too", but that is a judgmental attribution
masquerading as an explanation. The truth is that the harder you
tug on the string of "x causes y" the more you start to dredge
up all that stuff that happened before during and after WWII, before
during and after WWI, before the US existed and back into the depths of
pan-European colonial expansion and beyond.<br>
<br>
In short, the remnants of continuing waves of expansionist societies
invading and overrunning others (heading back to pre-Roman times) are
what create the unstable world we have today. The US is only the
latest on the domineering bandwagon, and the driver is drunk to say the
least! We can either attack and blame the current big brother as
each takes a turn, or we can look at what kind of world we would like to
construct (look at what is happening in Qatar since the new leader came
aboard ...) and contain the poison at a higher level. Remember, the
US only roared forth on the global stage after the sun set in
Britain. Simply containing US policy is not the answer.<br>
<br>
An eye for an eye leaves us all blind. Instead of blaming victims
because they may have enjoyed the privileges of consumer states while
having little control over actions or policy directions, why not envision
a better scheme of things that escapes the tit-for-tat of the rat race of
the millenia and figure out how we might get there now that
communications and travel and shipping have rendered the world a single
small ball. <br>
<br>
<wonk hat off><br>
Kate<br>
<br>
At 11:21 PM 10/20/02 +0930, Anna Offler wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite><font face="arial" size=2>I find
this a spurious reply in the extreme. One line of thought over here is
that the bombing in Bali was due in some part to our Prime Minister's
unqualified initial support for the US over Iraq which I might add was
contrary to the opinion of 80% of the citizens of this country. It should
also be pointed out that Australia is not a super power like the US, and
does not have a history of influencing world foreign/military policy .
East Timor excepted. You should also note that very few people in
Australia are now running up the nationalistic flag. The sentiment quite
rightly at this point is one of quiet determination to mourn for those
lost, and to guard in the fight against terrorism. </font><br>
<font face="arial" size=2>Not withstanding that I dont agree with the
"had it coming" people. </font><br>
<font face="arial" size=2>More the its time to "listen to other
people's opinions rather than run up the battle flag again", and I
dont mean the terrorists opinions. Sublety and co-operation is required
rather than the "gunboats" that Dubya wants to solve all
problems. They will just create more martyrs for Al Queda and J2
.</font><br>
<br>
<br>
<font face="arial" size=2>< Bawolski wrote</font><br>
<br>
<font face="arial" size=2>In a message dated 10/17/2002 11:21:56 PM
Pacific Daylight Time, craiggy@ozemail.com.au writes:<br>
<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>I mean, if you reverse the
argument, why should I care about some sniper in Washington? It is so far
away from Australia, and in any case a result of childish gun laws. Maybe
Australia shouldn't care about what happens to the US anymore.
</blockquote><br>
<br>
At least you haven't heard any Americans say that Australia "had it
coming"<br>
or "caused this to happen," something which was said
about the U. S. after<br>
the September 11 tragedies. </font></blockquote>
<x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
<font face="Batang">-------------------------------------------<br>
Kate Adams<br>
-------------------------------------------<br>
Gradual Student<br>
Researcher<br>
Cyclist<br>
Activist<br>
Friend<br>
Wife<br>
Mother<br>
Person<br>
-------------------------------------------<br>
"Keep Joy out of the reach of children. <br>
If Joy gets in your eyes, flush thoroughly with water. <br>
If Joy is swallowed, drink a glass of water to dilute" <br>
- label for Joy dishwashing liquid<br>
-------------------------------------------</font></html>
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