Osama Bin Laden has represented a host of ideas from various angles. But one thing he remains in the US mind is a myth, a fictitious being that has operated with God-like qualities in a cave, just like Jesus.
Nobody actually saw him, but people hated, feared and/or revered what he epitomized.
And then there are all of these questions surrounding his death. The un-Muslim sea burial with his body chained to a plank like in the movie Van Helsing. The supposedly unreleased photos of a man who remains elusive for over a decade, and the lack of explanation as to why a former CIA operative becomes a US enemy who initially declared he did not blow up the World Trade towers when he was blamed. And certainly, he did not blow up buildings 7 and 8, that mysteriously fell well after the planes crashed.
This mythic creature, Bin Laden, must now be placed in the arena of Santa, Tooth Fairy, Chupacabra, Sasquatch, Elvis and Tupac. His representation will live on in some way, shape or form.
Let me shift this discussion on the continual Fulture of Fear in US. Obama once emphasized that fear was so permeated in normal, everyday American life needed to be free from that type of living. Ironically, the Culture of Fear is becoming more pervasive, post-Bin Laden death.
We thought we were watching our backs then, well now, we will be watching even more! Big Brother is alive and well, and truthfully, he possesses our psyches like a Santeria Orisa mounting a devotee during ceremony.
Big Brother has been framed as a omnipotent technological presence in the form of satellite, eye scans, and computer surveillance, but that is not the most significant and effective weapon of Big Brother. WE ARE!
We are our own Big Brother. We monitor each other and judge our movements.Then we regulate ourselves from a template that is supposed to be "Patriotic" under Administrations that provide schizophrenic intelligence about various operations.
As blogger Rippa pointed out , the Bush Administration stopped looking for Bin Laden before the search every began, yet US culture, by way of the media, was haunted by a hunt that never really existed.
Nevertheless, war coffers were filled, and we are broker than a muthafuckah.
And since when did questioning your government excuse you from citizenship?
Furthermore, when did using rights as a citizen to question a US Administration that has habitually lied since its inception, become unAmerican.
To me, to be unAmerican is to allow a power structure that undermines its citizens dictate to me the order of the day; especially in a culture where black folks were legally slaves, indigenous people were kicked off of their land and slaughtered, Japanese were forced into internment camps, political activist were black listed in the "Red Scare" and Donald Trump is considering running for president.
Interestingly, the understanding of Patriotism has mutated into a different monster since 1776. Once upon a time, US citizens exercised protest, agitation, intellectual battle, fistocuffs, and even Civil War based on their citizenship rights.Interestingly, the Tea Party can throw vile, racist rants, but the Black Panther Party's fight for a shift in a racist and classist structure was neutralized.
Today, if you critique government, you are cast in an iron pot full of fuddy-duddies. Right now I'm dangling on funny rope with racist tea baggers and self-deprecating black folks. And I don't want to have anything in common with them, and am about to Geronimo jump off this bitch to NeverLand with Peter Pan and Michael.
Though my mama hates it when I rip into the current administration, I have to remind her that I have always scrutinized governments. It is the American way. And as long as their are third and fourth world conditions in one of the richest countries in the world, as well as people who are interested in impeaching the Head-of-State because he is black, I will have a lot to say.
But I digressed, so let me get back to the Culture of Fear.
With the talks of imminent terrorist attacks to come, the US is now "preparing" American citizens for repercussions. With that will come a host of methods that will tear down the right to privacy, a fundamental American right that was placed in the Bill of Rights due to England's intrusive colonial tactics.
Some of the things you will expect to see are things that have been long in the making, but will be forced to stay.
Eye, hand, DNA databases for travel and money transactions; Dismantling of social security and social programs; Privatization of public institutions such as education, roads media, and major ports; Complete privatization of the prison industrial complex.
This new American "lifestyle" are one of many issues, but the biggest strife will be the widening division amongst the citizens. As some people become more "Patriotic" others are distancing themselves from a hegemonic, boxed existence.
Blog on, Eco.Soul
1 ish talking intellectuals holla at a sista:
I guess we can all sit back and wax poetic about what was over the last decade or so. My favorite part of all the bullshit that we were put through was the part where Tom Ridge would take out his "terror threat" crayons on a weekly basis, depending upon whatever issues the Bush Administration was facing at the time. Then of course they blamed everything on "national security" and the need to keep secrets secret and if you didn't agree, then you were unpatriotic anyway.
I thought it was funny at the time; and yet when I pointed it out to many of my friends they'd look at me as if I secretly read the Koran, possibly harbored Muslims in my basement and intended to take flying lessons or something.
So many of my fellow Americans were hookwinked, bamboozled and lead astray.
Many of my fellow Americans are just like cattle. Next week there will be some new "great conspiracy" and they'll buy it everytime.
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