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Silvia A. Brandon Pérez

User Profile Image Silvia A. Brandon Pérez
Member since : May-26-2009 (Verified)
1 Ideas, 9 Comments, 63 Votes

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Ideas Posted

We have been engaged in 'nation destroying' with regard to other nations, and are quick to point a finger at others' so-called terrorist practices when they refuse to bend down and knuckle under. From our definition of 'all men are created equal' to include only White, properties males, with a certain religious persuasion, to our persecution of dissenters (although the Republic was founded on dissent), our invading the domain of other cultures, countries and races, we remain as a nation ignorant of our 'true history.'

Start a collaborative project, through the use of original records, story-telling gathered from elders, and other 'true history' markers, to teach the history as it happened, and in the process, learn what it is that made us succeed and what made us into a target for terrorism and for worldwide hatred and despair. Endow this project with federal funds, as a way of affirming diversity and true origin. And let us see where this may lead us.

True education builds understanding. Understanding is the first step toward a new nation dedicated to peace and to the empowerment not only of its people, but of all people in a planet conceived as a global village. That which hurts the smallest member hurts the entire body politic. Let us remember Donne's beautiful statement that every man's death diminishes me.

All empires come to an end, some with more bloodshed than others. America is not a country, it is beautiful continents made up of many races, languages and beliefs.
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I wanted to share with you all how it feels to someone who was born in Cuba to have a presence since the start of the nation in Cuba, thrust upon Cuba upon threat of domination and occupancy by the US... In the late 19th century, Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines, were fighting for their independence from the Spanish empire, much as the US had earlier fought against the British, including the war of 1812. The US needed (always needed) markets for its products (there is historical evidence of speeches before the Congress calling for greater expansion... to the South, Latin America, to the East, whatever). The US had a ship docked outside the harbor (la Habana) which 'blew up' under mysterious circumstances, but which explosion (now it is said that the ship's boiler blew up, by itself... similar to some of the buildings that blew up from below in the World Trade Center - they still use the same tricks...) was promptly blamed on the Spanish, and used to fuel national anger and demand for retribution (yellow journalism, then as now), so that the US declared war on Spain. Now you had a young and ever more powerful nation against a decaying empire, and for Spain you also had a whole ocean to cross, while the US is only 90 miles north of certain parts of Cuba... so the outcome was predictable. But the thing is, the 'liberator' had no intention of just leaving... As war booty they got Puerto Rico (which has never been able to shake off US domination), the Philippines (which lost a million nationals in their continuing struggle to get rid of one empire which had supplanted another) and Cuba (as well as islands here and there). The US at that point was occupying, Cubans were trying to come up with a constitution, and the Platt amendment was forced down the throats of the new nation, Guantanamo was 'leased' in perpetuity for a measly sum, 45 square miles to be used for 'coaling and naval purposes only (not for detaining or torturing prisoners), and the yearly amount paid was 2000 dollars in gold coins... Fidel cashed only the first yearly check, but the US says that means he reaffirmed the lease.

I would love to see, in my lifetime, all US military/naval presence out of Cuba. I may have to come back in another life though... although the empire is in its waning years.

The Philippines paid for their freedom with genocide (what do you call a million or more dead...) and Puerto Rico for years was occupied and made to feel, in their own land, as lesser than the invaders. But then again, how did Hawaii feel after they were tricked into 'statehood?' For me, once again, the end of the empire can't come too soon. Mind you, I hope it's 'graceful,' but the US has too long gotten used to being the neighborhood bully, and I don't hold out much hope of that. And unfortunately, most of the populace believes there is an 'entitlement.'

I worked long and hard to have Obama elected; I felt proud when he was sworn in, and hopeful (not that I did not realize he was not a leftist, but that he was of a race that had been downtrodden, and had Muslim relatives, and all in all it was wonderful.


Thank you, David; that is good news.
Some of the 'brainstorming' that was happening under this post was a bit too much like ranting, and sometimes even personal attacks,, but that should not be a reason to remove the post... or lock it, or whatever they did. Perhaps we do need to write an actual letter of complaint, about the closed nature of our new 'open' government...
teafork, I want to say, loudly, hear, hear. Who will make reparations to the widows and orphans of the murdered?
Those who believe that we need to 'look forward' and pardon whatever went on in the past fail to realize that it is not a matter of animosity but a matter of 'the rule of law.' If we are to be a people and a country that deserve respect and a place in the world, we must have social justice, and seek a peace that is moral and genuine. That means that we must, at some level, face our own immorality, our own bloody past and present, and include, among the things to happen once the aggression is ended, full reparation, which is a wider term than reconstruction, because while reconstruction is physical, reparation is emotional and spiritual as well.

Reparation requires facing all that was done wrong. As a first condition of reparation, in this particular aggression, we must look at the architects of evil, which includes all of the Bush cadre, and may include some of the ones who stood by and allowed it to happen, those who preferred to ask no questions while these 'policies' were going on. Because indeed this is not and never has been a partisan issue; it is a moral issue. Morality and truth are non-partisan.

There is nothing violent or of a malevolent animus about seeking reparation, about demanding an indictment and adjudication of any criminal activity, no matter how high those who designed it, participated in it, or allowed it to take place are in the world of men. Because this is about the rule of law, which applies to all human beings, and pardons no one. If we are to join the nations of the world as a civilized society, we must accept the rule of law.

The rule of law is fairly well set forth in our own constitution, which forbids torture and 'cruel and unusual punishment,' and in the documents under which the United Nations was incorporated, including compacts entered into by the nations of the planet such as the Geneva Conventions, which we have thumbed our noses at and have broken at every opportunity, despite the fact that we are signatories and are bound by them. These are well thought out prescriptions for collaborative and cooperative coexistence on our wounded planet, without which we will not survive as a (human) race.

Allowing injustice and impunity to thrive and to remain without consequence is against the rule of law, against the basic physical rules of the universe, which state that to every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Reaction is required to the wholesale murder, maiming, torture, oppression, of hundreds of thousands of men, women and children in Iraq and elsewhere...

The true violence: to allow impunity.

Statistics show that there is a very small percentage of any population that will in fact take the steps to change things, no matter how bad the conditions, until that 100th monkey effect takes place, until critical mass is achieved. For that reason, those who undertake true activism must work at the risk of their health, family lives, personal comfort, and even at the risk of their lives, to enable the creation of that critical mass.

Some of us work to end torture and to end social injustice, but I submit that to have a group of committed individuals with the resources of the global village, including internet communication and teleconferencing, gives us an unparalleled opportunity to effect TRUE CHANGE, a true teachable moment to bring forth upon this planet a new global village, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all human beings are created equal and are meant to enjoy the bounties of this planet.

Many of the nations of Latin America are saying no to US imperial aggression, are saying, yes, otro mundo es posible, and are frequently saying so with their blood, as in Oaxaca a few years ago. They do not participate in violence but stand as witnesses, as the Madres de la Plaza de Mayo stood for thirty long years against the US-sanctioned dictatorship in Argentina, and as such, stand tall despite the consequences. Once again, this is not violence, although unfortunately it frequently leads to violence against the witness, against the woman or man who says PRESENTE with their last breath.

We must have the courage of our convictions. We must be ready to stand for something, without having to worry about the framing of our most innate and core beliefs. Perennial principles cannot be framed; they simply are.

There is a new world right outside our peripheral vision. But it cannot take place until we stand up to the issues of the day, and demand full investigations, and that people face the consequences of their acts.

For all of the victims, all the desaparecidos, all the abused and wounded and vilified, we must cast our votes for investigation and prosecution.

http://americaisnotacountry.blogspot.com
To merveilleux24: I, mother of four sons and one daughter, like the idea of forcing the children of those who declare war, as well as the ones who declare war themselves, serve in those wars. When governor Bush declared war on Iraq back in 2003, with the shameful complicity of most of the elected officials in both Senate and House, only 1 of those officials actually had a child serving in the military. It is very easy to send others to die... but if you knew that you might be the one to die, or your dear ones, you might be less quick to call up the specter of war. It would be, at the very least, the honorable thing to do, not that any of them had the slightest concept of 'honor.'
I agree with you, Brian, but it is as important to share the past wrongs so we can begin a process of reparation and reconciliation. We cannot go forward without understanding everything in our history, or we will continue to make the mistakes of the past. If we understood how we have despoiled other countries' sovereign governments and their economies, we would begin to understand the disaster that is immigration.
Actually, I forgot to mention that I have issues with the vice-president suggestion. If there is a problem that requires immediate action in case of an inability of the president to serve, I have no issues with the vice-president taking over. One can then seek his/her impeachment if the situation warrants it.

I do agree with most of Captain Kona's comments... we did not, alas, elect Kucinich, so the thing is to keep up the pressure on the man we did elect. The flip-flopping I can do without.

http://americaisnotacountry.blogspot.com
I don't know that there is a chance in hell of having the children of our leaders serve on the front lines... but it surely would be an 'equitable' solution, one that would diminish this desire to wage war on everyone.
About the Senate... why not? It's a throwback to the government by the landed and educated (male) gentry... the House is much more 'democratic.'