War and Rumors of War--Bush, Neocons, Corporate Fascism, Viet Nam and Iraq--all rolled up into one

Jane Fonda is being honored as one of the "100 Women of the Century."

BY BARBRA WALTERS

Unfortunately, many have forgotten and still countless others have never known how Ms. Fonda betrayed not only the idea of our country, but specific men who served and sacrificed during Vietnam

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The worst I can say for Jane Fonda is that she chose a very poor way to show her opposition to the Viet Nam War. Wishing victory over our boys overseas was despicable. I agree with that wholeheartedly. Even so, you have to have lived during those years and truly to have seen what our government was doing, and to know--as was admitted by McNamara, Westmoreland and others--that it was a civil war and not some theatrical take-over by the Forces of Evil. In Viet Nam it was called Communism, but in reality, it was nationalism, and a war of liberation.

Communism, per se, was a pathetic philosophy; but seen in the context of the times, it is easier to understand its spread and its major players: Communism was designed as the absolute opposite to what Marx and Engels truly believed was the inherent nature of Capitalism---a political system motivated by greed and selfishness. It wasn't erected as a primary system, based soundly on man's nature. Adam Smith in “Wealth of Nations” had defined that nature and its proper expression. Unfortunately neither political party pays much attention to it since the Founding Fathers departed the scene.

Nevertheless, the fact remains is that Viet Nam has thrived, and is now a country with which we have chosen to have diplomatic relations. The People's right to self-determination takes many forms; some are foreign to us, and are provoked by what we do not truly understand, precisely because it is being done in our name but not with our informed consent.

What the young people were telling us during the Viet Nam years was that we didn't have a clear understanding of the underlying power and hand of large corporate interests. At the time, as was the case with most of us, I didn't believe them either. I believe them now.

Sadly, the youth then did not understand American History; if they had had that understanding, they would have been able to articulate the basis for their objection and still shown civil disobedience, an historical method used prior to the Revolutionary War, and more recently by subsequently assassinated civil leaders. In addition, the youth also thought that the American public had an understanding as well as a preference for corporate interests. They were wrong again on both counts: The American public had neither.

Seen in this context, Communism, however unfeasible, was an attempt to oppose what it's architects thought (together with all liberals and some conservatives,) was Capitalism. As with all such negative, or backward attempts to explain behavior in terms of what it is not, it is easy to be taken over by the likes of Lenin and then Stalin to turn into something really quite different, and worse than unworkable.

Marx and Engels were half right: The system that actually existed was, indeed, an evil and a threat, but it wasn't Capitalism. It was Corporate Fascism. Thomas Jefferson knew this; and he actually tried to enact legislation to outlaw corporations. He failed.

Over the years, and tragically, the truth of what young people were saying during Viet Nam, and are saying now, has been borne out. Seen from this perspective, it is much easier to understand what has happened since the turn of the last century:

In 1899, Admiral Dewey was sent together with “The Great White Fleet” to said into Tokyo harbor so as to make clear our will to dominate trade the world over.

The Japanese were not impressed; but as history has shown, they had no viable alternative solution.

We face an identical situation today in Iraq, but with a much more sinister agenda in mind. We have to focus our attention on all of what's happening and what it means:[i]

Fascism: A political-economic system in which corporations and big business are granted, by government, a dominant and preferential place in that society. At least in Fascist Italy, Mussolini saw government favoring and deferring to corporate interests. At least there was some distinction between the two. We have been taken a step further: It is corporations that actually run our leaders and thus our government. Thus the term, "Corporate Fascism."

In order for this to work in our country, our handlers depended totally upon fear of Communism, and now Islam, as the new bogeymen. To make matters muddier, we have in our actions actually contributed to bringing this state of affairs into being--as in Iraq. Also adding to muddiness is the fact that we are just beginning to see clearly that the very heads of corporations are heading our government.

This government is the worst thing to happen to our country since Gen. Howe invaded northern New York State. It has deliberately lied to involve us (as with Viet Nam) and was planning this even before 911, which may people believe contained at least the participation of our government. (It certainly won't be the first time.)

We have a government of tyrants, in the true meaning of the term—tyrants who have moved inexorably closer to Martial Law and have effected the loss of our most precious liberties and have gutted the Constitution. This is why our leaders continue on, ignoring us--actually even flaunting their disregard ("the constitution is just a goddamn scrap of paper.") They know that there really isn't anything we can do through our representatives. That is why Focusing on Jane Fonda is a welcome distraction of which this government undoubtedly heartedly approves.

The reason we find it hard to accept this all is that we have an innate respect--or at least a dependence--upon our leaders, and we find it difficult if not impossible to think of our leaders in these terms.

This will be made much easier, however, if we realize that, not only do our leaders serve a different master, but also that they do not, fundamentally, see themselves as citizens of our country, but envision themselves as citizens of a global corporate aristocracy. It will be made much easier if we obtain an understanding of “The Big Lie” technique in influencing human behavior, and start to understand that this is one of a vast array of disinformation techniques, which, with technology, have resurrected themselves as a multi-headed hydra. Madison Avenue has been pre-empted by government in more ways than one.

It will be made easier to understand when we read enough traditional news sources to realize that carefully considered arguments have been replaced by very subtle Neuro-linguistic techniques. It will be made much easier when we read enough to know that virtually all conflicts since the late 1800’s were set up by global aristocrats so as to further their own interests. What started with the East India Tea Company has morphed into Carlyle, Halliburton, and Kellogg-Brown-Root.

A global aristocracy: The notion is really foreign to us, as Americans. In the rejection of aristocracy lies our greatest strength. Unfortunately, the inability to accept this as true is our greatest weakness. Our failure to understand this is because Americans do not have a sense of history; and this is because we do not teach it to our children. It is not taught in our schools because we have no understanding nor say in the curricula dictating what passes as truth to our children.[ii]

I wanted to end this article with a Peter Pan solution, some hope for the future, however remote that solution might be; but I have none to offer.

Perhaps the answer lies not so much in having solutions per se but in knowing what, as Jefferson said, “God intended us to do.” As a scholar and student of literature, he would have known what Lady Macbeth meant when she advised, “Screw your courage to the sticking-place!”

Perhaps we should content ourselves for the moment with this:

For now we see through a mirror darkly, but then face-to-face.” (1Cor:13)

At least it’s a start.

i] What are they really up to--Bush, Governmental Power and Destiny

ii] Fake Terror--the Road to War and Dictatorship

N.B. We hear frequent use of the term, “Islamo-fascism.” This is meaningless. Islam is a religion. Fascism is a political-economic system. What is generally inferred by the use of the term is some combination of oppression and Islam, and unqualified, it implies an immutable link. This is a categorical insult to Islam; and should be explicitly defined by those who use the term.