IS THIS THE DEATH OF AMERICA? - Mirror Co UK Oct 8 '05

[Coastie for Truth]

IS THIS THE DEATH OF AMERICA? - Mirror Co UK Oct 8 '05

THIS week Karen Hughes, long-time political adviser to George Bush, began her new mission as the State Department's official defender of America's image with a tour of the Middle East.

She might have been more help to her beleaguered president had she stayed at home and used her PR skills on her neighbours. At the end of a cruel and turbulent summer, nobody is more dismayed and demoralised about America than Americans.

They have watched with growing disbelief and horror as a convergence of events - dominated by the unending war in Iraq and two hurricanes - have exposed ugly and disturbing things in the undergrowth that shame and embarrass Americans and undermine their belief in the nation and its values.

With TV providing a ceaseless backdrop of the country's failings - a crippled and tone-deaf president, a negligent government, corruption, military atrocities, soaring debt, racial conflict, poverty, bloated bodies in floodwater, people dying on camera for want of food, water and medicine - it seemed things were falling apart in the land where happiness is promoted in the constitution.

Disillusioning news was everywhere. In the flight from Hurricane Rita, evacuees fought knife fights over cans of petrol. In storm-hit Louisiana there were long queues at gun stores as people armed themselves against looters.

The full article is well worth a more detailed read -- - edited for brevity

[noahmijo]

1. First off I'm not even going to read this CRAP

I am sure it points out shit that I already know, that ANY American with a half a brain knows.

I am going to say this once and for all:

I don't need ANY other fucking country telling me how MY country is doing.

Are other countries right in their criticisms? absolutely, just like we have a few things we could say about you too.

I am not talking about nations that refuse to cooperate with America especially concerning the Iraq War.

One more time for you types here on DU that don't read before babbling:

I am not talking about nations that refuse to cooperate with America especially concerning the Iraq War.

And one more time:

I am not talking about nations that refuse to cooperate with America especially concerning the Iraq War.





I am talking however about pundits who write shit like this as if they're sitting back predicting our inevitable downfall.

Other nations you wanna make a statement? Do what Chavez is doing; threaten to cut us off, or better yet fill in where the so called president refuses to do so.

But this idea of writing an article that tries to point out our downfall or why we're bad, look America will never fall, we have believe it or not been through worse and we will retake our nation and we will prevail and we will kick those motherfucking rat bastard sons a bitches the fuck out of power whether via power of vote or power of revolution.

I would think you intellectuals from England would know first hand what I'm talking about. To add insult to injury to that I will further say it was primarily the dirty French ya lost to not the rebels.

I applaud international news organizations that deliver us the news that the American media lacks the gravitas to do so, however opinion pieces that want to dissect why we will fall eventually or just pretty much coin the phrase "America is bad"

[enid602]

4. Bush

Retired General Odom recently said the decision to invade Iraq is the worst strategic decision in US military history. He keeps up with active military brass, and says they privately concur with his assessment. If you believe that one giant mishap cannot shape a country's future, I have only to point to Germany (Hitler) and Argentina (Menim ruining the Peso by (ironically) trying to privatize the Argentine social security administration). Bush is bad news, friend, and forgive concerned citizens (both domestic and foreign) for caring.

[noahmijo]

5. I said i have no problem with other nations pointing

out that Bush is bad, and our nation is in turmoil, but the tagline "Is This The Death of America" completely unacceptable to infer that we're likely to die off and being just some entry in the appendix of history.

I embrace any and all other citizens of other nations who support the notion of toppling * no question.

But I do not embrace those with these sort of smug views which bleed "haha America is gonna die"

[enid602]

7. criticism

I wish one of our publications would write a similar tag line, and awaken some of our countrymen. Though the theme of the quoted article is admittedly apocalyptic and sensational, so is our predicament.

[Oversea Visitor]

9. Nah dont see anything wrong here

Just a question. Answer is simply YES or NO
But guess reality is not that simple.
Article just painted a picture and its up to everyone reading it to form concluesion.

As for me I can clearly see that Bush is determine to "Stay The Course". Very clear stated in his last press realease at the Reagan House speech.

That a very good look at the direction of the course.

[Demeter]

14. Bush's Last Stand

Like Custer, Bush will go down, but Errol Flynn won't be around to whitewash him, nor any other reputable film star.

[Boo Boo]

6. "First off, I'm not evening going to read this..."

I take it you're one of those types here on DU that don't read before babbling.

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Coastie for Truth]

13. Truthfully Answer The "Ronald Reagan Questions"

1. Are you better off now then you were five years ago?

2. Is your employer doing better then it was five years ago?

3. Is your perception of your micro-economy better then it was five years ago?

4. Is health care "delivery" (not "potential" or "science" - but "delivery") better then it was five years ago?

5. Is your kids' education better then it was five years ago?

7. Do you feel safer then you did five years ago?

[firefox]

2. "Disillusioning news"

Disillusioning news was everywhere.

Americans lived in a manufactured world of fantasy. The disillusioning news is "a good thing." The fantasy has to be shattered and we have to get real and everyone has to understand that when millions are calling bullshit, we mean it as an honest to goodness bullshit thing.

There is another keyword associated with this thought and that is betrayal. We see that the government is not about the general welfare of the country as mandated in the Preamble and we know it is not about the country being off course one or two degrees.

I really wonder how the seniors that were around in WW2 and Korea deal with both disillusionment and what has to be a horrible sense of betrayal.

Look at how husbands/wives look at betrayal and think of how hard betrayal by our government is on people that lived a normal lifetime to discover that betrayal.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Hmm first the Observer

now the Mirror...

One slightly to the right of ceter, the other to the far left (yes the Mirror is indeed at the looney left extreme in some ways)

Folks others are noticing what many of us have known for a while... maybe this will anger americans and force them to stop thinking OF AMERICANS and what needs to be done

[texpatriot2004]

10. Another DU thread on this topic

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5013202

[DBoon]

11. Something's broken in the promised land

"SOMETHING BROKEN IN THE PROMISED LAND"
(FARREN/KRAMER)

SOME MOTHERFUCKER IS PISSING ON MY GRAVE
HOW MUCH IRRIGATION CAN I STAND?
KIDS DOWN THE STREET ARE PLAYING WITH MACHINE GUNS
SOMETHING BROKEN IN THE PROMISED LAND
THE CATS SING ALONG WITH NEIL YOUNG RECORDS
HOW MUCH MORE DAMAGE CAN I STAND

THE WHOLE STATE OF MICHIGAN JUST SIGNED UP FOR WELFARE
SOMETHING BROKEN IN THE PROMISED LAND

SOMETHING BROKEN IN THE PROMISED LAND
A LOST DIRECTION IN THE PROMISED LAND
A MISSED CONNECTION IN THE PROMISED LAND
SOMETHING BROKEN IN THE PROMISED LAND

SO WHERE'S LEE OSWALD NOW THAT WE NEED HIM
I'VE SEEN ALL THE LONE GUNMEN I CAN STAND
THERE'S A SELF IMPROVEMENT TAPE CALLED
"GETTING USED TO POVERTY"
SOMETHING BROKEN IN THE PROMISED LAND

SOMETHING BROKEN IN THE PROMISED LAND
THE DREAM IS SOLD OUT IN THE PROMISED LAND
THE SIDEWALK'S COLD IN THE PROMISED LAND
BROKEN PROMISE IN THE PROMISED LAND

THE RICH GET LAZY IN THE PROMISED LAND
THE POOR GET CRAZY IN THE PROMISED LAND
A BUSTED DEAL HERE IN THE PROMISED LAND
THE SHIT IS REAL HERE IN THE PROMISED LAND
THE VISION FAILS IN THE PROMISED LAND
THEY'RE BUILDING JAILS IN THE PROMISED LAND
MY CHEVY DIED HERE IN THE PROMISED LAND
CHUCK BERRY LIED ABOUT THE PROMISED LAND


- Wayne Kramer (formerly of the MC5)

Apologies for the caps - that's what my lyrics site had

[cdsilv]

12. noahmijo

...pretty much got it right.

We are really f'd up politically and militarily. Because the military is by law bound to follow the CIC w/o question.

I live in a military community and they are starting to privately question (and militantly rage against) the bushites.

It is happening.

IT will take awhile. But is going to happen.

[katty]

15. Concur-it will take awhile, but the quaking has already begun