Of Ferret Snacks and War Reparations

Before once more bemoaning the misplaced priorities of Amerika, Inc., let me assert that I am a lover of animals. We are presently the adoptive family of Angel, a delightful, though now ancient, Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier (the “hummingbird of dogs”), who chose us nearly 16 years ago to train up in the Way of the Wheaten. Additionally, since early childhood, I have maintained a fascination with critters of all shapes and sizes and, in the latter part of my fifth decade, I am still periodically dragging home some wild creature for a short visit. Within the past week alone, two young black snakes, numerous toads and frogs, a pair of wrens, and a dog-food loving raccoon have all visited Casa de Dotson. As I write this, an Austrian cut-glass bowl full of very active Spring tadpoles sits in our kitchen window. When they become more terrestrial, of course, they will be released to continue their amphibian pursuits.

In spite of my affinity for such creatures, recent headline news – specifically, the media hysteria over contaminated pet food – has forced me to question yet again our national and, by extension, our individual priorities. What does it say about a people that values the well-being of its pet population above fellow human occupants of Planet Earth? 

The news of “poisoned” pet food – contaminated unsurprisingly with Chinese chemicals*– has caused front page and cable news hand wringing for days. Fifi the Poodle has succumbed to melamine tainted dog chow! Piddles the Cat has gone into renal failure after ingesting fertilizer laced kitty nibbles! And, alarmingly, Freddie the Ferret is threatened with death from salmonella infected weasel treats! The mind recoils at such horrors.

Initial efforts to turn these disasters into winning tickets in the Great American Tort Lottery appear to have foundered upon the discovery that there is little money to be had in suing over unfortunate pet deaths – though, one Tennessee stalwart is persevering in her attempt to avenge her cat’s unexpected kidney failure. The plaintiff avows that $25 million or so will greatly alleviate her emotional distress and help defray the costs of chronic kitty dialysis.

In contrast to this pet-threatening series of events, it is worth reflecting on the public angst (or, rather, lack thereof) being expressed over the death and destruction visited upon the unfortunate inhabitants of Iraq and other “liberated” lands since 1991. Beginning with Gulf War I and right through the reigns of Bush I, Clinton (I?), and Bush II, hundreds of thousands (millions is undoubtedly more accurate by now) of innocent men, women, and children have been literally murdered by the direct pre-meditated actions of the amoral and overtly psychopathic individuals who govern these United States. And, sadly, except for muted ‘net rantings such as this poor effort, there has been virtually no public outcry against this insanity. The mainstream media does not even acknowledge that there just might be a problem with the way in which our country conducts itself on the world stage. Indeed, our “free and independent” press has been become little more than a party organ trumpeting the glories of Amerika, Inc., and its corporate masters. There is a mass murderer loose in the house and no one seems to care! Unhappily, by our silence we are all complicit in the actions of this psychopath.

Neo-cons and Neo-libs alike join hands and hearts in decrying the historically “accepted” pogroms and genocides attributed to certain despots, such as Stalin, Hitler, Pol Pot, and Idi Amin. Diverse personalities, such as O’Reilly and Coulter, Limbaugh and Kristol, Lieberman and Kennedy, Clinton and Gingrich, Bushes (past and present) and Cheney are all outraged – outraged! – at the murderous actions of History’s Black Sheep. Their righteous indignation knows no bounds when it comes to condemning past and imagined future crimes against humanity. 

Strangely, though, these same deep thinkers all seem incapable of discerning the equally scary homicidal tendencies of Amerika. If any recognition of this psychopathy does inadvertently occur, then the errant behavior is always – and, I mean, always – excused and defended with outrageous nationalistic, flag-wrapped rhetoric concerning “liberty” or “democracy” or “freedom”. The old European conceit reflected in the xenophobic phrase, “the White Man’s burden”, has morphed into a more acceptable twenty-first century concept: “America’s burden.”

It is apparently Amerika’s unique fate – her Manifest Destiny - to have been called to be Evangelist and Enforcer of a peculiar brand of un-fettered de-humanizing Corporatism throughout the galaxy. It is her messianic duty, don’t you know, to bring Salvation to the masses! Our poor misunderstood President has been forced to take on the heavy mantle of High Priest and Great Decider in this missionary effort – and, to his credit, he has shown a stick-to-it-ness that conjures up images of Br’er Rabbit and Tar Baby. To achieve mass conversion, of course, it will be necessary to “stay the course”,  to prove “our resolve”,  to increase military spending beyond present incredible levels (already we spend more than all other nations combined), and even to militarize space itself! It is no accident that self-anointed, Rapture-minded, Pro-life “Christian Patriots” are frequently seen leading the vanguard. Afterall, everyone knows that Jesus was first and foremost a Capitalist sent to spread the Gospel of Free Trade and Profits Beyond Avarice! 

As one further indicator of our tragic distortion of national priorities, it is helpful to note how we propose to repair all that we have destroyed in Iraq. In early 2006, Daniel Speckhard, Director of the Iraq Reconstruction Management Office, declared that American fiscal responsibility for rebuilding Iraq in our on-going war of attrition against that unfortunate land would be limited to twenty-one billion dollars - $21,000,000,000 (!) - only about two month’s worth of U.S. military operating expenses at pre-surge “burn” rates.

This niggardly sum is declared to be the total of Amerika’s responsibility in reparations to Iraq! We have systematically (and with malice aforethought) destroyed Iraq over a period of more than sixteen years – its industry, schools,  medical facilities, roads, bridges, power grid, water supply, government, military, and certainly more than a million non-combatants. We have spread hundreds of tons – tons! – of highly toxic depleted uranium (DU) over the object of our peculiar affection. This material will never be re-mediated and it will continue to poison our troops and those they have “liberated” for generations to come. We have spent nearly half a trillion dollars in executing Gulf War II alone! And for what? Are the Iraqi people better for our self-righteous actions? Are we safer in our homes or more prosperous? No. All of the waste and the endless killing has merely been to satisfy the greed and messianic imperialism of an inter-generational cabal of corporate New World Order elitists. 

And, yet, a pet food controversy or racist remarks by an ill-tempered chauvinistic radio personality or the paternity of some deceased starlet’s child easily distract us as a nation and drive us into high dudgeon! Are we really so shallow, so un-caring, so blind to the truth that we permit our government to engage in un-ending illegal wars and, yet, we become hysterical over melamine in the kitty chow? I fear that the answer is: “Yes!” 

Would that I had an answer to this societal blindness – our lack of sympathy and empathy for the plight of the unfortunate (both in our own land and abroad) – our lack of outrage over the death and destruction sown in our name – our inability to hold accountable those of our politicians who are guilty of overtly criminal acts - but I do not. Until we as a people are able to distinguish between accidental peticide and institutional genocide and get a grip on our priorities, we can expect the Board of Directors of Amerika, Inc., to continue their pursuit of global hegemony. It is our children and our resources that are being used to build the walls of the Black Iron Prison ever higher. It must stop.

Robert S. Dotson, M.D.

*It was surprising to me to discover that most of our pet food supply is made from Chinese grain supplies! Do we make anything in this country other than DU-tipped weaponry?

Recommend this article...

Did you enjoy this article? Please bookmark it onto:

Comments (1)

Write Comment

Please keep the topic of messages relevant to the subject of the article. Personal verbal attacks will be deleted. Please don't use comments to plug your web site. Such material will be removed. Just ensure to *Refresh* your browser for a new security code to be displayed prior to clicking on the 'Send' button. Keep in mind that the above process only applies if you simply entered the wrong security code.
Name:
E-mail
Homepage
Title:
BBCode:
Comment:
Code:*
	I wish to be contacted by email regarding additional comments

Powered by AkoComment Tweaked Special Edition v.1.4.4