Through The Looking Glass” or, “Waking Up In ‘1984’
by Sub-commandante X

“It’s difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it.”
--Upton Sinclair

All this talk about what’s “realistic” and what’s “naïve” concerning our response to the events of Sept. 11, is nothing short of bizarro in the extreme.

The article entitled, “War-time Realism Through the Looking Glass” by Tim Wise, is particularly edifying.

Wise calls it like it is. Words just don’t seem to have their original meanings any longer. It’s as if words mean the opposite of what you might expect them to mean.

For example,

- If you think it’s ‘realistic’ to be bombing one of the poorest countries on earth in order to stop terrorism, you must also believe that it could never ignite a new round of anti-American fanaticism.

- On the other hand, it would be ‘naïve’ to learn from modern history, which makes it very clear that bombing people is likely to fuel anger, resentment, and an intense desire for revenge. (Something like what the U.S. is experiencing at the moment.)

Maybe it’s just me. But then again, maybe it really is ‘1984’ and War is Peace, and Slavery is Freedom, and Ignorance is Strength. That would explain it.

But, hey, all this could just be so much bullshit, being served up on a silver platter, while the servers tell us it’s really Goose Liver Pate. And, just like dear old grandma X used to say,

“You can call your ass a turkey, but that don’t make it Thanksgiving.”

Similarly, you can call a war ‘just’ and the rest of us ‘naïve’, but that don’t make it so.

Take a deep breath, the CIA met with Osama bin Laden in a Dubai hospital in July, '01. And the Pakistan Security forces wired terrorist suspect Atta $100,000.

Just like the CIA had a bloody hand in the assasination of JFK, looks like the ‘Company’ has had foreknowledge of the 9-11 attacks.

The spook world of counter-intelligence is not the place to find logic or reason. Don’t look so shocked.

Life in America can get you dead, not for anything you did, but for what someone did in your name, somewhere beyond the international dateline.

Rah, rah. Line up to die. The least you can do is to purchase a big ticket-item before the plane crashes into the building, or the bullet hits the bone.

Still, you have to ask how a primitive organization of camel jockeys such as Osama or, the Taliban could have possibly coordinated such a sophisticated and precise military operation in the U.S.?

These were not poorly trained, undisciplined rag-tag recruits. Hardly, this was a perfectly executed, professional action, enough to make any general officer proud.

These were highly skilled multi-engine jet pilots who brought their high-jacked aircraft into contact with the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon.

And, how could this possibly occur without a single U.S. accomplice? And, while the FBI knew every juicy detail of the Monica and Bill saga, somehow they just missed terrorists flying 777’s into buildings?

Oh, come on. How much of this fabricated fairy tale are you prepared to swallow? The world press is asking these questions.

You know why the U.S. media can’t find the story? Disney and General Electric won’t let them. They have too much to lose. You can buy a flag sticker, but you’ll never get the whole story from mainstream U.S. media.

A “free press” is literally what you don’t have to pay for. Yes, it’s that precious.

The current ‘War on Terrorism’ is shooting itself in the foot. Every day it’s bombing, it’s creating thousands of new bin Laden’s to take his place when that page is turned.

Carpet bombing the desert will not resurrect the twin towers, nor will it apprehend the perpetrators (but, international law could.)

My editor supports me all the way, 100%. He tells me to “get more radical.” Which isn’t hard, once you take the blinders off.

Then, he suggests I take out some insurance on myself, and name him as beneficiary. Yeah, he’s got a very astute sense of humor.

Freedom of fucking speech, once considered as an inalienable right, is getting real hard to find around here these days.

Even speaking up for an alternative to military terror at a poetry reading can bring down threats of bodily harm about your ears.

But, just because we woke up in ‘1984’, do not give in to paranoia. Remember Tom Paine (and www.tompaine.com). Keep the opposition alive.

“Old radicals never die, they just go underground”

And, like dear old grandma X used to say,

“This too shall pass, like piss from a boot.”

Support the troops who refuse to fight.

Sub-X is a survivor of the radical '60s. These days he's attempting to get beyond the 'Them' and 'Us' duality of Conflict Consciousness. Trying to eliminate conflict from one's reality is a lot like dealing with alcohol. It's an on-going process. Currently, Sub-X seeks solutions and asks, "Why not more beauty, love, and joy?" We know we can do so much better. OK, so why not? Write him at johnech@mindspring.com