I said, war, huh
Good God, y'all
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Say it againWar, whoa, Lord
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Listen to me
Obama has declared a shift in operations and with regards to the so-called war on terror stated "...this war, like all wars, must end. That's what history advises. That's what our democracy demands."
OK. That sounds admirable and let's all hope his administration can truly wind down or at least slow the growth of the military industrial complex that now has its fingers in almost every political pie.
What about the other so-called wars? The ones that are perhaps less military in nature but no less draining of our resources, our strength and our core integrity.
The war on hunger is arguably over, at least in the US, where if anything the issue isn't too little food, but what it is we call, accept and eat as food. Hell, most folks throw out forty percent of what comes in the door. Consequently even the most ardent of the NGO/Not-For-Profit shills have shifted their rhetoric to align with the new reality speaking of "food insecurity" and "risk of hunger" as the facts undermine any statement regarding a measurable scope of "hunger in America".
Then there is the war on poverty. No matter how you look at it poverty ain't what it used to be. This "war" isn't over and never will be as there will always be the poor amongst us and "re-distribution" will solve nothing. Consider this. Suppose we took all the wealth in the world and split it equally amongst all inhabitants. Now ask yourself how long it will take before those that were wealthy are once again wealthy and those that were poor are poor once more? Five years? Ten at the outside.
Then there is the eight hundred pound gorilla of made-up wars: the war on drugs. Forget predator drones and the probably unconstitutional activities of the TSA (or the IRS), the "war" that has its money grubbing fingers on every aspect of our lives is this war on drugs. Cops who should be in our neighborhoods (and probably only will be if there is a "false" alarm) are instead out trolling for property seizures. Turns out you're one spliff away from handing over your car keys with next to no viable, affordable due process. Yes, that doobie is illegal. Now the widely reported abuse of steroids by cops (google "cops and steroids") is equally illegal, but hey, they're the good guys. They got the badge and a gun--all you got is a dime bag and now a criminal record.
Fact is the war on drugs is a money maker for governments at all levels and the business ecosystem built up around it is monstrous. In every meaning of the word. This overzealous, greedy abuse of power and our rights must stop. It is not a war that can be won and even if it could these moneyed powers have no intention of "winning". It is time, as Obama so often tells us, for "common sense laws".
We need to end these wars-in-name-only and in respect for all those who fought and died in legitimate, actual wars facing enemy combatants we need to quit declaring things a "war" just for shock effect.
OK. That sounds admirable and let's all hope his administration can truly wind down or at least slow the growth of the military industrial complex that now has its fingers in almost every political pie.
What about the other so-called wars? The ones that are perhaps less military in nature but no less draining of our resources, our strength and our core integrity.
The war on hunger is arguably over, at least in the US, where if anything the issue isn't too little food, but what it is we call, accept and eat as food. Hell, most folks throw out forty percent of what comes in the door. Consequently even the most ardent of the NGO/Not-For-Profit shills have shifted their rhetoric to align with the new reality speaking of "food insecurity" and "risk of hunger" as the facts undermine any statement regarding a measurable scope of "hunger in America".
Then there is the war on poverty. No matter how you look at it poverty ain't what it used to be. This "war" isn't over and never will be as there will always be the poor amongst us and "re-distribution" will solve nothing. Consider this. Suppose we took all the wealth in the world and split it equally amongst all inhabitants. Now ask yourself how long it will take before those that were wealthy are once again wealthy and those that were poor are poor once more? Five years? Ten at the outside.
Then there is the eight hundred pound gorilla of made-up wars: the war on drugs. Forget predator drones and the probably unconstitutional activities of the TSA (or the IRS), the "war" that has its money grubbing fingers on every aspect of our lives is this war on drugs. Cops who should be in our neighborhoods (and probably only will be if there is a "false" alarm) are instead out trolling for property seizures. Turns out you're one spliff away from handing over your car keys with next to no viable, affordable due process. Yes, that doobie is illegal. Now the widely reported abuse of steroids by cops (google "cops and steroids") is equally illegal, but hey, they're the good guys. They got the badge and a gun--all you got is a dime bag and now a criminal record.
Fact is the war on drugs is a money maker for governments at all levels and the business ecosystem built up around it is monstrous. In every meaning of the word. This overzealous, greedy abuse of power and our rights must stop. It is not a war that can be won and even if it could these moneyed powers have no intention of "winning". It is time, as Obama so often tells us, for "common sense laws".
We need to end these wars-in-name-only and in respect for all those who fought and died in legitimate, actual wars facing enemy combatants we need to quit declaring things a "war" just for shock effect.
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