A Kansan's Contemplations

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A Kansan's Contemplations

8-21-5

 

 

(This essay is from an upcoming book in which Michael Caddell compiles

progressive writings by Kansans)

 

Catalyst for my Contemplation

 

Life in Kansas can be as surreal as the landscape of a Salvador Dali

painting. Critical thinking is often a scarce commodity. " Scopes II "

provided me with ample evidence that many Kansans are proudly waving

the banner of anti-intellectualism. In May of 2005, the 6-4 Religious

Right majority on the Kansas State School Board contrived a 21st

Century reenactment of the Monkey Trial of 1925 to " prove " that

Evolution is a flawed theory. As I contemplated this obscenely vacuous

spectacle, I struggled to grasp how the Age of Reason could have

by-passed my state.

 

The word farcical would bestow a generous description on " Scopes II " .

Three moderate school board members and the entire mainstream

scientific community boycotted the charade. John Calvert, a

conservative Christian attorney who leads the Intelligent Design

Network of Kansas, was the William Jennings Bryan of this circus.

Calvert questioned " expert witnesses " in a quest to disprove

Evolution. Most of the witnesses, who served the purpose of

" validating " the board's desire to introduce the concept of

Intelligent Design into the public school curriculum for the state of

Kansas, were from a think tank. Founded and funded by Christian

fundamentalists, this entity called The Discovery Institute was

created to advance the so-called " theory " of Intelligent Design.

Intelligent Design essentially purports that in merely observing the

complexity of the world, one cannot help but conclude that there was

an intelligent designer (in other words, God). Evidence, research, and

peer review are irrelevant (and non-existent) to the purveyors of the

ID " theory " , a thinly veiled form of Creationism. The Discovery

Institute clearly stated their ultimate intentions in using ID in a

leaked internal memo known as The Wedge Document:

 

The social consequences of materialism have been devastating. As

symptoms, those consequences are certainly worth treating. However, we

are convinced that in order to defeat materialism, we must cut it off

at its source. That source is scientific materialism. This is

precisely our strategy. If we view the predominant materialistic

science as a giant tree, our strategy is intended to function as a

" wedge " that, while relatively small, can split the trunk when applied

at its weakest points. The very beginning of this strategy, the " thin

edge of the wedge, " was Phillip ]ohnson's critique of Darwinism begun

in 1991 in Darwinism on Trial, and continued in Reason in the Balance

and Defeating Darwinism by Opening Minds. Michael Behe's highly

successful Darwin's Black Box followed Johnson's work. We are building

on this momentum, broadening the wedge with a positive scientific

alternative to materialistic scientific theories, which has come to be

called the theory of intelligent design (ID). Design theory promises

to reverse the stifling dominance of the materialist worldview, and to

replace it with a science consonant with Christian and theistic

convictions.

 

It would seem the " good people " at Discovery Institute

(http://www.discovery.org/) have their own " intelligent designs " on

ways to subvert the secular public education system. To view " The

Wedge " in its entirety, go to:

 

http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hangar/2437/wedge.html.

 

Jack Krebs, the vice president of Kansas Citizens for Science,

ferreted out the true intentions of the six board members who pledge

their allegiance to the Religious Right, the Intelligent Design

Network of Kansas, and the Discovery Institute. He boycotted the

hearings and said:

 

" It's clear from the beginning that this is not a real science

discussion. This is a showcase for intelligent design. They have

created a straw man. They are trying to make science stand for atheism

so they can fight atheism. "

 

Pedro Irigonegaray, Clarence Darrow's counterpart in " Scopes II " , is a

Topeka defense attorney who generously donated his time to the support

of the Theory of Evolution. He questioned the " experts " with a

tenacity that revealed their true agenda. He also exposed the fact

that most of them had not even read the science standards proposed to

the board. He so effectively embarrassed the opposition that his

antagonist, John Calvert, refused to shake hands at the end of the

proceedings.

 

On August 9, the Kansas State School Board voted 6-4 to adopt new

science standards, which take a critical view of the Theory of

Evolution, a scientific theory which is supported by volumes of

evidence and has survived intense scrutiny and peer review since

Darwin introduced it in 1859. After spending approximately $17,000.00

on their spurious hearings, the board will now send their newly

approved standards out for external review by a Denver-based think

tank. This will cost taxpayers an additional $20,000.00 so that the

legalistic Christian majority on the board can point to another step

in their " due diligence " before they strike a blow for " true

believers " and open the door to bring faith back into the public

schools (in science class of all places)! In October, the final vote

which will " officially " implement the new standards is a virtual

certainty. As a parent with a child in a Kansas public school, I

simultaneously experienced perplexity, bewilderment, and frustration

as this insane scenario transpired.

 

Only a Symptom

 

As I pondered, it dawned on me that " Scopes II " is merely a symptom of

a much deeper disease gripping our nation. As Thomas Frank concluded

in What's the Matter with Kansas, American voters have been

brain-washed into voting against their own economic interests in an

obsessive drive to legislate " Christian values " into our nation.

" Scopes II " validates his point. Integrating the observations of

others and infusing my own analysis, I surmised that the root of

America's decay is the insatiable lust for power and money by the

ruling class. Our republic is crumbling while our standing in the

world community has disintegrated to the point that America is feared

and hated. During the Gilded Age, America experienced a similar period

of laissez-faire capitalism, inequitable distribution of wealth, and

imperialistic endeavors. While the ruling class of the late 1800's

lacked the propagandistic power to sustain its psychological

stranglehold on the " commoner " , today's government media empire has

the capacity to lull our citizenry into surrendering their individual

freedoms in exchange for the comfort of the protective bosom of Big

Brother.

 

Man of the People? I Think Not

 

Who is George Bush? Does the " aw shucks " , folksy persona he projects

square with the real man? Is our beloved " W " truly a man of the

people, as he would like Americans to believe? Old Hickory, who was

truly " of the people " , would turn in his grave at that notion.

Strolling through life with at least $9 million in inherited wealth,

our current president could not begin to fathom the plight of the

middle class, let alone the poor. He has failed or underperformed at

virtually every endeavor of his life, but that has not been a problem

for him. Wealthy friends and family have been there to bail him out

nearly every step of the way. His alleged empathy for the plight of

the common man is a fraud. With his MBA from Harvard, I strongly

suspect that " W " is not nearly as ignorant as he portrays himself to

be. He may be strong and resolute in his beliefs, but given his power,

money, and support network, how difficult is it to be " strong and

resolute " ? While it was his perceived strength and resolution that

captured the hearts, minds, and votes of many Americans after 9/11

rattled their psyches, what those same Americans failed to realize was

that Bush would use those very qualities to advance a cause that

under-mined many aspects of their well-being. Middle and working class

Americans who support George Bush need to awaken from their

intellectual slumber. Jozef Hand-Boniakowski has much more to say

about this in his essay entitled The Fascist Ego and the Future at

http://www.metaphoria.org/ac4t0505.html.

 

George Bush exists to advance the interests of the rich and the elite.

Early in his reign, the events of 9/11 shattered the feelings of

security of many Americans. Seizing upon this opportunity created by

the collapse of the Twin Towers {which some, like David Ray Griffin in

9/11 and the American Empire (readily found by Googling), assert that

Bush and his henchmen actually master-minded}, they have employed this

powerful tool to manipulate many Americans. Preying upon America's

deep sense of fear, Karl Rove, the Minister of Truth and a man from

whom Joseph Goebbels could have learned a great deal, forged the image

of George Bush as God's chosen savior to America and to the " free

world. " He nurtured the notion that America was under constant threat

of attack by a nebulous enemy called Terrorism. Such an abstract enemy

enabled Bush and Rove to keep the American people in a perpetual state

of war and insecurity. The new paradigm of the " good " Americans

against the " evil " Terrorists, laid the foundation for Bush's long

coveted invasion of Iraq, and enabled his regime to advance the Bush

Doctrine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bush_Doctrine), a remarkably

bellicose, hubristic, and imperialistic foreign policy. As the

administration rushed the Patriot Act through Congress, few

Congressmen had time to even read the legislation before

rubber-stamping it for fear of being branded " unpatriotic " by John

Ashcroft, America's newly anointed Minister of Love. The Patriot Act

ensured a domestic policy which would work harmoniously with the Bush

Doctrine by restricting civil liberties in the interests of " national

security " .

 

Reign of Bush II

 

Over three years have passed since 9/11, yet many Americans still

dangle from the marionette strings of The Ministry of Truth. Rove's

propagandists and the mainstream media have enabled " W " to propel the

United States into an illegal, imperialistic invasion of Iraq to

perpetuate the interests of the military industrial complex, including

companies like Halliburton and Bechtel. Tax cuts for the wealthy have

shifted the tax burden to the middle and working class. Under a

crushing national debt of $7.5 trillion, America is now the reigning

king of Debtor Nations, a title once arrogantly bestowed upon

developing nations. How can we saddle our children and grandchildren

with that burden? At the rate America is going, future generations

will become the indentured servants of China and Japan.

Social welfare benefits for the poor are substantially diminishing.

Government-endorsed discrimination against gays is increasing. The

line between church and state delineated by our Constitution is

disappearing. Chasm is the new word to describe the gap between the

rich and the poor. Inconceivably, despite his declining popularity, a

substantial number of Americans still adore " W " , somehow managing to

disregard a mountain of evidence of his incompetence, disregard for

the working class, and deceit. If one whispers a sweet little lie to

oneself long enough, one starts to believe it.

 

Repeat after me: George Bush is a good president and represents my

best interest....George Bush is a good president and represents my

best interest....

 

Is it working? Have you slapped a " W " sticker on the back of your

forty-foot SUV yet? If you have, you are in Bush country now, partner.

Tell the terrorists to " bring it on " .

 

Social welfare programs, the Judicial Branch of the government, and

Iran are now targets of the Bush machine. Despite rapidly declining

support for the war in Iraq, and the pending investigation concerning

possible treason committed by Karl Rove, America is on the precipice

of unbridled tyranny. As many Americans passively watch, what is left

of our republic is completing its ugly metamorphosis into oligarchy,

blended with a strong tinge of theocracy which emanates from the

Religious Right.

 

The " Golden " Rule

 

While many of the poor, middle and working class continue swallowing

the fiction of the " American Dream " , the rich and elite, whom I will

call the Oligarchs, own and manipulate the media machine which

continues to propagate the Horatio Alger myth. What the Ministry of

Truth does not tell us is that for every Bill Gates " rags to riches "

story, there are millions of Americans who put their hearts and souls

into success and stay mired in the quicksand of perpetual poverty.

True social mobility is rare in America, and the Oligarchs under Bush

aim to make it rarer still. They comprehend the truth of the maxim

that " he who has the gold makes the rules. " Oligarchs have most of the

gold, and they are strengthening their capacities to make the rules.

Media perpetuation of hubris, xenophobia, and homophobia enable the

Oligarchs to convince Americans that despite genocidal acts against

Native Americans, the enslavement of the black race, the internment of

American citizens of Japanese descent during World War II,

imperialistic policies in the Middle East since the end of World War

II, support of numerous ruthless tyrants around the globe throughout

the history of the US government, and ongoing discrimination against

women and minorities, that America is morally superior to the rest of

the world. Despite creating 25% of the carbon dioxide responsible for

the Greenhouse Effect, denying its existence, and withdrawing from the

Kyoto Treaty; defying the UN by invading Iraq and sending an

antagonistic " serial abuser " as our new UN ambassador (without Senate

approval); and hoarding 35% of the world's wealth while only

representing 5% of the world's population (shockingly, of that 5%, 1%

controls one third of the wealth), the Oligarchs somehow convince

Americans that our nation was an innocent victims in 9/11. America has

engaged in various forms of state terrorism for years, and the victims

are finally retaliating. Rather than taking the rational steps of

changing their narcissistic and imperialistic behavior, taking

reasonable steps to defend the American people, and implementing

justice against the true perpetrators of crimes against humanity

(including both individual terrorists like bin Laden and the state

terrorists who are at the helm of America's government like Bush), the

Oligarchs continue with imperialistic actions that fan the flames of

hostility. Perpetuating this cycle of violence feeds America's

dependence on the Oligarchs, cash cows, including the military

industrial complex and Big Oil.

 

They want the whole world in their hands.....

 

Bush and the Oligarchs will not be satisfied with absolute power in

America. Their ambitions extend far beyond our borders. One need look

no further the Project for the New American Century and its Statement

of Principles (both readily found on the Internet by Googling) to see

that world domination by the American military industrial complex is

their ultimate goal. Several of the signers of the statement of

principles are now serving in high level positions in the Bush

administration, including Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney, and Paul

Wolfowitz.

 

Americans who support Bush have passively handed the keys of the

kingdom to a pack of ravenous megalomaniacs bent on world domination.

Much to the delight of Bush and company, fear and the media/propaganda

machine are not the only factors keeping the working classes from

breaking free of their economic and psychological shackles. Ongoing

" cultural wars " over issues like abortion distract ordinary Americans

from important economic and foreign policy issues, leaving our leaders

to their own devices. Convinced that false dichotomies limit their

choices, many in America expend their energy fighting one another

rather than aspiring to individual freedom, working to develop their

potential as human beings, and allowing others to do the same.

 

Beware the False Dichotomy

 

In Bush's America, if you are not for the " war on terrorism, " you are

not a patriot, and thus you are " against America " . In this 1984-like

atmosphere, it is no coincidence that a law that gives the federal

government virtually unchecked power to violate our civil liberties is

called the Patriot Act. In Bush's vision of the " New American

Century, " whether you are American or not, you are either for us or

against us. There is no room for constructive dissent against the

almighty " W " . Bush's loyal subjects see the world in black and white,

and support the illegal war in Iraq because they are terrified of

being labeled as unpatriotic. Unwittingly, Bush supporters pledge

their allegiance to a paradigm that enables the rich to maintain

dominion over the poor and middle classes. Perverse use of the concept

of " patriotism " ensures a steady supply of tax dollars and warm bodies

to feed the war machine.

 

With numerous states having passed constitutional amendments banning

gay marriage and Bush pushing for an amendment to the US Constitution,

gay rights in America are under siege. Under the Oligarchs, you are

either " straight " or " gay " , and if you are " gay " you are not entitled

to Constitutionally-guaranteed civil liberties. Hitler used the Jewish

people while Pol Pot preyed on intellectuals. In homosexuals, the

Oligarchs have found the scapegoat on which a successful tyranny

depends. Offering their minions a group to blame for the moral decay

of society provides a powerful cause around which the Oligarchs can

mobilize their faithful to rally.

 

For a serious laugh, consider the notion that Americans have a real

choice when they go to the polls to elect a president. Dominated by

two monolithic parties, both of which are beholden to corporations and

wealthy campaign contributors, the political arena allows scant room

for meaningful participation by the poor or working class. Despite the

superficial differences between the Republican and Democratic parties

on some issues, the two parties share the common goal of perpetuating

the power of the wealthy elite. While the poor and working class have

historically fared better under Democratic rule, there is little

evidence that there is an appreciable difference between the two

parties. In the end, the Oligarchy still rules, whether they don the

guise of an elephant or of a jackass.

Are you a liberal or a conservative?

 

Political pundits, pollsters, and their masters in Washington thrive

on people defining themselves as one or the other. Their objective is

to pigeonhole people into narrowly defined groups. Having accomplished

this, the powerful media machine sows seeds of discord that draw

people into a perpetual ideological battle between fictitious groups.

The reality is that no human being fits neatly into either category.

People fall on a spectrum somewhere between liberal and conservative.

Their views on some issues may tend toward liberal, and move towards

conservative on others. Yet the Oligarchs successfully manipulate many

Americans to choose a side, and battle it out with the other side,

regardless of what their individual views might be if they were to

step out of their liberal or conservative " box " . Perpetual bickering

amongst the working class gives the Oligarch plenty of cover for their

malfeasance.

 

Secularism versus the Religious Right is King George's favorite aspect

of the cultural war. Representing " W " as an Evangelical Christian, the

administration mobilized a coalition of conservative Christians known

as the Religious Right. The Religious Right's leaders are as power

hungry as the Oligarchs, while their followers, fueled by feelings of

victimization for their beliefs, vindictively pursue the " Christian "

agenda. Riding the Right to re-election, in spite of the obvious

incompetent and criminal nature of his first term, Bush was rewarded

with another four years to commit crimes against humanity. Employing a

classic " divide and conquer " strategy, Bush and the moneyed class

enthusiastically promote spectacles like " Scopes II " . In fact, Bush

recently gave a public endorsement for teaching Intelligent Design in

public schools. While their subjects squabble over the validity of

Evolution and argue about the phrase " under God " in the Pledge of

Allegiance, the Oligarchy counts the stacks of cash in its counting room.

 

Peace and Social Justice are NOT Mirages

 

I am not despairing. In fact, I am very hopeful for the future.

History reveals that the working class is not helpless before the

might of the elite. We are not destined to victimization at the hands

of the Oligarchy. Mother Jones, Eugene Debs, Martin Luther King, Jr.,

and the millions who rallied behind them forced the Oligarchy of their

time to give the people a degree of human rights, freedoms, and

economic justice. Awareness is the first step in the journey toward

reform. The human spirit is not easily crushed or caged for prolonged

periods, and we have the means at our disposal to challenge those in

power.

 

To begin this renaissance of humanity and reverse the ugly

dehumanization instituted by the ruling elite, more Americans need to

abandon the Oligarchy-controlled mainstream media and fortify their

minds with information from Internet sources, many of which remain

uncorrupted by the money of the elite. Activist writing, letters to

the editor, and correspondence to elected officials are powerful means

to inform and persuade others (and to hold public officials accountable).

 

To counter their " divide and conquer " strategy, we need to join groups

and organizations like the ACLU, the People for the American Way,

Amnesty International, the Human Rights Campaign, and the NAACP. These

groups champion human rights and challenge the tyranny perpetrated by

the Oligarchy. The working class needs to wage a powerful campaign to

re-unionize America, where union membership has dwindled to a pitiful

9% of the workforce. Impossible as it may sound, groups as deeply

divided as secularists and members of the Religious Right need to find

enough common ground to unite against the Oligarchs.

 

Protests, boycotts, marches, and civil disobedience have been

effective means of diminishing the power of the Oligarchy in the past,

and can be again. Corruption, greed, and malfeasance are rampant in

the American government, and we need to use virtually all peaceable

means at our disposal to curtail the power of the Oligarchy. On

September 24, a group of protestors with an anticipated number in

excess of 200,000 will descend upon the White House

(http://www.answercoalition.org/). My wife and I will be among them.

We will present a list of demands to the Bush regime, which include

ending the war in Iraq, ending colonial occupation in several

sovereign nations, supporting the Palestine people's right of return,

stopping the threats against nations like Venezuela and Iran, removing

military recruiters from schools and communities, bringing the troops

home, and defending civil rights. On October 15th, Bush will receive a

visit from another large contingent of proponents of social justice

via the Million More Movement. There is still hope for America.

 

(For more on challenging those in power visit:

(http://www.worldwiderenaissance.com)

Richard Nixon, one of the most corrupt presidents in the history of

the United States, lost his tenacious grip on power through

impeachment proceedings which led to his resignation in 1974. It is

now 2005, and once again American citizens deserve far better than

they are getting. The members of Congress who have not sold out to the

Oligarchy need to seriously consider impeachment proceedings against

George Bush. How long do we abide an incompetent, avaricious war

criminal? Under Bush, the money spigot for his military industrial

complex is wide open while the flow of tax dollars to the poor is

reduced to a trickle. It is unconscionable that a man with his

arrogance, disregard for human rights, inability to tell the truth,

and lack of capacity to tolerate dissent remains in office. Recent

polls show that 60% of the nation opposes the war, yet Bush and Cheney

continue vowing to " stay the course in Iraq " . How long will it be

before enough Americans wake up and we impeach George W. Bush?

 

My Objective

 

According to Finley Peter Dunne, the purpose of journalism is " to

comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comfortable. " As usual, I hope

I have fulfilled that purpose.

Jason Miller is a 38 year old activist writer with a degree in liberal

arts. He works in the transportation industry, and is a husband and a

father to three boys. His affiliations include Amnesty International,

the ACLU and the Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

He welcomes responses at willpowerful or comments on his

blog at http://civillibertarian.blogspot.com/.