The World
Can’t Wait – Drive Out the Bush Regime July 2008
A country “at peace with being at
war” is a country of “Good Germans.”
Seven
years of the Bush Regime have radically altered the shape of U.S. society
and locked in a global trajectory of wars for empire with no regard for human
cost or conscience.
The world
is shocked by the crimes and destruction the American people have allowed to be
carried out in our names.
{xtypo_rounded_right2}Link: flyer to for this article {/xtypo_rounded_right2}Despite
the longest presidential campaign ever, George Bush remains unrelenting and
self-assured that he can drive the savageness of his agenda into the next
administration. Still commander in chief, Bush is recklessly threatening
military action against Iran
that could break out even before the next president is sworn in.
Who is to
stop him when both presidential candidates have also threatened Iran, each
insisting that all options, including nuclear weapons,
remain on the table?
Who is to
stop him when the Democrat-controlled Congress secretly approved funding for
covert special operations already underway inside Iran?
Who will
stop any of this when both major parties are championing the so-called
war on terror, under which the U.S.
launched two wars in a region that is strategically located, rich in oil, and
long a central concern of imperial powers?
Both major political parties have authorized these wars. And at every step, both
political parties have voted to extend billions more dollars to continue them.
Only you – not your government –
can bring any of this to a halt. The only
realistic course is for the people of the U.S. to taking meaningful and
independent political action to resist the machinery of war and the fascist
direction that has emerged since September 10, 2001.
We
believe that people of conscience must take responsibility for what their own
governments do. People of conscience do not allow themselves to be demobilized
by the political and moral terms of an election that calls for national unity
while carrying out unjust war for empire.
We should take this administration at their word when they promise a war
to last generations.
People of
conscience act when torture has been legalized and when war crimes are being
carried out in our names.
People of
conscience do not give up our right to dissent or hand over our consciences in
return for a hollow promise of safety.
While
Barack Obama and John McCain, each in their own way, distance themselves from
the debacle of the Bush years, neither of them, and no significant force within
the halls of power, is acting decisively to reverse the re-making of American
legal norms and political culture that can rightly be described as fascistic.
Neither
of them is demanding that the U.S.’s
policy of torture – sanctioned and codified in the Military Commissions Act
which passed with bi-partisan support – be repealed and those
responsible prosecuted for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Neither
candidate is calling for ending the mass round-ups of immigrants or the
Halliburton contracts for new prisons to hold targeted immigrant populations
and political dissidents.
Neither
of them gave voice to the public outrage against Bush’s illegal wiretapping;
instead, Obama voted with the majority to grant retroactive immunity to those
who joined Bush in breaking the law and violating basic rights to privacy and
freedom of press. Further, Barack Obama
has pledged to extend Bush’s faith-based initiatives. and promotes a nefarious
message of finding common ground with Christian Fundamentalists who rail
against evolution, celebrate intolerance and openly advocate the submission of
women.
This is
not the pendulum “swinging back.” This
is a continuation of the politics of empire. Never before has a sole super-power
held so much of the world in such peril and never before have the crimes of one
empire threatened the future of so much of the planet.
The words
from the original World Can’t Wait Call to Drive out the Bush Regime ring even
truer today: “That which you will not resist and mobilize to stop, you will
learn – or be forced – to accept.”
What is
needed is not a minor course correction. What is needed is not meaningless
“change” we are allowed to believe in, but a radical change in direction
brought about by people acting outside the political confines of these
official politics.
Real change
can come only from people in their millions taking responsibility to change the
course of history. It will not be as easy as writing your congressman or
putting your energies and resources into a supposed savior from the Democratic
Party. But that. Let’s face it, is an
illusion.
What will
things look like the day after the election?
Will people – through their passivity and through having restricted
themselves to mobilizing behind one or the other major candidate – have
legitimized the results of an election that is taking place on terms
inhospitable to the future of the planet?
Will the millions who want so badly a different future have forfeited
this righteous demand on the altar of “national unity” and an empty promise of
“hope”?
Or will
there be a pole of opposition that inspires with its moral clarity and fearless
truth-telling? An increasingly visible
independent political force of resistance, protest, and acts of conscience that
people can join with and persevere with until this whole direction is brought
to a halt?
Let it be
said: It was wrong to go into Iraq. It has been wrong to stay in Iraq. It is wrong not to get out now. It is wrong to escalate the war in Afghanistan
and to threaten war with Iran.
LET IT BE
SAID in DENVER so that, on August 24, the eve of the Democratic Convention,
there is the largest anti war demonstration that city has seen. Come to Denver for a week of
protest that includes marching to stand with immigrants under assault and
counter-protests to the week of
anti-abortion actions of the Christian Right.
For this
to happen, WE must act and mobilize now.
We
believe that people of conscience must take responsibility for what their own
governments do. Thus we call on all people living in the United States to RESIST the
trajectory of wars and repression that has been loosed on the world by the Bush
administration and a complicit Congress.
We choose
to make common cause with the people of the world by extending a hand to those
suffering from these policies and by showing our solidarity in word and deed.
The World
Can’t Wait! July 2008
The ongoing and escalating distresses in our changing world
has fueled an intense awakening inside my otherwise
unsuspecting mind. I\’ve been aching to be an energetic member of an
organization whose aim is to; 1) Acquaint the world
with the barbaric and brutal human rights violations apportioned
throughout the middle-east by the American government; 2) Actively
pursue criminal punishment for members of the Bush Administration,
specifically; Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney, George W Bush and
John Yoo. During my pursuit of such an organization I discovered
\’World Can\’t Wait\’. I\’ve read through a number of articles and
postings on the website and I am admittedly discouraged.
Though I endorse and embrace a majority of the organizations ideologies,
I am disappointed in the condescension and seemingly patronizing tones
apparent in SOME of the commentary. I understand the urgency and the
fury of WCW members. I understand the necessity of openly expressing
such temperament. However, if the WCW wants to reach out to average
Americans in hopes to provoke a \’revolutionary\’ change to
government and policies then they need to stop employing guilt tactics.
Average Americans (average \’citizens\’; as I am Canadian) are regular
John and Jane\’s that spend their evenings watching \’American Idol\’ and
are so far removed both unconsciously and unwittingly from these issues.
In my opinion, it\’s not fair or enough to say that Americans are simply
complacent; they should not be held accountable for their ignorance,
especially under the regime of such a crafty, secretive administration.
I would guess that if you asked a regular, \’average\’ American about the
torture and human rights violations by American
military their answer might be confused and uninformed.
I have only recently been exposed to the truth; my head had been buried in
the sand of life and survival (paying bills, career, relationships). Therefore
I have been sitting idle for 7 years while people have been
enduring torture and unspeakable degradation! But I have not been
complacent, simply unaware and I genuinely believe that if the majority of
Americans were conscious and informed, they would react appropriately.
Also, as a matter of psychology, any fact or opinion that does not
support a persons own perception will be stonewalled.
There are A LOT of Americans out there that voted and believe in Obama. The same Americans
that would side with WCW.The feelings of \’hope\’ and \’change\’ may be
wishful thinking but they are constructive and a productive tool for
the WCW to use in the coming months. Attacking Obama can only perpetuate
and restore cynicism. Obama strongly opposes the Iraq war. Obama intends to
close \’Guantanamo Bay,\’ as soon as he enters office. Obama intends to
employ diplomacy when dealing with Iran. Obama intends to reverse the
majority of Bush\’s foreign and domestic policies. This is a start and
though his future policies will be less then perfect and
disagreeable at times you must applaud his supporters, for they also
want a changed, better America. The WCW should unite with his
supporters rather then making them feel like they must defend their
president. As I mentioned, Obama supporters will stonewall any fact
or opinion that does not protect their views, and the WCW can lose
valuable, potential followers. I am not implying that
ANYONE should not question and examine Obama\’s policies, however,
he should be given a chance and his supporters should be able to
embrace such a wonderful cause as WCW without feeling like the
problem rather than the solution.
[quote=Erdmut Lerner]I have been opposed to Bush and his policies from the start and abhor war with all my heart. A German citizen by birth, I was thrilled when my country of origin refused to join Bush in his mad drive to war. Now I am asking myself why you chose this title for your piece. It is this country that is still largely at peace with being at war, and both Obama and McCain promise us more war. Stick to what is going on here, please.
Erdmut Lerner[/quote]
Although I am new to the site, I will apologize on behalf of the author of this article. Surely, he/she meant no ill will while choosing the title. Rather, I believe he was referring to a period in your country\’s time when it was at the forefront of less reputable actions against humanity.
As an American, I also realize what has been going on this last decade, and despite widespread belief, it is harder than you might think to change the government. The \”average\” american is kept in the dark about most things. It will probably need a revolution in order to truly change things, though I hope things don\’t escalate to that point.
I have been opposed to Bush and his policies from the start and abhor war with all my heart. A German citizen by birth, I was thrilled when my country of origin refused to join Bush in his mad drive to war. Now I am asking myself why you chose this title for your piece. It is this country that is still largely at peace with being at war, and both Obama and McCain promise us more war. Stick to what is going on here, please.
Erdmut Lerner
NOTHING will happen for any decent Americans in this election – it\’s a hung choice between a phoney war \”veteran\” (who was probably a coward anyway) and a guy who talks sweet but uses weasel words – he will be little different to the lunatic McCain-Palin ticket. I feel sorry for your once great country. The world deservedly hates you and whilst we really don\’t care that much what you do inside North America if your government does not stop interfering in other sovereign states around the world it is very possible that you could provoke a nuclear holocaust and if this happens Americans will be killed in their millions in the big US cities. Change could take you 10 – 50 years to bring about but you need to start now with a CENTRAL ORGANIZATION and build from there. Groom candidates that are prepared to be decent citizens unlike the scum you have had in Washington and Congress for the past 20 years. Do it for yourselves.
[quote=Art] You want change, then vote for change. I did 4 years ago and I will again this year.
Why would you want to demonstrate at the Democratic convention? Why not the Rupublican convention? They started this war…………. At least Mr. Obama wants to bring the troops home, unlike McBush.[/quote]
Art,
It\’s a ONE Party system, and they BOTH just SUCK! If your vote matters, why didn\’t Gore and Kerry fight for our votes in the stolen elections? That\’s why we were in Denver!
Treason is ON the Table, and NeoNancy remains STUCK. My 2006 vote got a bunch of NeoDems in charge of more and more funding of the endless wars – load of crap! Warporations run our country and both parties do their biding. Until the feets in the streets reach the numbers it takes to send a chill down the missing backbones of our congressional reps, we remain stuck in this endless loop. Obama is ready to attack IRAN, PAKISTAN, and now LIES in calling RUSSIA an agressor in the Georgia crisis, which his top dog advisor, Zbigniew Brzezinski, no doubt helped orchestrate. Obama is not our savior, and if he keeps dancing any further to the toward the Religious Reich, I don\’t know how any progressive person will be able to vote for him!
Steve:… Feets in the streets!
I hate to suggest this but Wrangell was right to put forward the idea to bring back the draft.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
dont for 1 minute think congressmen with draftable relatives would fear a draft and therefore vote to defund the war!
their political positions are now more than ever fully capable of keeping ALL their relatives draft-immune. the ONLY thing a draft will do is force those WITHOUT political influence to be cannon fodder. i’m from NY and have seen rangel squirm his way around congress, trying to be a liberal (never progressive) but voting with the scum-sucking repugnicuns. he’s far from the freedom fighter i marched with in the 60s, to integrate our schools.
When we all get on the same page as “Americans”, things will change. And not until then. How many years have we seen the republicans cry and stamp their feet and call veto?
Enough is enough. You want change, then vote for change. I did 4 years ago and I will again this year.
Why would you want to demonstrate at the Democratic convention? Why not the Rupublican convention? They started this war…………. At least Mr. Obama wants to bring the troops home, unlike McBush.
Until we are all treated as “Americans”, without the prejudice and the right ring rich people trying to evade their share of taxes, we will never be ‘one’.
The world is watching…. the world was watching when President Clinton was all most impeached. They were laughing then…. the last 8 years they have watched in bewilderment to the things that have gone on in this country: a needless war for Haliburton, the torture, the lies… We are not a well liked country anymore…
If you really want chage, vote for it. Vote for someone that knew we shouldn’t have gone to war in the first place.
Vote for someone that will give each and every American “human dignity”. Vote for someone who is smart enough to not torture people. Vote for someone who is smart enough to tax the rich and help the poor. Vote for someone that is smart enough not to drill off our coasts only to make the oil corporations richer. Vote for someone who is smart enough to at least try to stop global warming so we all have a place to live….
Feets in the streets!
I hate to suggest this but Wrangell was right to put forward the idea to bring back the draft.
The world is shocked and stunned by the crimes and wholesale destruction which the Bush/Cheney Regime has carried out in the name of the American people, but what further emphasizes those feelings of shock is to witness how servile and passive many Americans have become in the face of these horrible realities, as they spend their time and energy in the search for a political “messiah” who will gather them together under the banner of “national unity” and provide them with the “hope” they yearn for, without having to take upon themselves any responsibility for the actions of the government which allegedly “represents” them.
They wonder why only a few thousand Americans dare to step forward in vigorous protest against the crimes which have been committed in the name of the American people, while millions of Americans appear to be oblivious to those crimes, or have convinced themselves of their “virtuous victimhood” to the point where the desire for revenge against their perceived “enemies” justifies the exacting of “payback” by any means necessary.
There are many around the world who are seriously considering wondering if the American people could be classified as being clinically insane. Certainly our political, social and economic behavior would appear to prove that our mental state has degenerated in the last thirty-odd years, and with each passing day, we tolerate — if not wholeheartedly approve of — the ruthless violation of the civil rights and liberties of people of other nations, as well as the systematic, methodical destruction of our own civil right and liberties, while we proclaim that we’re “AMERICANS”, and feed our own megalomania by boldly declaring that we’re “better” than everyone else. We demand that other nations play the geopolitical game by our rules, but when those same rules are applied to us, we whine “We’re NOT like ‘everybody else’! We’re AMERICANS!” and storm off the playground like a spoiled little child who didn’t get his way, leaving those on the playground to wonder what’s wrong with us.