Top Gun Casualty

We sit in our homes, at our computers, fridges full of food, running water, heat, electricity. A Palestinian family huddles in the corner of a bombed out building, hearing the scream of F16 engines overhead, the dull thud of explosions from US-made bombs shaking the rubble.

That’s F16’s. American made, American supplied. The same planes we watched Tom Cruise fly in Top Gun, in fact. And we wonder why people hate the US, why much of the Arab world treats us with such distain. We sell weapons to Pakistan, trade weapons for hostages in Iran, supply Afghani militants with arms to fight the Russians…

We create a culture of violence across the globe, supply more guns and more bombs, more tanks, more F16’s and act like we’re innocent when another mother loses a child to a US-made air to surface missile. And we’re the ones trying to push middle east peace talks?

Its times like these when I’m ashamed to be a US citizen. The sad thing is, these times are all I know. I was born during the first Regan administration. Cheney, Rumsfeld and company were in charge back then, just like they are now.

It sickens me. The doublespeak of our politicians, the gutless, sensationalistic “reporting” by our mainstream media, the ignorance and downright apathy of our populace. I wish I could do something about it, but I can’t. I wish I could forget everything I know about the atrocities committed  by our government, but I can’t.  I wish I could believe that a new administration will change anything, but I can’t.

I’m not trying to be pessimistic, I’m just well-read. This F16 is losing altitude fast and all highways seem to lead to the danger zone. Sorry for all the Top Gun references, its the only thing keeping me from hitting the eject button. Talk to me, Goose.

Goose?

~ by drivelspin on January 26, 2009.