Is It Patriotism? Or Terrorism?

Post-9/11, there have been words beaten into our heads through the media and speeches. Among those, terrorism, insurgency, radical extremists, radical Islam, militias, and militants, among others.

We've all been a part of a conditioning campaign - a massive re-programming, if you will. Some notice it, most don't.

So is there any truth to it? Because our media labels this person or that person a terrorist, does it make it so? Because our leaders label this activity or that activity as terrorist activity, or anti-American, does it make it so?

Most people in this country have been taught obedience since elementary school. It's right there in the Pledge of Allegiance. I mean, I'm all for patriotism and dedication to your country, but when it's blurred in the minds of children who don't know any better, and they grow up believing that blurred vision and definition is the truth, then there's a problem.

Throughout school, we're subconsciously taught that government and country are one in the same. People grow up thinking that if you're anti-government, you're not patriotic, and you're anti-American.

So then, when these children do "grow up", the media continues the conditioning, and further nails this government and country hand in hand concept into their heads, leading to the willful obedience of any law or action the government wishes to pass or perform. Only when it's the popular trend, such as Iraq War disapproval, or high gas prices, will a good number of people start to complain.

But do most do anything besides complain? No. Why? It just goes back to not being patriotic. People are afraid to take action fearing being considered "un-American". Or perhaps they just don't care, which also goes back to the educational system that doesn't teach children enough about the political system and how the world really works.

So now, we're coming to a point in this country's history where, pretty much, exercising your Constitutional rights is considered terrorism.

Think about what we consider terrorism to be. For a majority of Americans, if an Iraqi goes out with a gun and a bomb to kill some American troops, he's a terrorist. If American troops call in an air strike on a group of armed Iraqis, it's score one for the good guys.

Let's reverse the situation.

Russia invades the United States and occupies. They're an occupational, terrorist, evil force. They call air strikes on a group of armed Americans, they're evil. We send out a group of armed Americans to take on a group of armed Russians, we're fighting for our homeland, and we're the good guys.

Am I the only one that sees a problem with the logic in this?

Are Americans the only ones allowed to "defend the homeland"? Is everything we do in the name of peace and security, and everything they do terrorism or evil? Who the hell died and put us in charge of policing the world and determining how people in other countries will act?

Now come back home. Protesters, they need to "get a life". They're "un-American". They're a "conspiracy nut". Since when is watching the latest round of American Idol considered having a life? Since when is using your Constitutional rights un-American? Since when does the name "conspiracy nut" have any logic to it what so ever?

It has gotten to a point that if you try to make change, you're not patriotic, and you could be considered a terrorist. I mean, at what point does it become necessary to shut down political blogs when trying to regulate the Internet against child predators?

Lets remember our founding fathers. What did they do? They had an armed revolution against their government. It seems many people don't even try to comprehend that. Their government was the British government. They revolted to form their own government. This wasn't a war between two countries. This was a war between an armed militia, or several of them, and its own government.

And what are our founding fathers considered? Patriots. Heroes. True Americans.

If all of us formed an armed militia for change, and revolted against our government, the American government, what would we be considered? Terrorists. Un-Patriotic. Evil.

Is it just me, or is that a little hypocritical?

The word militia has been made into a bad thing. But many Americans who haven't read the Constitution, which is most of them, don't know that militias are a Constitutional right.

So in this day and age, if the many American militias were to try and fight off an American government oppression, what would they be considered? Terrorists. Just like the militias in Iraq fighting for their families and homes.

Am I saying there aren't 'evil' people over there in the Middle East, or anywhere else in the world? No. But wouldn't you be pissed if an all powerful, rich nation was always in your business, bombing your families and homes, and stealing your land and resources?

At what point does enough become enough? At what point do Americans stand up and save themselves from their government? At what point do Americans start to really examine this situation and know something is very wrong?

It's time to choose for most of America. To use a Bush term, you're either with us, or you're with the terrorists.

Don't call the founding fathers heroes only to ignore their warnings about the very tyranny they fought against. Don't honor the founding fathers and not honor their wishes for this nation, a nation they gave birth to with their own blood. Don't remember the founding fathers and not remember the inalienable Constitutional rights they gave to us. Don't call the founding fathers patriots only to turn around and wave your flag in blind support of a criminal administration so that you can give yourself the false mental security that you too are a patriot.

As a true patriot once said, those who would sacrifice liberty for a little temporary security deserve neither liberty nor security.

If you want to consider those who use their Constitutional rights to make change "terrorists", that's fine. But hopefully you'll realize how wrong you were when you're sitting next to the one's you called "nuts" and "kooks", you know, the "terrorists", in your local FEMA relocation camp.

Stand up against the real terrorists - your own government.

Do the right thing.

A patriot loves, supports, and defends his or her country from all enemies, foreign and domestic.

So are you with the patriots?

Or are you with the terrorists?

Trial by media is just not good enough. People are innocent until proven guilty and the media should be regulated to ensure professional journalistic standards instead of the utter crap we receive from the mainstream these days.

Patriotism is the love of one's country and what it stands for, it is the willingness to fight and, if needs be, die to uphold the standards and freedom of that country.

Patriotism is not staring at the bloody boob tube and nodding along to everything it tells you. Patriotism is not believing every piece of professionally spun bullsh*t that comes out of Rupert Murdoch's office.

Patriotism is keeping the bastards honest by learning, questioning and raising a great bloody stink when you know you're being conned.

Patriotism and loyalty to one's home and family for that matter is being prepared to get stuck in and do something that you know in your heart is right because you are true to yourself and the values you were raised with.

These right-wing scumbag bullsh*t artists in charge today are spitting on the values they so glibly tout come election time, values which mayn of our fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers worked, fought, suffered and sometimes died for and it is a kick in the guts to their efforts to repay those who sacrificed so much by treating our standards and our future with such self-serving, two-faced disregard!

They are not patriots but profiteering scum who see a few fast buck coming their way out of the deaths of millions.

It is time for people to stand up and start saying no. We live in a world of sensless laws that do nothing to address the problems that they are supposedly in place to protect us from. Not surprisingly these laws are drawn up by governments who consist largely of economists and lawyers.

Why is the Minister for Housing a lawyer and not an architecht?

Why is the Defence Force cheif an economist and not a soldier?

Why is the Minister for Agriculture some lace-pantsed prick who has never done a days hard work in his life!

It just isn't good enough!