Jim Wallis #2
“When we do listen to American officials, one thing becomes completely clear – they have a vision. They are not confused, ambiguous, or equivocal; rather their vision is coherent, compelling, and very aggressive. Their definitions of peace and security are based almost entirely on American military might and economic power. The peace of America is now like the peace of Rome. Pax Romana has been replaced with Pax Americana, a phrase being offered quite openly in the aftermath of the breathtaking military conquest of Iraq. The positive use of the word empire is becoming more and more acceptable.”
-Jim Wallis, God’s Politics
What? I haven’t ever heard any “positive use(s) of the word empire?” Can you elaborate on this?
I don’t think direct uses of empire or empirical will ever be acceptable in American society. Sure, American’s are all for bombing the hell out of some unknown country because “risks of terrorism” are so great (whether it’s true or not). But to assume Americans are fine with an empirical stance is going too far.
I also believe that American’s are beginning to catch on to the Iraq situation. I believe a lot of people are noticing not only does Iraq mirror Vietnam but it’s also a waste of effort during a not-so-great proposed economic future at home. So to say, “Breathtaking military conquest of Iraq” I feel is a bit inaccurate to the current trend of viewpoints.
I think America is coming around. It’s just taking them a long time. Or maybe I’m naive…
I am quite sure that what Jim Wallis meant is that the word “empire” is being used by many in this administration (or amongst various media outlets) as a “friendly” term. In other words, they’re evangelizing the concept of empire when, as we all should know, empires tend to corrupt and tend to be corrupt. In addition, empires fall hard at some point because they just cannot hold power broad enough to carry the people of the empire and to push into people not of the empire.
As far as Americans catching up on Iraq, I’m not so sure I agree. It has been pushed so far on the back burner behind other news pieces that it’s not really getting much exposure. Things are settling down, yes (or so we are led to believe), but the idea of proliferation of empire still exists. And the idea of the “breathtaking military conquest” was pretty accurate for the time. It was all over our screens everywhere and the media fed on this reality-TV program like it was a feast. So, I think it might have been good to read this in context of the entire chapter as opposed to just the paragraph by itself. I apologize for not clarifying this. I liked the paragraph because it spoke to the Pax Americana as taking the failed road of the Rax Romana.
By the way, you’re not naive, but I am so skeptical of what the rest of America thinks because of Nov. 2nd. Because I live in this bubble, I was sure that most of America was going to vote Bush down, but I was humbly shut-up. So, learning this lesson has afforded me the opportunity to rethink how my little bubble isn’t reality and that I have to assume either differently or completely opposite thoughts concerning most of the rest of America.
random comments time…
2 things
1. When the President gets booed by the people at the Pope’s funeral that’s a good indication that he’s Satan(for those who haven’t figured it out already)
2. You know it’s bad when the Scandinavians are pissed…http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/2667824?htv=12
Enjoy.
Cas, you said, “By the way, you’re not naive, but I am so skeptical of what the rest of America thinks because of Nov. 2nd. Because I live in this bubble, I was sure that most of America was going to vote Bush down, but I was humbly shut-up.”
I don’t think you were wrong, my friend. I think Kerry DID win, and the election was stolen in Ohio and elsewhere. There’s not a chance in the world I can be convinced otherwise having lived in DeLay-Armey-Rove country for all those years. They are ruthless and desperate.
Keep the faith. They’ll hang themselves if we’ll just stay out of the way and let them. If I’m wrong and 2006 spells further disaster, then you can remind me of my error and I’ll owe you a tall one.
Best to your family,
Gala
Yeah, I’d love to be the optimist, but the triangle of evil seems to be completely bullet-proof. So many times I’ve heard Ed Schultz or any one of the Air America crew declare the downfall of DeLay, yet he still reigns seemingly supreme. Kim will even give me good news picked up from various internet sites concerning the crumbling (Gannon/Guckert and the Schiavo case come to mind) of the neo-cons, but I just don’t believe it. I don’t believe that the Democrats can do this for a few reasons that mainly circulate around their inability to have a pair of balls. It’s just that simple to me. However, I do keep the faith and I hope that my pessimism is misplaced.
Best to your family, too!
From a reform angle the Democrats barely smell any better than the Republican’s, at least to me. They’re playing the same tricks the Republicans did when they owned congress. It’s business as usual (as Kerry would say) and unless someone decides to really step up and out of that mode I’m swearing to never again vote Democrat.
I have to say that although I am not going to pronounce that I will never again vote for a Democrat, I do feel much trepidation in the idea of doing it again. I agree wholeheartedly that there are few if any Democrats that deserve a strong push from little ol’ me because it does seem that, deep down inside, no one is for the people of America. I don’t care what kind of schemes or rebuttles are being cooked up by Harry Reid. I’m skeptical of what Howard Dean may turn out to do even though his intentions may be in the right place, he and the Democrats need money to do what they need to and my, say, $50 donation to their cause is a spit in the ocean compared to the bucks that can roll in from pharmaceuticals, media giants, and the like. THAT is the money that speaks, not my measly fifty bucks.
Now, from a Christian perspective, again there are very few Democrats that have proven themselves worthy enough, or principled enough, to stand for the poor or to even stand for the common man. Look at what’s being rammed through Congress at the moment: a bill that literally will rape the poor and middle class by taking away the best of the bankruptcy rights protections afforded them. Yet, corporations skid right on by unchallenged basically because they can go right into bankruptcy, screw their workers, and then bounce right back with virtually no repercussions financially. This is not moral and neither is it Christian, not that everything has to be taken into a Christian perspective in the government. I say this because as a Christian, everything that the government does SHOULD be viewed (this is the key word) through this filter. It is essentially up to us to make sure that what is moral and just is forced into action by our representatives and not vice versa because government wielding the power of religion is a theocracy which then alienates those of us of different faiths, beliefs, or even denominations.
This has run on a bit long, but I think I got my idea across. I agree with Randy and that is basically it. It’s sad, but I do. Revolution does not come with yes-men and spineless politicians.