The United States of Fear
Since September 11, 2001, fear has been the main engine of change in the United
States. Who would have thought that across the US, where people boast that it
is the home of the free and the land of the brave, people would gladly surrender
their freedom and liberty because they so fear terrorism?
Who would have thought that the US would allow, much less pay for, the National
Security Agency to intercept and store 1.7 billion emails, phone calls and other
communications - every single day - and pay for 30,000 people to listen in on
phone conversations in the name of fighting the fear of terrorism?
Who would have thought that people across New York City, where people are proud
of their diversity, would fear construction of a mosque and community center
downtown?
Who would have thought that people across the US, where people argue that they
helped bring down the wall that separated East and West Germany, would so fear
their neighbors to the South that they support construction of a wall of
separation with Mexico?
Who would have thought that some of the highest lawyers in the land would write
memos illegally authorizing the torture of people in the name of making the US
safe?
Who would have thought that Democrats would compete with Republicans to try to
keep the globally shameful Guantanamo prison open so that people inside the US
would not have to fear having living near prisons with alleged terrorists in
them?
Who would have thought that people in New York City, a place where people admire
their own toughness, would fear having criminal trials of alleged terrorists in
their city?
Who would have thought that in the US, where people take pride in the
constitutional independence of the judiciary, those judges would turn down the
case of Maher Arar, who was captured in the US and flown out to a Syrian prison
to be tortured, because they fear that even looking at the case would interfere
with national security?
Who would have thought that the people of the US would fear to have Uighurs,
members of persecuted ethnic minority who struggled for their freedoms against
China, allowed to live even temporarily in the US?
Who would have thought that the people of the US would so fear the possibility
of the Taliban ruling Afghanistan and the false possibility of weapons of mass
destruction in Iraq, that we would send our sons and daughters to die by the
thousands in Iraq and Afghanistan?
Who would have thought that there once was a US president who said "the only
thing we have to fear is fear itself - nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror
which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance..."?
You tell me what happened to the land of the free and the home of the brave
since September 11, 2001.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Since September 11, 2001, fear has been the main engine of change in the United
States. Who would have thought that across the US, where people boast that it
is the home of the free and the land of the brave, people would gladly surrender
their freedom and liberty because they so fear terrorism?
Who would have thought that the US would allow, much less pay for, the National
Security Agency to intercept and store 1.7 billion emails, phone calls and other
communications - every single day - and pay for 30,000 people to listen in on
phone conversations in the name of fighting the fear of terrorism?
Who would have thought that people across New York City, where people are proud
of their diversity, would fear construction of a mosque and community center
downtown?
Who would have thought that people across the US, where people argue that they
helped bring down the wall that separated East and West Germany, would so fear
their neighbors to the South that they support construction of a wall of
separation with Mexico?
Who would have thought that some of the highest lawyers in the land would write
memos illegally authorizing the torture of people in the name of making the US
safe?
Who would have thought that Democrats would compete with Republicans to try to
keep the globally shameful Guantanamo prison open so that people inside the US
would not have to fear having living near prisons with alleged terrorists in
them?
Who would have thought that people in New York City, a place where people admire
their own toughness, would fear having criminal trials of alleged terrorists in
their city?
Who would have thought that in the US, where people take pride in the
constitutional independence of the judiciary, those judges would turn down the
case of Maher Arar, who was captured in the US and flown out to a Syrian prison
to be tortured, because they fear that even looking at the case would interfere
with national security?
Who would have thought that the people of the US would fear to have Uighurs,
members of persecuted ethnic minority who struggled for their freedoms against
China, allowed to live even temporarily in the US?
Who would have thought that the people of the US would so fear the possibility
of the Taliban ruling Afghanistan and the false possibility of weapons of mass
destruction in Iraq, that we would send our sons and daughters to die by the
thousands in Iraq and Afghanistan?
Who would have thought that there once was a US president who said "the only
thing we have to fear is fear itself - nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror
which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance..."?
You tell me what happened to the land of the free and the home of the brave
since September 11, 2001.
Since September 11, 2001, fear has been the main engine of change in the United
States. Who would have thought that across the US, where people boast that it
is the home of the free and the land of the brave, people would gladly surrender
their freedom and liberty because they so fear terrorism?
Who would have thought that the US would allow, much less pay for, the National
Security Agency to intercept and store 1.7 billion emails, phone calls and other
communications - every single day - and pay for 30,000 people to listen in on
phone conversations in the name of fighting the fear of terrorism?
Who would have thought that people across New York City, where people are proud
of their diversity, would fear construction of a mosque and community center
downtown?
Who would have thought that people across the US, where people argue that they
helped bring down the wall that separated East and West Germany, would so fear
their neighbors to the South that they support construction of a wall of
separation with Mexico?
Who would have thought that some of the highest lawyers in the land would write
memos illegally authorizing the torture of people in the name of making the US
safe?
Who would have thought that Democrats would compete with Republicans to try to
keep the globally shameful Guantanamo prison open so that people inside the US
would not have to fear having living near prisons with alleged terrorists in
them?
Who would have thought that people in New York City, a place where people admire
their own toughness, would fear having criminal trials of alleged terrorists in
their city?
Who would have thought that in the US, where people take pride in the
constitutional independence of the judiciary, those judges would turn down the
case of Maher Arar, who was captured in the US and flown out to a Syrian prison
to be tortured, because they fear that even looking at the case would interfere
with national security?
Who would have thought that the people of the US would fear to have Uighurs,
members of persecuted ethnic minority who struggled for their freedoms against
China, allowed to live even temporarily in the US?
Who would have thought that the people of the US would so fear the possibility
of the Taliban ruling Afghanistan and the false possibility of weapons of mass
destruction in Iraq, that we would send our sons and daughters to die by the
thousands in Iraq and Afghanistan?
Who would have thought that there once was a US president who said "the only
thing we have to fear is fear itself - nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror
which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance..."?
You tell me what happened to the land of the free and the home of the brave
since September 11, 2001.