Welcome login | signup
Language en es fr
OccupyForum

Forum Post: **My Letter To The Editor**

Posted 8 years ago on Jan. 25, 2016, 9:23 p.m. EST by Viking (417)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement

Instigating Terrorism

I am writing in response to Sheffield Township's Councilman, Mr Joseph Salerno's letter which appeared in your paper in December 2014. In his letter, he seems hell-bent on linking the terror attacks in the West with strikes in Israel, and the need for us to buddy-up with them. He like so many other people seems to want us to adapt a strategy which undoubtedly will mean that we will be mired down in endless war.

Rarely if ever does the simple question get asked: Why are these people so enraged? Is there any reason? Like most people, politicians in particular, Mr Salerno ignores the despair, and the root causes of the anger that is so prevalent in much of the Middle East. The implication is clear: We are innocent and they are not, hence we must give Israel our carte blanche support, and continue our terror-inducing bombing campaign, which is responsible for untold death and human misery to an overwhelming high percentage of innocents. Is there any wonder that we are experiencing blowback?

I have to wonder if Mr Salerno would be a bit up-set if [he] and his loved ones had undergone generations of oppression brought on by despotic leaders that the US supported. Would he be angry if his kids were afraid to go to school, or to go to a friend's wedding ceremony because they feared a drone attack? Would it be OK with him if his family were forced to live in horrendous, bombed-out, overcrowded refugee camps, while his oppressors limited their calorie intake, embargoed even humanitarian assistance, and continued to steal their land? What if they had to endure endless air strikes while all 100 of our Senators voted to give our unalloyed support to Israel. Few politicians have the courage to go up against the wishes of the powerful lobbying group, AIPAC (American Israeli Public Affairs Committee), or their campaign benefactors in the military industry because they know that would most likely mean political suicide. Fortunately though, courageous people are speaking out against this genocide. And some of them have joined the BDS (Boycott, Divest and Sanction) campaign.

"You never know a man until you understand things from his point of view, until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." ....Harper Lee in her book, To Kill A Mockingbird.

I wonder if Mr Salerno really thinks that we are in the Middle East to bring about Peace, "Truth, Justice and the American Way" there, like Superman wanted to do here. lol The goals of encouraging a more just society are noble, but that is never the real reason for maintaining or expanding Empire. It wasn't true during Colonialism, and it is not true in today's Neocolonialism, or with our Imperial aspirations.

Many people in Mr Salerno's generation (mine too) still swallow the slant of what passes for good journalism that they hear and see in the corporate owned, mainstream news media, and then form their opinions. But that is far less the case with the younger generations, and the growing number of older people who have undergone an epiphany in realizing that we have been manipulated.

For starters, I urge Mr Salerno to google "The Empire's Ship Is Sinking," and listen to Colonel Wilkerson give his 25 minute interview. He was a former Army Ranger, a National Security Advisor to the Reagan administration, and assistant to Secretary of State Colin Powell. He had an awakening, albeit late in life, so too should Mr Salerno.

Kudos to Colonel Wilkerson, and everyone who seeks the truth, and who wants a more just and peaceful World.

16 Comments

16 Comments


Read the Rules
[-] 4 points by ImNotMe (1488) 8 years ago

''Kudos to Colonel Wilkerson'' indeed! Great forum post & in compliment, I append ...

Both of these excellent videos are of real value for us all in many situations, I believe.

per ardua ad astra ...

[-] 3 points by MattHolck0 (3867) 8 years ago

looks good

[-] 3 points by Viking (417) 8 years ago

Thanks, the paper that the letter was in doesn't have a huge circulation (low thousands and maybe a few hundred people who read it), but it does not have a word limit. And I do believe they like my controversial opinions because it riles people up and increases readership.

[-] 1 points by grapes (5232) 8 years ago

Many unintentional civilian casualties were inflicted due to the high tensions surrounding the areas of occurrences.

If U.S. fighter jets or bombers are flying close to the lines of celebratory gunfire from wedding parties, they will likely shoot rockets or drop their bombs. Quite a few civilian airliners were shot down near war zones, too. The U.S., Iran, and Holland had a whole bunch of civilian casualties from these incidents. Reducing tensions is therefore important. It helps to keep all military forces well confined and not deployed anywhere near potential conflict areas.

By not participating in all forms of terrorism, state or otherwise, tensions will be lowered for all parties but we must still find a way to resolve the original issues causing the problem to arise. Israel kept on building more settlements on occupied land. That is illegal under international law so the U.S. should not band together with Israel to fight what Israel calls terrorists arising from the confiscation of occupied land. Oslo Accords need to be advanced towards fruition. Perhaps Israel can confer, as a shortcut to peace, Israeli citizenships to all residents of Gaza and the West Bank, effective immediately.

Confiscation of others' properties by force cause much terrorism later, state or otherwise. Killing olive trees is killing peace.

[-] 2 points by ImNotMe (1488) 7 years ago

''Alaskans Witness Collapsing Mountains, Shattered Lives'', by Dahr Jamail:

This is an excellent, important, revealing and - sobering article by a superb journalist, fyi. Hope all good with you and yours & that you're savouring ''hafita-time''! The way things are going up there ... they may have to join you nearer your home in future. My best wishes to you & all your family - wherever they are now or may be in future.

Solidarity!

[-] 3 points by Viking (417) 7 years ago

Alaska is serving as a harbinger to the more deleterious effects of Climate Change, but unfortunately they are not alone. Here at the Jersey shore, oodles of money is being spent on trying to mitigate beach erosion (as well) due to CC on the barrier islands (3 miles from me from the mainland), building sea walls and improved infrastructure.... and the Army Corp of Engineers dredges sand from the ocean floor on a regular basis, and then pumps it onto the beaches.

Let's hope that some of the well to do people on the Crystal Serenity (the cruise ship that left Alaska for NY via the Northwest Passage in mid August) awaken to the plight that the World is in.

After Alaska spent 27 million dollars on a sea wall:

The island of Shishmareff votes to relocate from eroding barrier island to mainland

http://www.adn.com/alaska-news/2016/08/18/eroding-village-of-shishmaref-votes-in-favor-of-relocating-to-mainland-a-key-step/

Even so, it is more likely that I would move and take my chances in AK than vice versa.

All the Best to You & Your's

[-] 2 points by ImNotMe (1488) 7 years ago

''Cecily McMillan was arrested during the protest in Zuccotti Park and spent 58 days in jail. Five years after it began, she considers what Occupy achieved - and why it didn’t go far enough." from

Thanx for your link .. it was quite scary! AGW (Anthropomorphic Global Warning) is well understood and its solutions can only come from The Global 99%, acting in Unity & Solidarity. Be well in all your doings and solidarity to you and your family. They're lucky to have you and you're lucky to have them no doubt!

pax, amor et lux ...

[-] 1 points by Viking (417) 7 years ago

I concur with a lot of Ms McMillan's assessment of Occupy. In our defense though, mistakes were bound to be made as most of us were a bit wet behind the ears when it came to activism and the success of our movement. That is far less the case today though. Now a whole cadre of people have been awoken, in large part due to what began with Occupy, and the corruptness of the status quo has become so much more evident.

On another note, the Crystal Serenity arrived in NYC via the Northwest Passage earlier today after having left Alaska August 16th. I don't expect that I will see any of the passengers at Zuccotti tomorrow, but ...again, I hope some of them have awakened to the plight our World is in.

http://www.npr.org/2016/08/27/491337521/in-warmer-climate-a-luxury-cruise-sets-sail-through-northwest-passage

[-] 2 points by ImNotMe (1488) 7 years ago

Yes, "Now a whole cadre of people have been awoken, in large part due to what began with Occupy (as) the corruptness of the status quo has become so much more evident."! I too concur with Ms McMillan & with you - when you point out that a movement can' move forward without mistakes!!

From your interesting link:''It has 13 decks, eight restaurants, a casino and a spa. Staterooms start at about $20,000 and run as high as $120,000. And it's about to journey through the Northwest Passage.

And''The Crystal Serenity is the largest cruise ship to navigate from Alaska to New York City,by way of the Arctic Ocean. And as climate change opens up the top of the world, it may be just the first taste of what's to come. Sitting in one of those pricey staterooms, passenger Moira Somers says that for most of the people onboard, the ship is as much a destination as the Arctic.''

Not sure what I feel about The 1%, 0.1% & 0.01% - galavanting around the planet, leaving HUGE carbon footprints ... lecturing the rest of us about Global Warming's consequences!! Happy Occupy Wall Street 5th #S17 Aniversary to you and all your OWS & Alt.Banking comrades!!!

Solidarity!

[-] 2 points by Viking (417) 7 years ago

I remember reading about the huge floods that took place in the Hudson River valley (NY) on a yearly basis. They were caused mainly by the wide scale deforestation that mostly took place in the 19th and early 20th century. I was amazed to learn that one of the impetuses to ban clear cutting came from the elite, as many had their vacation homes were there... before air travel. In fact many environmental regulations came into effect there long before the EPA came into existence.

In another article I read on the Crystal Serenity's voyage from AK to NY via the fabled Northwest Passage, I learned that there were many climatologists and other scientists on board who were giving presentations to the passengers.

Let's hope that they were truthful, and that those well to do passengers will serve as big players too in a battle that we cannot afford to lose.

[-] 1 points by ImNotMe (1488) 7 years ago

I'm still nonplussed about those "well to do passengers" on the "Crystal Serenity" .. but in these time of crooks like tRUMP & Hellary, here's an article by Sarah Smarsh that I can't recommend enough to you and any and all readers here ...

e tenebris lux ...

[-] 1 points by flip (7101) 7 years ago

if you are interested in the subject check out "changes in the land" by william cronon. really good - about what new england looked like before and after the europeans arrived

[-] 1 points by Viking (417) 7 years ago

Thanks, I wrote down the name of that book and its author. On another note, from living in Vermont for more than twenty years I learned that there are more forests there today than there were a hundred years ago. That was mainly due to the advent of the railroads as it opened up the mid west and west to farming. Farmers then had longer growing seasons minus all the all the rocks and mountains.

Climate Change and the rising sea level is another story as it is a huge overwhelmingly ominous threat to our survival.

[-] 1 points by ImNotMe (1488) 7 years ago

''After Bernie: Will 'Our Revolution' Deliver on Its Promise of "Political Revolution"? .. by Michael Corcoran:

spero meliora ...

[-] 1 points by grapes (5232) 7 years ago

The island of Shishmaref is poised on becoming a hot prospect for climate-frontier-adventure touristy "development." If the Grand Canyon, though in actuality one of the greatest if not the greatest eroded gullies (ditches) on Earth, is so hard to fend away from the "developers," Shishmaref may attract touristy development, too. That can offset part of the costs of moving the residents. It probably offers great ice-fishing wilderness adventure.

I actually enjoyed viewing the tens of thousands of mosquitoes perched on the plate-glass windows of the airport of Beau-banksters in early dawn (or was it really just the months-long twilight in the Arctic?). There's a tremendous satisfaction looking in the weak sunlight at the underbellies of these bloodsuckers freezing their butts off outside knowing that they could not get to me. Haven't you felt the same way whenever you have received yet another pre-approved credit-card application from the banksters?

Others have questioned my sanity of going camping before. Why would anyone venture so hard to feed the mosquitoes and no-see-ums or risk being bitten in the butt by a deadly spider perched in the latrine of the outhouse? Well, there are the sane ones and there are the tourists!

There's the excitement of having to go bravely into the Unknown when I have to go with the tiny flashlight conic section into the dark to do a night-time bombing run to the "Royal." "God save my behind." Now That's a tour of Duty for a tourist.

Russia must have been scared by your presence in AK. They plan to shore up their military forces across the Bering Strait. Russia was ruled by its Viking royalties so you are a potential trouble-making legacy claimer. Hohoho!

Sarah Palin can use her guns to defend the U.S.A. or escape to Canada. Oh, yeah, I can see the Russians are coming for Seward's Freezer (not cooling well these days) that they had sold us.

If you move there, bring the hammer. That should be a good enough reminder of the ancient heritage of Thor in Russia.

[-] 1 points by ImNotMe (1488) 7 years ago

''The New Slave Revolt'', by Chris Hedges:

Good enough reason for another letter if ever there was one imo. Solidarity.

fiat lux ...