I don't think this makes me a hypocrite because I've never run around waving a flag or doing any "USA! USA!" chant. But I've never been a patriot. I really don't give a crap about the US. I care about the people who live in this country, but I care equally about the people who live in Darfur, Munich, Lisbon & Tokyo. Countries are man-made entities predicated on war, racism, nationalism and probably Oedipal issues.

I've been hesitant to let my "humanist flag fly" because of all the brainwashed people who shout stupid things like "Go back to Cuba". But I've discovered that these idiots say that whenever you say anything that would force them to think. Then I read Howard Zinn's article. It made me feel a little more comfortable.

Then I bumped into the Thomas Carlyle quote: "War is a quarrel between two thieves too cowardly to fight their own battles; therefore they take boys from one village and another village, stick them in uniforms, equip them with guns, and let them loose like wild beasts against each other"

You know...I've worked for a number of schools and all of them make teachers sign an oath upholding the constitution... Ha! Constitution? My standards are much higher than that!

And speaking of lowered standards...

Look, Sparky. I know it's all hip to be into fighting global warming. I'm down with that. I've been down with that. But substituting nuclear power for fossil fuels is NOT cool. Jesus Christ on a Biscuit! That's like getting rid of guns but allowing flamethrowers. A little common sense here, huh.

Labels: howard zinn, nationalism, patriotism, racism