The illegal terrorist incursion into the sovereign country of Iraq by the USA showcases for the world and ourselves just exactly who we are. We are George W. Bush.
It is us that likes to dress up in our war gear and pose for pictures on the deck of a aircraft carrier in an embarrassing display of premature ejaculation. That is us.
In order to make change, we must own the concept that George W. Bush like it or not is us. If we look in the mirror and don't like what we see then we need to change us. As a society we have to understand that it is not okay to be ignorant and stupid. It is not okay to cheat and lie and that the end does not justify the means.
We have to change, to make things right, to make them "pono."
The Hawaiians have a concept, the idea of things being in balance, being in harmony and true to the cultural values of the society. They call this "pono." When people are treated fairly, when leaders act for the benefit of all, when these things are in balance, one element does not exploit another, then things are said to be pono.
We as a society are out of balance. One class of people exploits another and keeps them in ignorance. It is easier to manipulate folks that embrace ignorance. Call it the taliban or christian fundamentalism, it is ignorance just the same. Just like W, these folks with their empty concepts of life and history are us.
We have been like this for most of our existence as a country. We took from the rest of the world what we wanted when we wanted it. Hawaii is just one example of a country that has been illegally annexed and taken over. Our history is that of a bully country that exploits others. Exporting Democracy pays off big time in business.
So far our winnings in our global exploitation have washed any guilt from our ignorant hearts. We have colluded with our leadership in becoming who our country is today.
It is important to understand the flow of history in proper context. We really have bigger fish to fry in the next few decades anyway. Just one example: It is not unreasonable to see China in our role as the world's bad boy shitkicker soon.
A few months back a high Chinese general made a public remark that we had better not fuck with their plans for Taiwan otherwise they could nuclear bomb one of our cities. One of our cities! When our administration protested they were shrugged off and told that the general was a "hothead" and was just shooting off his mouth.
Chinese dignitaries have told visitors from Hawaii that the treaty with the Kingdom of Hawaii is still in force and that they don't recognize the state of Hawaii.
Do the preceding two paragraphs give you an idea of who the Chinese are?
The Chinese will not take any crap from us and incidently can kick our ass around the block now. They have WMD and who knows, maybe some fool of a Chinese president might get it in his head to come to the USA and take away our weapons of mass destruction. Or maybe, they will invade with hundreds or millions of troops to "liberate" us so we can become communists like them. They really don't need to do much as they presently own us pretty much lock stock and barrel. The Chinese produce most of the raw materials and parts that feed our war machines anyway.
In order to evolve to the next level, to make things right, to make them pono, we have to own different values and actively promote them as us. We ca't be W anymore if only because it is dangerous to provide others with more of our careless exploitative example.
If things are really going to change then we must not embrace war as a way to solve disputes. Period. And no more exploitation of one nation of people by another. That would make things pono.