Every nation has its own mythology, its own legends, its own story. Often, those legends come in the form of weaponry - weapons capable of summoning the lightning, cutting rivers, and defeating evil. Sadly, the power of one of the United States' great weapons was lost long ago...but it may yet be recovered.
These legendary weapons are nothing to sneer at - they say much about their nations and national identity.
| For Britain, it's Excalibur - the magical sword first given to Arthur Pendragon by the Lady of the Lake and currently wielded by Dr. Faiza Hussein. Excalibur's scabbard offers its bearer some measure of defense; when unsheathed, Excalibur generates a blinding light. Excalibur is unbreakable so long as used for justice.
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| For Norway, it's Mjolnir - Thor's enchanted war hammer. Only Thor can lift and wield Mjolnir. Thor may use it to summon lightning, wind, and rain. The hammer comes to Thor when he summons it and it will return to him after he throws it. |
| In the Land of the Rising Sun, it's Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, which can direct the wind in the direction in which it is swung. |
So what are the weapons of the United States? One is undoubtedly Captain America's shield - made of nearly unbreakable, energy-absorbing vibranium, it works both as a weapon and as a defensive measure. If properly wielded, the shield's vibranium composition allows it to be used like a large, ricocheting discus.
The other legendary American weapon is the Big Stick, first wielded by President Theodore Roosevelt. The Big Stick's power primarily lay in its ability to beat back corporations - particularly monopolies and trusts. Using the Big Stick, President Roosevelt increased regulation of railroads, food, and drugs. When struck with the Big Stick, Standard Oil was shattered.
Later presidents would continue to protect the American people from greedy corporations using the Big Stick - the American Tobacco Company was smashed with the Big Stick by President Taft; AT&T was broken up in 1982 after nearly a decade of battle; Addyston Pipe and Steel Company could not escape the Big Stick, despite taking their case all the way to the Supreme Court; the National Linseed Oil Trust was dissolved after being smacked with the Big Stick.
However, it is no secret that the power of the Big Stick has been lost. We now tolerate monopolies like Microsoft and oligopolies like the health insurance industry and the banking industry. Corporate power and wealth is at an all-time high while ordinary Americans continue to struggle, suffer, and even die. When corporations stumble, sometimes they can persuade us to rescue them. Their power is so great that they can control our representatives by showering them with cash.
This situation must not stand. The Big Stick is presumably still in the White House. Perhaps President Bush used it as a coat rack. The laws that gave the Big Stick its power are still on the books. There is no reason whatsoever that President Obama cannot wield the Big Stick once more and use it to put corporate America back in its place. We have seen inklings that this mighty weapon may have returned - dramatic cuts in pay for executives at bailed-out firms and an end to the antitrust exemption for health insurance companies. This is a decent start, but corporate America has been running wild for far too long.
Contact President Obama and ask him to find the Big Stick, polish it nicely, and then start swinging.
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