Posted by kid_A on October 8, 2001, at 18:35:26
In reply to A Poem for Everyone - Please Read, posted by Gracie2 on October 8, 2001, at 14:03:45
Okay, first... let me just say this is neither a criticism of the act of posting this bit of literature, nor is it a criticism of anyone's appreciation of it... But I do feel that the literature itself is subject to such criticism... Please don't feel I'm defaming the poster...
Now, about the work in question, first I'll leave it up to the reader to decide weather or not an ab rhyme scheme stylised in the manner of Dr. Seuss is appropriate considering the weight and magnitude of the past, current, and future world events...Second, I'm not sure if the author is aware or not, but there are many reasons why the Palestinians might not like the US, apparently the author was much busier thinking of words that rhyme together than researching why there is a conflict to begin with...
Thrid, despite the fact that the destruction of the WTC means much less symbolicly than Al Qaeda would like to believe, the act itself can not be seperated from the overall feeling of terror that it has invoked in people... this was the main point of the attack in the first place, not just to destroy buildings, but to destroy buildings on our teritory, to instill the notion that no one is safe, wherever they may be...
Again I'll leave it up to the reader to decide if charicaturing Bin Laden as turban clad is mildly racist or not... He is a ruthless agressor and a defamation to the Islamic religion, but when we start talking about turbans and start making cartoons of our foes, its only a few steps away from racism...
Last, and I think this is most important is the idea of "God Bless America"... Everyone is saying "God Bless America", but what does it mean? It is very very important to pay homage and respect and give the utmost aid and assistance to the families that have suffered from the events of September 11th, but how is this connected to "God Bless America"? It's not even an issue, why would someone say the opposite of this? It's jingoism at it's worst, like "support our troops", of course you support the troops, but do you support US policy? Thats the bigger question that gets burried under "God Bless America", who could possibly be against that? Quoting Chomsky, it has about as much relevance as saying do you support the people in Iowa? It's not even a legitimate question that can be answered... Just as "God Bless America" doesnt have any meaning outside of a means to distract people from the policy at hand... and what has gotten us into this mess to begin with and why in the world are we a target for agression? Nobody wan'ts to ask those questions because the national thrust is "God Bless America"... Who could possibly be against that?
....just my 2 cents.
poster:kid_A
thread:12252
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20011006/msgs/12263.html