This has been a discomfiting year for me.
Too many friends died. Perhaps by the power of suggestion, or just the grinding forces of time and nature, I have become keenly aware of my own years piling up as the unwilling compromises of age accrue in body and mind. My job has begun to eat away at my soul. And, more than ever, I feel hope dissipating like a doomed cumulus cloud in June—too early for the monsoon, isolated and ultimately overwhelmed by the withering sun.
All of which is quite holiday-maudlin, I guess, but that last thought is not necessarily a bad one. Hope has its place, but too often, it serves as a palliative narcotic for the defeated. Considering the state of the planet and the decay of our American empire, this is no time for hope. This is a time for grim determination, or nothing.
Empires die like people: The decline is not necessarily an obvious progression, and it often goes unnoticed internally—or at least unacknowledged—until it reaches the proportions of crisis. Lately, the clues have been hard to ignore, as our dirty diplomatic laundry writhes in the breeze for all to see, and we offer up our corporeal “junk” to be fondled by uniformed strangers in return for the illusion of aviation safety.
Between the endless ads for diamonds, electronics and digitalized automotive fantasies imploring you to internalize the nonsense that your life is meaningless without the trappings of wealth and power, perhaps you have noticed lengthening cracks in the American façade, the imperial edifice listing slightly, the brittle plaster of our democracy littering the ground.
The cyberwars that Pentagon gearheads and professional paranoiacs at the CIA warned of have begun. Unfortunately, as is too often the case lately, the United States is on the wrong side of the fence. It’s not just that our diplomats have been exposed subjecting foreign dignitaries to some very undignified intrusions—collecting biometric samples, no less, like some creep who follows you into a restroom, tweezers in hand, seeking little bodily bits with which to compromise your privacy once and for all—it is also the spectacle of a small army of anonymous hackers boldly scrambling to preserve free speech and democracy on a global scale, while the erstwhile copyright-holder of such romantic notions seeks to crush not just their efforts, but all voices of dissent.
As the flow of Wikileaks threatens to overtop the tub, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton increasingly resembles the pathetic little manipulator in the Land of Oz who is suddenly exposed and can only squeal, “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!” The president’s mouthpieces mouth “peace” while their boss leads us into a global war, in the process demonstrating a profound disrespect for the people alongside whom we are fighting and the principles we purport to be upholding. In climate talks, the U.S. continues to evade the burden of global climate disruption, choosing instead to blame and punish the poor nations of the world for the fallout of an industrial revolution that made our nation incalculably wealthy while relegating their nations to serfdom in the global marketplace.
The official response to such revelations is arguably more disturbing than the crimes committed. As with the torture scandals, our government stubbornly refuses to accept responsibility, preferring instead to ignore the facts at hand and rely upon absurd denials and twisted rationalizations. It’s an unprecedented degree of hubris and a new paradigm of moral relativity. Any government that refuses to be held accountable for such despicable violations of international protocol—not to mention common decency—can be counted on to repeat its crimes again and again.
It is often the case that the more one has, the more one is afraid to lose. In this king-of-the-hill context, it’s no wonder that we let fear rule our politics and our minds. Perhaps it’s time that we come to the realization that being the world’s sole superpower is not good for one’s physical, mental or spiritual health. We need professional help—or, at the very least, the wise counsel of some kind-hearted Yoda in a dripping cave somewhere.
Admitting that we have a problem seems like a good first step. Then, rather than fooling ourselves with imaginary finery and the pretense that we are without sin—and therefore qualified to cast stones all around the world—we could come right out and state that our empire is indeed naked, our actions have been wrong, and we’d like to apologize and make amends. What a holiday gift to the world that would be.
This article appears in Dec 23-29, 2010.
Randy,
This artical almost makes me want to cry! – I can’t believe that you can bear to live in this country for the wrongs that we created and have to live with the wrongs that were done here. I feel so sorry for you.
Have you thought about relocating your dumbass over to Iran or North Korea? . or maybe sneak across the border into Mexico where the grass is greaner and there are pretty pink flowers everywhere and everyone loves you.
What have you done for the USA to think that you deserve to publish something like this. You should get out of our country while you still can.
Thanks for the reality check, Randy Serraglio.
You article is well written and to the point.
The corrupt corporate goons have bought our politicians and stolen our country and it goes right over the head of dim bulbs such as Vic in Tucson. America operates as an evil empire: Corruption, massive theft, injustice, lies, invading other countries and supporting thugs in other countries to keep our criminal wars going.
As you said, empires die. More and more people are seeing that the America we were taught to believe in no longer exists.
You liberal dumbasses tear me up. TX Jesse maybe you should go with Randy.
The world is full of conquered countries and Mexico is one of them. Like the Native Americans, if they hadn’t been so busy fighting amongst themselves at the time, things MIGHT have been different. EVERYBODY GOT THAT?
*yawn* bore *yawn*
There is only room for one Imperialist at a time and I just thank that dude God that it’s America in my lifetime.
I’m with Vic in Tucson. Heck, I will even chip in for the tickets!
I’m sure these are ‘faux-news’ inductees—in denial, with jaded unwillingness to believe that the ‘imperial’?-Nation could possibly do anything wrong…This is NOT an Imperial nation-I don’t believe that was the goal. I’m sure your Mantra is ‘Only We can do unto others-as long as we do it to them first’ / Perish the thought anyone or Nation should resist or Defend itself-or at the very worst ‘Hold up a Looking-Glass’ so that we may see the ‘Dorian’ Image We have created but are too Horrified to Acknowledge…Nation of Hypocrites in Denial!
After serving in the Navy for twenty years, and traveling the world-over a few times, I cannot help but say we are fortunate to live here in the USA. By no means is that an assertion that America is perfect or even near perfect. However, with any of our faults gathered and counted, we are still a nation worthy of the admiration we so often receive. One of our presidents quipped that there is nothing wrong with the US that cannot be righted by the ingenuity and talents of Americans (paraphrased). I believe that is true! Do your part to make a positive difference in the lives of the people in your community. Bit by bit, you will experience the nation Jimmy Carter referred to as being built upon the best human rights principles. The US is quite all right!
There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America.
Bill Clinton
I feel your pain. While I agree that all countries have their atrocities, I don’t believe that to be an excuse for our own. We were supposed to be different. Excellence, and holding one’s self to higher standards is just beyond many now. Mediocrity is what replaces it.
The comments here tell me that those ideals were betrayed long ago. “I got mine, you get yours”. Yeah, right.
When it finally does end for us (and it will, because all things end eventually), it will probably be no more than we deserve. Though I was kinda hoping to make it at least as long as the Egyptians, or even the Romans.
Pity.
So sorry, I reread your article looking for a shred of shrewdness and noticed you did miss an important historical observation, however.
Where the English colonized there was prosperity. Where ever the Spanish went there was poverty. I’m only generalizing the point so ‘The Breed’ can catch on.
Your “historical observation” is influenced by no small amount of racism, I think.
Well earned sterotypes are…well earned.
YesSiree Bob and Vic in Tucson,
How ’bout y’all get back to us when you work up the conviction and courage to attach your name to your opinion, that way we will know that it actually means something and should be taken seriously; I mean the faulty logic, racsism, and poor grammar notwithstanding; of course.
Robert Alexander Dumas
Vic in Tucson is right on the money. Randy, don’t let the door hit you in the rear as you board the plane for Cuba or Venezuela. Go apologise over there. Our country finds itself today where it is because of the misdeeds of Left-wing Libs (and some RINO’s) in government.