or Powell's or me• • •
"Mike and Jon, Jon and Mike—I've known them both for years, and, clearly, one of them is very funny. As for the other: truly one of the great hangers-on of our time."—Steve Bodow, head writer, The Daily Show
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"Who can really judge what's funny? If humor is a subjective medium, then can there be something that is really and truly hilarious? Me. This book."—Daniel Handler, author, Adverbs, and personal representative of Lemony Snicket
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"The good news: I thought Our Kampf was consistently hilarious. The bad news: I’m the guy who wrote Monkeybone."—Sam Hamm, screenwriter, Batman, Batman Returns, and Homecoming
April 02, 2008
New Tomdispatch
Empire or Humanity?
What the Classroom Didn't Teach Me About the American Empire
By Howard ZinnWith an occupying army waging war in Iraq and Afghanistan, with military bases and corporate bullying in every part of the world, there is hardly a question any more of the existence of an American Empire. Indeed, the once fervent denials have turned into a boastful, unashamed embrace of the idea.
However, the very idea that the United States was an empire did not occur to me until after I finished my work as a bombardier with the Eighth Air Force in the Second World War, and came home...
When, after the war, I went to college under the G.I. Bill of Rights and took courses in U.S. history, I usually found a chapter in the history texts called "The Age of Imperialism." It invariably referred to the Spanish-American War of 1898 and the conquest of the Philippines that followed. It seemed that American imperialism lasted only a relatively few years...
I recall the classroom map (labeled "Western Expansion") which presented the march across the continent as a natural, almost biological phenomenon. That huge acquisition of land called "The Louisiana Purchase" hinted at nothing but vacant land acquired. There was no sense that this territory had been occupied by hundreds of Indian tribes which would have to be annihilated or forced from their homes -- what we now call "ethnic cleansing" -- so that whites could settle the land, and later railroads could crisscross it, presaging "civilization" and its brutal discontents...
—Jonathan Schwarz
Posted at April 2, 2008 10:01 AMNo treatment of the Civil War mentioned the Sand Creek massacre of hundreds of Indian villagers in Colorado just as "emancipation" was proclaimed for black people by Lincoln's administration.
During the 70s(?) I had occasion to be bored, and read "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee". At some point also saw the movie "Soldier Blue" that was sort of an alternate (fictionalized) presentation. Then there was "Fire in the Lake" and "The 10,000 Day War" and "Vietnam: a History". All those allowed for an alternate reality to creep in. Perhaps I should have had a professor to guide me in those readings, but alas, not all are cut out for privileged handholding. Sometimes we draw the wrong conclusions not having that important mentorship. Still somehow found the works of Zinn, Blum and Chomsky. (Sounds like a law firm, no?)
The country that was once proclaimed an "empire lite" has proven increasingly light-headed. The country once hailed as a power greater than that of imperial Rome or imperial Britain, a dominating force beyond anything ever seen on the planet, now can't seem to make a move in its own interest that isn't a disaster.
I know it's pedestrian to appreciate Randy Newman, but what the heck -- back in the 70s his album "Sail Away" was THE standard to give the alternate POV. Classics like "Sail Away' (the song) and "Political Science" (the song), are a smack on the forehead with a ballpeen, but because they're painful, they don't sell for shit. Check them out on you tube.
Recently, Randy went back and addressed the question of American Empire/Imperialism with A Few Words In Defense Of Our Country. It's a great song from my perspective, but the most amusing part is reading reviews from people that expected Toby Keith/Lee Greenwood anthems and wanted their 99 cents back from iTunes.
Uh, not quite boys.
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One of my favorite jokes/observations is from an article on Randy Newman in Rolling Stone. Something along the lines of:
You know what would make Americans happy? A million blacks swimming the Atlantic back to Africa. With a Jew under each arm.
Oh, that cracks me up every time.
Posted by: angryman@24:10 at April 2, 2008 12:46 PMIRAQ--- The Umpire Strikes Out
Posted by: Mike Meyer at April 2, 2008 02:38 PMI really need to get back on my project of getting everyone I know to read A People's History of the United States.
Posted by: Dayv at April 4, 2008 08:03 AM
