And thanks to everybody who left me blog comments, you guys rule.
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In America, the flag has replaced the need for religion. Indeed, we are finding ourselves in a new dictatorship that is not all unsimilar to the Mussolini and Hitler-esque cult of personality. But instead of a man embodying the ideological representations of a country, he has been replaced by a rectangular piece of cloth featuring fifty stars and twelve red and white stripes.
Whereas in Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy school-children were required to pledge allegiance to Il Duce or Der Führer, a more chilling battle-cry emerges from their fragile eggshell minds:
Whereas in Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy school-children were required to pledge allegiance to Il Duce or Der Führer, a more chilling battle-cry emerges from their fragile eggshell minds:
"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America".
The American Flag has replaced the President as the new ideological catalyst that guides the most powerful nation on earth. No more will people ask themselves "WWJD?" (What Would Jesus Do?) but instead will base their daily decisions and actions according to what the American Flag would do.
Flash forward to twenty-odd years and the Orwellian nightmare has become complete. The World Trade Organization, the PMRC and the corrupt law-enforcement institutions employ the television networks to keep the sheeple in line. It is eight 'o' clock in the evening; Prime Time. The American Nuclear Family sit around their idiot-box and the courageous bugle of the United States Military pours out of the speakers.
"At nine PM, Jay Leno speaks to Joey Lawrence about his upcoming film, but first a PSA from the Provider"
Fade in to the American flag. A Big-Brother-esque figure appears from nowhere. The family stand up and place their right hands over their hearts. Simultaneously, and throughout the country; a single, brainwashed cry emerges from the mouths of each American:
"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America."
Flash forward to twenty-odd years and the Orwellian nightmare has become complete. The World Trade Organization, the PMRC and the corrupt law-enforcement institutions employ the television networks to keep the sheeple in line. It is eight 'o' clock in the evening; Prime Time. The American Nuclear Family sit around their idiot-box and the courageous bugle of the United States Military pours out of the speakers.
"At nine PM, Jay Leno speaks to Joey Lawrence about his upcoming film, but first a PSA from the Provider"
Fade in to the American flag. A Big-Brother-esque figure appears from nowhere. The family stand up and place their right hands over their hearts. Simultaneously, and throughout the country; a single, brainwashed cry emerges from the mouths of each American:
"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America."
The battle for hearts and minds has been won by extracting the hearts and minds of the People and replacing them with pre-programmed microchips set to one directive: obey, buy and fear. The American flag must be obeyed. Do not desecrate the American flag, lest ye be punished. Stand up like a proud American and shout out your submission to a rectangular piece of fabric swaying in the artificial wind. Men have died for this flag. To hell with ideals. The concept of fighting for democracy and freedom was shunted. Men have fought and died for this rectangular piece of fabric; all the while reciting the same fundamentalist chant in their heads:
"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America."
What next? "I pledge allegiance to Nike, and their kick-ass basketball shoes that helped Kobe win the Playoffs"? Or how about "I pledge allegiance to Ronald McDonald"? Nevermind Ronald Reagan; he's long gone. How long until the American flag becomes a trademark? How long until every American is required to own an American flag, disregarding the fact it was made in Korea similar to in Nazi Germany, where every German citizen was required to own a copy of Mein Kampf? How long until the Orwellian nightmare described above becomes true?
We already had the scandal over burning the American Flag during the eighties and nineties. Throughout the country, people were asking each other 'is it okay to burn the flag'? Nevermind serious ethical and moral issues, nevermind foreign relations and poverty; we need to know whether or not burning a rectangular piece of cloth is legal or not. This is the ideological dictatorship Americans are living in, where a deliberate campaign of ignorance is issued through the Idiot-boxes in order to keep the People planted in front of the TV, drooling.
Welcome to 1984, the next generation. You are free... to do what they tell you.
I pledge allegiance. Not to the American Flag, but what it stands for: freedom; not to do what they tell you, but freedom of choice.
Stay sane,
James
We already had the scandal over burning the American Flag during the eighties and nineties. Throughout the country, people were asking each other 'is it okay to burn the flag'? Nevermind serious ethical and moral issues, nevermind foreign relations and poverty; we need to know whether or not burning a rectangular piece of cloth is legal or not. This is the ideological dictatorship Americans are living in, where a deliberate campaign of ignorance is issued through the Idiot-boxes in order to keep the People planted in front of the TV, drooling.
Welcome to 1984, the next generation. You are free... to do what they tell you.
I pledge allegiance. Not to the American Flag, but what it stands for: freedom; not to do what they tell you, but freedom of choice.
Stay sane,
James
