The U.S. Totalitarianism

Ironic behaviour or predetermined procedure, it seems that U.S. has understood the paranoia of Stalin himself. As most of you probably know, Totalitarianism is a term commonly used in order to define Communism or Fascism, yet more often referred to Stalin’s 5 years plan in URSS.

The term itself made its first appearance in early 20^th century, to define Italia fascism but on the contrary to today’s use of the word, it was positive propaganda. By definition, the totalitarian rule is a concept used to describe any political system where a state regulates every aspect of public and private life. There are four basic pillars to that regime and once they are implanted, it seems to be rather hard to get rid of it, yet not impossible (see how Gorbatchev destroyed totalitarianism because he was too…”Communist” to use the terms of Martin Malia in an anonymous article published in 1990…ironic…) .

One unique political party that controls the state

The United States have two official parties. They have the Green party and a few others but like in most Western Representative Democracy, very few manage to be known or heard of. (See control of State controlled Mass Media). So we have the democrats, and the republicans. Both parties standing in the right wing, Republicans are conservatives while the democrats are considered liberal. Both stand for Capitalism and make sure the U.S. remain to the political right wing. The well-known Elections of 2000 or even 2004, prove that even if the population choose one candidate, there are easy ways for the administration to ignore those facts in order to maintain their people in power.

State controlled Mass Media

The most watched cabled news channel in the U.S. is Fox News. I can’t blame the population for falling for that sort of propaganda because disinformation easy to understand, presented in eye-catching graphics and offering a show before anything else. (For those of Quebec, it’s pretty much like TQS news, enhanced 10 times). Fox News was created in 1996 by Rupert Murdoch who strongly believed that the information presented to the public was strongly democrat-influenced. As such, he declared his station as “fair and balanced” and to those who might not have noticed: strongly supports the republicans. By using the slogan “fair and balanced” it gives the idea to the population that they are being fed real information from both sides while everything presented to them has been dictated by the Headquarters, to represent a single point of view. Reporters and Interviewers don’t have a problem with interrupting their guest or telling them to “shut up” (Best example being the well-known O’Reilly) if they attempt to talk of matters that could be annoying to the Republican Party. Studies have also proven that the people, who watch Fox News, take positions on the republican side on various topics with a strong majority, compared to those watching CBS or other stations. It is clearly a manipulation from the state, in order to spread lies, terror and propaganda. Also, on all major news channels, you won’t hear about the communist party or the green party. When you do, it will be really short segments due to something major.

Centralisation of the Economy

Some will think that I will shoot myself in the foot by saying this but…the U.S. Economy is centralised. While not run by the government, it is held with a firm grasp by the private bankers. Also in most totalitarian states it’s the government who has full power, in the U.S.; it’s the bankers. The government is also a puppet to that small group of economic elites who decide the faith and future of the country. Nonetheless, it’s interesting to notice that the government support an anti-constitutional tax on income ruled by the IRS, while there is no law forcing a citizen to declare his incomes to the government. Yet, if a citizen doesn’t, he will have the IRS forcing his way into his life, terrorising his family until he pays or loses everything. Many have their houses sized or end in prison because they haven’t filled their form, or don’t manage to pay their taxes. The IRS even attempts to declare that the Supreme Court of the United States means nothing when it declares that the 16 amendment considers incomes as a profit or gain of a company, not an individual. Hence, companies can be taxed, not citizens. Interestingly enough, taxing the population brings nearly 5 times more incomes to the Government than taxing the companies. In order to have citizens compel to this unknown and unwritten law, the free country’s government will stand behind the IRS code of hundreds of pages to read, while the constitution and everything related to the rights of citizens stand on a few pages. Believing bluntly what they are told, they will look into the code and give up, instead of looking through their rights. If you ask people around you, they will tell you that you need to pay tax on incomes for education, roads or other services, yet there are so many taxes on everything already that there is no need for this tax at all. Education is paid with house taxes, roads with gas taxes, etc. The Government knows exactly how much you earn, and with new technologies, start to know exactly what you are buying as well.

Mass Surveillance

From the CIA to the FBI, adding up with the Patriot act and other powers presidents have given themselves, the terror propaganda of 2001 did a wonderful job in order to ease their investigations of the U.S. people. Families have accepted that the states might listen on their phone calls, on their Internet communications or historic of navigation on the web. They are also accepting to have secret FBI agents in their kitchen meetings unknowingly, even if it’s only to talk about peace and eat cookies.

This isn’t a brand new behaviour of the government, quite the opposite. In the 50’s until the 80’s, various groups of investigations were created to infiltrate small organizations of those fighting for freedom. As such, the Weather men later called Weather Underground were on constant monitoring, just like the Black Panthers, the Communists, or other left-winged groups. “Fred” who was charismatic leader of the Black Panthers was murdered by the FBI during his sleep, because he was a “threat to national security”. From 1947 to 1953, Joseph McCarthy declared a war on the “red” which was called the “Red Scare”. This was clearly an attempt to silence the freedom of speech of the population and people were strongly advised to report anyone expressing political or social opinions considered wrong to his (McCarthy’s) perception. It was also the birth of the Hollywood Ten, constituted of producers, authors, etc, who were taken by the House Un-American Activities Committee, to answer questions. They refused to say if they had been, were or not part of the Communist Party, claiming their right (1^st amendment of the U.S. Constitution) which earned them years in prison and a ban of the cinema industry. All of them had a really hard time finding work and the fact that they weren’t able to get food on their tables forced some to revise their position. For example, Edward Dmytryk gave to the HUAC the name of 66 personalities approving either by membership or ideals, the communist party. Right after that, he got employed again in Hollywood studios yet it’s obvious that it was an enormous failure for the freedom of the citizens of the U.S.

Also, more recently, a family in Florida accepted to have a chip implanted in their body which act like small GPS. Those idiots think they will be more secure that way, yet of course, they seem to forget that their every actions are now monitored by the state, and those chips will soon be implanted in passports, driving license and other items that are carried around. Unknowingly for most, they will see their freedom going away in no time as the states will be able to tell everything that they do (chips), say (spies and recording of phone calls, adding to other methods mentioned). There will be only their thoughts left and then, I doubt anyone will be able to do anything to know if anyone agrees with them or not, by fear of being punished by the state’s agents.

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The U.S. has become exactly what they have fought against and I doubt it’s a simple irony. In fact, my theory is that the elite have been impressed by the power, the control, and the influence of totalitarianism. They have fought it because it was in the hand of the left wing, to better apply it to the right wing. Considering that Capitalism has failed and will keep failing, the only way to maintain people in the ignorance, and control a possible revolution, is now to push their philosophy further by apply those principles.

Like everywhere else where the Western representative democracy applies, the population has been put asleep and if they don’t wake up anytime soon, it will be too late to do anything about it. We keep waiting for things to get worse, or hoping for better with a change of leadership but the fact remains that our very structure isn’t working. As long as the population won’t take its responsibility as a group, for the future of humanity, there will be nothing else than slavery gradually heading back toward all rights to the masters, no right to the slaves.

Private life is a right, not a privilege. Defend it.

- Sabbi

Relation U.S.A – Cuba: My blunt explanation

To sum it up: The United States’ pride is hurt.

Oof. I can already see those anti-castro people throw bananas at me from their warm coast in Florida. Mouhaha. Well, yes it’s true. Let’s go through history and have a good laugh, shall we?

So! Early 18^th century, Cuba which was still a Spanish colony and the North American mainland began to do some illegal trading in order to elude colonial taxes. More this pattern went on, and more Cuba became prosperous. Obviously, the States really liked sugar and tobacco! Eventually Spain opened Cuban ports to North American commerce officially and the colony became highly dependent on trade.

Then, around 1820, you have Thomas Jefferson who realizes the potential of Cuba and states “the most interesting addition which could ever be made to our system of States” while John C. Calhoun, Secretary of war (no less!) declares that the United States “ought, at the first possible opportunity, to take Cuba”. Oooh, already, the intents are starting to show. They were even talking of an annexation of Cuba within half a century.

Around 1877, the United Stated represented about 82% of Cuba’s total exports. That sort of power gave to the US a control over prices and of course, production levels. It has been noted by some traveller that “The trade of the country is falling into the hands of foreigners, Havana will soon be as American as New Orleans.” Americans were moving in, and tried to abuse the weak economy of the country during the Ten Years’ War. Obviously, things haven’t changed that much…

Around the rebel war of independence of 1897, William McKinley (US President) offered to buy Cuba for $320 million. The rejection of the offer along with an explosion that sunk one of the US battleship, led to the Spanish-American War which has been closed with the signature of the Treaty of Paris. It meant that finally, Cuba was no more a colony of Spain but was pretty close to becoming part of the U.S. In order to succeed, the US-owned “Island of Cuba Real Estate Company” opened for business to sell Cuban land to Americans. HAHA. Also, U.S. military was on the island until Cuba was finally granted formal independence, in 1902. Is it me or the patterns REALLY didn’t change changed in over a century?

Anyway! We all know the U.S. wouldn’t have withdrawn for no reason or with no gain. As such, Cuba had to sign the Platt Amendment which basically stated that the U.S. government could intervene in Cuban political, economic and military affairs if necessary. That Amendment was to be respected for the next 33 years and needless to say that most Cubans didn’t like it at all. Another consequence of the amendment gave the States continued use of the southern portion of Guantanamo Bay, where the United States Naval Station was established.

In 1912, U.S. forces returned to Cuba to quell protests by Afro-Cubans against discrimination. Around 1926, 60% of the Cuban sugar industry was owned by U.S. Companies, 95% of the total Cuban crop was imported. In 1933, the rebels overthrew the government in place and Roosevelt panicked. He ordered 29 warships to Cuba and Key West, and warned U.S. Marines for use if necessary. The rebel leader assumed presidency of the island and immediately nullified the Platt Amendment. That was the beginning of “Cuba’s communist! Cuba’s irresponsible!” cries from the U.S., as they refused to recognize the new president’s government.

General Batista was a close friend of the U.S. and when he became President of Cuba for two terms, he made sure the two countries would co-operate as much as possible. Batista’s second spell as President is known to be initiated by a military coup planned in Florida, and President Truman quickly acknowledged Batista’s return and offered military and economic aide. Basically, the U.S. were dominating Cuba at that time, through private U.S.-owned companies. Still, we recognize the imperialist habit.

We also have this wonderful quote that was said while Castro took over Cuba with the rebels, that was said by U.S. State advisor William Wieland: “I know Batista is considered by many as a son of a bitch…but American interests come first… at least he was our son of a bitch.” So…great!

So in 1959, when the great Cuban revolution was finally over and Batista’s government was disbanded, President Eisenhower officially recognized the new Cuban government but quickly started to get worried about the large reforms and nationalization of US-owned industries. Who wouldn’t be! You treat people wrong, the abused says ok, that’s enough, go back home. Here, take a few pennies for the trouble. At least we will be happy and we’ll finally work to benefit our economy, not yours.

So when Castro met with Vice-president Nixon, he outlined his reform plans for Cuba. The U.S. started to freak out, seeing how it would be a threat to the U.S. business relation with the island. They started to restrict relations with Cuba at that time. In fact, Ambassador Bonsal met Fidel Castro to express “serious concern at the treatment being given to American PRIVATE INTERESTS in Cuba both agriculture and utilities.” You have to understand that, at that time, everything or so, was U.S. owned, any country that wants a bit of independency, got to take control of what she produces in order to be self-sufficient and not clingy to some other, just like the child has to eventually move out of the parents’ house and earn his own money to covers his own needs.

As Castro continued to reform things, trade restrictions on Cuba increased. Eventually, it reached a point where the island got in huge problems since they were unable to get petrol or other important resources. The U.S. Embargo got more and more prominent and Eisenhower authorized from behind closed doors the CIA to organize, train and equip Cuban refugees as a guerilla force to overthrow Castro. In 1960, the embargo was completed since every single time Cuba’s government was nationalizing a U.S.-owned company, the U.S. government was taking countermeasures. As a result, Cuba found new allies in the Soviet Union.

It’s hard to skip the beautiful failure of about 1500 CIA Cuban exiles trying to invade the island from the Bay of the Pigs. Kennedy declaring publically his responsibility for the event, pissed off the Cubans and they literally kicked the invaders out. Needless to say that the United States wouldn’t take that as a small offense, and they started to plan more and more ways to overthrow their neighbour’s government. Failure as the ultimate signature, all the next presidents tried to have Castro murdered, for a total of -638- times! Funny when you think that he just retired because he is actually greatly ill, and it’s by no mean because of the States.

So when we hear that the U.S. government still spends, in 2008, millions of dollars to try to conquer Cuba, with wronged propaganda filled with lies, insane plans and preparation of coup against their leadership…we can easily conclude that the U.S. still doesn’t accept the defeat. Thanks to Obama though, if he does manage to get elected, that stupid Embargo and manipulation of other countries will finally stop. Because not only are the U.S. snubbing Cuba and trying to get involved in what doesn’t concern them, but they also threaten other countries to stop business with them or punish them for dealing with Cuba.

Of course, Canada being on the top list of those doing business with Cuba, and first provider of oil for the U.S. …I guess they are choosing who they are snubbing. After all, American interests come first!

Cuba, will never be part of the United States so now, please, stop acting like children, damn presidents! Also, if you will excuse me…I will go wait by the door, the CIA should arrive soon…

-Sabbi