A Toast to American Independence: July 4th Waging War on six countries in two continents

Two Hundred and thirty five years ago today-I'll check that
figure after my triple shot of expresso Americano(my drug)...on this day
a revolutionary document was produced by the leaders of the revolutionary
movement. That document is known as 'The Unanimous Declaration of the
Thirteen United States of America.'

Whilst there was a celebratory mood in towns and cities that got word
of the Declaration it was under the the eyes of the British administration and
military. The propertied and moneyed classes of the colonies were declaring
their independence from the occuppying power Great Britain. This was no small
matter; at that time the British army was the most formidable army on the planet.

July 4th was not a cause for celebration for three groups. One was those
African men, women and children who were held hostage in slavery. Though the Declaration states '‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.’ The framers of the Declaration and later the Constitution did not intend to extend
the same reight to African slaves, or indentured servants.

A little known fact of American history is that many who came to the
colonies had to serve a period of between three and six years working without
pay for families.

The framers of the Declaration were acutely aware of the contradiction
between the espoused values and beliefs of the Declaration and the reality
of slavery.

There was another group that was hugely affected by the Declaration, and
they do not celebrate Independence Day. They are Native Americans. The victory
of the colonists guaranteed the rapid expansionb across the continent, and the
ethnic cleansing and almost complete genocide of Native peoples.

Red Cloud of the Lakota Sioux once said "The white man made us many
promises - more than I can remember, but he never kept but one: he promised
to take our land - and he took it". As each Indian tribe was conquered they
were put into concentration camps that are politely called 'Reservations.'
They are an eary version of Gaza.

America was made much like the colonies in Central and South America,
Australia, New Zealand, the islands of the Caribbean, and later Rhodesia (now
Zimbabwe), South Africa and Israel. Ethnic cleansing of the native population
was the manner in which those countries were formed.

American history books do not teach much of the truth. Just as in Vietnam
where I served as part of an occupying force, or Iraq, Libya...everywhere that
American armies are sent they are not conquerers; we are humanitarians helping people. That's what I thought at first in Vietnam, but I came to realize that
'we weren't the 'good guys.'

And so on this July Fourth, 2011 whilst America's leaders will sing the
praises of American style democracy and freedom America is waging wars and occupying at least six countries: Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya (President OBOMBA says this is not a war), Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen. Those are the ones listed by most commentators, but I would add a seventh country to that list Palestine, and in particular Gaza, for America largely funds the Israeli military.

So, let's also no forget Lebanon, Bahrain...

But, Hey it's Independence Day so go on out and have a barbecue and fry something because American weapons will be frying human beings on this day, and dropping Depleted Uranium and Cluster Bombs in Libya to save the Libya people.

A Toast to American Independence!

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