"f*ck yeah, America"

I saw this video on a blog entitled "Train Wreck in Maxwell." It is a conservative blog run by a man named Kurt in Texas.

The video is captioned, "not for pantywaste libs or other Hate-America-First types."

I watched it anyway, non-pantywaste that I am, lover of American ideals that I am.

It is a video of clips of American soldiers breaking down doors in Iraq, pointing their guns at terrified inhabitants. While these scenes are playing out, a loud rock song plays, whose chorus is "f*ck yeah, America!" I think I heard a line about immigrants -- is it a racist punk song? Is there such a thing?

And I ask myself: so I, who oppose such brutality, am considered to "hate" America? If this is true, in Kurt's mind, then what is the character of the "America" I supposedly hate? An America which glories in violence, attacking others for the fun of it, an America turned on by the power of a gun in the hand?

This is not America. Or rather, it is not a part I tolerate. But it exists, a nationalist extreme right that hides its face behind the bland faces of mainstream conservative leaders.

One has to wonder how many supporters of Bush's war think this way. How many support this invasion and occupation, listening to the propaganda about helping and caring for the Iraqis, but all the while snickering with glee at the chance to kill and maim and get paid for it? How many such people put the lie to the government propaganda about this war? And yet, how many such "conservatives" (actually they are nihilists, radicals, not real conservatives) do not have the courage to speak up and tell mainstream Americans: this is who we are. This is why we love this war. This blood makes us happy.

Why do these people keep their racism and hatred veiled? Would Kurt have the courage to tell strangers on the street that he loves the feeling of American might raping Iraq? That he enjoys watching the fear in Iraqi faces as they are roused from sleep, bullied by men with guns?

Maybe if we had such honesty -- if the oily sheen of "humanitarianism" and "Christian compassion" were skimmed off the putrid water of extreme nationalism that lies below -- would Americans rouse themselves to end this immoral and cowardly war.

Unfortunately, too many veils cover this essential truth. The mainstream media, still obedient to this government, does not show viewers dead Iraqis or Americans. And the mainstream media does not show us the ugly truth of the many nihilists who make up Bush's base of support. Again, the media is complicit with the powers that be: they do not follow an ideology. They simply follow the dollar signs!

Gently, gently, are we rocking our way to the precipice. How the rocking motion lulls us, how our lullabies of ease and comfort mask the growing sound of water thundering over the edge. . .