A response to James ShockleyAmerica isn’t that great [Archives:2005/817/Opinion]

By Alawi Abdulla Abu Bakir
[email protected]
Amazing how people write and draw you into the bias and fictional story on how the USA built and saved the world. And on top of that, say, 'we need to talk.' Seems more like, 'let me shove my blind patriotism down your throat.'

Let's look at some of what James. A. Shockley wrote.

“Regarding your editorial, “Misrepresenting Islam, again,” I must say, I am impressed . I have not recently gone into the pages of the Yemen Times to read your opinions. It is always more of the same, i.e., US equals bad, everyone else (except the Jews) is good. As an American this unending rhetoric always seems so ridiculous. Why is there never any room for debate?”

James, have you watched CNN lately and how they portray Islam and Muslims all over world? So, if your country, the USA, has the right to be critics then so do any other country or newspaper from Yemen. It's not debate James wants but “let everyone agree with what I am saying.”

“US taxpayer money at the end of WWII, to the tune of billions of dollars. The same is true of the Philippines, Indonesia, many of the smaller Island nations as well as Japan herself, like Germany, a defeated enemy, rebuilt with U.S. taxpayer money.”

James, looking at the above, you forgot to mention the Hiroshima Bomb. You forget to mention how USA trapped these countries, and they are still trapped with debts and obligation to pay such debts. You forgot to mention how these small countries were carved up, with not just colonialism but also corporate colonialism.

“Now, all of Europe is free.”

James, are you sure? Look at the world today. It's not free but still lives in terror that they have to do exactly what USA tells them to do. You need to listen to the speech Bush said when sworn in for another four years, and how he will do this and that. What we call Third World Order. Then we hear you words about Muslims and how USA helped them, by saying:

“The US intervened when Muslims were being massacred in Yugoslavia, and stopped the killing.”

James, maybe you have also forgotten who gave these very weapons to the ones who Massacred Muslims, and the fact of many a sanctions so that these Muslims cannot fight back, while the USA pumped in the many war weapons to the enemies of these defenseless Muslims. And here we go again, below, in where you tell Yemenis, how USA freed the world:

“Kuwait, another Muslim nation, freed from Saddam troops in 1991.”

Kuwait is still paying the billions for this. Secondly, USA didn't give a damn for Muslims but for the oil. Let's not get into the pathetic debate that USA cared a damn for Muslims. It was also revealed that when this part of the world stopped oil to go to USA, and it caused havoc, USA was willing to wage war on the Muslims. So much for ' Helping because of humanity reasons.”

Give me a break. We've heard this talk for a very long. And your books, who are they written by? By the very people who enslaved millions of black people and then rewrite history in these books. Do you still believe that Columbus discovered America when it was discovered 180 years earlier by Abu Bakari, a man of great empire and wealth.

No, we don't want to count on the very books, much of it, not all, but much of it based on nothing more than patriotic lies! This is one Yemeni that knows his history and the history of your country and other countries. Most of us don't want to live life blindly and call out as Black man in those days who slaved for the white to say, “Yes Sa! You are always right Sa!”

“The stories we hear in the US from our soldiers are heart rending.”

Yes, it is heart wrenching from both sides. One because the war was started by a lie, nothing but a lie. Secondly, Iraq has been hit with bombs and sanctions by USA long before USA invaded Iraq. Thirdly, USA has no choice but to help many countries now.

Bush's image counts on it, more than ever before and much of war is funded by USA because USA has a lot of interests in other countries.

Looking at the Tsunami disaster, where USA stalled while the world dug in. And only later USA went to help. I wonder why they stalled?

In the Second World War, why didn't the USA come in until later, after many sacrificed their lives from all over world. And when victory was won, USA had the arrogance to say they won the war.

And this is the problem James. You like to have USA up there and not take its good. USA, if you are honest have carved, ruined many countries due to their foreign policy. Many not just Muslims but many all over world see Bush and his administration to blame for the Occupation of Palestine.

The USA is the prime example of supporters of Zionists, funded as much as it can from billions of taxpayers' dollars.

USA says one thing and when a wall is built in Occupied Palestine, Bush stays silent and has the arrogance, to award Ariel Sharon, terrorists – “a man of peace.” What kind of moron would say, Ariel Sharon a man of peace?

You would have done USA a favour to acknowledge the many mistakes it's done because I do about Muslims today. Not one country is perfect and no nation today can say they are innocent. But you do see USA as a country that is perfect and holy. And this is where Muslims, and many countries differ with USA.

May there be peace in this world, and may we talk with humility and recognise our mistakes, speak with truth and not patriotic blindness. USA has a lot to answer for but so my fellow Muslims, Yemenis to get active politically and speak out. Especially when Yemeni reporters and editors are being imprisoned and beaten.

Both should talk but be truthful or its just nothing more than – “we are better than you and we save the world.” At least have the decency to be truthful why USA does what it does. This is not Hollywood where USA are always the heroes and UFO's are only sited in USA. This James is the real world.
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