What does Star Wars III say about Empire?

Did you see this movie, yet, Neo? I'm still digesting it after having seen it on the big screen a week or so after its release in the U.S. a couple of months ago.

Others have commented on the movie's prophetic capture of today's times. George Lucas claims he wrote the script in the 70's near the close of the Vietnam War, and if that's the case, then the man truly is a prophet, right up there with Orwell.

A number of scenes stick in my mind. How about the one where the Galactic Senate is meeting and the Supreme Chancellor has just announced that they are winning the war against the "Separatists" [substitute "terrorists" or "insurgents"] on the Outer Rim of the galaxy, a separatist movement the Chancellor has fueled to suit his own agenda? He also announces that the Jedi Council no longer has any power and brands them as aligned with the "Separatists." Through executive decrees, he basically declares that he is taking over. The Senate erupts in applause. Padme, who is Anakin Skywalker's secret wife and also a member of the Galactic Senate, stares in disbelief and says, "So this is how democracy dies -- with the sound of thunderous applause." Whoa, Nellie!

The movie depicted how the Galactic Senate allowed themselves to be duped into accepting a fascist government through the lies and propaganda of the Supreme Chancellor, soon to become Emperor. Those that went along with his plan I have referred to in an earlier post as "clappers," those who dutifully repeat the party line without a critical thought in their brains or those who reside in a permanent state of mind-controlled hypnosis, all Agents for the Architects to activate at any time.

Anakin, in the process of turning to the dark side and becoming Darth Vader, sounds very much like George Bush, as he tells his beloved mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, "If you're not with me, then you're my enemy." Obi responds with, "You Sith are all alike. You deal in nothing but absolutes." It's black or white. "You're either with me or you're with the terrorists." Oh my! Oh my! That does sound familiar, Dorothy.

The whole plot of Star Wars III has happened many times on this planet, each time on a larger scale. It happened in Nazi Germany, and it is happening in America today. First, an enemy is created, usually outside of the populace on foreign soil -- the "separatists" in Star Wars III rebelling on another planet, the "foreign terrorists who burned the Reichstag" (and later the Hitler-created internal enemy -- the Jews), the Islamic "terrorists" and "insurgents" of this very day. Next, the thinking, questioning and dissenting people are systematically ridiculed, discredited, compromised, eliminated, disappeared or thrown in prison -- the scholars, the activists, the progressives, the scientists who don't conform -- just as the Jedi had to be eliminated in Star Wars III. Finally, all you have left are the clappers, who will go along with whatever Draconian measures are put forth in the name of freedom, democracy and, above all, "security." (Oh, let's definitely don't forget security, Alice!)

The Architects are scaring us into submission with continued acts of terror that they themselves create. Why, Neo? Because they have an agenda. All good Architects have a blue print, everyone knows that. I've talked about some of the agenda in previous posts. Can you say "global domination," Dorothy?

Hitler thought he could rule the world, and so do George Bush and his gang of thugs. Absolute power, corrupts absolutely (forgot who said that, but I think it to be true). The more power the Neocons amass (now in control of all three branches of the U.S. government), the more corrupt they become. Their choice is to destroy the innocent, decent and creative in this world in their lust for power.

Yoda said it best to Anakin when he was trying to warn him that what he feared most to lose would be his downfall, and I'm paraphrasing here, "There are only two choices in this world -- to serve the self (like the Sith) or to serve others (like the Jedi)." Obtaining the power through the dark forces to save his wife (the one thing he feared losing the most) compromised Anakin completely. In the end, he brought about the death of his bride by the very actions he took to prevent her death. Had he stayed to the light and served the whole, held to his Jedi training, he might have prevailed in saving her (or not), but he still would have been serving the whole, rather than his selfish interest in not losing Padme. It's all just a little bit too ironic, don't you think, Neo?

The Architects' greatest fear is getting caught in their lies and losing their power, as they only hold power because of the lies. They continue to create lie, after lie, to cover more lies, and they become more corrupt with each and every lie.

Art imitates life. Life imitates art. Through the looking glass, Alice.

Oil companies' secret meet to slice up Iraq

Lest there be any doubt why we have gone to war in Iraq, it should be made abundantly clear by the following article. (No, Alice, it's not to fight for freedom and democracy. No, Dorothy, it's not to free the Iraqi people from a brutal dictatorship, and, no, Neo, it's not because Saddam had weapons of mass detruction or that he was in any way connected to 9/11 and terrorists. It's none of that.) Yep, it's control of the oil, for the most part, although I think control of the Middle East in general is the ultimate aim.

This June 23 article on The London Line by Tom Burgis pretty much says it all. Here are the first several paragraphs from Iraq: The carve-up begins:

The Iraq war has so far cost America and Britain £105 billion. But the financial clawback is gathering pace as British and American oil giants work out how to get their hands on the estimated £3 trillion worth of oil.

Executives from BP, Shell, Exxon Mobil and Halliburton, Dick Cheney's old firm, are expected to congregate at the Paddington Hilton for a two-day chinwag with top-level officials from Iraq's oil ministry. The gathering, sponsored by the British Government, is being described as the "premier event" for those with designs on Iraqi oil, and will go ahead despite opposition from Iraqi oil workers, who fear their livelihoods are being flogged to foreigners. The Met will be on hand to secure the venue ahead of the conference.

"This is a networking opportunity for UK businesses involved in Iraqi oil," explained Dr. Hussain Rabia, managing director of the consultancy Entrac Petroleum Ltd. "We have the moral support of the UK government. They're bringing the guys over from Iraq, offering them visas. We expect all the big oil companies to be there," he said.

Delegate numbers are described as "confidential." Shell spokesman Simon Buerk would not confirm that a representative of the company would be attending, but said he "wouldn't be at all surprised if they were."

"We aspire to establish a long-term presence in Iraq," he said. "We have been helping the [Iraqi] Ministry of Oil and engineers with training."

Those who have purchased their £1,200 tickets can expect access to executives from Iraq's oil ministry, including Salem Razoky, the director general of exploration.

But Iraqi oil workers are furious about the conference. "The second phase of the war will be started by this conference carving up the industry," said an outraged Hasan Juma'a, head of the Iraqi General Union of Oil Employees. "It is about giving shares of Iraq to the countries who invaded it - they get a piece of the action as a reward.

The British government will back this action in order to pay its debt in Iraq."Hasan, who represents 23,000 skilled oil workers, fears that deals struck at the conference will see profits from Iraq's massive oil reserves - the second richest in the world - lining the pockets of multinational corporations at the expense of the Iraqi people.

Well, I think that about sums it up, Dorothy! Burgis later reports on the protest that was held outside the Paddington Hilton, wherein 60 or so protesters dressed as pirates tried to get inside the building, but, of course, were quickly swept away by security. Here are some of the interview quotes from Pirates raid oil summit:

"These people are inside the Hilton carving up the spoils of war," said Ewa Jasiewicz of the Corporate Pirates, who organised the protest. "The Iraqi workers have reconstructed their industry through three wars and 13 years of sanctions - they don't need help from anyone."

Hani Lazim, an Iraqi from Kirkuk, said Iraqis would resist attempts to sell their resources abroad. "It took Iraqi people over 50 years to reclaim their oil industry. Now the grubby hands have come in again. The war was waged, bringing malnutrition and disease. They won't dare take even a barrel of Iraqi oil."

Despite the government's insistance that no contracts will be signed at the conference, others argue it demonstrates Britain's [and America's, I might add]readiness to profit from the invasion of Iraq. "It proves all the arguments of the anti-war protesters right," said Mark Curtis, director of the World Development Movement.

"The war was about oil. It exposes the government as liars - again."

Right-o, old chap! Business as usual for Bush, Cheney and all of their oil buddies.

And, of course, we heard nothing about this in the state-controlled media here in the U.S. You really have to go outside mainstream sources of U.S. news to get anything that remotely resembles reality. Keep searching, Neo, the real news, the truth, is out there...

Bush lies, democracy dies

Just a week or so ago, two of my sons and I were talking about the differences between the protests during the Vietnam War and the present day state in which we find ourselves. I, who am barely old enough to remember the Vietnam War, was trying to explain to them, neither of whom are old enough to remember anything about the Vietnam War, that student demonstrations were staged at many universities, people, such as Martin Luther King, Jr., were actually speaking out against war with great passion, and protest songs, such as Fortunate Son (CCR) and Ohio (Neil Young) were blaring on the radio.

I wondered with them why the voices of protest were now silent over this illegal war. Well, I didn't have to wait long for the protest songs to emerge. This week, I discovered that the Signs of the Times team have written and recorded an MP3 file, called You Lied. Check it out and pass it on. Here are the words to the song:

You lied
words & music by Signs of the Times

You told the world Saddam had chemical bombs
To kill us all in our homes, on our farms
You said he sent his men into the heavens
Big planes crashing down, September 11

You lied, You lied,
People died, When Bush lied

I've got some questions, wipe that smirk off your face
Betraying your people, that's a real disgrace
See I'm having a hard time finding that plane
You said hit the Pentagon, bursting into flames
Vapourising the aircraft, didn't leave no remains
But the bodies appear not to burn quite the same

More lies Yeah, yeah, more lies
America died, When Bush lied

And talk about mir'cles, did you see how they fell,
the three towers in New York, those charges worked well
Flattened out in a straight line, just like it was planned
Did you think we were so stupid that we wouldn't understand
And it's a pity about the folks there on Flight 93,
Just as they took back control, you blew them to smithereens

You lied, You lied
Heroes died, when Bush lied

You say Osama is living in a place you have traced
But you don't go and get him, it seems such a waste
Could it be it's because he's still one of your men
A C-I-A asset just like he was then
He endorsed your campaign in a last minute pitch
Is he just one more man who has gotten quite rich

From your lies, Your lies
Freedom died, from your lies

How about those Israelis dancing to their success,
On the rooftops of Jersey, they created a mess
So you sent them back home with a slap on the wrist
Told the cops not to bother, 'cause they don't exist

It's a lie, You lied
Justice died, when you lied

Now people are dying through your crimes in Iraq
You've killed more than Saddam, tho' you don't care to keep track
Cause they're only some Arabs in a faraway land
That Yahweh has promised to his chosen band
While Sharon and his cronies pull on your strings
When he opens his mouth your whole government sings

His lies, His lies
Palestinians die, With Bush lies

Next time you talk to your God, I've got a question for him
What side is he on or does it change on a whim'
There's a whole lot of people, suff'rin here in his name
What kind of pyscho is he that he's playing this game It sounds more like the devil is guiding your hand
Destruction and death are the plagues of the land

Of your lies, your lies
Children die, When Bush lies

You see, Mr President, there's something amiss
Two elections you lost, but you overcame this
By rigging the vote, not counting the blacks
You've ensured two full terms, the dry drunk is back
And now they're changing the laws to get you a third
The brown shirts are charging at the front of the herd

Of your lies, your lies
Democracy dies, When Bush lies

The question remains what can we do about this
Most people refuse to consider this list
They're lost in illusion, can't recognise proof
So we offer this song to all who stand for the truth

No more lies, No more lies
Must we all die, Because of your lies

No more lies, No more lies
Must we all die, Because of your lies

Your lies...

copyright 2005 Signs of the Times

Today, my son was telling me that System of a Down has recorded a couple of protest songs over the past few years, one of them being Boom! in 2002, and that they are actually playing on the radio. This band is way too heavy metal for me, but the lyrics, if you can understand them, indicate that the younger generation, as in the 60's and 70's, are leading the charge in social dissent, their elders being way too timid to speak out. Here are the lyrics to one of their latest, titled B.Y.O.B. You can watch the music video, which has been Number 1 on the Launch.com site for several weeks, here.

B.Y.O.B.

Why do they always send the poor

Barbarisms by Barbaras
With pointed heels
Victorious victories kneel
For brand new spankin' deals

Marching forward hypocritic and
Hypnotic computers
You depend on our protection
Yet you feed us lies from the tablecloth

Everybody's going to the party have a real good time
Dancing in the desert blowing up the sunshine

Kneeling roses disappearing into
Moses' dry mouth
Breaking into Fort Knox stealing
Our intentions

Hangers sitting dripped in oil
Crying freedom
Handed to obsoletion
Still you feed us lies from the tablecloth

Everybody's going to the party have a real good time
Dancing in the desert blowing up the sunshine

Everybody's going to the party have a real good time
Dancing in the desert blowing up the sunshine

Blast off
It's party time
And we don't live in a fascist nation

Blast off
It's party time
And where the f**k are you?

Where the f**k are you?
Where the f**k are you?

Why don't presidents fight the war?
Why do they always send the poor?

Why don't presidents fight the war?
Why do they always send the poor?

Why do they always send the poor?
Why do they always send the poor?
Why do they always send the poor?

Repeat from "Kneeling roses disappearing into..."

I think there are many reasons why there isn't the outcry over this war that there was over Vietnam. One obvious reason, Dorothy, is there hasn't been a draft -- not yet, anyway (but just you wait, 'enry 'iggins, it's coming). Another is the propaganda that we were attacked by Arab terrorists on 9/11, which, of course, was used as justification for everything that has followed (see previous posts for more on this). Another is all the propaganda that has followed, stirring this false sense of national patriotism, just like Hitler did with the German folks back in the 1930's.

Personally, I'm glad to see protest songs getting out there. Whether it's Eminem's anti-Bush, get-out-the-vote music video effort, which was fairly ineffective because it didn't come out in time to make much of difference (Oh, hell, Alice, who am I kidding? It wouldn't have made a difference even if it had been released two years before the election.), or the System of a Down song, or my personal favorite, You Lied.

If all of the Hollywood idols, actors, rock stars, writers and directors would speak their mind, en masse, instead of just a daring few, then it just might help turn the mainstream tide away from fascism in this nation, but, no, Neo, we have mostly cowards in Hollywood who are more concerned about making millions than they are about people dying, just like those we have sitting in our government. Let's just take a quick example. Did you know that Bob Geldoff, organizer of Live8, the big Rock 'n Roll show in London last weekend prior to the G8 summit, gave instructions that none of the bands were to do any kind of song criticizing King George? Sounds like censorship to me, Alice!

So Bush lies, democracy dies...

Living in Orwellian times, no doubt

Apparently, I'm not the only one who sees the connection between the events of today and George Orwell's 1984 (see previous posts). A recent op-ed piece in the Boston Globe by H.D.S. Greenway, titled The Return of '1984', also makes this comparison. Here's the first several paragraphs:

IF YOU TAKE something to read at the beach this summer make sure it is not one of George Orwell's books. The comparison with current events will ruin your day.

In what was then the futuristic, nightmare world of ''1984," written in 1949, Orwell introduced the concepts of ''newspeak," ''doublethink," and ''the mutability of the past," all concepts that seem to be alive and well in 2005, half a century after Orwell's death. In the ever-changing rationale of why we went to war in Iraq, we can imagine ourselves working in Orwell's ''Ministry of Truth," in which ''reality control" is used to ensure that ''the lie passed into history and became the truth."

And what about the Bush administration's insistence that all is going well in Iraq? In the Ministry of Truth, statistics are adjustable to suit politics -- ''merely the substitution of one piece of nonsense for another," Orwell wrote. ''Most of the material that you were dealing with had no connection to anything in the real world, not even the kind of connection that is contained in a direct lie. Statistics were just as much a fantasy in their original version as in the rectified version." Welcome to the Iraq war, Mr. Orwell.

What of Donald Rumsfeld's newspeak, or was it doublethink, sayingthat ''no detention facility in the history of warfare has been more transparent" than Guantanamo? We have the FBI's word for it that prisoners were chained hand and foot in a fetal position to the floor, left for 18 to 24 hours with no food and no water, left to defecate and urinate on themselves.

The deaths by torture in Abu Ghraib and Afghanistan sound very much like what happens in Orwell's fictional torture chamber: Room 101.

He might as well have been writing about the Bush administration's redefinition of torture when he wrote about using ''logic against logic, to repudiate morality while laying claim to it."

Perhaps, the mainstream is beginning to wake up, Dorothy? The question now becomes whether or not we will wake and rise up in enough force to stop the Proletariat from completely subjugating the population, as they had in Orwell's 1984. I don't know, though, I think we're still a long way from moving, from acting on our collective conscience.

I heard on Democracy Now's War and Peace Report, according to a recent poll, that some 37% of Americans now believe that George Bush should be impeached, if it was determined that he lied to the American public about the reasons for invading Iraq. [my italics] My first response to that was "the Bush Administration has already admitted that they lied about weapons of mass destruction. Now, the Downing Street memos clearly show that they fixed intelligence to suit their plan to go to war." What the heck are we waiting for, Alice? The cheshire cat to morph into a full blown fascist dictator?

We brought impeachment proceedings against Nixon for spying on his opponents, we actually impeached and tried Clinton for lying about a sexual tryst, and we can't seem to draw more than 37% support for impeaching a president who is now responsible for murdering hundreds of thousands of innocent people -- our own soldiers, Iraquis and Afghanis -- to suit the neo-con geo-political agenda. What's wrong with this picture, Neo?

Now, here's the key. We can't just impeach Bush; we must also impeach Dick Cheney. What I fear more than leaving Bush in power is Cheney coming to power. I believe that Cheney is truly the brains behind this whole endeavor, and to give him full power of the presidency would be like putting a fox in the hen house. Things will get worse, not better, and the agenda will continue.