Summary: The miracle of America is that we get so much news, but know so little. This week’s bombings are an example of modern America: increasing political violence, increasing weirdness (nothing makes sense). Here is some info the news doesn’t mention.
Apparently some Acme comedy bombs mailed to a number of extremely rich people, which thankfully did not hurt anybody at all, are infinitely more newsworthy than the real bombs which maim and destroy children in Yemen on an industrial scale.
— Craig Murray (@CraigMurrayOrg) October 24, 2018
Step One from America’s playbook: when a threat appears, get hysterical.
“With every intercepted pipe bomb and suspicious package, fear spread from New York to Washington, Florida, Delaware and California. The devices stashed in manila envelopes and mailed nationwide targeted top Democrats, critics of President Donald Trump and CNN. None of the bombs detonated, and no one was injured ….”
— “What we know about the suspicious packages sent to top Democrats, Trump critics and CNN” in CNN.
As usual, the internet overflows with information from “experts.” Based on photos of the bombs and the sketchy information released about them, they conclude that the bombs were assembled by professionals – or amateurs.
We know nothing now. Of course, partisans on both sides confidently spout nonsense – blind to any logic and facts that does not match their tribal narratives. This makes it easy for our rulers to manipulate us.
Wise words about the bombings
“Nation Transfixed In Horror By Toy Bombs While Destroying Lives With Real Ones”
By Caitlin Johnstone.
“As of this writing nobody has been killed or injured in any way by any of these many explosive devices, and there is as of this writing no publicly available evidence that they were designed to. As of this writing there is no evidence that the devices were intended to do anything other than what they have done: stir up fear and grab headlines.
“And of course it is a good thing that nobody has been hurt by these devices. Obviously targeting anyone with packages containing explosive materials is terrible, even if those devices were not rigged with the intention of detonating and harming anyone …. It is a good thing that none of America’s political elites were targeted by the sort of explosive device that America drops on people in other countries every single day. You know, the kind that actually explode. …
“There are any number of possible explanations for this spate of impotent pipe bombs, many of which don’t involve a partisan explanation at all. Without endorsing any particular one, there are for example a few sociopathic government agencies in the US which would love nothing more than to manufacture support for more intrusive domestic “counter-terrorism” powers.
“But partisan explanations are possible as well; maybe there really is a Trump supporter out there who either
- wanted to scare Democratic elites without hurting them and didn’t realize doing so would only generate sympathy and unify Democrats right before midterms, or
- is really, really consistent in being really, really bad at making pipe bombs.
“Who knows. The important thing is to remain agnostic and skeptical.”
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It’s time to panic!
Our experts pitch in to build the fear, such as this by the President of the prestigious Council on Foreign Relations.
Terrorism is the use of force for political ends by non-state actors against non-combatants. It differs from crime (which lacks political motive) and war (done by states). What we now have in US is terrorism. It is a threat to American democracy and must be denounced and thwarted
— Richard N. Haass (@RichardHaass) October 25, 2018
This is, of course, nuts. Terrorism has been endemic in America since after the Civil War. By the KKK, by business owners against unions (and vice versa, such as the 1910 LA Times bombing), by anarchists (e.g., the 1920 Wall Street bombing), and by and against socialists and communists.
Flash forward to the modern era. Such as the political violence in America in the 1960s and the 1970s. Our cities burnt every summer in race riots, with the National Guard in full military gear occupying America’s ghettos. There were massive anti-war riots (e.g., the shootings at Kent State). Militant leftist groups were bombing so many things that NYT called 1969 a Year of Bombings (e.g., the Weather Underground). Other Leftist terrorist groups were even more aggressive (e.g., the Symbionese Liberation Group).
More recently, America has seen violence against abortion clinics and the timber industry, by Leftist groups on campuses against conservatives, and now by far-right and far-left groups against each other. Yet despite this history, the Republic still stands. Amazing how all that has gone down the memory hole. Our amnesia makes us easy to manipulate by cutting us from our history.
- We have trouble coping with our present because we’ve lost our past.
- Amnesia and anger: one is the problem, the other the cure.
Conclusions
Since 9/11, we have mysteries without answers. But nonetheless these episodes are learning opportunities. For example, the 2001 anthrax attacks were rich with lessons for us, but we preferred to believe what we were told, cheer the Patriot Act – and then forget everything. Perhaps we can do better this time.
For More Information
If you liked this post, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. See all posts about politics in America, about fear, about political violence, and especially these about fear…
- What are the odds of violence from the Right in America?
- Threats come & go, leaving us in perpetual fear & forgetful of the past.
- Journalists suffer from the crisis crisis, warping America’s vision.
- The Right began the current cycle of political violence in America.
- About Steve Crowder’s thrilling exposé of Antifa’s violence.
- The Left uses violence to fight climate change.
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