Our National Festival of Human Sacrifice.
May 26, 2008
by Paul Kemp
Populist America
Our beautiful country has a blindspot, a sacred cow about which one dare not speak. It is a religion that involves human sacrifice and baptism with blood. It is celebrated on Memorial Day every year.
Most American holidays (from the Old English word for "holy days") are about consumption and Memorial Day is no different. This one is celebrated by burning gasoline in the national celebration of Freedom - the freedom of aimless driving to shrines of Americana such as Disney World and Las Vegas, where we can forget our cares in animatronic displays of technology and spotless sanitized beauty.
But first, we must say Grace, before we dig in to the sensual feast that keeps our waistlines expanding from our national cult of leisure. Before we drive the giant motorhome onto the Interstate, towing our boat and our multiple gas-powered toys - one for each member of the family so they won't have to actually walk or come into contact with nature - we must take flowers to the cemetery to honor the children and family members we have sacrificed to maintain our freedom. (Plastic flowers are appropriate for Iraq - they're made from petroleum.)
The pundit priests of our national cult intone the sanctifying words over the airwaves for us all: "De mortuis, nil nisi bonum." Hundreds of millions of flowers are placed on gravesites all across America, as we commemorate the agonies that make our Way of Life possible. Now we can eat! And drive! Ah...Freedom!
Like the ancient Druids, we celebrate in a grove of trees by the riverside and burn symbolic flesh offerings on an open fire. Afterwards, we celebrate our triumph over Nature by orgies of dunebuggie riding and ATV rodeos.
Ours is the latest in a long tradition of societies gathering in ceremonies of human sacrifice to ensure the fertility of the fields and the return of the Sun King from the Realms of the Underworld. (The King goes to Hell for us, to bring us back Prosperity!) Baal-worship in ancient Mesopotamia, tossing virgins into the volcanoes of Hawaii, and infants into the sacred cenotes of Mexico: all are instances of this hallowed cult of Death.
It is a religion cloaked in mystery, but President Bush recently let slip a clue to what it is all about. He made a remark to the press, defending his latest Festival of Sacrifice, saying words to the effect that the Iraq war is good because it creates jobs. Ah! War is all about stimulating our Economy!
But first, we must sacrifice someone, somewhere! (Ideally, many of THEM and few of US.)
This Memorial Day, in the American tradition of Progress and Efficiency, let us foreswear our old habits of donating our sons and daughters, our flesh and blood for the general wellbeing of our society (and the outlandish wellbeing of the Captains of the Military Industry and those who work on Capitol Hill and Wall Street).
The old religion has failed us. War has not brought us prosperity but poverty for the many and wealth for those closer to the King. It is time to renounce this false religion that has failed us.
(Article Continues Below)
King George the Second led us into a bad war. Even the court Jester can see that for the cost of the Iraq war we could have purchased 30 years of gasoline imports for all America! Why must we suffer the pain of human sacrifice when we can simply buy what it is we are after?
For the peace and plenty of the American people, let us sacrifice the special few who benefit the most from War. Why should the poor, who enjoy the least of the blessings that our society provides, give their lives to let the princes savor Freedom and Plenty non-stop?
This Memorial Day, let there be a popular call for an end to human sacrifice of the young, poor, and uneducated. Rather than ceremonial mass bloodshed to stimulate our economy, let us sacrifice the King and his court, who led us time and again into needless wars - that, rather than increasing our general wealth, have raised the price of gas and burgers. Their ruinous policies have come close to bankrupting our once-rich nation - Why should they continue to live like Kings?
My fellow Americans, let us call unremittingly to our well-dressed representatives in Congress and tell them in no uncertain terms we are tired of the old religion of sacrificing our children on the altars of corporate profits. We demand the sacrifice of the King and his court, who brought us miserable wars like Iraq. Public protests and civil disobedience, worked to end the Vietnam blood-orgy. Our mandarin class need to hear our shouts once more.
We don't necessarily want blood, but we want justice and an end to the reign of fools. A simple and lawful ceremony, a long and televised festival in two stages: first Impeachment and then Indictment (in an international court) for the crimes of needlessly killing our children, friends, and loved ones for their own profit.
When will we awake from the priestly incantations that have convinced us to sacrifice our blood and treasure so our leaders can live in splendor? On Memorial Day, let us place flowers on the graves of loved ones with the vow, "This year the fools that did this to you will pay!"
by Paul Kemp
Populist America
Our beautiful country has a blindspot, a sacred cow about which one dare not speak. It is a religion that involves human sacrifice and baptism with blood. It is celebrated on Memorial Day every year.
Most American holidays (from the Old English word for "holy days") are about consumption and Memorial Day is no different. This one is celebrated by burning gasoline in the national celebration of Freedom - the freedom of aimless driving to shrines of Americana such as Disney World and Las Vegas, where we can forget our cares in animatronic displays of technology and spotless sanitized beauty.
But first, we must say Grace, before we dig in to the sensual feast that keeps our waistlines expanding from our national cult of leisure. Before we drive the giant motorhome onto the Interstate, towing our boat and our multiple gas-powered toys - one for each member of the family so they won't have to actually walk or come into contact with nature - we must take flowers to the cemetery to honor the children and family members we have sacrificed to maintain our freedom. (Plastic flowers are appropriate for Iraq - they're made from petroleum.)
The pundit priests of our national cult intone the sanctifying words over the airwaves for us all: "De mortuis, nil nisi bonum." Hundreds of millions of flowers are placed on gravesites all across America, as we commemorate the agonies that make our Way of Life possible. Now we can eat! And drive! Ah...Freedom!
Like the ancient Druids, we celebrate in a grove of trees by the riverside and burn symbolic flesh offerings on an open fire. Afterwards, we celebrate our triumph over Nature by orgies of dunebuggie riding and ATV rodeos.
Ours is the latest in a long tradition of societies gathering in ceremonies of human sacrifice to ensure the fertility of the fields and the return of the Sun King from the Realms of the Underworld. (The King goes to Hell for us, to bring us back Prosperity!) Baal-worship in ancient Mesopotamia, tossing virgins into the volcanoes of Hawaii, and infants into the sacred cenotes of Mexico: all are instances of this hallowed cult of Death.
It is a religion cloaked in mystery, but President Bush recently let slip a clue to what it is all about. He made a remark to the press, defending his latest Festival of Sacrifice, saying words to the effect that the Iraq war is good because it creates jobs. Ah! War is all about stimulating our Economy!
But first, we must sacrifice someone, somewhere! (Ideally, many of THEM and few of US.)
This Memorial Day, in the American tradition of Progress and Efficiency, let us foreswear our old habits of donating our sons and daughters, our flesh and blood for the general wellbeing of our society (and the outlandish wellbeing of the Captains of the Military Industry and those who work on Capitol Hill and Wall Street).
The old religion has failed us. War has not brought us prosperity but poverty for the many and wealth for those closer to the King. It is time to renounce this false religion that has failed us.
(Article Continues Below)
King George the Second led us into a bad war. Even the court Jester can see that for the cost of the Iraq war we could have purchased 30 years of gasoline imports for all America! Why must we suffer the pain of human sacrifice when we can simply buy what it is we are after?
For the peace and plenty of the American people, let us sacrifice the special few who benefit the most from War. Why should the poor, who enjoy the least of the blessings that our society provides, give their lives to let the princes savor Freedom and Plenty non-stop?
This Memorial Day, let there be a popular call for an end to human sacrifice of the young, poor, and uneducated. Rather than ceremonial mass bloodshed to stimulate our economy, let us sacrifice the King and his court, who led us time and again into needless wars - that, rather than increasing our general wealth, have raised the price of gas and burgers. Their ruinous policies have come close to bankrupting our once-rich nation - Why should they continue to live like Kings?
My fellow Americans, let us call unremittingly to our well-dressed representatives in Congress and tell them in no uncertain terms we are tired of the old religion of sacrificing our children on the altars of corporate profits. We demand the sacrifice of the King and his court, who brought us miserable wars like Iraq. Public protests and civil disobedience, worked to end the Vietnam blood-orgy. Our mandarin class need to hear our shouts once more.
We don't necessarily want blood, but we want justice and an end to the reign of fools. A simple and lawful ceremony, a long and televised festival in two stages: first Impeachment and then Indictment (in an international court) for the crimes of needlessly killing our children, friends, and loved ones for their own profit.
When will we awake from the priestly incantations that have convinced us to sacrifice our blood and treasure so our leaders can live in splendor? On Memorial Day, let us place flowers on the graves of loved ones with the vow, "This year the fools that did this to you will pay!"