YouTube Video by Anonymous- The Reality of America (v3.0)
Political
Posturing and Cultural Conditioning
“I don’t like your politics,” proclaimed
Floyd Corkins before shooting a security guard at the Family Research Council
facility in the Washington D.C. area on August 16, 2012.[1]
Sound familiar? Both the George W.
Bush and Barack Obama administrations pronounced this statement to Afghanistan,
Iraq, Libya, Syria, and Iran. In Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya, both
administrations have already killed countless human beings—some labeled ‘suspected’
militants, but most, non-militant men, women and children—and destroyed the countries’
civil societies and physical infrastructures, as well as murdered two national
leaders. And if hyped-rhetoric from the Obama court is any indicator, the drones
should begin bombing the men, women, children, teachers, ‘suspected’ militants,
homes, schools, religious centers, police stations, and water and electricity
suppliers in Syria and Iran any day now, especially if Israel can convince Obama
of its delusional doomsday scenario.
Considering the jury is still out
over the nature versus nurture debate, it’s wisest to acknowledge each factor’s
contribution. In the meantime, however, if our general state of society offers
any clues to the mystery, it’s evident that nurture and environment play a
significant role in people’s thoughts and behaviors, with the Corkins’ shooting
as just one example.
Additionally, the U.S. presidential
administrations generally kill people and destroy nations considered by the
U.S., respectively, as “others” and undemocratic, nearly always ensuring manifest
justification. Paralleling such irrationality, Corkins is a gay rights’
activist, and this particular center houses a rightwing Christian lobbying association.
However, Corkins’ political message didn’t end with the gay/Christian
dichotomy.
As one hand held the gun, Corkins’
other hand held a Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich—the Chick-fil-A corporation, it
turns out, donates millions of dollars to anti-gay organizations each year. The
outspoken president of Chick-fil-A preaches that homosexuality is a slap to
God’s face.
Thus, the shooter’s message not only
reflected his hostility towards a political faction that portrays gays and
lesbians as heathens doomed for Dante’s hell, but it also highlighted how corporate
financial contributions can overtly influence the political debate and
subsequent policy decisions.
If you’re wondering whether
Chick-fil-A financially supports either U.S. presidential candidate,
unfortunately, we, the citizens, aren’t entitled to this information, thanks to
the Supreme Court’s decision on Citizens
United.
2012 copyright
© Eileen M. Sembrot – All rights reserved.