picture in my mind

Talking to Eunice online and we're discussing the sad state of world affairs. And I've been driven to tears because, my goodness, if we only let ourselves learn about the devastating truth of things, we will discover much to be shameful about, and much to be angry about. Eunice gave me something to read.

Harold Pinter's Nobel Lecture: Art, Truth and Politics

Hundreds of thousands of deaths took place throughout these countries. Did they take place? And are they in all cases attributable to US foreign policy? The answer is yes they did take place and they are attributable to American foreign policy. But you wouldn't know it.

It never happened. Nothing ever happened. Even while it was happening it wasn't happening. It didn't matter. It was of no interest. The crimes of the United States have been systematic, constant, vicious, remorseless, but very few people have actually talked about them. You have to hand it to America. It has exercised a quite clinical manipulation of power worldwide while masquerading as a force for universal good. It's a brilliant, even witty, highly successful act of hypnosis.

Like I said to Eunice, we need a Batman of the world; someone, or some force, to clean up the streets of Earth from the hypocritical figures of power, and restore some dignity to humanity. I keep feeling like faith in Obama will be futile - because campaign speeches are always that: campaign speeches. Will Guantanamo Bay finally be shut down, for instance? Do you believe it? And Obama is no superhero with extraordinary abilities. He is still a man, who will no doubt be tied down by the never-ending evil forces I believe reside in the White House, and his scruples will be powerless, should he truly be an honourable man. I should have some faith, eh?

This kind of makes me realise why I love hero novels or stories very much. We all love the honourable dude who stands up for truth and justice, no matter the cost to his self. I've been reading my Sano Ichiro series, as usual; how horribly corrupt the bakufu, the samurai military government is, but how Sano constantly tries to embody true honour as much as possible despite threats to his family and existence. I want to believe that positions of power are still occupied by such persons. Too much to ask, maybe? :S Or is it a definite, that absolute power corrupts absolutely?

Whatever it is, I think, as we both discussed, we should first cure ourselves of ignorance. Let's not be mindless people, I say. It's the first step to constructive action.

Something else: A CNN documentary on genocide, titled Scream Bloody Murder.

My next entry won't be a depressing one, I hope.