"I said to myself, here are a people who have suffered

[genie_weenie]

for three centuries. We can make them as free as ourselves, give them a government and country of their own, put a miniature of the American constitution afloat in the Pacific, start a brand new republic to take its place among the free nations of the world. It seemed to me a great task to which we had addressed ourselves.

But I have thought some more, since then, and I have read carefully the treaty of Paris, and I have seen that we do not intend to free, but to subjugate the people of the Philippines. We have gone there to conquer, not to redeem." Mark Twain, New York Herald (New York, 10/15/1900) From Mark Twain's Weapons of Satire: Anti-Imperialist Writings on the Philippine-American War, Jim Zwick, ed., (Syracuse: Syracuse University Press, 1992).

Is Huck Finn still the only Twain read in High School? Are the juniors and seniors who will soon be bombarded with DoD propaganda shown that every argument made by the Terrorists of DC have been refuted over 100 years ago? Are the American people powerless in the face of Military-Industrial-Congressional Complex?

[bryant69]

1. That's not a bad quote - but in fairness Huck Finn is the great American Novel

If I had to choose between Huck Finn and anything else Twain wrote I'd still pick Huck Finn.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[yardwork]

2. This post gets the prize for most irrelevant response

unless your purpose was to steer the conversation away from the intent of the OP?

[bryant69]

4. Why do you think I would want to steer the conversation away

from the intent of the OP? I mean what motivation might I have to want to move the discussion away from the OP? What's your theory?

But the OP did ask if Huck Finn was the only quote of Twains read in High School. I was responding to that, I have to admit.

Allow me to lament that even a straightforward teaching of the Spanish American War, or our deplorable history of meddling in Latin America would quickly get the point across to our future students. You should read "Lies my Teacher told me" (I think it's called) about how Foreign Policy is taught. I don't agree with all of this book, but I totally agree with what he says about how we teach foreign policy.

Bryant

[yardwork]

11. Please share more about your knowledge of U.S. engagement in Latin America

I agree that discussing this would be most enlightening.

People in the United States have long been taught lies about our "great nation" while the truth about our country's history of genocide and imperialism have been hidden.

[genie_weenie]

3. Huck Finn is the Great American Novel but my point was

the Iraq "War" is more similar to the Phillipine Insurrection than Vietnam at this point.

And using the writings (i.e. The War Prayer and the above) of the Greatest American Writer may aid in keeping those who are targeted by the DoD from being more meat for the grinder.

[NoPasaran]

6. Big difference between Bush's War and the Philippine Insurrection

We won in the Philippines, something that's totally unimaginable in Iraq.

[genie_weenie]

8. We Won? Eeech...

We won by committing a My Lai and Hadithah everyday in Philippines. Fortunately, the tactics which were employed in the Philippines are now rightly considered morally repugnant (i.e. Willie P in Fallujah).

Quotes from Iraq or the Philippines?
The President, "We are going to Christianize them."
Marine General, "I want no prisoners. I wish you to kill and burn; the more you kill and burn the better it will please me. Turn Samar into a howling wilderness."

http://www.slate.com/id/2162163/

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/macarthur/peopleevents/pandeAMEX87.html

[NoPasaran]

9. I never claimed it was pretty

[genie_weenie]

10. Well, I would claim the tactics used

and obfucation of the Warmongers goals, indicate "we" lost.

[sinkingfeeling]

5. I can't answer your question, but believe two things have influenced

most Americans' acceptance of the military status of our nation. No. 1 - I do think education has been corrupted over the last 30 years. The whole 'can't give a kid what he earned as a grade because it will damage his self-esteem' attitude was just beginning when my son was in high school. The criteria for graduating has been lowered. All students used to take English/creative writing/literature for 12 years. Don't think that's true anymore.
No.2 - I truly believe the churches have corrupted our spirit. Those that follow 'God wants you to have an over abundance' theme, and that are authoritarian, have taught people to just accept the world as is and wait for better times at the Rapture.

[JuniperLea]

7. 'God wants you to have an over abundance'

As a former Fundy who really tried to walk the talk... this bit always stuck in my craw... why on Earth would the Prince of Peace want to "bless" you with "the root of all evil?" Much less support war?