Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource TomPaine.com Stories Description An account of the resource TomPaine.com -- a liberal advocacy organization -- distributed a public call on August 12, 2002 for 300 word "opinion advertisement" similar to those that the organization had been running regularly in the op-ed page of The New York Times. TomPaine.com received hundreds of submissions from the public, most of which the September 11 Digital Archive has preserved here. TomPaine Story TomPaine Story: Story "Toward A More Perfect Union"," Why I Hate America 12/13/01 I¡¯ve been asking myself why I hate America, why the anger rises up when I hear words about America¡¯s triumph over terrorism. Why am I so perverse when America is doing so much good and is being successful in making the world a better place? When the news media and solemn politicians say that we must stand united, bless America and support it¦Ðs wars, why do I feel just the opposite. Why do I feel unpatriotic, cynical and disgusted with this country. Perhaps there is something to be learned here. Perhaps, if I, as a USA citizen, born, raised and educated here, prospered here, can discern this antipathy, it might give some indication why much of the rest of the world feels that way and that Pres. Bush and the American public seem to have no idea about. First of all, what is America? I am not referring to the geographical entity of the USA which is quite beautiful outside the ruined cities, debased countryside and vast stretches of wasteland. There is much beauty here in the forests, shores, mountains, lakes and rivers, plains -- the physical nature of America is not what I am talking about. I am not talking about ¡Ýthe American people¡Ü directly which obviously at 280,000,000 is quite diverse and multifaceted. I am also not talking directly about ¡Ýwhat America stands for¡Ü as far as history, principles and values which are variable and diverse from the most admirable to the most loathsome. However, I am speaking about the American people and what America stands for indirectly in that I am speaking about the American attitude. If one can believe the mass media, civic and religious leaders and politicians, the over riding attitude that Americans have about America is that it is the best place in the world, with superior citizens, leadership and morality. In and of itself, this arrogance, bragging and smugness would not seem so hateful except for two reasons: it is based on falsehood and deception and it is based on the deprivation and diminution of people in places that are not the USA. Arrogance and bragging are not in themselves major hateful qualities but when they are coupled with cruelty, hypocrisy, cheating and savagery, they become almost unbearable. It is the glaring contradiction of the ¡Ýgreatness of America¡Ü with the depredations and barbarity of America that leads one into despising the country in which one was born. Perhaps this is what many foreigners see -- the lie, the ugly lie that is so infuriating. Perhaps they see the democracy that elects venal fools, the media that controls the citizens minds, the arrogance of the rich, the degradation of the poor, the racial hatred, the religious intolerance, the debased environment -- all the wonderful and great things that God has bestowed upon his favorite people. Perhaps many people in the world see, as I do, the evil hand of America that allows the cruelest, most repressive of regimes to survive if it serves the purposes of America while destroying others what do not benefit America -- look to the recent history of Central and South America, Asia or Africa, if you do not know what I am referring to because the catalog of hideous American intervention is very long. And what is one to think of the slaughter of innocent civilians, the looting of natural resources, the exploitation of labor, the insults and humiliations that countries that are not America or it¦Ðs chosen friends have to endure in the face of taunting arrogance of the superiority of American democracy, freedom, morality, wealth and intelligence. And, in deed, there is great wealth except those who are not so fortunate to share in it¡¯s distribution and there are clever people who have made clever discoveries and devices; that cannot be disputed. There is also this ¡Ýkind of¡Ü democracy and freedom to be ignored and assumption that the FBI won¡¯t come calling -- you can carry your placard, write letters to the editor, sign petitions -- all for nothing. And what of this American morality, this American compassion -- I don¡¯t see it in the bombing, in the amassing of wealth at the expense of the disadvantaged, in the suffering around the world, for the new found interest in the liberation of women of Afghanistan. I guess that is what it is that is so infuriating: the sham, the fraud -- the country is full of hatred, violence and madness -- watch television or read your daily newspaper if you don¡¯t think so. And I guess that only adds to the anger: Americans will watch television or read their newspapers and magazines and see greatness and goodness while I see deception, misery, insanity, viciousness. Am I the only one. And let¡¯s talk about culture, the culture of America. The mass culture, the culture that is enjoyed by the overwhelming numbers of Americans is of the worst degraded quality imaginable. In popular music, art (television and movies), cuisine, style, literature we find the trashiest, lowest and most depraved being the most popular. So this is what we have: the fantasy of the superiority of America against the reality of miserable America and the fantasy of the goodness of America against the reality of an aggressive, brutal, murderous America. Is it no wonder the country is awash in mind numbing drugs of the illegal and legal variety? Is it possible that a country can look into the vacuous face of George W. Bush and see greatness and goodness. What kind of a country kills thousands in Afghanistan but admits to nothing, that looks the other way. What kind of a country takes advantage of a national tragedy to take away citizen¡¯s rights, give more money to the rich, spread fear throughout the land and at the same time engage in the most boastful and self satisfied rhetoric. That¡¯s what I see: lies, hatred, savagery, stupidity -- maybe that is what some other people also see but apparently they don¡¯t live in America. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource tp229.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2003-03-10