Unjust America: Metering the Casualties

[Donnachaidh]

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Unjust-America-Metering-t-by-Robert-S-Becker-100823-111.html

As rightwing distemper feeds the frenzied run-up to the midterms, refudiating today's mounting degrees of American injustice isn't likely. Not that all injustice accrues to GOP reactionaries, only most, and certainly the most extreme wedge issues: Islamophobia, racism, nativism, especially towards Latin guest workers, threats to amend Constitutional mandates, militarized religious crusades, and the successful defamation of our Christian, American, pro-corporate president as "foreign other."

What we need, beyond the pathetic "Homeland Security Advisory System" (colorized terrorist threat levels)is a national Justice-Injustice Meter, pointing us towards a more just society or the opposite. What kind of instrument would otherwise unify the cacophony of chaos that plagues radio and TV? "All Americans" are literally instructed by our Homeland Security website to 1) "stay informed about what to do during an emergency" and "continue to be vigilant, take notice of their surroundings, and report suspicious items or activities to local authorities immediately."

Isn't that what we of the contested "professional left" perform with ardor stay informed and vigilant, declare (Constitutional) emergencies, notice surroundings and reporting suspicious (subversive, anti-American) activities to local authorities? Are we to blame when White House "authorities" consider us "insane," or crazed, drug addicts?

Politicized Injustices Rule

One can ferret out conditions that still favor an arguably just, at least orderly society: our electricity works almost all the time, dying from disease or starvation is uncommon, Medicare and Social Security function, we pay taxes and elections confirm officials. Despite two years into a scary Great Recession, there aren't reports of major or violent disturbances. Certainly, there's more bluff than battle on secession or bullying insurgencies against minorities or authorities. Okay, we need more variety of political street protests, but that's another topic. There's some justice in having no more serious crime than during good times.


More at the link --