Art by Josh Chambers: “As I’m painting the illustration for Donnie Casto II’s Abby Martin piece, I’ve been thinking about the whole situation a lot. As a Marine Corps veteran who served 9 years and fought in the Battle of Ramadi, Iraq in 2004, I wholeheartedly support Abby’s right to speak freely without fear of persecution. I am genuinely disgusted by the actions of these “Americans” who threaten to kill, rape, and harm her family. Isn’t that exactly what fundamental religious extremists, the ones who are our government’s enemies, practice? Isn’t that the same hatred that breeds intolerance of a group and thus voids any claim of freedom that we supposedly share? These are the same people who continue to endorse the Patriot Act and government defense/homeland security growth, all while voting to downsize the government. These are the same people who want to put God back in the good ol’ USA and fuck everyone else who thinks otherwise. Who really is the flag-waving patriotic American? If you agree with the sentiment of hate towards Abby, or Snowden, or Asange, or Manning, or Greenwald then it’s most certainly not you! You’re just a fascist my-way-or-the-highway freedom-hating waste of a vote and waste of my tax dollars towards education. And yet, you are the ones that tell folks with a voice like mine to leave and go to another country if we aren’t happy. Fuck you. Fuck you and fuck your anti-American rhetoric hiding behind the facade of the red, white, and blue.”
The Façade of Freedom: In Support of Abby Martin
Or: why bootlicking, flag worshipping, war profiteers
hate the ‘freedoms’ they profess to protect
By Donnie Casto II
“I myself am a strong supporter of the “Right of freedom of speech,” as I’m sure most people would be if they truly understood the concept. “Freedom of speech” means you support the right of people to say exactly those ideas which you do not agree with. (Otherwise, you don’t believe in “freedom of speech,” but rather only those ideas which you believe to be acceptably stated.) Seeing as how there are so many different beliefs in the world, and as it would be virtually impossible for all of us to agree on any one belief, you may begin to realize just how important an idea like “freedom of speech” really is. The idea basically states “while I don’t agree or care for what you are saying, I do support your right to say it, for herein lies true freedom.” – Bill Hicks
In today’s efforts to continue the expansion of the United Empire of Earth, a.k.a the United Oligarchy of America, one need not surf through many news channels, web sites or news apps on the iPhone to find that the top used word to defend and define the use of American military force is ‘freedom’. We went to Afghanistan to protect our freedom from terrorists after the tragic attack of 9/11. Then we were sold on the involvement of Iraq in that attack and went to war over ‘weapons of mass destruction’. No matter your thoughts, personal feelings or your political beliefs surrounding the events of 9/11, one thing that is for certain and is a stone cold fact that no one can refute:
Iraq was not involved in the events of 9/11. No Iraqi passports were found on 9/11, and Saddam Hussein never attacked the United States, nor did it appear that he ever had plans to do so. Hussein, although not innocent of crimes against the Iraqi people, was not a threat to the United States or its citizens. Despite the Bush administration’s bullshit assertion that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, they didn’t, unless the government was curious about those weapons and technology we sold them in the late 70’s and early 80’s in their war against Iran.
Of the many fallen who died in defense of American freedom, those who bought into the fervor of flag worship and ‘freedom’ (freedom so long as you agree with their paradigm), no name in recent memory brings more mention and controversy than that of the ‘American Sniper’ Christopher Kyle. Kyle, who served as a Navy SEAL in Iraq, has to his record 160 confirmed kills. Many would say that the freedom Kyle was protecting was that of fellow soldiers sent to a hotspot where we as a nation truly had no damn business being. Others would see him and others like him as part of an invading force in another country fighting violent Muslim insurgents, insurgents that would have never existed if the United States hadn’t invaded Iraq to begin with. These “insurgents” weren’t making their way overseas to hurt Kyle’s family. These “insurgents” weren’t even on the scene of the Twin Towers, the Pentagon or even Pennsylvania. One has to ask the reasonable question: where does such hatred and malice towards the Iraqis he killed in cold blood come from?
Keep in mind this glamorized Hollywood hero is the same ‘hero’ who stated in his own autobiography, “I wondered, how would I feel about killing someone? Now I know. It’s no big deal”
This is also the same vaulted hero who was sued for lying about punching out former Gov. Jesse Ventura and claimed an unfounded encounter with two carjackers in 2009. This incident allegedly took place along Highway 67 just south of Dallas, Tx. Kyle claimed that he shot the two men, killing them both. Despite this claim, no facts or evidence to document it exist. Another alleged claim made by the American Sniper, was being ordered to New Orleans in the direct aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The story according to Kyle, was that he and another individual were stationed atop the Superdome. Kyle then proceeded to pick off and kill 30 looters dead in the streets from atop the home of the New Orleans Saints. Again, no concrete proof or factual evidence has ever been found to document this claim. See a pattern here folks?
In the aftermath of successfully proving Kyle’s claims were a lie, Jesse Ventura, himself a former decorated Navy SEAL, became the hot magnet of hatred in the ‘freedom’ community of the military and their supporters. Now that hot magnet has been directed to independent journalist Abby Martin. Martin, who recently wore a shirt with the statement ‘Fuck Chris Kyle’, as well as voiced opinions based on known facts against the war in Iraq, was recently trolled by fans of the American Liar, I meant Sniper.
Comments such as “Time to put on our raping shoes & find this bitch”, “I hope ISIS cuts your clit off with a dull knife”, and one that starts with the line “Another hipster cum dumpster. . .” were just some of the comments expressed by these flag worshipping, freedom (as long as you agree with the paradigm, not the truth) loving patriots who continue to suck the tit of the state and it’s military complex machine. As of 11 hours ago, it’s currently 10:55am here, Martin’s Facebook profile stated “Some psychotic Chris Kyle fan just doxxed me & my family’s personal information on a bunch of sniper forums. If anything happens to me or them you know who to blame. These are the real fucking terrorists.”
Abby Martin, simply calls this situation as the goddamn truth! Does it ever make the apathetic sheep of this national empire, when they’re not obsessed with a new phone app, the shenanigans of one non-reading Kanye West, his well-known wife’s ass, the gender of Bruce Jenner or the accepted bullshit banter of the Republicrats that the very same defense of freedom we glorify in the men and women who volunteer said service in other countries brings out such vile anger and hatred from members of the very same military we honor in protecting those freedoms? Is the “freedom” of a sovereign nation in the middle east, who never asked for our help or never found guilty of attacking us, more important than that of one of our own brethren Americans under threat of death from said freedom-loving fans when expressing such freedom?
You want to see real freedom in action? Try actually exercising your rights, not parade a fucking flag that has become the golden calf of this fast food society of primates along with the cheaply made FED note currency and see how far or long it takes one of these freedom lovers to threaten you for exercising that right. It’s rather ironic, that those professing to protect freedom, are the first to get butt hurt when said freedom is applied in a manner of intelligent and articulate debate as is typically done by Abby Martin. One has to wonder if many of these said flag worshiping war profiteering ‘patriots’, and I use that term loosely, feel the same way about other fellow Americans who express dissenting opinions? Death threats, threats of genital mutilation, all over a dissenting opinion outside the fabricated paradigm and a ‘Fuck Chris Kyle’ t-shirt? Really?
Perhaps in the end, many people are simply in love with the idea of freedom but not the ability to exercise it and debate it. Maybe in taking on the big bully in the world’s school yard, just maybe, Abby Martin has become the ‘Ronda Rousey’ of social media and journalism and, itching in the octagon of debate, is ready to finally tap these bastards out.
If the threat of exercising freedom — be it freedom of speech, freedom of religion (to practice or not to), the freedom of self defense — maybe it’s time to educate others on the difference between the ideal of freedom and the exercise of it.
It’s on the merits of Burke’s assertion that the press remains the fourth estate of power in the branches of our government that I as well as the other staff members of Gonzo Today stand proud in the support of Abby Martin and other journalists bucking the comfort zone of these self-professed freedom and flag fetish hypocrites. Freedom is a two way street. Perhaps those in the Kyle camp might want to reevaluate that definition and begin to actually apply to their own fellow Americans what they profess to support for those far away who never asked for it much less wanted it at the expense of an American military act.
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