A New Symbol of America

The United States of America has no problem with Israel burning the skin off children’s bodies with incendiary weapons, reducing cities to rubble, targeting UN positions and Red Cross ambulances, forcing 900,000 civilians to flee, and generally bombing a sovereign, democratic state a generation back in time. On the contrary, it provides munitions, diplomatic support, and moral encouragement for these war crimes, financed in no small part with US tax money, to go on. This is not without implications.
The landmark seen below is the traditional, universally recognized symbol of the United States of America and the values on which it builds:

The Statue of Liberty, New York

As such it is, however, obsolete. In all seriousness, I hereby propose a replacement structure, seen below:

The US Navy base Coronado, California

The advantage is that this structure already exists, so that there is no need to divert funds away from burning the skin off children, targeting ambulances, destroying cities, and the other purposes which it so poignantly serves to represent.

14 Comments

Oui on July 25, 2006 at 11:08 am

.
Need to say more?

Displaced Lebanese people walk past an anti-U.S banner depicting U.S President George W. Bush, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the Statue of Liberty bearing a handgun, as they find temporary shelter in the grounds of the university in the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon. AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis

"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."

▼ ▼ ▼ MY DIARY

Militarytracy on July 25, 2006 at 1:21 pm

only an artist can sometimes depict my thoughts and emotions about some complex multifaceted experiences that I survive. This banner does that for me. Thank you for this Oui.

BrendaStewart on July 25, 2006 at 2:34 pm

realisticly this is what the ME was seeing America in all of it’s glory when 9/11 happened. It has just progressed till it is not reversable. so very sad…we did have a chance to so some mind changing, but hell no, not with this crowd in DC They are hell bent on creating WW3-4-5 -6 and on and on…when we thought it could notget worse, it does.

Damnit Janet on July 25, 2006 at 7:17 pm

Sirocco on July 25, 2006 at 7:22 pm

I would never have posted this or anything like it. I just feel pushed over the edge after six years of observing Godwin’s Law and taking pains to avoid anti-Americanism. What’s happening now is so fucking far out of bounds that rhetorical restraint isn’t possible. And it’s a bipartisan disgrace, as the Congress voting record shows.

But I would like to thank everyone who’s seen this post for understanding that, even though I am giving up on the USA as a champion of Enlightenment values, absolutely no offense is intended towards the enlightened minority which my fellow Bootribbers represent.

Damnit Janet on July 25, 2006 at 7:29 pm

This “thing”

doesn’t represent America or Humanity. I truly have found some relief and assurance in your diaries, thank you

Damnit Janet on July 25, 2006 at 7:38 pm

Wouldn’t these make nice private school uniforms for the children who didn’t have to start working at age 9 so that the rich could get tax cuts?

Sirocco on July 25, 2006 at 7:58 pm

This just in:

BEIRUT (Reuters) – An Israeli air strike on Tuesday hit a U.N. base in southern Lebanon, killing four United Nations observers, Lebanese security sources said.

The UNIFIL peacekeeping force in Lebanon confirmed that there were U.N. casualties but declined to say if any observers had been killed at the base, which appears to have collapsed while the U.N. observers were in the shelter.

“One aerial bomb directly impacted the building and shelter in the base of the United Nations Observer Group in Lebanon in the area of Khiam,” said Milos Strugar, a UNIFIL spokesman.

“There are casualties among the observers. A UNIFIL dispatched rescue team which is on the spot is still unable to clear the rubble,” he said.

“There were 14 other incidents of firing close to this position in the afternoon from the Israeli side and the firing continued during the rescue operation,” he said.

In Jerusalem, an Israeli army spokeswoman said the military was investigating the report.

In Rome, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan declined immediate comment on the bombing. “We are trying to get more details”.

An Israeli tank shell hit a UNIFIL position in southern Lebanon on Monday, wounding four Ghanaian soldiers. Shrapnel from tank shells fired from the Israeli side seriously wounded an Indian soldier last week and Hizbollah fire wounded an Italian observer on the border on Sunday.

In 1996, during Israel’s Grapes of Wrath campaign in Lebanon, an Israeli jet bombed a UNIFIL compound in the southern village of Qana, killing 106 civilians sheltering inside.

UNIFIL was created in 1978 after Israel’s first major invasion of southern Lebanon and has been there ever since. The United Nations has called for a bigger, better armed, more robust international force in the area.

Make no mistake, they aren’t making any. This on purpose, just like in 1996 (see above, graphic pictures here). That time they flew a drone over the UN camp, taking a good look at all the refugees before blotting them out. Norwegian UNIFIL troops even caught it on tape.

This is what US tax money and weapons is used for. Unbelievable.

Damnit Janet on July 25, 2006 at 8:01 pm

OMG…

I swear this administration has a woody for WW3

This country IS the terrorist.
- Sirocco on July 25, 2006 at 8:12 pm
  
  I’m so disgusted my grammar and spelling are breaking down. (Though I’m admittedly not completely sober — just back from celebrating my birthday.)
  
  Deliberately bombing Blue Helmets! That’s so incredibly heinous and bizarre.
  - chocolate ink on July 25, 2006 at 9:45 pm
    
    Happy Birthday S..hope you had a lovely time-hopefully time spent with good friends and family as a respite from this ever more hideous news coming from Lebanon.
  - Damnit Janet on July 25, 2006 at 10:14 pm
    
    I type better when I’m sober. Because I’m slower and more deliberate. 🙂
Sirocco on July 25, 2006 at 8:08 pm

Annan doesn’t think it was an error either:

Four United Nations peacekeepers have been killed in an Israeli air strike on an observation post in southern Lebanon, the UN has said.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said he was “shocked” at the “apparently deliberate targeting” of the post.

BBC News

According to a Norwegian woman who just got out in time, interview on public TV (NRK), they have also targeted Rashdieh, a Palestinian refugee camp in south Lebanon which has nothing whatsoever to do with Hezbollah.

Gaianne on July 26, 2006 at 1:03 pm

They even got the direction of the arms right.

Oui on July 25, 2006 at 11:08 am

.
Need to say more?

Displaced Lebanese people walk past an anti-U.S banner depicting U.S President George W. Bush, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the Statue of Liberty bearing a handgun, as they find temporary shelter in the grounds of the university in the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon. AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis

"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."

▼ ▼ ▼ MY DIARY
- Militarytracy on July 25, 2006 at 1:21 pm
  
  only an artist can sometimes depict my thoughts and emotions about some complex multifaceted experiences that I survive. This banner does that for me. Thank you for this Oui.
BrendaStewart on July 25, 2006 at 2:34 pm

realisticly this is what the ME was seeing America in all of it’s glory when 9/11 happened. It has just progressed till it is not reversable. so very sad…we did have a chance to so some mind changing, but hell no, not with this crowd in DC They are hell bent on creating WW3-4-5 -6 and on and on…when we thought it could notget worse, it does.
Damnit Janet on July 25, 2006 at 7:17 pm
Sirocco on July 25, 2006 at 7:22 pm

I would never have posted this or anything like it. I just feel pushed over the edge after six years of observing Godwin’s Law and taking pains to avoid anti-Americanism. What’s happening now is so fucking far out of bounds that rhetorical restraint isn’t possible. And it’s a bipartisan disgrace, as the Congress voting record shows.

But I would like to thank everyone who’s seen this post for understanding that, even though I am giving up on the USA as a champion of Enlightenment values, absolutely no offense is intended towards the enlightened minority which my fellow Bootribbers represent.
- Damnit Janet on July 25, 2006 at 7:29 pm
  
  This “thing”
  
  doesn’t represent America or Humanity. I truly have found some relief and assurance in your diaries, thank you
Damnit Janet on July 25, 2006 at 7:38 pm

Wouldn’t these make nice private school uniforms for the children who didn’t have to start working at age 9 so that the rich could get tax cuts?
Sirocco on July 25, 2006 at 7:58 pm

This just in:

BEIRUT (Reuters) – An Israeli air strike on Tuesday hit a U.N. base in southern Lebanon, killing four United Nations observers, Lebanese security sources said.

The UNIFIL peacekeeping force in Lebanon confirmed that there were U.N. casualties but declined to say if any observers had been killed at the base, which appears to have collapsed while the U.N. observers were in the shelter.

“One aerial bomb directly impacted the building and shelter in the base of the United Nations Observer Group in Lebanon in the area of Khiam,” said Milos Strugar, a UNIFIL spokesman.

“There are casualties among the observers. A UNIFIL dispatched rescue team which is on the spot is still unable to clear the rubble,” he said.

“There were 14 other incidents of firing close to this position in the afternoon from the Israeli side and the firing continued during the rescue operation,” he said.

In Jerusalem, an Israeli army spokeswoman said the military was investigating the report.

In Rome, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan declined immediate comment on the bombing. “We are trying to get more details”.

An Israeli tank shell hit a UNIFIL position in southern Lebanon on Monday, wounding four Ghanaian soldiers. Shrapnel from tank shells fired from the Israeli side seriously wounded an Indian soldier last week and Hizbollah fire wounded an Italian observer on the border on Sunday.

In 1996, during Israel’s Grapes of Wrath campaign in Lebanon, an Israeli jet bombed a UNIFIL compound in the southern village of Qana, killing 106 civilians sheltering inside.

UNIFIL was created in 1978 after Israel’s first major invasion of southern Lebanon and has been there ever since. The United Nations has called for a bigger, better armed, more robust international force in the area.

Make no mistake, they aren’t making any. This on purpose, just like in 1996 (see above, graphic pictures here). That time they flew a drone over the UN camp, taking a good look at all the refugees before blotting them out. Norwegian UNIFIL troops even caught it on tape.

This is what US tax money and weapons is used for. Unbelievable.
- Damnit Janet on July 25, 2006 at 8:01 pm
  
  OMG…
  
  I swear this administration has a woody for WW3
  
  This country IS the terrorist.
  - Sirocco on July 25, 2006 at 8:12 pm
    
    I’m so disgusted my grammar and spelling are breaking down. (Though I’m admittedly not completely sober — just back from celebrating my birthday.)
    
    Deliberately bombing Blue Helmets! That’s so incredibly heinous and bizarre.
    - chocolate ink on July 25, 2006 at 9:45 pm
      
      Happy Birthday S..hope you had a lovely time-hopefully time spent with good friends and family as a respite from this ever more hideous news coming from Lebanon.
    - Damnit Janet on July 25, 2006 at 10:14 pm
      
      I type better when I’m sober. Because I’m slower and more deliberate. 🙂
- Sirocco on July 25, 2006 at 8:08 pm
  
  Annan doesn’t think it was an error either:
  
  Four United Nations peacekeepers have been killed in an Israeli air strike on an observation post in southern Lebanon, the UN has said.
  
  UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said he was “shocked” at the “apparently deliberate targeting” of the post.
  
  BBC News
  
  According to a Norwegian woman who just got out in time, interview on public TV (NRK), they have also targeted Rashdieh, a Palestinian refugee camp in south Lebanon which has nothing whatsoever to do with Hezbollah.
Gaianne on July 26, 2006 at 1:03 pm

They even got the direction of the arms right.

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Sirocco

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