Morning Comrades.
Whilst many of you will be receiving and hopefully reading this on a regular Monday morning, our comrades over in the U.S. will be subjected the insanity that is the 4th of July. I witnessed this hugely propagandized brain washing at first hand over a number of years and figured a little special would be in order.
As always, let’s kick off the week with some new tunes and christ on a crutch is everyone in for a treat this week.
Whilst I usually make a point to not put any metal in these playlists I had to make an exception for this one as Russian Circles dropped a new song that is nothing but pure sex. Their progression into heavier and darker material over the years has been a most welcome one and I for one have to say that this new song might one of their best, yet. Figured that alone was worth a mention alone - aside from that song, it’s 35 more tunes from so many different genre’s that I don’t have the space to name them all here, but there is heaps of new music in there that I had not heard before. I threw in 3-4 classics just to keep the balance but all in all, it’s a glorious playlists for you all.
Also, as a subtle reminder, the digital download art pack is available for the rest of this week with all money made going directly to Planed Parenthood.
No Love For No Nation
The 4th of July is as far as I am concerned one, if not the most propagandized days in the Western World. On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence to announce the colonies' separation from the Kingdom of Great Britain, the Library of Congress says but since then, and especially the dawn of the Neo-Liberal order under Reagan it has become something entirely else. I truthfully cannot even begin to put a finger in the U.S. psyche and attempt to explain the insanity at display on that day, or even around the entire weekend dedicated to celebrate, well, celebrate what exactly? It is absolutely pointless to even bother trying to find a consensus here internationally as even the most critical people in the U.S. I have met still retain a level of patriotic brainwashing that is entirely unexplainable to anyone else.
Before I get it, however, a few important opinions from this end: My criticism rests solely at the feet of those in power, that maintain and foster it, that benefit and utilize the world’s most powerful propaganda machine to illicit a feeling about a country that exists solely in fiction and is so far removed the reality for one purpose alone: to increase their power and subsequent wealth. Again, my criticism lies with those that use and abuse the above and not the people. Most people are absolutely not beyond redemption, quite the opposite to be truthful and that distinction is important. I utterly despise most existing power structures and systems in service of capitalism but not their people. “Be ruthless with systems; be kind to people.” as Michael Brooks once said, and that is certainly the case here as well.
Even this unimportant, small time writer at this end of the screen knows plenty of people in the U.S. that are extremely critical of their system in the same way we are here in Europe, albeit, and this is another important factor to keep in mind, their “job” is harder than ours. Defiance and Rejection of their “state” falls on an oppressed and progandized majority unheard of here in Europe, plus, you have to factor in the fact that a lot of those people are highly medicated and own guns. I for one know that I would have to watch my back a lot more if I lived in the U.S. in comparison to here. So while we not only, and rightfully criticize the monstrosity that is the U.S. “State” let’s all do keep our comrades in mind there, that on days like today are faced with an entirely different kind of monster.
Also, and this goes out specifically to my U.S. readers that are as critical of this day as I am, if you are wondering what to do, fuck it, take the day off, meet friends and comrades, eat, be merry and take a breather to figure out what is next. Fuck knows you barely get any days off as it is, no need to guilt any one for taking a break today.
As far as celebrating any state goes, hell no, absolutely fucking not - on the very basic premises that modern states as we know them in the Global North West exist solely to protect Capital and those that wield it. The entire concept of a nation state as we know it now is nothing but the hidden violence inherent in the ruling classes projected and manifested in punitive laws that are exercised through violence to protect property and keep us working people poor, obedient and hungry enough to endure the different waves of pressures. Additionally, the “state” as we know it utilizes, no, extorts similar to a low level mob boss, profits unimaginable from our collective labour and then, exploits through unimaginable violence the rest of the world to enrich their ruling classes even further. As Stuart Hall pointed out brilliantly, in the case of the U.K. - that desperately applies to the entire Global North West:
“The very notion of Great Britain's 'greatness' is bound up with empire. Euro-scepticism and Little Englander nationalism could hardly survive if people understood whose sugar flowed through English blood and rotted English teeth.”
This is very much the case of the U.S. also, a nation born of radical colonialism, radical Christianity, genocide of an entire indigenous people, slavery and imperialism akin to the old world powers in Europe and more. There is no reason to celebrate this “state” or any other. If anything, we can and should celebrate the giant shoulders we stand on today of ordinary working people that over the last 500 years have stood against the inherent injustice of any such concepts and manifestations of power and paid the price in blood, mostly. A state, however, absolutely not.
Again, the criticism of this celebration, the blind nationalism and historical whitewashing of everything I lay entirely at the feet of the powers that be. In the U.S. and everywhere else.
To our comrades in the U.S. from everyone else around the world here, enjoy your day off, truly. To the rest of the flag shagging idiots, there is help if you need it and for those in power, we’re coming for you.
Following are a couple of twitter threads that I would normally share with your as hot shots but yeah, fuck that, that platform just infuriates me. This first one is relevant to the above essay and whilst it is dystopian af, get into it.
As always, thank you for your time, attention and support. I remain yours, without compromise,
V.