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November 4, 2003

The Elite and Guilt

Howard Zinn has described how the United States of America and its governance differs from states preceding it. However, it is only partly true that our elite retains the support of the middle class by giving it just enough "stuff" that it won’t rebel and, in turn, the middle class aids the elite in keeping the lower classes from rising up.

A second equally powerful hidden motivator is guilt. The elite acts without honor or integrity and thus encourage the same in the middle class. The elite’s grand thefts are mirrored in our petty thefts. Our lack of honesty and integrity keeps us from rebelling against their abuses. We won’t “call” the elite on their lack of honor because it would expose our own.

The elite justify their greed and cruelty with lies such as "Manifest Destiny," "Opening Markets" and "Bringing Freedom" while we tell ourselves we're only doing what everyone else is doing. I assert that our excuses for ourselves and our lack of integrity in our lives are at least as powerful motivators in keeping the status quo as the fear of losing our "stuff." Until we free ourselves from this bond we will never be free to act in the best interest of our children and our brothers and sisters around the world.

Johnny Peaceseed