The first time I took an overseas vacation my family was beside itself. How could I vacation outside of America where everything was "perfect." People avoid "inconvenient truths" but love trivial scandal.

I would recommend Gore Vidal's "1876." Not a new book, but still, eye opening for our interpretation of history. If you would rather watch search out "The History of Oil" on utube. Funny and accurate.

Complacency is easy when it's all that a person knows. Unfamiliar with anything better (thanks to the media), lulled by a sense that the battles are happening "over there," which allows them to relegate them to a lesser sense of reality, and given the ruling class' Machiavellian abilities of spin and manufacturing common enemies (including GLBT, but more specific to nations elsewhere in this discussion), the public at large will still remain largely and blissfully unaware.

George Carlin: "American was founded by slave owners who informed us, "All men are created equal." All "men," except Indians, *****, and women. Remember, the founders were a small group of unelected, white, male, land-holding slave owners who also, by the way, suggested that their class be the only one allowed to vote."

That's a neat little video.

But of course kids can't learn about that at school. That's like American hatred.

I love this quote:

"The American empire has always been a bipartisan project."

Thanks for posting, Bil.