Jim Murray

2 years ago · 3 min. reading time · ~100 ·

Blogging
>
Jim blog
>
Confessions Of A Reformed American Wannabe

Confessions Of A Reformed American Wannabe

When I was younger, much younger, I used to think it would be great to move to the United States of America and become a citizen of that country.

I grew up in a border town and spent a lot of time in America. I had friends there and the border really didn’t seem like a border, just a bridge across the river. Back then, in the 50s and 60s, the similarities between my country, Canada, and the US far our weighed the differences between us.

But, gradually, as I grew older, America started to become a different place to me. It was now a place where a president was assassinated and his assassin killed in cold blood to cover up the story. It was a place that made a mythical enemy of communism, and painted itself as the world’s protector against that scourge,

And over the course of those late 60s and early 70s years, America became a colder, harder place. A place that always seemed to be at war with someone, and not always winning. A place that boasted about itself and gave its people a sense of self-importance they didn’t really merit.

It was a country where the class system that had always existed, became a cause for internal strife. Because this class system was only designed to turn out workers who would not rock the boat and make life difficult for the billionaires who owned all the industries.

As time went by American economic imperialism worked hard to make sure that corruptible governments were installed in countries where America’s economic interests were strong.

Early in this century, political factions in the middle east decided to fight back with the weapons they knew best how to use. This tactic, which was brought real death and destruction right to America’s doorstep gave them the perfect excuse to start a new war, not against a country, but against an idea. No longer were they saving the world from the communist threat, they were now saving the world from the Muslim fundamentalist threat.

This worked out very nicely for the billionaires. New weapons. New billions in profit and because the war would be fought on many fronts, longevity was assured, and many more lives of the children of the have nots would be lost.

Eventually, the War on Terror, as it was known, turned out to be another losing cause. But by now, the politicians had figured out that war meant insane profit and insane profit meant financial support both above and under the table.

I watched as an entire political party became the indentured servants of these billionaires.

I watched as the pharma industry followed suit and bought legislation that kept drug prices astronomically high. I watched as the fossil fuel industry lined up and tossed money into the trough to keep the government from enacting legislation that would cut their profits and save the environment from the carbon threat that grows larger every day.

I watched a they elected a charlatan, who was the burning essence of corruption, to run the country and award huge tax breaks to the rich while having his ass kissed by the trough feeding Republican politicians.

I watched as this uncouth, vulgar charlatan, who through some mysterious aberration, rallied the uninformed, the ignorant and the just plain moronic, slapping them into a cohesive resistance that was stupidly fighting against the very idea of America democracy.

I watched as the politicians who tried to rebel against this capitalism run amok but didn’t quite make it to a place where they had absolute control.

And all the while, my desire to become an American fizzled to a smoking ember. Because this country, that in my youth offered mountains of appeal, had been reduced to deep craters through the abject greed of the ruling class, and the pathetic ignorance and gullibility of the have nots.

All the while, I kept looking around at my own country. I had worked for several different governments over the course of my career, and realized that our politicians were saintly in comparison to those I saw in America.

Now I look at America, 60 years on and I see a country divided. I see a country who will ultimately come around to believing that it would need another war to unite it, because, all through their recent history, cold and hot wars are all they have known.

And now, I just think of how sad it must be to be a liberal minded, thinking human being in a country like that which is America today. I have trouble caring about the others because I honestly don’t believe they ever had any real appreciation for what America was designed to be. 
 

MURMARKETING
Jim Murray, Prop
Strategy © Wr Act Direciios

onandup3@gmail.com + m 289-687-3475
Comments

Thomas Moorehead

1 year ago #5

Ahh.. another Canadian pointing fingers.  How about your Liberals? How about the blackface? How about the hypocrisy?  Always amusing to listen to the enlightened.

 

BTW, has your leader removed the travel restrictions or are you still relishing living under authoritarian rule?

Jim Murray

2 years ago #4

Jim Murray

2 years ago #3

Jerry Fletcher

2 years ago #2

Jim, your observations are valid. But if you want to really see the downfall look at Texas. It is completely abhorrent. I have friends with relatives there who refuse to visit a state that has laws that reverse all common standards of civility. I pray that the women of Texas rise up and put their current legislators out of office and reverse their narrow-minded and bigoted laws. 

Alan Culler

2 years ago #1

I thought you said you were going to be less US-is-falling-‘n’-failing-focused, Jim. A powerful piece, as usual

Articles from Jim Murray

View blog
1 year ago · 2 min. reading time

(I wrote this post after the 2016 election and updated it after the 2020 election. Sad to say these ...

8 months ago · 8 min. reading time

Preface: For those who may not know, over a period of three years a while back, Phil Friedman and I ...

7 months ago · 6 min. reading time

JIM: I have spent the Lion’s share of my adult life in the business of advertising. When I started i ...

Related professionals

You may be interested in these jobs

  • Easy To Dine INC

    data administrator

    Found in: Talent CA 2 C2 - 5 days ago


    Easy To Dine INC Chilliwack, Canada

    Education: Bachelor's degree · Experience: 1 year to less than 2 years · Tasks · Collect and document user's requirements · Operate database management systems to analyze data · Develop and implement data administration policy, standards and models · Research and document data re ...

  • Sepaq

    Sauveteur(-euse)

    Found in: Talent CA C2 - 1 week ago


    Sepaq Orford, Canada

    17,24 $ de l'heure selon l'expérience (notez que l'échelle salariale affichée est celle en vigueur au 1er mai 2023. Celle-ci sera revue suivant la conclusion des négociations de conventions collectives) · + Rémunération additionnelle temporaire de 2,50 $ par heure travaillée du 1 ...


  • CN Edmonton, Canada Full time

    Le CN offre de nombreuses possibilités pour les travailleurs de métiers spécialisés qui aiment apprendre constamment et souhaitent faire carrière dans une équipe axée sur la sécurité. Vous travaillerez sur équipements à la fine pointe de la technologie et des wagons de train qui ...