For starters, the United States of America is an empire.
Seriously. As in our country. An empire. If you didn’t know that, well, it’s about time you catch up with the rest of us, and take a huge whiff of the collective crap we all are a-shovelin’.
Not being one for blind speculation, I enjoy reinforcing my assertions with facts. Wholesome, tasty, and downright provocative facts. Hence why I turned to Chalmers Johnson. This dude is one totally dope, blinged-out scholar of comparative politics, and an all-around badass. He’s got some righteously heady nuggets of information that’ll totally blow your mind. Not only is he professor emeritus at the University California-San Diego and a prolific author, he’s also been a consultant to the CIA. Johnson’s got a huge body of experience, and he knows how to use it.
This book addresses with conciseness and clarity the broad reaches of America’s military empire. The text confronts all of the basics of how our country is, in fact, an imperial power, and then unloads with damning specifics. The validity of Johnson’s argument is undeniable, and it is presented in a truly unbiased and clear-cut fashion. The gritty details of our empire’s dirty deeds (which, as he shows, are actively withheld from the mainstream press) are chilling to the bone. Example: No body armor for the troops because we have to go to war with the army we’re given? How about because we’d rather build 234 military-run-and-operated golf courses worldwide. And that’s just from the prologue!
This book is not something I suggest reading before you go to bed at night. Some of the material also may require you to have a garbage can close by for vomiting once you understand how horribly vicious and barbaric our country can be. Regardless, it should be required reading for all American citizens. After all, wasn’t it Thomas Jefferson who said that one of the fundamental necessities of a democratic society is an educated and vigilant populace? But what does that slave-owning jackass know, anyway? He’s only the author of the Bill of Rights. Load of good that did us!
