Why Terror Suspect?

When I first read 1984 and Brave New World, I was also reading the biographies of Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and the Story of Lewis and Clark. The idea that our country could become what it is today seemed preposterous. Sure, at the time I was a naive 13 year old boy reading books in his treehouse in rural Oregon, but it seemed impossible to me that the country that so many had sacrificed so much for would ever become a Big Brother controlled state that put profits ahead of people.
As I grew older and moved to different West Coast cities, I was exposed to corruption, crime, and worse. Through my adolescence though, I never gave up on the idea that people of convictions have the ability to change the world if they were willing to stand up and be heard. I recognized that one of the things that makes the United States of America great is that we have the freedom to voice our dissent without fear of persecution. I served in the US Marines honorably in the 1990’s because of my conviction that the ideals of this nation deserved my defense and sacrifice.
It was at about that time that things started to change. I started seeing that the people in charge were not representing the people they were supposed to be representing. Instead, big money lobbyists and greedy corporate entities were calling the shots. In the late 90’s I took part in protests against globalization in Seattle, LA, and other cities. I marched with labor organizations, environmental groups, and radical political organizations that called on the government of the United States to represent people over profits.
I saw first hand how voices of dissent are now handled in this country. Then, in the aftermath of September 11th, I saw hatred and bigotry under the guise of nationalism, patriotism, and ‘freedom’ sweep through the population and allow legislation that turned my country into the world of 1984 and Brave New World.
I saw Peace clubs infiltrated by federal agents, I saw rights denied on the basis of ethnicity and national origin, and I saw the hard work and sacrifice of the Americans of the past being replaced with a war based on lies, deceit, and corporate profits. American’s are still sacrificing their lives, but now we do it to make stock holders rich. Freedom is still alive, but if you want to use your voice today, you better count on being a terror suspect.
Our world society has created many wonderful things that we can sing the praises of, but there is also a dark side. Our world has become offensive. Things like the continued genocide in Darfur, the slaughter of civilians in Iraq, the eroding of civil liberties in the United States, the environmental destruction of the entire planet, corporate greed in the face of needless suffering, the profits of the arms industry at the expense of hundreds of thousands of innocent lives, and the lies that are spewed in our face everyday. We are all terror suspects in the face of what the world has become.
So, all of that being said, is this a blog solely about civil rights, activism, and power? No way. This blog is about enjoyment and life. Expect the unexpected here, whether it be a great hike in Hawaii, a picture that makes me laugh, a video about vaginas, or the latest news on buttplugs. This blog is a voice and you can never be too sure exactly what that voice is going to say. That’s why you should check back often, voice your own comments, and let us know if you find anything you would like to see posted here.
Thanks for reading. I look forward to hearing from you.
Chris Damitio
Chairman of the Bored &
Chief Terror Suspect