American Heroes or Hegemony?

By Luiz O. Prado

This month's celebration of the 60th anniversary of “D-Day” reminded me of a quote attributed to Winston Churchill. As World War II approached a close, he was alleged to say: “This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end; but it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” The first impression the words offer is a sense of historic optimism – for the victory against the Nazis and the new times that were to come. But nowadays, considering the actual condition of the international order, there is the sense that we actually need to remake our minds and world.

I was just a boy during the 1950s. My heroes were U.S. Marines and soldiers, Western cowboys, and football (soccer) players. Marines and cowboys (John Wayne, victor over the Indians!) were my companions every Sunday afternoon, from 1:15 to 5 p.m. My passion during the week was reading and exchanging magazines with my friends featuring colourful photos of Roy Rogers, Alan Rocky Lane, Hopalong Cassidy, the Durango Kid, Batman, Superman, Tarzan, and plenty of others. They were the magic world that inspired all our days of fantasy and bravery. By pointing two fingers of our hand at another person we had a killing weapon, and it was correctly followed by the deadly sound of a bullet. “Killing” was so natural and brave then!

Most of the movies, filmed in black & white, showed the war as a clean and glorious human action. The enemies – the Germans – were terrible with their cannons and tanks, but our heroes were too brave and clever. Hollywood brainwashed a whole generation of children. It was, in fact, the crusade of democracy.

But there were also movies about the war – showing the soldiers' glorious arrival on the beaches in Europe, including D-Day. Planes, destroyers, submarines, and tanks, the flags, the joy of the villages and towns being liberated – everything seemed to crown our dreams. Most of the movies, filmed in black & white, showed the war as a clean and glorious human action. The enemies – the Germans – were terrible with their cannons and tanks, but our heroes were too brave and clever. Hollywood brainwashed a whole generation of children. It was, in fact, the crusade of democracy. Americans were much more than heroes – that was the lesson to most Christian countries in the world. My first insight into “freedom” had been, perhaps, sowed by those afternoons of brainwashing during the ‘50s.

Later, Korea and Vietnam were not as easily understood by my mind. I originally saw them simply as other wars. I needed plenty of time to come to the realization that these were two peoples struggling to define their own destinies, while a powerful and cruel army kept saying “NO!” That army received a bitter lesson, but did not learn from it. Since then we have seen Granada, Panama, and the stupidity in Iraq. Did the D-Day ceremonies deserve Bush in its midst?

The news about the torture, murders and robberies in Iraq did not horrify me in the same way they did Bush and Blair, these powerful world leaders who are “fighting Evil” on behalf of Good and democracy. They believe in the incarnation of the good side of humanity, of justice and democracy. Perhaps, that's what they feel themselves as judges or champions sent by God (it seems they are very Christians) to establish in this world the kingdom of Truth.

No photos are necessary to know what happens when a country invade another's borders. Romans, the ancient experts in invasion, did exactly what was expected at a time that photography and the internet were not yet available. They selected the prisoners to feed to the beasts inside the Coliseum and often chopped off their left hands – without which, the prisoners could not use shields to protect themselves. None of the Roman emperors were horrified by this oppression they imposed. They knew that war is war. They were the strong, and those types of laws need not be written or approved by any legislative assembly.

It is said that what is worse than having bad breath is to not have any breath at all. Adjusting this Confucius saying to Bush and Blair: what is worse than having a bad conscience is not having a conscience at all.

Our new century began with a new version of an old, historic story. The most banal metaphor is to compare this to the biblical fight of David against the powerful Goliath. The USA, with its huge military, economic and technological hegemony, has begun to feel the pain of the stones thrown by those weaker hands. The fallout has become more and more evident.

So-called “terrorism” has been and still is the expression of minorities and of the weak oppressed by the strong. There is no need for moral justification. As long as there are uneven distributions of power – of strong and fragile beings, masters and slaves – there will be stones. The Roman Empire did not collapse overnight. It eroded due to its spiritual inertia and cultural arrogance.

So-called “terrorism” has been and still is the expression of minorities and of the weak oppressed by the strong. There is no need for moral justification. As long as there are uneven distributions of power – of strong and fragile beings, masters and slaves – there will be stones. The Roman Empire did not collapse overnight. It eroded due to its spiritual inertia and cultural arrogance.

Iraq was beaten but not conquered. Other countries were already under the clutches of the eagle: Cuba, for example, and South America nations such as Colombia, Venezuela and Brazil. The “think-tank” mind suggests that oil, geopolitical supremacy, geological riches and bio-diversity are what really matter.

In Iraq, the American army won the war in two or three months. But that same army has been a terrible failure for peace. The Bush administration unilaterally chose to start the war, and now must contemplate the sad results of the violence. But oil matters!

The occupation by foreign militaries is out of control. There will be many new Davids against the Americans, the British soldiers, the Italians, the Japanese, and whoever else steps on the land. Iraq, instead of providing a big military parade, is an infected desert which is full of destruction, killed innocents, torture, and hatred.

Referring to Bush's conservative Christian ties, Whoopi Goldberg recently asked a controversial question: “Is this man leading this country as an American, or is he leading it as a Christian?” No matter whatever church tradition he professes, he apparently did not learn anything from the Gospel. In spite of his “Christian” entourage, and his Bible study and daily morning prayers, he is leading a war which, unhappily, recalls the Crusades. On behalf of God, a powerful terrorist keeps threatening the whole world. Young Americans are dying. Many American families are now mourning for their children. The U.S. government can call all others back home. That is the right alternative not only concerning to Iraq. It's a matter of humanity, human solidarity, sense of justice and commitment for peace. No hegemonic “think tank ideology” can be accepted as “Good News.”

We are going to have to decide: is the liturgy of choice a Requiem or a Te Deum?

The Rt. Rev. Luiz Osorio Prado is dean of the Provincial Seminary in São Leopoldo, Brazil. A frequent commentator on international debt and globalization, he was a founding member of the international Anglican Peace & Justice Network during his service as bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Pelotas (in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande du Sul). Luiz may be reached by email at lprado@ieab.org.br .