tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38762322082106480862024-03-05T06:37:31.058-05:00The Imperial CitizenDispatches from the heart of the EmpireRasmus Xerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119334765296948738noreply@blogger.comBlogger140125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876232208210648086.post-2637414057833987492013-05-04T04:29:00.001-04:002013-05-04T04:29:24.494-04:00Thoughtcrime - 03 May 2013It is an unfortunate but true fact that in order to best understand villains, you have to place yourself in their frame of mind. <br />
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Along those lines, if you were to imagine the best ways to control and exploit a group of people without them realizing it and fighting back, you'd - interestingly enough - find just about every method applied on a regular basis in the United States.<br />
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Rasmus Xerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119334765296948738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876232208210648086.post-68540446454184413772013-05-03T03:21:00.003-04:002013-05-03T03:21:45.738-04:00Thoughtcrime - 02 May 2013What are the real purposes of power structures?<br />
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Do the police exist to protect you, or do they exist to keep you in line?<br />
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Do politicians exist to represent you, or do they exist to delude you into believing you're part of the process?<br />
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Does the military exist to defend your life and happiness, or does it exist to destroy others'?<br />
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Do the intelligence and national security apparatuses exist to uproot enemies before they get to you, or do they exist to create enemies and utilize the fear of those enemies to better control you?<br />
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Does the media exist to inform you, or does it exist to misinform you, control the dialogue, and keep you thinking the Right Thoughts?<br />
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Rasmus Xerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119334765296948738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876232208210648086.post-33719228742074829792013-05-01T23:51:00.001-04:002013-05-02T23:53:04.682-04:00Thoughtcrime - 01 May 2013We may rightfully be disturbed and upset when any citizen uses the bulk of their income to spy on others, disrupt their lives in any way possible, and even order their deaths. But when a government does it? Well, then it's just normal, necessary behavior.<br />
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Rasmus Xerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119334765296948738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876232208210648086.post-87562535142977745342013-04-30T23:54:00.001-04:002013-04-30T23:54:51.633-04:00Thoughtcrime - 30 Apr 2013How often do people say "don't be so political" when they agree with what you're saying?<br />
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Rasmus Xerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119334765296948738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876232208210648086.post-42003767527213764232013-04-29T23:50:00.003-04:002013-04-29T23:50:30.771-04:00Thoughtcrime - 29 Apr 2013At some point it seems that the CIA decided it was too troublesome being a criminal enterprise financed by the state, and so, as a remedy, turned to paying for its most unsavory activities with cleaner money - that taken from drug trafficking and the like.<br />
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<br />Rasmus Xerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119334765296948738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876232208210648086.post-2912669030687783342013-04-28T23:40:00.004-04:002013-04-28T23:40:44.947-04:00Thoughtcrime - 28 Apr 2013Enemies will continue to exist as long as there is an incentive for people in positions of power to create them.<br />
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Rasmus Xerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119334765296948738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876232208210648086.post-18931664808720487302013-04-27T23:56:00.000-04:002013-04-27T23:56:05.784-04:00Thoughtcrime - 27 Apr 2013Given the willingness to lie to go to war, and the sheer military power backing those lies, who could the United States <i>not</i> have attacked after September 11, 2001?<br />
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Rasmus Xerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119334765296948738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876232208210648086.post-459189644591895072013-04-26T23:22:00.002-04:002013-04-26T23:22:44.207-04:00Thoughtcrime - 26 Apr 2013The most troublesome part of any reactionary dismissal of 'within reason' conspiracy theories (those that are political or regarding events pertaining strictly to humanity) is the insinuation that certain groups of people would not be willing to go to such lengths to deceive others for their own gain.<br />
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A proper reading of history reveals thousands of such instances, happening at occurrences so regular that any lack of conspiracy involved in a particular event must be considered an outlier. And yet, knowing only what they were told at the time, the better part of every generation thought their leaders above it.<br />
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Rasmus Xerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119334765296948738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876232208210648086.post-30538367152912297652013-04-25T23:19:00.001-04:002013-04-25T23:19:10.445-04:00Thoughtcrime - 25 Apr 2013How exactly can you be for enlarging the middle class while against the redistribution of wealth?<br />
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<a href="http://imperialcitizen.blogspot.com/2013/04/thoughtcrime-24-apr-2013.html" id="link__inpage_7">Previous Thoughtcrime</a> Next Thoughtcrime
Rasmus Xerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119334765296948738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876232208210648086.post-48323657273454187282013-04-24T23:38:00.002-04:002013-04-24T23:38:31.277-04:00Thoughtcrime - 24 Apr 2013So you mean to tell me that "follow the money" is a valid tactic to decipher criminal motivation in police/detective work, but somehow becomes void in the sphere of politics and foreign policy, where everyone is miraculously concerned about the well-being of others?<br />
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Rasmus Xerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119334765296948738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876232208210648086.post-43952467662517616202013-04-23T23:46:00.000-04:002013-04-23T23:46:04.561-04:00Thoughtcrime - 23 Apr 2013If we can agree that inequality is a serious problem which must be dealt with in order to forge a better society, should our primary focus not be combating the greatest of inequalities - that where some are given a chance to live (not always with the same level of opportunity, but a chance nonetheless), while others are killed in cold blood?<br />
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<br />Rasmus Xerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119334765296948738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876232208210648086.post-26459106869471232012013-04-22T23:17:00.002-04:002013-04-22T23:17:31.259-04:00Thoughtcrime - 22 Apr 2013Why is it when a business provides a service that is cheaper for itself to maintain, yet more costly for the public to access, it is seen as a positive development? Should it not cause more outrage when the costs of doing business are shifted onto the consumer, who in reality has little to no recourse?<br />
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Rasmus Xerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119334765296948738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876232208210648086.post-48269078182511410952013-04-21T23:55:00.001-04:002013-04-21T23:55:29.335-04:00Thoughtcrime - 21 Apr 2013Group A presents evidence showing the United States and its entire political system as anathema to the interests of the greater part of humanity, and comes to the conclusion that, because it is beyond repair, steps must be taken outside of the system in order to enact meaningful change.<br />
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Meanwhile, group B offers similar (or even the same) evidence, and amazingly comes to the opposite conclusion - that we can still work within the system, and everything could be salvaged if only we were to vote the right people into office.<br />
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Now, who exactly are the radicals, the crazies - those who espouse opinions that no reasonable person could ever accept?<br />
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<a href="http://imperialcitizen.blogspot.com/2013/04/thoughtcrime-20-apr-2013.html" id="link__inpage_7">Previous Thoughtcrime</a> Next Thoughtcrime
Rasmus Xerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119334765296948738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876232208210648086.post-78354684025714210532013-04-21T00:00:00.000-04:002013-04-21T00:00:14.941-04:00Thoughtcrime - 20 Apr 2013If we recognize a competitive spirit as part of the greater part of human nature, should we not divert that spirit into healthy endeavors, rather than ones that harm both the better part of humanity and the planet itself?<br />
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<a href="http://imperialcitizen.blogspot.com/2013/04/thoughtcrime-19-apr-2013.html" id="link__inpage_7">Previous Thoughtcrime</a> Next ThoughtcrimeRasmus Xerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119334765296948738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876232208210648086.post-3203714324816282912013-04-20T00:00:00.001-04:002013-04-20T00:17:09.958-04:00Thoughtcrime - 19 Apr 2013Is the corporate world - in either theory or reality - in favor of social programs and general equality? <br />
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In theory, they're completely against both. Social programs are seen as encroaching on their moneymaking ability,
as sectors of the economy not open for exploitation. Equality, on the
other hand, completely voids the entire hierarchical structure of
capitalism, where the 'good' (ideas, people, etc) rise to the top, and
the 'bad' suffer and die out.<br />
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In reality, the situation is a bit more complex. The activism of the 1960s and onward has punctured the corporate world, not only filling some of its ranks with more sympathetic members of the human race, but also keeping public relations managers on guard against anything which might spark public outcry. The end result is one where a few well-meaning individuals on the inside offer token gestures in the way of reform, at the same time the company itself heavily lobbies against any such programs in Washington. <br />
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That is, it's similar to most of the products they force down our throats - at face value, a boon to humanity, but in actuality a gigantic waste of resources, only made to line the pockets of the already incredibly wealthy.<br />
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<a href="http://imperialcitizen.blogspot.com/2013/04/thoughtcrime-18-apr-2013.html" id="link__inpage_7">Previous Thoughtcrime</a> Next Thoughtcrime Rasmus Xerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119334765296948738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876232208210648086.post-81252928938313486102013-04-18T23:56:00.002-04:002013-04-18T23:56:49.522-04:00Thoughtcrime - 18 Apr 2013Disinformation is becoming so easy to generate, weapons increasingly deadly and easy to procure, and centers of power so centralized and removed from the rest of the world, that humans are now fast approaching a time where any society based on self-interest will not simply exploit and dehumanize - as has been the case for the bulk of human history - but destroy itself altogether. <br />
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<a href="http://imperialcitizen.blogspot.com/2013/04/thoughtcrime-17-apr-2013.html" id="link__inpage_7">Previous Thoughtcrime</a> Next Thoughtcrime Rasmus Xerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119334765296948738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876232208210648086.post-40494564104822995032013-04-17T22:46:00.001-04:002013-04-17T22:46:17.771-04:00Thoughtcrime - 17 Apr 2013In today's interconnected world, where news stories break within seconds, all it takes is an initial falsified report about an event - conveniently fitting someone's closed-minded worldview - for that report to be embraced as truth for years to come. <br />
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Similarly, you can place a specific country and terrorist group together in a few sentences, and convince millions they are one and the same.<br />
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All this in today's interconnected world, where the truth is often just a few simple keystrokes away.<br />
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Rasmus Xerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119334765296948738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876232208210648086.post-68953019057415661292013-04-16T23:15:00.001-04:002013-04-16T23:15:36.943-04:00Thoughtcrime - 16 Apr 2013I'm not sure who is crazier: those who immediately after an event has occurred already have pieced together an elaborate and detailed theory alleging a conspiracy, or those who condemn the first bunch by acting as if no such conspiracy could ever take place - especially not one involving our benevolent government!<br />
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<a href="http://imperialcitizen.blogspot.com/2013/04/thoughtcrime-14-apr-2013.html" id="link__inpage_7">Previous Thoughtcrime</a> Next Thoughtcrime Rasmus Xerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119334765296948738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876232208210648086.post-16887849055035526442013-04-15T22:47:00.002-04:002013-04-15T22:47:23.683-04:00Thoughtcrime - 15 Apr 2013While the majority of the right wing in America may be irrational, ignorant of simple truths, and at times completely insane, when it comes down to it they have very real grievances. They <b>are </b>overtaxed (again, the majority are not in the top tax brackets), civil liberties <b>are</b> being reduced by the day, and government bureaucracy <b>is</b> a serious concern. <br />
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Unfortunately, due to the fact that professional right wing forces have both much simpler solutions, and far more reach due to their wealth and power, these people are deceived into supporting policies which only harm them in the long run.<br />
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<br />Rasmus Xerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119334765296948738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876232208210648086.post-209039052740045642013-04-14T22:53:00.001-04:002013-04-14T22:53:17.859-04:00Thoughtcrime - 14 Apr 2013What exactly is "America"? Is it a static concept, based on a constitution alongside centuries old texts written by framers, wholly removed from the usual definitions of country, state, nation, and empire? Or is it more representative of what Americans are like themselves, ever-changing as time goes on?<br />
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The answer to this question has serious implications for those who adhere to our civic religion, championing the ideals of liberty and justice, while at the same time attempting to quiet dissent. <br />
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If America is an ideal in and of itself, and not a product of the people who live in it today, then how seriously can we take appeals to democracy and freedom?<br />
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On the other hand, if we the people are supposed to enjoy some amount of say in what America is, shouldn't criticism be considered an essential task of every new generation, rather than an affront to all that is good and patriotic?<br />
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Rasmus Xerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119334765296948738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876232208210648086.post-10048256502792903742013-04-13T22:21:00.002-04:002013-04-13T22:21:18.071-04:00Thoughtcrime - 13 Apr 2013Studying military history might seem like an awful task, but the discipline is not without real use. It's incredibly important to understand not only the sheer amount of time, energy, and resources spent on perfecting methods to kill other human beings, but the deceit used to justify that violence and convince ordinary people to follow along with ferverous glee. <br />
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Rasmus Xerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119334765296948738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876232208210648086.post-37410416622185810512013-04-12T18:41:00.000-04:002013-04-12T18:41:04.877-04:00Thoughtcrime - 12 Apr 2013Do we really want the military controlling technological advancement? Are they not the last group anyone should trust with the latest advances in robotics, brain imaging and the like? Have they not proven time and time again that they will, in their attempt to perfect the art of killing, test out any manner of weaponry which might lead to their advantage, even if it means wanton destruction and indiscriminate slaughter?<br />
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Rasmus Xerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119334765296948738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876232208210648086.post-60977365021240353722013-04-11T18:29:00.000-04:002013-04-11T18:29:12.683-04:00Thoughtcrime - 11 Apr 2013There is a kind of sliding scale of how one will react to the level of information they have about the world:<br />
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At one end, there simply isn't enough information to bypass the control mechanisms leaders have set in place, and the result is something akin to 'ignorance is bliss'. <br />
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Moving toward the middle, knowledge has accumulated to the point where one cannot help but be angry at the state of things, and so ventures into the world of activism and volunteer work. <br />
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And near the far end, things become especially dangerous. Hit by the realization that there is just so much wrong that it might not be possible to affect any sort of real change, the mood trends toward defeatism and apathy, followed by a willful effort to start at the other end all over again. Of course, that can never happen.<br /><br />
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Rasmus Xerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119334765296948738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876232208210648086.post-54368077217910283722013-04-10T16:26:00.000-04:002013-04-10T16:26:21.209-04:00Thoughtcrime - 10 Apr 2013The debate inside establishment foreign policy circles (those which drive policy) is not "should America seek to dominate the world?" , but "at what cost...?".<br />
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Rasmus Xerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119334765296948738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876232208210648086.post-17054879642725201522013-04-09T15:28:00.001-04:002013-04-09T15:28:57.858-04:00Thoughtcrime - 09 Apr 2013Because it is much easier for the mind to disown <i>support for</i> murderous policy (especially given the many coercions within society) than it is for it to disown the <i>design</i> <i>and implementation of</i> murderous policy, leaders often have an even more firm belief in the innate goodness of
their country and its actions than that found amongst the jingoistic, reactionary
masses.<br />
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So, when they follow through with said policy, inevitably kill innocents, and are later forced to admit to their crimes, the response is always that it was a mistake. They claim their intent was noble, pure - they just wanted to help people. They say this not just for the sake of the angry populace, but also for their own. For sanity's sake, they need to believe it just as much as they need others to.<br />
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<br />Rasmus Xerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119334765296948738noreply@blogger.com0