Sunday, November 22, 2009

Howard Zinn analyzes America's past wars

History as it was never taught!

The Revolutionary War, the Civil War, World War II. Three wars that are off limits to any criticism. Howard Zinn analyzes these wars and discovers a not so rosy picture.

For example, there was a conscription (draft) during the Revolutionary War because nobody wanted to fight. The top brass were well paid and ate well while the foot soldiers were starving at times and weren't paid as promised. When they expected and received land for all their troubles they were heavily taxed. Foreclosures followed. Resistance took form in the shape of Shay's Rebellion where groups of people would block the courthouse in order to not allow foreclosure proceedings to occur. The rebellion was put down by a private army hired by the upper crust.

Next year, fearful and wanting to have full control over uprisings and demands produced by the commoners, those in charge met to draft and pass the Constitution, which gave the federal government enough power to suppress the commoners.

Alas, the mythology surrounding the founding fathers is shattered. Those tea parties might not represent what really happened in actuality.

I had a suspicion that the economic, social, and political model we see today, arose from a carefully crafted plan during those early years. It gave rise to a protected power elite which we are dealing with today.

[Youtube] Howard Zinn on America's past wars

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