Ben started class today with a governmental propaganda video clip. Ben was greeting everyone with a friendly “Good Morning!” Meanwhile the video was playing as people were coming into class. The class kept looking at Mandi and Marika who got free lunch on the 1st floor of Nicholson. Many people wanted to take the whole class downstairs and all get lunch. Hallie mentioned that someone in the video looked like Ben. At 11:15 Ben said that we would watch 2 more minutes of the video. Ben stopped the video and announced that the video was produced by Walt Disney. Troops in WWII were supposed to watch this video. Then, Ben posed the question why do we fight? Some of the answers included stopping the Nazi’s, preserving our freedom. Elissa mentioned that these reasons for fighting were on the lips of a lot of propaganda. It was mentioned that it was ironic Wald Disney produced an “anti-Hitler” video when he was an anti-Semite. Ben brought up the question again, why did we go to war against the Nazi’s? As a side note he mentioned we should keep in mind who is being referred to when we use “we.” We entered the war against them because they were allied with Japan. Ben said that there was a declaration of war making it legal. However, it turned the country into an arms factory and rationed food and Ben said that there was a state of exception. The exoteric reason was because the Nazi’s were allies with Japan and Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. Our interpretation of why we went to war was because the Nazi’s were killing Jews. The esoteric reason from Vidal was “it’s because it was good for the economy.” Leowen would say that a textbook would say we went into war because the US is the “international good guy” and always has to make the right decision to protect the country. Ben references the stock market crash and big government is created to get America out of the depression. Ben said that Roosevelt may or may not have helped the economy. He thinks Roosevelt stopped the economy from getting worse but what ultimately got US out of the Great Depression was the creation of jobs, production, and WWII. Ben said that the esoteric reason for keeping national security going was the fact that we might go back into depression. Then the military industrial complex was referenced. Ben mentioned a book about Pearl Harbor by Robert Stinnett called Day of Deceit. This controversial book contains primary sources talking about how Roosevelt provoked Japan into bombing Pearl Harbor to go into WWII. Ahmed said another esoteric reason was that Germany was getting too much power (Loewen—school of international relations) and was becoming a threat to America. On page 221 in the Loewen reading gives two forms of looking at international relations. One is the left wing perspective and the second is the centrist and right wing perspective. Loewen states, “Some professors and textbooks are quite critical of what might be called the American colossus.. In this “American century” (1917-2017), the United States has been the most powerful nation on earth and has typically acted to maintain its hegemony. This view holds that we American abandoned our revolutionary ideology long ago, if indeed we ever held one, and now typically act to repress the legitimate attempts at self-determination of other nations and peoples” (221). Ben mentions again that we should still be paying attention to who we are calling “we.” Mandi relates what we are talking about with what is going on in Libya saying that our security could be jeopardized so that is why the US intervened. Ben segued by bringing the discussion back to Loewen saying that he is analyzing historical representation and events themselves. He is looking at the history of the state of exception and Loewen is asking US, why don’t we know about this? Ben asked the class who had heard about what happened in Chile before reading Loewen. Only 4 people raised their hands. Ben brought up Henry Kissinger’s involvement in Chile and referenced a quote on page 231. Loewen said, “The next year, CIA Director William Colby testified that “a secret high-level intelligence committee led by Kissinger himself had authorized CIA expenditures of over eight million dollars during the period 1970-73 to ‘destabilize’ the government of President Allende.” Secretary of State Kissinger himself later explained, “I don’t see why we have to let a country go Marxist just because its people are irresponsible.” Since the Chilean people’s “irresponsibility” consisted of voting for Allende, here Kissinger openly says that the United States should not and will not respect the electoral process or sovereignty of another country if the results do not please US” (231). ITT said that Allende is bad for business. Therefore, the CIA went in and took him out of power and put another in power. Mandi said that it might be more complicated than “it might just be bad for business.” Their esoteric reason was that they were going Marxist and communism was taking over. Therefore, they are an enemy to America and it is our duty to fight our enemy. Hallie mentioned a book called By Night in Chile, which was from the point of view of a right wing priest. Vidal’s book was mentioned called Dark Green Bright Red. The book was about a similar situation with a fruit company. A new leader was elected that was trying to nationalize the fruit industry and set labor, health, wage standards. As a result they lose profit. People looked towards Eisenhower and wanted to get rid of him and military dictatorship ensues. Now they can do whatever they want and don’t give proceeds back to Guatemala. Ben says we should notice that this situation keeps happening in history. Elissa asked, “Did we know about the Holocaust as it was going on?” Ben replied saying, “the full extent of it, no. Who is we? Did Roosevelt know? I don’t know. The public did not know.” He mentioned an MPR program he listened to saying that a long time after the reports that this holocaust is going the media was reluctant to broadcast it because it sounded ridiculous and impossible. They thought it couldn’t be the truth. It wasn’t until the BBC documentary on the Holocaust that people knew. Ben talks about a more recent documentary called Why We Fight. His computer was giving him problems and he said, “I’m going to shoot you in the face!” (haha) He said that this documentary was made about 5 or 6 years ago. In the beginning of the clip a guy said, “I want to see peoples dead bodies snapped up for taking my son.” Ben mentioned that we should pay attention to the music and cinematography. Vidal said, “We had the world behind US. Now kids are dying. Billions are being spent every month. Animosity against the US is more than ever in history. Why is this happening? What went wrong?” He continued saying that the US is in a state of amnesia. Everything is blank. We have no history. Charles Lewis on the video was talking about how US always has to have an enemy and we always need strong military defense. Bush said in the video, “this is not just an act of terror, this is an act of war.” Ben mentions that a lot of the people in the video have relations to Strauss. Ben stops after the first video clip. Liz turns on the lights. There is silence until Ben sits down and he said, “What did you see, think, and feel?” Hallie said that it was an extremely partisan video in terms of political parties. Ben asked how that was important. Hallie replied saying it’s a way of dividing the country. She continued saying without Bush it would have been different. Ben mentioned that it is not one party’s fault. Ben mentioned how this video was an emotionally moving piece. He began pushing Paige to answer how she felt about the video. Elissa commented saying that this video was like, “America, fuck yeah!” Elissa mentioned that the first guy that talked frustrated her because killing more people is not the answer. Heidi shared her reaction to the video saying it made her feel helpless and oblivious. She said that there is little she has done to help and she is oblivious of some things happening. She mentioned how all of her friends and loved ones are still alive. Mandi said, “How would you feel if another country came here with military force?” Rachel connected what we were talking about to her journalism class. They watched a video called Control Room that talked about the people in Iraq saying that they don’t want the US there. Karrie mentioned that it was embarrassing watching this. She continued saying that the superpower government is going to make all of the decisions while the citizens just live their lives and are not involved. Ben said, “these feelings that Heidi and Karrie have… How does Loewen help understand where those feelings come from?” Again, he brought up what Bush said in the video clip saying that, “this is not just an act of terror, this is an act of war.” He asked why this was important. Liz said that the act of terror seems one-sided and the act of war is two-sided and we have to fight back. Ben asked how do we respond to an act of terror? Mandi talked about being bullied and you can either fight back or not do anything. Lindsey brought up that if it’s an act of war than you expect a response and if it’s an act of terror it’s a defeat and loss of power. Jordon brought up that 9/11 affected so many people and that it wasn’t just one attack. Karrie mentioned that the act of war gives US an excuse to retaliate. Hallie explained that the act of terrorism is usually from a fringe group that is small and has a political agenda. She said there was a bumper sticker that says, “War is terrorism with a bigger budget.” She continued saying that the act of war is between states. There are connections with the state and it’s more legitimate to go in and fight. Ben mentioned how many ideas were circulating and how we were working on feeling and looking at esoteric and exoteric reasons. Marika mentioned how she doesn’t feel any attachment to the attacks. She said she doesn’t feel bad because she is African American and she doesn’t feel like it affected her. Ben commented again on how much is circulating in the room. Ben brought up Weber saying that terrorism is against the law and if you commit a crime you are investigated, brought to justice, and proved either innocent or guilty. War is not a crime, it’s an action between states. By declaring war you are in Schmitt territory. When there is an enemy and war the law doesn’t apply anymore. Guantanamo bay is mentioned. Ben said that war is historically between two countries. The state of exception is mutant in form. There wasn’t ever a serious argument that 9/11 was perpetrated by a state. He said that if you want to see where wars are, you follow the oil pipelines. He continues saying that there wasn’t ever a serious argument or historical truth that terrorists in 9/11 were perpetrated by a state. Bush used rhetoric of the war to describe 9/11 and prosecuted it saying it’s a war not a crime. When citizens are the enemy you can disregard their rights. Mitch Rapp would say that they don’t have time for rules, you just have to take people out. Ben said that looking for Osama bin Laden could have been a criminal investigation. That route wasn’t taken. Instead we went to war. We didn’t send police out and have them do their thing. That didn’t happen because of the state of exception. Alan Greenspan, chairmen of the federal reserve and descendent of Ayn Rand, said that of course the war was about oil. The exoteric reason was terrorists and the esoteric was oil. Hallie mentioned that if we went the passive route than people still would have been mad. She said we would have been mad either way. Ahmed pointed out that if a rumor came out that Osama bin Laden was in Britain, would we send troops there? NO! Paige reiterated what Hallie said saying that either way people would have been mad. Ben said that as people we need revenge. He went back to Marika’s question, who is we? Who is the agent? He doesn’t think she is alone thinking that. She doesn’t have animosity and she wasn’t personally connected to the tragedy on 9/11. Ben mentioned the symbol of the world trade center was international finance. Ben asked the class to go back to the Loewen reading and find something that relates to the “we” question. Ben lets US work and then quiets everyone down. Discussion starts with Marika and Kate on page 230 saying “By the late 1960s, most scars of the civil war seemed healed. The Congo became one of the most prosperous African nations.” They flat out said that this was not true and that people in the Congo are still suffering. Ben stresses that using a passive voice means that you don’t need an agent! He states that what is said about the Congo is total BS. Congo is one of the most poor and war torn countries. He asks if this is simple stupidity? Loewen argues that there is a pattern to these lies and misrepresentations. He asks is this relates. Brittany said that we (the US) is always good and right. We always have a reason behind our decisions. Ben says that they say things always end up okay and there is a happy ending. Liz brought Disney back into the conversation saying that every problem ends with a resolution of conflict and the enemy dying. This is where there are unrealistic exploitations in society. She continued saying that Disney says that it has to be a certain way and if it isn’t than it isn’t right. Then Kate mentioned how Anastasia was not a real story and Heidi responded emotionally saying how devastated she was when she found out Anastasia and Pocahontas weren’t real. Elissa brought up a quote on page 226, which reads, “Textbook authors portray the US government’s actions as agreeable and nice, even when US government officials have admitted motives and intentions of a quite different nature.” Elissa added that in general the government justifies what goes on in the world and the worst that happens is that the US made a mistake taking the “international good guy” approach. Ben points out that terrorism is the new communism and that is our enemy. The worst that could happen is that we made a mistake, but we had good intentions. Lindsey mentions that every time America messes up nobody ever talks about it and references the torture in Vietnam that is not included in textbooks. The US is never the bad guy. We are always the heroes. Ben says that imperialism and the state of exception go together. The definition of imperialism is the esoteric truth and the exoteric truth covers it up. Hallie talked about when she was in Washington DC in a coffee shop and talked to a guy whose job used to be gathering intelligence. She told the guys story saying how they had to lock people in trailers, naked and with their hands tied to their feet and blast loud music. They couldn’t even stay in the area because they were going crazy, which was the point for the people in the trailers. They would do that in order to get information out of them. They did this before they had any real evidence that they did something wrong. It could have been just a neighbor saying they suspected someone. That is how they got information. By the time the interrogation is over the people would confess to something they didn’t do and the military would use that information to go somewhere else and continue the torture. Ben said that all of this is not included in textbooks because we want kids to have pride in this country. A supporting quote is on page 242 saying, “’We live in the greatest country in the world,’ wrote James F. Delong, an associate of the right-wing textbook critic Mel Gabler, in his critique of American Adventures. “Any book billing itself as a story of this country should certainly get that heritage and pride across.” Mandi said that the US wants to be the good guys so they keep American pride. Ben noted that you keep the ‘bad’ stuff out of textbooks because you don’t want to teach kid’s that is what the government does and what they should do. Then Ben asks, why are these textbooks taught if they don’t tell the whole truth? Ben talked about the politics of textbook adoption boards. Publishing companies are going to write to their markets and who will buy the books. He stated, “you can write the most accurate textbook but it won’t be purchased.” Loewen is saying there is a cultural system of knowledge production that has commercial value. Ben felt like the class understood Loewen’s basic argument and he asked if everyone felt okay with it. He wants to talk on Thursday about who gets to do things, civil rights, and the federal government as an agent vs. civil rights. For the next reading Ben tells the class to focus on three things. The fist is the basic argument, position, and evidence. The second is to look at it philosophically and think about Hegel and why that matters. Thirdly he wants to focUS on the political aspect. Ben instructed the class to bring the book to class. He ended class saying that the war against his exams is starting tomorrow therefore he will not be holding office hours on Thursday.
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