In 1965 Frank Herbert had a book published entitled, Dune. I came across the book at the Ft. Lewis base library in Tillacum Washington at the age of fifteen. An avid reader of science fiction I picked up the book and could not put it down. The character development was phenomenal and the story line was unbeknownst to me, prophetic. A brief synopsis follows.

Humankind has spread to the stars, but rather than relying on technology and machinery per se computers, genetically modified humans pilot and man the space vessels. Man is ruled by an Imperium, headed by the Padishah Emperor Shaddam, of House Corrino. Space travel is controlled by the Guild Navigators, genetically altered humans who plot courses through the Space continuum without computerized technology by using the cinnamon mélange spice. The Spice, a potent addictive spatial psychoactive drug is found on only one planet, Dune. This planet is a desert world populated by a native people called the Fremen. The Fremen are deep desert dwellers and wear a device called a stillsuit, the totally recycles body fluid. Water is such a precious revered substance that a dead Fremen’s water is given to the tribe. It is added to the tribal water pool at their sietch, or village. There are ongoing political military struggles over the spice. No one except the Fremen know the connection between the Spice, water and the giant desert worms. Into this maelstrom comes the Atreides family and the boy Paul. The Zensunni beliefs of the Fremen are the prophetic part of this story.

Paul Atreides flees into the desert after his father Leto is assassinated. The Fremen shelter him after he takes the spice and has prophetic visions that fit the Fremen beliefs. Here is where the language of the book takes on a scary prophetic note. Paul is renamed Mau Dib, (the Madhi) the expected one. His faithful militant warriors are called Fedaykeen, death warriors, the fedayeen mujahideen. Mau Did launches a Jihad, holy war, against the Imperium and its contracted soldiers, the Sardauker. His strategy is based around control of the Spice(Oil). He states, “He who can destroy a thing, controls a thing”

Forty years ago Frank Herbert wrote the future. We are waging war against mujahideen led by a Madhi army over oil(the spice). Water is becoming more and more valuable and scarcer. A contractor army is being used to install puppet rulers. Part of his Dune history is the revolt against the machines. The Butlerian Jihad was a reaction to AI (artificial intelligence) computers enslaving humanity. Today computers and adjunct technology, cell phones I-pods, blackberrys and I phones are taking away our livelihoods and our souls.

Attention must be paid to what we are doing to ourselves as a people. Meaningful work is being destroyed by technology. Computers take jobs away, they don’t create them. A Jihad against the machines will happen unless we can reach a balance. Books and libraries will disappear unless we say no. War will go on forever unless we say no.

Dave Ionno
Each breath carries the risk that there may not be another one
Ancient saying

Two big stories broke this week on May day. Osama bin Laden, the Frankenstein creation of the United States military and intelligence operatives, was killed and then made to disappear. DC Comics in the newest issue of Superman has the Man of Steel, the believer in Truth, Justice and the American Way going before the United Nations to renounce his US citizenship. What the anvil, what the hammer… tension, apprehension and dissension have begun.

Osama bin Laden was a weapon we developed and utilized in the first Afghan war waged by the Soviet Union from 1979-1989. We supplied AK-47’s, Stinger missiles and built the Tora Bora base for Osama and the Mujihideen rebels. Mullah Omar, Taliban leader was also armed and supported by the US intelligence community, the CIA and the Mother Company (Oil cartel and Wall Street). They turned the Soviet adventure into a version of the US debacle in Viet Nam. After the Soviets left our monster killer had no one to terrify. A reason was needed, a cause, a crusade to push the American people into another war. Thus was created the mass destruction of 9/11. The first taste of total war on American soil since the Civil War burned into the American psyche. Some Viet Nam veterans said amongst ourselves, welcome to the war America. Thus it began again.

Superman, an alien, raised as an all American boy by the Kent family was a hero to all of us as children immersed in the comic book genre. He stood for Truth, Justice and the American way and possessed of superhuman strength, due to his alien birth on Krypton, fought for America. I feel I know why Superman would renounce his US citizenship, and justly so. As myself and other Viet Nam veterans have revealed we went to war and remained at war with ourselves over what we had done, seen and let happen. Perhaps Superman went to war for America, as an American fighting man and came home one day and realized he had become something other, a human being.

Supongamos, mi hijos, suppose this my children, Superman renounces his US citizenship becomes a world citizen and seizes Osama bin Laden to bring him to trial before the World Court at the Hague for crimes against humanity. The United States should have brought Osama to trial at the World Court just like the Nazi war lords and Milosevich. This would have been the right and just thing to do. But we could not risk that Osama would tell all that he knew about what we did in Afghanistan during and after the Soviet adventure. Osama knew too much about CIA involvement in the heroin trade. He knew too much about illegal assassinations and renditons. He knew and would reveal the dark shadow of United States policies. In the end Superman might have to bring our own elected leaders before the World Court in the name of Truth, Justice and the Human way.

Dave Ionno
Viet Nam veteran Against All Wars

The American Civil War (1861-1865) happened as a result of the self inflicted wound crippling the nation at birth. The US Constitution enshrined chattel human slavery in its document and thus knowingly and consciously prepped us for bloody conflict. James Madison, a founding father and President remarked that slavery was a time bomb waiting to explode. The explosion when it came was almost apocalyptic for the nation. The highest loss of life in any American war, 625,000 dead and the first total war waged not only on the battlefield but in the towns and cities. Washington DC, Richmond, Atlanta, Vicksburg and Fredericksburg all were besieged and shelled. On a single day in September of 1862 at Antietam (Sharpsburg) Md. 23,000 Americans killed each other. It is still the greatest loss of life in battle for Americans of any war. Like many Americans raised in the crucible of war time I visited Civil war national battle fields as a child with my family. Gettysburg was one. As an adult and father I took my children to Manassas (Bull Run) and Antietam. These visits were after my own participation in war. It was Bloody Lane at Antietam that conjured the ghosts of Viet Nam. I could hear the cries of the dying and see the faces of the dead I knew. It is these wounds that never heal.

In my unit during my tour in Viet Nam we had several suicides and self inflicted wounds. The SIW’s were done in the attempt to get home, alive. One of my comrades pointed the muzzle of an M-16 at his foot thinking to blow off just the little toe. He failed to remember that the rifle barrel is beveled to cause the round to tumble and inflict maximum damage. It took his foot off. I am confounded by the psychology of maiming oneself to escape untenable conditions, but I have seen it over and over. Pain, physical or spiritual, can cripple our thinking, and thus magnify injury. In order for us to heal there has to be an admission of wrongdoing. We have to look in the mirror of our history and accept that the Constitution was warped and that we need to set it right.

Dave Ionno
Veteran for peace and against all wars

As impressive as the tens of thousands of Wisconsinites have been in protesting the harsh austerity bill being pushed through by Governor Scott Walker, let’s not overlook the fact that this battle is just getting started.  Any lulls in protest activity are still punctuated by huge protests on the weekends and literal signs for a general strike are appearing and being carried all over town.  Horns are still blasting around the Capitol building at any given hour and vigils are still being maintained.  There is a sense that the unions, and the rest of the populace, are preparing themselves for the next round.  And as hard as it might be to conceive of these huge recent protests as part of a rope-a-dope strategy… it is the general population that has been playing gently with the Governor thus far.  History has shown us that the masses ultimately have the power, if they are willing to use it, and it doesn’t appear that the right-wing has a very thoughtful tactician to guide them through the impending battles.

That said… the protest movement, particularly insomuch as it is being manipulated by mainstream politicians and self-appointed marshals, could falter.  It will be up to individuals, thinking for themselves and communicating their ideas horizontally, to prevent this movement from becoming too watered-down and compromising.  It should not be misunderstood — the power at this point is in the hands of the masses of protesters.  Not to put too much of fine point on it, but it’s somewhat reminiscent of the scene in Fight Club when Tyler Durden reminds the local politician…

“The people you are after are the people you depend on. We cook your meals, we haul your trash, we connect your calls, we drive your ambulances, we guard you while you sleep. Do not fuck with us.“

I’m not suggesting that union members should start fight clubs, and lord knows I wouldn’t want to go fisticuffs with a steelworker, but the point is that no one should allow their power or importance in society to be diminished — especially when considered collectively as part of mutually beneficial organization.  The people hold the real power in this world — as long as they are willing to use it.  They should not be looking to give concessions — they should be looking to take them, all of them.  And when the grassroots “leadership” starts talking about giving concessions… their megaphones should be shoved somewhere the sun doesn’t shine.  The notion of giving concessions at this point is beyond ridiculous — unless you’re willing to take yet another step towards giving everything away.

Continued…

The most obvious of these are the various Leninist/Trotskyist parties, who are openly vanguardist in theory and practice (derived mostly from the writings of Lenin). Leninist theory states that the working class is by itself unable to achieve the required consciousness to challenge capitalism, and so requires a political party led by professional revolutionaries to lead it – a vanguard party. The concept of leadership is very important. Trotsky himself wrote that “the historical crisis of mankind is reduced to the crisis of the revolutionary leadership” and this perspective continues to inform his contemporary followers.

This means that vanguardist politics of the Leninist/Trotskyist kind aims essentially at securing leadership of various campaigns and organizations.

Read more…

In the US today there are tribal loyalties based on blood and on organizational environment. American families have been separated by distance and by career decisions. The automobile and the interstate system have spread us all over the lower 48 and the world. Hence our tribal loyalties are dispersed.

I belong to a nomadic tribe of camp followers known as “military brats.” We are the sons and daughters of career military lifers. We have lived all over the US and the World on military bases that are the first target of any hostile force. Many of us, like myself, followed our fathers into the service, our tribal culture. It is often easy for us to recognize one another. We have our own patois, a mix of military acronyms and foreign words. We often have a neutral English dialect that defies identification, and use words that are more common in other parts of the country.

I lived 16 years in this tribal culture. I moved every three years when my father received orders. I lived five years in Asia on military reservations in Japan, Okinawa, Taiwan and then Viet Nam as a US Army soldier of the tribe. It was my exposure to Japanese, Chinese and Vietnamese culture that altered my tribal beliefs. The war I fought in Viet Nam and the wars we are currently waging in Iraq and Afghanistan have caused me to quit my American self.

I don’t know that I ever accepted the theory of Manifest Destiny in American history, but I absolutely do not believe in American Exceptionalism. These ideologies are arrogant and narcissistic. My country is like unto a man, disfigured by some horrible disease, who regarding his reflection in the mirror, states, “But on me it looks good.”

Trained and conditioned by tribal/nationalistic propaganda I enlisted in the US Army, my tribal band of brothers and I went to Viet Nam as an American fighting man, but had the ill considered grace to come home alive as a human being. That’s why I feel as if I am a stranger in a strange land.

I am currently attending a reaction PTSD veterans group at the Hartford Veteran Center in Rocky Hill. I find much support and understanding by my tribal brothers in arms. It is one place where my rage and pain is shared and understood. I am back there because the new wars have called up the old wars in my soul. And this is what America fails to recognize, that Viet Nam (and all wars) are over, and over and over… forever.

Dave Ionno
Veteran for Peace and Against the Wars

I love that this group exists and is taking direct action to beautify their neighborhood and remind us all that our streets are alive.  From their mission statement posted on their blog, the Knitty Gritty Committee (KGC) seeks to “…bring art, personality and beauty to sterile environments. This opportunity allows us to make a statement against hard, cold, masculine culture by taking a widely-viewed warm and cozy feminine past-time to the streets.”

Awesome!

Unfortunately, at the end of their statement they take a jab (I’ll assume inadvertently) at people who are homeless by referring to such folks as “bums”, further perpetuating the stereotype that people who don’t  have a home or a job, are lazy.  Also, I have to take issue with their description that implies most graffiti is about destruction.  It seems the KGC folx are trying to distinguish themselves from other street artists who are unfairly tagged (pun intended) as vandals, but personally I see both forms as legitimate public art.

No need to make enemies or draw lines in the sand KGC…It could be your group next that is compared to arsonists, such as State Senator John Fonfara did recently in an interview with The Hartford News describing graffiti artists. Street artists of all stripes (and their supporters) need to stand together and continue to challenge societies notions of what art is or where it belongs.

Anyway, I really appreciate and admire what you do and hope y’all keep up the great work!

UPDATE: Since the posting of this article, KGC’s mission statement has been updated and now reads:

“The Knitty Gritty Committee is the one and only Hartford yarn bombing chapter. Our influences came from Houston’s Knitta, and they deserve credit for the concept.

Yarn bombing is a type of street art which employs colorful displays of hand-made textiles placed in an urban landscape. Like most graffiti, yarn bombing isn’t about destruction, but bringing art, personality and beauty to sterile environments. This opportunity allows us to make a statement against hard, cold, masculine culture by taking a widely-viewed warm and cozy feminine past-time to the streets. Perhaps we’ll even bring some “mother” nature to Hartford.

Our targets include many objects in need of sweaters: trees, lamp posts, fire hydrants, fences, benches, monuments, statues, railings, and other urban objects.

All are welcome – male/female, crocheter/knitter.
Even if you don’t know how to knit, all you need is a willingness to learn. We also appreciate scrap yarn donations for those unable to participate in the stitching process.

For those worried about the loss or damage of a finely knit product – don’t fret. Think of it as a public service or arts donation. Odds are you’ll make someone’s day!”

The events in Manchester Ct. at Hartford Distributors on August 3rd and what happened on September 11th in New York are bound together by a history of violence. The history in question is the past history of this nation, my nation, America. Born out of Revolutionary War and having waged the longest guerrilla war against the native indigenous people, 300+ years, we were born out of violence. As a young male during the 50’s and 60’s, Viet Nam was where I was going. I was raised inside the war machine as a military dependent (Army brat) for 14 years and on my 18th birthday in 1969 enlisted and volunteered for Viet Nam. I was born and bred for war, fed a daily diet of war programs disguised as high school sports. Filled with pride in our always victorious results we were suckled at the teats of wolves on the milk of violence.

This early psychological conditioning has been augmented by the use of even more intrusive and ubiquitous technology, the Internet, cell phones, i-pods and Black Berry’s. War games and interactive video have taught the bravery of being out of range and fed the vicarious hunger of voyeur killers. Americans have been conditioned to respond to any threat, real or perceived with violence.

There is a correlation between the rise in violent actions within society and the return to society of millions of veterans bringing their wars home with them. Civil society is pressured when our leaders respond with military actions by stoking fear and paranoia. Fear and suspicion is visible in every workplace, security officers are now the fastest growing career and the Office of Homeland Security by its very title reflects that paranoia. Do not think that our children do not see how we respond. They watch us and emulate us.

The Teeth of the Dragon is a reference to mythology. The Greek Jason of Argonaut and Golden Fleece fame, was tested by the King of Colchis. He was given the ensorcelled teeth of a dragon to plant on a field of battle. From the bloody soil sprang full grown warriors that he must then destroy. The test required violent response to violence conceived. This is the never-ending forever war that leaders of our nation nurture. It is replicated in society at large. One of my brothers-in –arms from Viet Nam says it succinctly, “What you do, you become.”

Dave Ionno
Veteran for Peace and Against the Wars

The muted rumblings in Greece, site of the Athenian Acropolis and birthplace of democracy, precedes the perfect political storm.  Olga Stefan, a 20 year old Greek university student thinks her government is in ..“someway afraid of us.  There are too many of us.”   This simple equation will soon reach critical mass across the industrialized developed world.  The concentration of wealth in the United States has become an obscenity.  The top 4% own outright 55% of the wealth.  This was not accumulated by hard work and savings over time.  This wealth was taken by stealth and force and generated by insider Wall Street stock market access and high speed computer trading in bogus derivatives (Whiskey Tango Foxtrot).  What The Fuck are they?  A tsunami of rage is coming.

The Doors song, “5 to 1” is prophetic.  Jim Morrison was the son of a career Naval officer, a military brat like myself.  The Doors music along with Jimi Hendrix, an Airborne veteran, was the sound track of the GI’s in Viet Nam.  We killed and died as the blood and wealth of the nation was soaked up on foreign ground in Viet Nam.  Martin Luther King Jr., an American hero, said it clearly, “ The Great Society has been shot down on the battlefields of  Viet Nam.”  Today, now as we breathe, our future and our children’s future is being shot down on the battlefields of iraq and Afghanistan.

The American middle class, built out of the GI Bill after WW II and inherited by the sons and daughters of the “Greatest Generation” has been eviscerated by the Wall Street and Pentagon ghouls  in their multinational corporate star chambers.  We are like a snail crawling along the edge of a straight razor, unable to see it and unwilling to drop off.

The so-called wealth generators in their gated communities are beginning to tremble in fear. The wars and the warriors are coming home.  Those of us in the public sector unions, those of us in the working class jobs, those of us who are small business owners, we fought your wars for you and we kept that knowledge.  If we send men off to war, don’t be surprised when they come home talking dirty.  Be careful how you vote.

Dave Ionno
Viet Nam Veteran for Peace against the Wars