_..----.._ ]_.--._____[ ___|'--'__..|--._ __ """ ; : ()_ """"---...__.'""!": / ___ : """---...__\]..__] | / [ ] : """!--./ / """ : __ ...._____;""'.__________..--..:_ / !"''''''!''''''''''|''''/' ' ' ' \"--..__ __.. / /.--. | | .' \' ' '.""--.{'. _...__ / //.-.: | |.' \ ._.__ ' '""'. .-' / """"----..../ //....: \______ | \| | "";.;-"> \ """"; __.." .--"/"""""----...."""""----......_______\_!....'----""""] _..---|._ __..--"" _!.-=_. """"""""""""""" ;""" / .-";-.'--...___ ." .-""; ';""-""-...^..__...-v.^___, ,__v.__..--^"--""-v.^v, ; ; |'. """-/ ./; ; ;\ . ; ; """"____; ;.--""""// '""<, ; ; | ; ; ; '.: .' ;< ___.-'._.'------""""""____'..'.--""";;' . '; '. \__:/__ ; ;--""()_ ;' /___ .-" ____---""""""" __.._ __._ '>., ,/; \ \ /"""<--...__; '_.-'/; ""; ;.'.' "-..' "-. /"/ `__. '. "---"; '. 'v ; ; ;; \ \ .' \ ; //// _.-" "-._ ; : ; .-'__ '. ; .^".' '. '; '. .'/ '. `-.__.' /;;; ..__.---.__.. ; : ; '"";;""' ;v^" .^ '-. '-.___.'<__v.^,v'. '-.-' ;|: ' : ` ;v^v^'.'. .;'.__/_..-' '-...__.___...---""'-. '-'.;\ '--\ .'_____..>."^"-"""""""" '--..__ '"._..' '"-;;""" """---'"""""" EMPIRE FILES an introduction... This series will be the result of about 4 years of study and realization. The reason I am doing this at all, is because what I have learned in that time has so astounded me, that I have felt compelled to share it somewhere. As my friends and my wife have listened to the best of their ability but wind up getting either freaked out, or worn out, I've decided to write it out, to the best of my ability, in gopher space. In short, I have grown up believing certain things about the nature of the world, and more specifically the nature of the United States in relation to the world. What I have learned over the last few years, has left me with a completely revised worldview in relation to this. As a caveat, Ill offer than in general, I have been someone who has a very high, and even romantic opinion about the founding principles of the United States. While my love of the principles has not changed, my understanding of just how far we have fallen short of them has changed. Even to the degree of now believing that some areas of our government are, and have been criminal enterprises from the very moment they were founded. I have some trepidation because there is no shortage of people writing things about how much the United States sucks. This is not that. This is a person who believes deeply in the idea of Liberty and Justice for All, and is frankly pissed off at just how badly that idea has been maligned by the people who we entrusted with authority. As much of the criminality I have been discovering is centered around foriegn policy and war, many of these posts will focus on a single country at a time, where the U.S. engaged in these behaviors. What I hope emerges is a picture of just how long we have been doing this, and just how badly it needs to change. There will be mistakes, gaps in knowledge, and probably some hyperbole. But to the best of my ability, I am going to try to avoid these, and be as factual, and rational as possible. But if you read these, I think you will find that it is difficult to not have an emotional response to the level of injustce happening in some circumstances. Especially when it is commited in the name of "spreading democracy". This seems like a decent intro, so Ill leave it here....