Sunday, April 6, 2014

United States "Internment/Resettlement" Camps

(Japanese Internment Camp)
A topic discussed this week in a class I have was about Presidential power in the United States, more specifically, the Presidential mandate that sent 110,000 Japanese-Americans to internment (confine someone to political prison) camps. In the case of Korematsu vs United States (1944), the Supreme Court for the People of the United States ruled that herding Japanese-Americans into these camps was, in fact, "constitutional" in order to prevent Japanese espionage post-kamikazi on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Since this was ruled as constitutional in 1944, could this happen again? The answer to this question is a profound yes! In fact, within the last couple of months U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Antonin Scalia, gave a form of "public notice" that we would be "kidding" ourselves if we believe this would never happen again. Last time this happened, all that was required to initiate "resettlement" was a the stroke of a pen from the Oval Office at the White House.

(Public Notice)
Today, we also have U.S. Army Internment/Resettlement Specialists. The Army literally advertises to the public on a mission to recruit people for these jobs. What most people immediately turn to in this case is stockpiling weaponry and resources in order to delay what they perceive to be the "inevitable battle" between themselves and the government. Perhaps we need the reminder of Saddam Hussein. It does not matter where we hide and it does not matter who we are with or how much in resources we maintain. Somebody always has more and if they want you and your resources, they will get it by any means necessary, even at the cost of yours and your loved one's lives.

There really is only one solution and the solution can be found in The Matrix: Revolutions. Neo has his final conversation with the Oracle and is told that Agent Smith is Neo's "alter ego." In order for Agent Smith to be stopped, Neo must also sacrifice his ego. What does Neo do? He travels to the world of the machines where he asks for peace and if a chance for peace cannot be granted, then he welcomes death. The head machine affords Neo the chance to stop Agent Smith where Neo chooses to do so at the expense of his own life.

At the end of the film, the Architect approaches the Oracle and guarantees that others who wish to exercise the right of self-determination and peaceful settlement are afforded that opportunity. The dawn of a new day is created in Neo's honor. Most of you will not choose this path because "peace is weakness" when we have been raised and programmed in a society to "fight and protect" what we have left. These are not the principles of self-determination and peaceful settlement, which is the only path we have to a "world peace." Self-determination is a core principle granted to every constitutional state in the world, so the only problem we have left is our own ability to simply make a choice. If we do not, the choice is made for us and at the expense of our freedom, if not our lives when the "hammer drops." The question is are we going to fight or are we going to go to peace?

(Neo asks Machine City for Peace)

(Architect Speaks with Oracle)

No comments:

Post a Comment