In the latter part of the 1960s, the U.S. underwent and led a worldwide cultural revolution. Subjects such as racism, hypocrisy, the environment, and war were brought out in the open for everyone to ponder. The world benefited from the new openness.

Today, however, the U.S. is undergoing a major counter cultural revolution to that of the 1960s. Fortunately, only a few countries are aboard.

Many non-U.S. citizens write to me and ask about what is happening in the U.S. and why the country acts the way it does in dealing with foreign entities. They ask me if it is solely the acts of an insane government or if it lies deeper.

Unfortunately, the U.S. people are firing the fuel for this current attitude. It was a slow process. In the 1970s, those of the far right, today called the "neocons," were licking their wounds. The 1960s put their ideas way to the back.
But, they did not consider themselves defeated. Today, the thought processes of the neocon agenda are visible and popular among the citizenry.

In my area, more cars than not display bumper stickers that state "Support the Troops." The sticker is in the form of a ribbon and the majority of them have a Christian cross emblem emblazoned on the bottom of the ribbon. If one does not choose to laden his/her automobile bumper with such an adornment, there could be trouble. More than one person has been asked at work, or at church, or at social gatherings why he/she does not have such a sticker.

Despite the enormity of the 1960s cultural revolution, the main subject was that of war. War was considered an outdated mode of operation to most U.S. citizens of the 1970s who thought war was a part of the past for the U.S. Vietnam taught us a lesson.

Then came Grenada. But, few understood or watched the events. Then Panama. Then by 1991, the term "support the troops" became common. After all, those who fought in Vietnam were soon forgotten when they returned home. We couldn't let this happen again.

Still, most U.S. citizens thought that the 1991 Gulf War was an aberration and the U.S. would again revert to a docile nation.

This was the turning point. The Clinton administration thrust the military into action in Somalia, Serbia, and again Iraq. By 2000, war was again acceptable to the U.S. public. It took about 20 years to gradually sway the mindset of the public to accepting war as a diplomatic alternative.
Then, the Bush junta went further. It called a "war on terrorism" and told the people of the U.S. that it may take decades and the country should be in store for perpetual war. The people quickly acquiesced.

Today's U.S. will shock foreigners who visit. American flags, "Support the Troops" bumper stickers, and signs stating "God Bless America" are rampant. The perverted U.S. concept of God and Country are now deeply immersed in the culture.

Today, U.S. kids are brought up on a military diet. They see war on TV and the manufacturers who make war-related toys are undergoing a golden age of filling their coffers with profits.

Youngsters dress in military camouflage. It is sad to see a six-year-old kid dressed to the hilt with military-like garb, including his sneakers.

But, the toys are even more despicable. Look at the picture of Uday Hussein with this article. That is offered by a company called "Herobuilders"; at www.herobuilders.com. The title is "Uday Dead on Arrival." American kids actually play with these items today. And, there are many: toys with Iraqi houses blown up; U.S. commandos tracking down and killing Arabs; and many other "action figures" that depict and glorify the violence of war.

Today, a 12-year-old kid can talk about military strategies. Prior to the illegal March 2003 invasion of Iraq, a local San Diego TV station actually interviewed a preteen boy and asked him his opinion. He then stated, "I would hit them with air power and then follow with the artillery." It is shocking how today's kids are so well-versed on military tactics. At that age, I could have cited the top-10 hitters in the baseball major leagues, or the top-10 scorers in the National Basketball Association. But, military techniques, forget it. I, and most of my companions, could tell the difference between a jet bomber and an aircraft carrier or a tank, but nothing else.

Today's U.S. also is undergoing a program of moral cleanliness. Censorship is in. Creativity and saying anything against the new morals automatically earns one the label of "un-Amercan."

A 12-year-old kid may slip at the dinner table and say the word "shit" and he will be immediately reprimanded and sent up to his room as a form of punishment. A few hours later, his father will check him out and see him playing with his "Uday Dead on Arrival" toy and commend him on his learning a lesson. Then, the father will pat him on the back and let him out of his room.

This counter cultural revolution took decades to implement. Today, it is solidly in place and shows no signs of abatement. It will stick around for years, if not decades. There is little opposition to it. Only from a small marginalized portion of U.S. society that has been left totally out of any decision-making process or any input to U.S. culture.

Today, I saw a sign on a car that read: "There's Only One USA." Under the words was an illustration of a U.S. flag. When I saw that statement, the first thought that came to mind was, "Thank goodness. The world would really be in a worse mess if there were more than one."