Philip A. Farruggio -- World News Trust
Nov. 25, 2014
There are so many we should give thanks to this and every year. For purposes of this column, let's just focus on U.S. foreign policy, ok?
Let us give thanks to real patriots like Edward Snowden and Chelsea Manning who risked it all to get the truth out about our foreign policy decisions. Manning is in prison for who knows how many years and Snowden has to live like Julian Assange, a man with no country.
Let us give thanks to all the great progressive thinkers and writers like Noam Chomsky, Glen Greenwald, Michael Parenti, John Pilger, Ralph Nader, Chris Hedges, Jeremy Scahill, Bill Blum, Naomi Klein, Howard Zinn, Paul Craig Roberts to name but a few. These folks could all have made more money for themselves by working for the empire's mainstream media pariahs. Yet, they all make (and made) their livings by speaking truth to power.
Much thanks should also go the way of the many folks who create the alternative websites and media outlets that "go against the grain" of empire. This is where the voices of not only historical correctness and fact can be found, but also the last resort to educate our young minds who get lied to each day in our schools and universities.
Let us give thanks to all the many faceless "citizens of dissent" who show up and demonstrate, devoid of celebrity and on their own time and money to also "speak truth to power." Let us also give thanks to all the veterans of our nation's illegal actions who stand up publically and say "Not in my name."
Finally, perhaps those who created this fanatical movement we call ISIS should give thanks to the war criminals of the Bush 1, Bush 2 and now Obama administrations, along with their Pentagon "handlers." Without the illegal and immoral invasions and airstrikes perpetrated by the aforementioned, ISIS would never have enough recruits for their madness.
PA Farruggio
Thanksgiving 2015
(Philip A Farruggio is a semi-retired baby boomer born and bred in blue collar Brooklyn NYC. He is the son and grandson of Brooklyn longshoremen, and educated at "free tuition" Brooklyn College, class of '74. Philip has written more than 300 columns since 2001 and his work is found on many fine progressive sites like World News Trust, Nation of Change, Information Clearinghouse, Intrepid Report, Sleuth Journal, Dandelion Salad, Counterpunch and Dissident Voice. He can be reached at