Author: Matthew McKenna

The longest war in American history was initiated and continued on a set of assumptions that were fundamentally untrue. The only way this senseless conflict will end is if the American public understands that the entire justification for the war is deeply flawed.

An investigation into the centrist Democrats’ confusing, seemingly inconsistent criteria for whom they will grant forgiveness and who should be “cancelled.”

Matthew McKenna

Donald Trump may have just provided the catalyzing spark for a rejuvenation of effective history education in the United States. Counterintuitive as it may sound, the polarizing orange man may have just brought to national attention some grave flaws with our American approach to teaching out own history. With his platform of instituting “Patriotic Education,” in the what he has described as the “1776 Commission,” the president and his acolytes are seeking to reverse what they see as left wing brainwashing, akin to “child abuse” in the classrooms. The apparent goal expressed by the 45th president, is that education would be a tool utilized to reinforce and invigorate patriotism in the populace, and given Trump’s own trajectory, bolster an American nationalism. 

Matthew McKenna

The War on Terror has been destructive, illegal, and above all, immoral. The near twenty year endeavor has also been an incredibly stupid one. Here we analyze three statements, made by our most powerful officials, that are illustrative of the larger idiocy of this war.

The United States exacerbated the tragedy of 9/11 by failing to seize on an opportunity to reflect on its behavior in the world, and choosing instead a path of pointless death and destruction.

Matthew McKenna

Part I: Iran

Author’s Note: This is the first part in a several part series about the alleged enemies of the United States. This series is designed to improve the reader’s understanding of the origins of the “enemy” status that the nations in question hold. The series is neither an endorsement nor condemnation of the alleged enemy’s actions, but a critical look at how US policy has affected these states and their outlook on the world. As has been mentioned on this blog in earlier posts, the United States is the global empire, and thus needs to be scrutinized most severely.

Those labeled as “traitors” have often been heroic, while those who have been the most treasonous to the American people have frequently escaped judgment

An examination of the United States’ historical relationship with the crime of genocide

The Deceptive Nature of the Stars and Stripes

7/4/2020

Matthew McKenna

Today is July 4th, and despite being the capital of the COVID-19 afflicted world, you will still see signs of celebration in the United States. On this day commemorating American independence, the red, white, and blue stars and stripes designs will be on display; gracing houses and town centers, as well as adorned on t-shirts, tank tops, and the occasional bathing suit. Ask the average American what the colors represent. They will likely respond with “freedom.” Perhaps some might respond with “liberty” or “human rights.” However, in this unprecedented moment of the newly invigorated Black Lives Matter protests, against the backdrop of the pandemic, along with the adjacent failures of our political system, it is worth examining how the common perception of the flag’s symbolism compares to what it represents to large swaths of humanity.