Practice Democracy: Abolish the C.I.A.

Here's a photo of me at the Peace Vigil in Olympia Washington on Friday, May 28, 2010.


At a recent art exhibit at Northern, Olympia's All Ages Project, there is a painting by Brian Roche entitled, "Foreign Policy."

The painting's caption reads:
"The purpose of the CIA is to create optimum opportunities for multi-national corporations." — Philip Agee (1935 - 2008) CIA case officer and author of "Inside the Company, CIA Diary" (1975).

It seems to me that a lot of people in the USA like to think about and talk about democracy. But is the USA really democratic? And does the USA seek to genuinely promote democracy? It seems that the term democracy has been co-opted by capitalism. Capitalism and democracy are not interchangeable terms - especially in a capitalism that is dominated by the interests and influence of the biggest and most powerful companies, and the most wealthy individuals.

Real democracy necessitates economic and social egalitarianism. Real democracy would be cooperative in nature. Capitalism thrives on the forces of domination, which I believe are antithetical to democracy. In a real democracy, people find power in consensus. And in a real democracy, people find wealth and health in the pursuit of mutually beneficial economics.

- May 30, 2010 update, from Democracy Now!: Senior UN Official to Call for End to CIA Drone Strikes