I do not usually post book reviews on my main blog, but this was a text that after receiving from a controversial individual, Oliver Stone, and I could not put it down for 600 pages, and still am in shock and do not have the exact words, but if you ever want to read something that will cause some shock, this is your text, and this is my review among many other new additions to my book review page.
July 15, 2013 Oliver Stone and Peter Kuznick’s The Untold Story of the United States
It is funny, looking at the self that was me before entering Mexico, and the self now after entering Mexico, I see a totally different me. Why? I actually have been lucky enough to have the gift of time. Time to reflect, time to think, time to introspect and time to see the things around me and make connections. I never had that ability in the states due to the amount of work I had to expend on my part to get by. Then I also saw the true issues behind immigration, and seeing how people in the street of Mexico are thankful for 5 pesos when given to them by someone exiting the metro. FIVE PESOS. After reading Oliver Stone and Peter Kuznik’s text, and hearing their wishes for a true telling of American History in textbooks, I aligned myself with the way I have changed since coming to Mexico and seeing a more worldly and unimperialistic view of things.
Funny, as long as I have been in the United States, I have so much to be thankful for, my family, my education, opportunities to be where I am now. Yet in so many ways I am ashamed of being a part of a country that hides behind documents and actions made private and top secret, individuals being harassed and chased for releasing activities that belong to the general public after all, and those people that also help expose the truth are ridiculed. Why? Greed. When you come to another country, and not just as a tourist, you realize, when you get to see the areas that many do not go to on their own, countries outside of the U.S. deserve their chance to grow and expand and rule their own country, and not be lumped into an imperalistic want and need by the United States. When you see some of the comments, some of the chances the past government individuals had to make a difference and steer clear of this dominate and take over, and they turned their back on it, you too will first be shocked as I still am, and then wonder if you can ever go BACK to a country, living in a county where it makes you feel s your opinion will not make a difference because the government pushes their greed and despite for oil, policing the world, and trying to be the most powerful country, and well, everyone else is second best. But hearing and reading the comments and so many discrepant decisions made just is well, like I said shocking, yet, to not read this book, you go on thinking the thoughts that popular media and supporters would have you to think. It will take me a longtime to ever thing of the United States in the same light after this text that hits straight to the core of every American, hopefully enough to want to force a change.
PAVEing a Blog 
While I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not all that politically savvy, I do believe we Americans should have pride for our country and heritage. Likewise I would expect people from other countries to have that same feeling about their homeland. No doubt some politicians are motivated by greed, but the vast majority, especially in the early years, wanted nothing more that to set up a sound government, free from the tyranny from which they came. THEY are the ones that suffered persecution for their stand! Greed, though, is not working hard and reaping the profit you earned. Any place in the world could become industrialized and profitable. Obviously the amount of importing that goes on here is proof that the rest of the world is full of natural resources and capable people! Just because we have been successful for centuries doesn’t mean we “owe” the rest of the world anything. Other nations are much older than we. They had a head start on becoming industrialized. What kept them from achieving? No other nation in the world is so willing to send foreign aid to the four corners of the earth, to friend and foe! Americans go everywhere for the benefit of others. You are an example of that, right?
This is so true, it just is so frustrating to hear negative cultural comments that occur in the Presidency and the cabinet when it comes to examining they way government manipulates other countries, – the comments made about Soviets – the latin American Countries, Japanese and then the Afghan incidents – it is so shameful to hear the comments made about other countries when we, as the public are given the idea that these “leaders” are impeccable and portrayed as being just that, leaders, and then you find out what they intend to do these other countries, and it is heartbreaking. If some of the people that have good intentions – would be the leaders of our country, it is amazing to think and see what the country would be able to do !
It just seems the U.S. has so benefitted from raping the resources of other countries when it hasn’t even been realized and what we have been taught in textbooks is so so shallow when you see behind the scenes!
For example, dating back to President Carter admin. paying Hussein to overthrow parties and then when Hussein offered for the U.S to come and inspect and they never answered, to make it look like the U.S was coming to get the enemy, when they could have avoided war, but the war gave an excuse for future admins to go for the oil reserves by deposing and “evil” leader, ugh, just a simple case in point, but just seeing the behind the scenes is depressing for the future of the country if that is the real goal, oil, nuclear warhead armory, etc…it seems in so many cases the U.S. was the barrier to alot of countries’ achievement when you hear them buying other countries’ votes at the U.N., and other international treaty agreements, etc..