Having done this work, his insights into the realities of international aid, finance and politics are first hand. It is not a pretty picture. This man knows of what he speaks. He's been an active player in our vicious Empire.
I am going to add some excerpts here from an essay he wrote last Friday, for Huffington Post :
Our own government, in alliance with the big corporations and banks, has created an empire that imposes servitude, misery and death on millions of people. As a result, we who reside within the walls of the empire find ourselves surrounded by a field of fear that has been constructed by those who fatten their wallets by claiming to defend themselves (and us) against what they assert is tyranny.
We allow ourselves to be told that tiny nail files are so dangerous they must be ripped from our nail clippers, that toothpaste tubes of more than 3 ounces threaten 747s, and that armies owned by millionaire supporters of our political parties are somehow more acceptable than ones staffed by military officers sworn to uphold our Constitution.
The sad truth is that our way of life is based on fear, our economy is dependent on war and so-called Homeland Security. This must end.
Acts of terrorism and desperation will end when enough of us demand that our corporations, banks, and government cease to exploit the majority of the world's population and resources. Peace will arrive only when we insist on dealing with the world from a place of compassion - the very place I was taught that my dad and so many others defended during World War II.
The hour is indeed ours. You and I must take action.
Here is a link to the article: Vacating The Field of Fear Also here is a link to his website: John Perkins.org.
