See the eagle over the mountain, wheeling down, blotting out the sun. The pale man with the white beard chained to the rock winces as the talons anchor upon his thighs, the bird of prey perching upon its daily bread— a man unforgiven for his trespasses. The head cocks, its blank murderous eye reflecting the cold will of its lordly bidder, then the curved beak begins to jab, stabbing at his guts, digging for the liver. All day the pale man on the mountain writhes in agony unrelenting as the bald eagle, that stately emblem of authority, disembowels him, gingerly, delicately, excruciatingly, relishing its daylong feast, fiber by fiber, meting out the decreed punishment for this heretic, this bringer and starter of fires. Only at close of day when the sun wearies of this grisly theatre does the eagle, sated from its bloody orgy, retreat through the reddened sky, leaving the wrecked man to heal in darkness, the liver regenerating overnight until his torso, that accursed cornucopia of organ meat, is replenished by dawn, just in time for the next feeding. So it goes. Day in, day out, for in matters of power— whether you are the founding mortals tasting forbidden fruit, a luciferous angel refusing to serve, or a firebrand publishing state secrets— disobedience ever remains the supreme crime. Far below this mountain, in the polished halls of privilege, the servants of the state, identifying as journalists, scurry about freely. Flushed with their proximity to power, they fete and self-decorate at correspondents’ dinners, backslapping over their professional integrity, descrying the jailed dissidents of official enemies. Yet they never mention the pale man, never glance up, never ask why a publisher is chained up on their mountain. And why should they, these stenographers of empire? They know their role, just as a gimp knows how to submit, a courtesan how to please, and a goon how to obey. Why sabotage their high standing when the accredited have declared the pale man guilty of espionage? Why sleep poorly Over a traitor’s chains? No need to shirk from mirrors, for they have dutifully internalized, as festooned lackeys do, that this “journalist” (rabbit ears required) is a criminal, a pawn of hostile states, an abettor of lawbreakers, a threat to national security, a bail jumper, a sexual delinquent! Why should these handmaidens of the court worry and risk disrepute? They are too busy caterwauling the imprisonments and injustices by the latest enemy. Too busy doomsdayering unironically over impending threats to press freedom. Too busy fussing with the ruling orthodoxies of the day. Too busy to consider that up there on the mountain, beyond their vision, beyond the fireglow of hearths, a Titan of their trade is chained to the rock.
PS: Long ago, a South African metal band called Grynd Rodd Muse wonderfully accepted my suggestion for their debut album title, 'The Violence of Apathy'.
One of the best descriptions of this government I've ever seen. The only change I would suggest is swapping out a vulture for an eagle. Same thing should be done on all federal iconography.
As a one-time newspaper journalist, I am both shocked at the lack of coverage and commentary on Assange's case. Shocked, but not at all surprised. FREE ASSANGE!
Thanks, Mark. Yes, you'd think journalists, of all people, would be more focused on this, no matter their views on Assange, if nothing else by virtue of the precedent this sets.
I debated on whether to go with an eagle or a vulture (in some variants of the myth it's a vulture). I went with the eagle, a bald eagle though, not a golden one, since it's the iconic emblem, but I hear you on the vulture.
Side note, Kafka actually wrote a short story called Prometheus involving the eagle. It's quintessential Kafka:
"There are four legends concerning Prometheus:
According to the first, he was clamped to a rock in the Caucasus for betraying the secrets of the gods to men, and the gods sent eagles to feed on his liver, which was perpetually renewed.
According to the second, Prometheus, goaded by the pain of the tearing beaks, pressed himself deeper and deeper into the rock until he became one with it.
According to the third, his treachery was forgotten in the course of thousands of years, the gods forgotten, the eagles, he himself forgotten.
According to the fourth, every one grew weary of the meaningless affair. The gods grew weary, the eagles grew weary, the wound closed wearily.
There remained the inexplicable mass of rock.—The legend tried to explain the inexplicable. As it came out of a substratum of truth it had in turn to end in the inexplicable."
Just want to be clear my comment about the eagle was not at all a criticism. The piece is wonderful. I think the only creature that most accurately describes this bizarre, brutal, thuggish government is a twisted, sneering little Gollum. Just when you think it can go no lower...
How can you get that out for lots of people to see? I bet Chris Hedges would do something with it.
You'd think journalists and publishers would be covering the case and calling for Julian's release at least out of a sense of self-preservation. How can they not see that where he goes, they will go eventually.
Last week I emailed Stella Assange and Chris Hedges about it but haven’t heard back. (I also can’t be sure they were the right emails). I’m guessing they’re bombarded with emails like this so they simply can’t get to everything
#FreeJulianAssange!
Sounds pretty real to me, no myths here....
Myths are the bedrock. As real as it gets
Staggering horror poem about Julian Assange!
Thanks, Mike. In Hesiod's version of the myth, Heracles sets him free many years later so hopefully that's the one that plays out here...
I want Julian's freedom more than any other, but the comfort now is meeting a better writer than me. Keep using your skill to protest and illuminate.
No doubt about that by your profile pic! Too kind. I appreciate that.
PS: Long ago, a South African metal band called Grynd Rodd Muse wonderfully accepted my suggestion for their debut album title, 'The Violence of Apathy'.
Ha, that sums up a good chunk of the history of violence. Great title for a metal band
"The head cocks,
its blank murderous eye
reflecting the cold will
of its lordly bidder..."
One of the best descriptions of this government I've ever seen. The only change I would suggest is swapping out a vulture for an eagle. Same thing should be done on all federal iconography.
As a one-time newspaper journalist, I am both shocked at the lack of coverage and commentary on Assange's case. Shocked, but not at all surprised. FREE ASSANGE!
Thanks, Mark. Yes, you'd think journalists, of all people, would be more focused on this, no matter their views on Assange, if nothing else by virtue of the precedent this sets.
I debated on whether to go with an eagle or a vulture (in some variants of the myth it's a vulture). I went with the eagle, a bald eagle though, not a golden one, since it's the iconic emblem, but I hear you on the vulture.
Side note, Kafka actually wrote a short story called Prometheus involving the eagle. It's quintessential Kafka:
"There are four legends concerning Prometheus:
According to the first, he was clamped to a rock in the Caucasus for betraying the secrets of the gods to men, and the gods sent eagles to feed on his liver, which was perpetually renewed.
According to the second, Prometheus, goaded by the pain of the tearing beaks, pressed himself deeper and deeper into the rock until he became one with it.
According to the third, his treachery was forgotten in the course of thousands of years, the gods forgotten, the eagles, he himself forgotten.
According to the fourth, every one grew weary of the meaningless affair. The gods grew weary, the eagles grew weary, the wound closed wearily.
There remained the inexplicable mass of rock.—The legend tried to explain the inexplicable. As it came out of a substratum of truth it had in turn to end in the inexplicable."
Thanks for all of that background and context.
Just want to be clear my comment about the eagle was not at all a criticism. The piece is wonderful. I think the only creature that most accurately describes this bizarre, brutal, thuggish government is a twisted, sneering little Gollum. Just when you think it can go no lower...
Oh, I didn’t take it as a criticism, and even if it were, no harm in that!
How can you get that out for lots of people to see? I bet Chris Hedges would do something with it.
You'd think journalists and publishers would be covering the case and calling for Julian's release at least out of a sense of self-preservation. How can they not see that where he goes, they will go eventually.
Last week I emailed Stella Assange and Chris Hedges about it but haven’t heard back. (I also can’t be sure they were the right emails). I’m guessing they’re bombarded with emails like this so they simply can’t get to everything
I'm sure they are ... along with a daily flood of hate mail and CIA psyops. Hope it finds the way to them.