Get Your Learn On:
Read a Good Book
The Future Dictionary of America
Margaret Wright - November 22, 2004

Apparently the majority of Americans still haven’t got a clue. Mostly in the south and the west, their heads are buried in the sand, willing to accept the hot air of the Bush II administration and remaining ignorant of what is really at work here in the States. Many college students are tempted to move to Canada, which seems more American than America these days. Keep your chin up, guys – there are still some informed, noble voices left, those aware authors who continue to rail against injustice in their writings. The Future Dictionary of America, boasting the talents of Dave Eggers et al., and David Rees’s Get Your War On tap into this discontent and actively work towards change.

The Future Dictionary of America presents an idyllic vision of the future in which Americans actually live up to their own ideals, which is largely contingent on removing George W. Bush from office. It is exactly what its name suggests – a dictionary – and yet through these individual definitions of neologisms, the reader gets a fairly whole image of a new world that could be if we took these entries to heart. Published by McSweeneys, the dictionary is the brainchild of Dave Eggers and staff, whose goal was promote progressive causes in the recent Presidential election: “Every cent of the proceeds will go directly to groups working for the public good in the 2004 election.” By public good, they mean booting Bush out of office, a sentiment I whole-heartedly agree with. As the cover boasts, the dictionary features “over 200 of America’s best writers, artists, and musicians,” including Kurt Vonnegut and Art Spiegelman. The book is a cooperative effort, a concept promoted by the harmonious future depicted through words such as: “crack-houses – n. tax-supported safe houses designed to rescue those who fall through the socio-economic cracks” (37). The new world seems to have learned from some very obvious mistakes in the present, resulting in a utopia where politicians are expected to tell the truth, weapons of mass destruction have been abolished, there is no money and its resulting divisions, citizens sign up for public service rather than military service, a healthy diet is encouraged, affordable housing exists due largely to an equitable distribution of wealth, and people actually respect and care for our land and the environment. As a future citizen of America, one could actually say the world is a good place. The entries are witty and humorous, yet resonate with merit that appeals to our inner social activist. You’ll wonder why society hasn’t made these revelations sooner.

Yet, this bright future is not to be; with John Kerry losing the 2004 election this November, our prospects are significantly dimmer. Although that goal of removing Bush wasn’t realized, the book is still successful in that it presents a better version of America’s potential, hopefully instigating people to think about what they really want for their country. Do we want to continue this bullying tradition? Do we want to pass down warped values and a deteriorating country to our children? We are no longer perpetuating freedom, but badgering and destroying countries better left alone. Bush is echoing the words of Nixon, who said he did not want to be “the first President to lose a war.” Bush is fighting a losing battle out of pride, and amassing an ever larger death toll in the process. We are our own worst enemy. The vast majority of Americans turn a blind eye to the war in Iraq, sharing the attitude of the Congressmen – if it’s not their own children going overseas, we might as well keep at it. But what about a draft? Whether or not the bill actually gets passed (which, with any luck, is doubtful), the mere suggestion is shameful. Apparently our leaders haven’t learned from history, so maybe the public can learn from the Future. Profits will continue to benefit progressive causes in upcoming elections, so all is not lost. As Michael Moore puts it, “the official mourning period is over today and there is a silver lining--George W. Bush is prohibited by law from running again."

There’s something about how a book looks and feels in your hand that can be compelling. I covet this book. In terms of layout and packaging, this book is brilliantly designed. Its red hard cover reminds me of an old Webster dictionary; the exterior belies the creativity inside, exuding patriotism and a bit of sarcasm. Nestled in the back cover is the Future Soundtrack of America; rather than coming with a separate CD, the two are united. I’m not quite sure why this fascinates me so much, but I’ve never seen an arrangement like it. The whole book, from its binding to its text, is a masterpiece. This is the only dictionary you’ll want to read cover to cover.

I was introduced to Get Your War On in my Text and Image class, years after its birth inspired by the 9/11 attacks. The comic series is freely available online at: http://www.mnftiu.cc/mnftiu.cc/home.html, and from the very first strip I was laughing out loud. This could partly be my caustic sense of humor, though mostly because I was so ecstatic to come across something so refreshing. Constructed entirely with clip-art images of your average office workers, Rees completely departed from the dominant American voice, spewing out lines like: “I love how we’re dropping food aid packages into a country that’s one big f-ing minefield! That’s good!” (10/09/01); or: “My parents f-ing paid for me to take an SAT prep course! You think I was gonna join the Marines???” (5/02/02). The clip-art style pokes fun at the ordinary America. The characters are a politically correct sample of society: a multicultural set of middle-class office workers, both male and female. The series is as much a comment on botched leadership as the laziness and indifference of American citizens. All they are doing is sitting around the office, complaining to their colleagues in lieu of working, taking no action. This is a legitimate representation of the American voice – a surge of obscenities and generally uniformed but strident opinions. The characters may seem absurd, but from the point of view of a fly on the wall in your standard office, they aren’t so far from the truth. The characters don’t have fixed personalities, so at times they do make good points rather than displaying what is wrong with the world. Viewpoints are interchangeable, but the dialogue is always full of witty, cutting remarks: “Remember when the U.S had a drug problem, and then we had that war on drugs, and now you can’t buy drugs anymore?” (10/09/01). Get Your War On questions the validity of the war from the perspective of your Average Joe, calling Bush out and demanding definite answers concerning his plans and motives, not further evasions.

In the wake of 9/11, I felt I had to keep my mouth shut. While the event certainly brought people together, there was a forced air of patriotism. People were suddenly honoring the flag for the wrong reasons, when they ought to have proudly flown their flag all along. They were angry that America was not invincible, enraged that the most powerful country in the world, their country, could fall prey to a terrorist attack. Terrorism happened in other countries, but not America. Bombings and assorted violence were overlooked elsewhere, but heaven forbid someone dared to take American lives. It was an outrage. With that attitude, it was easy to convince the public that war was a good idea. “Get your war on!” Eliminate terrorism! At the time, I sat back shaking my head, knowing if I opened my mouth to say, “This happens in other countries all the time, why should we be any different? We’re constantly engaged in combat situations all over the world, bombing the hell out of people like it’s our job, so it’s about time someone retaliated…” I’d probably be burned at the stake. I wish I had known about Get Your War On sooner because I would have appreciated Rees’s shocking brand of humor and bravery to say what no one dared to in such an atmosphere of militant nationalism. To disagree with Bush at the time was practically to betray America. Though very “in your face” and irreverent, Rees was voicing his discontent in a climate anything but receptive. He made a statement, saying what most people were unwilling to say, but what many people like myself were thinking.

In terms of content, Get Your War On mentions a lot of the facts that were in Fahrenheit 9/11. Moore is often accused of drumming up biased and unfounded facts, but someone else was pointing out this information a long time ago. The impact of Get Your War On remains strong, though some of the nuances of the comics are lost in reading them so long after their original release as they draw heavily on current events. Rees commented on the ongoing situation in America as it happened. I’m not up to speed on all the older news items, but I picked up on many of Moore’s points like the Bush administration’s suspicious involvement with Halliburton and how much the company stood to profit from the war. Rees is still at it, commenting not just on the war, and continuing to make observations about current policy.

I picked up a copy of Get Your War On II, the second installment of the strips in print. Though the series is online, the purchase of the compilation supports the work of Mine Detection and Dog Center Team #5 in Herat, which is working to clear landmines in the area, restoring the land for the people to resettle and farm. At the time of the second volume’s publication, sales of Get Your War On had raised over $80,000 for MDC Team #5. So even if you don’t mind staring at your computer screen for hours reading the comics for free, getting the in-print version helps a good cause and is well worth it.

Speaking of sequels, also watch out for Fahrenheit 9/11 ½, which Michael Moore will release in time for the 2008 Presidential election. He aims to educate and enlighten the 51% of Americans who “lacked information” on Election Day. Though the majority of the country still backs Bush and the misplaced values his campaign represents, hope is out there if the other 49% keep speaking up. Whether you want to give up on America and move out, or sit back and take things, it’s important to keep informed and stay on top of the issues and try to know as much as possible about how our country is operating. I think a major problem in the 2004 election is that there are still people who are uninterested in learning about the main points of current events, too indifferent to investigate campaign platforms or the administration’s activities. As with the war, if more people knew the facts about it, support might (and should) diminish. So I encourage you to read, not just these and other good books, but the newspaper, and to watch the news, anything to stay informed. Arm yourself with a competent knowledge of the world, and think about what kind of future you truly want.