Mass Destruction
by Todd Ristau

(lights up on a woman seated center stage. She wears an abaya.)

Woman: I am ashamed of my country. My nation is jeered at and despised by more than half the world. We are called cold blooded killers. People look at me and they see a murderer, as if I personally were responsible, or even in agreement with the policies of my government.

I admit that my country is guilty of horrible human rights abuses.

I know that my nation has a long history of genocide. That it has a history of aggression against those who do not bend to its will. I know it has incarcerated and detained its own people.

I also know that my nation has developed an arsenal of terrible chemical and biological weapons, and has used them. Has used them without apology. We have weapons of mass destruction, and we have used them, and we will use them again. I admit this. I also admit that we have sold them to other nations, and will continue to do so for as long as it is profitable.

I admit that my nation has attacked other nations "with little or no provocation" and that my leaders openly practice a policy of race hate and religious intolerance. I understand that my country uses diplomatic deception abroad and fear of the authorities at home to win people's support in order that it may illegally exert its will and influence over those it has no right to control.

My nation's use of terror and threats of violence have made it into one of the most hated and feared nations on the planet. My nation sees things only in absolutes--you are one of us or you are against us. You are either good, or you are evil. My country lusts for blood, and will not stop until the evil it fears is eliminated from the earth. For that I can offer no apology, for I have no power as an individual to change it.

I am ashamed of my powerlessness, and I am ashamed of my country.

Most of all, I am ashamed of my president...George W. Bush.

(lights fade) "Mass Destruction" IS COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL AND MAY NOT BE DOWNLOADED, TRANSMITTED, PRINTED OR PERFORMED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR

AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Written in response to George Bush speaking to the FBI about hunting down terrorists one by one at the same exact time that Colin Powell was listening to the cases against the war being made by most of the members of the United Nations.

"Mass Destruction" debuted February 14, 2003, performed by J.D. Ruelle.
Performed at No Shame Goes To War (Los Angeles), on March 8, 2003. Directed by Amy Lynn Pigott. Performed by Jenn Cousin

Performed at No Shame / Verona on March 15, 2003, by Cecilia Charre.

[Todd Ristau's website] [Ristau Entertainment Ltd.]

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