FEELING PATRIOTIC AMERICA? THEN KEEP DRINKING THE KOOL-AID!
A Hard-Hitting Breakdown of Government Deception and Manufactured Terrorism
Throughout history, the U.S. government has played a double game—creating enemies to justify war, funding operations that contradict its own values, and feeding the public a steady diet of lies disguised as patriotism. My political illustration, Feeling Patriotic, America? Then Keep Drinking the Kool-Aid, was drawn in the wake of the Christopher Dorner case, a story that exposed the hypocrisy of law enforcement, the media, and the federal government's role in shaping public perception. This artwork is a raw visual statement about government-engineered narratives, the recruitment of both domestic and foreign "terrorists," and the blind patriotism that fuels the cycle.
Christopher Dorner: A Manufactured Enemy?
Christopher Dorner was a former LAPD officer and U.S. Navy reservist who turned against the system after exposing police corruption. His manifesto detailed racial discrimination, abuse of power, and the department’s culture of cover-ups. But instead of being heard, he was painted as a deranged domestic terrorist.
Dorner’s story was eerily similar to that of countless others—trained by the system, used as an asset, and then discarded as an enemy when his purpose no longer served the establishment. In my illustration, he is draped in an American flag, symbolizing how the government cloaks its enemies in patriotism when convenient, only to vilify them when they step out of line. But beside him stands a figure who exposes the absurdity of this selective labeling—Osama bin Laden.
Osama bin Laden: America's Other Manufactured Enemy
The irony of Osama bin Laden's relationship with the U.S. is one of the most blatant yet conveniently ignored facts in American history. Once a U.S.-backed operative during the Cold War, he was trained and funded under the guise of fighting the Soviets in Afghanistan. But when his usefulness expired, he became public enemy number one.
In my illustration, bin Laden stands shoulder to shoulder with Dorner, his arm wrapped around him in an almost celebratory embrace. The clenched fist holding the American flag signifies a mockery of the system that creates its own adversaries. The real question my artwork asks is: Were these men truly rogue threats, or were they merely pawns in a larger game of federal deception?
The Federal Terrorist Job Recruitment Unit: The Business of War
Behind them is a banner that reads: “Federal Terrorist Job Recruitment Unit—Immediate Openings, Great Benefits, Paid Leave, Pension, 401K.” This isn’t satire—it’s reality. The military-industrial complex thrives on conflict. Enemies must be created to justify military spending, surveillance, and foreign intervention.
Since 1913, when the Federal Reserve was established, the U.S. government has been waging endless wars, funding covert operations, and destabilizing nations—all while claiming to fight for "freedom." The second part of the banner in my artwork states: “Snatching Citizens’ Rights Since 1913.” From the erosion of constitutional freedoms to mass surveillance under the Patriot Act, the so-called "war on terror" has always been a pretext for stripping away civil liberties.
Blood Money: The True Cost of War
Surrounding Dorner and bin Laden are stacks of money, each labeled with the real drivers of U.S. foreign and domestic policy:
Propaganda – Media manipulation to control public opinion.
Death – The blood price of endless wars.
Covert Operations – Black budget projects that topple governments and fuel insurgencies.
Lies – The official narratives that keep the public asleep.
Accepting Bribes – Political corruption at every level.
WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction) – The lie that justified the Iraq War, despite no weapons ever being found.
Every dollar spent on these things is a dollar taken from the people—funds that could have gone to education, healthcare, or infrastructure instead funnel into the war machine.
The Kool-Aid Man: The Sweet Taste of Deception
At the heart of the deception sits the Kool-Aid Man, grinning on top of the pile of dirty money, holding a glass of Kool-Aid—the same Kool-Aid being fed to the American public. This is a direct reference to the phrase “drinking the Kool-Aid”, a term used to describe blind faith in a fraudulent system.
The government’s strategy is simple: keep the people distracted and pacified while they funnel taxpayer dollars into corruption. And this isn’t just about war—modern revelations show how billions of federal funds have been wasted on absurd initiatives:
LGBTQ propaganda campaigns in Jamaica – Pushing Western ideologies onto other nations instead of fixing domestic issues.
Birdwatching programs overseas – Useless research projects that serve as financial loopholes.
Millions in taxpayer dollars funding drag shows and gender studies abroad – Misplaced priorities while homelessness and poverty skyrocket in the U.S.
These are just the tip of the iceberg. The Kool-Aid Man symbolizes how easily the public swallows deception, tricked into believing these expenses serve a greater good.
The Illusion of Patriotism: The Real Enemy is Within
The final question my artwork poses is this: What does it mean to be patriotic? If patriotism means blind loyalty to a corrupt system, then that loyalty is nothing but self-inflicted slavery. True patriotism would mean holding the government accountable, questioning its motives, and rejecting the false narratives designed to keep people in line.
Christopher Dorner was labeled a traitor for speaking out. Osama bin Laden was once a U.S. ally before becoming its greatest enemy. The real terrorists—the architects of war, the financiers of destruction, and the enforcers of oppression—operate not in caves or foreign deserts, but in suits and ties, sitting in Washington, D.C.
And yet, millions of Americans keep drinking the Kool-Aid.
Final Thoughts: Wake Up, America
My illustration is more than just art—it’s a statement, a challenge, a warning. If we fail to recognize the patterns of deception, we are doomed to repeat them. How many more Christopher Dorners will be created, used, and destroyed? How many more wars will be waged under false pretenses? How much more money will be stolen in the name of freedom?
The time to wake up is now.
But the question remains: Are you still feeling patriotic, America?