Monday, February 20, 2006

The Real Vice

Vice-President Cheney shot one of his buddies on a hunting trip last week, and his Republican spin-doctors are howling with glee at the outraged screams that he is a cretin for hunting. Of course he’s a cretin; anyone who thinks that this is news has been in a coma.

The fact that so many liberal bloggers seem to think that hunting is the trouble trivializes the entire situation, and that smells like help from the Neocons. After all, a good pickpocket does not keep you from seeing him, just from seeing what he is doing. While everyone is wringing their hands about the poor baby birds that Cheyney is sending to kingdom come, nobody is paying attention to the game. The first rule of many games is “keep your eye on the ball.” This kind of news is tailor-made to prevent more important things from getting the attention they deserve.

Few pundits are screaming that Cheyney broke the law by not having a hunting license. The law, in case anyone is interested, is what the president and vice-president swear to uphold in this country, and this administration has shown a disdain for law that rivals that of many felons. Okay, and not buying a hunting license is not such a big deal, punishable a fine that Cheyney can loose and never miss.

But what about the fact that Condo-sleeza Rice was on TV saying that “We” whoever that is, are attuned to the “hopes and dreams of the Iranian people”. For those who like things laid out plainly: These are very similar to words that heralded the beginning of the present morass in Iraq. In about 6 weeks, Iran plans to begin trading oil in Euros, rather than in dollars. And the “we” for whom Rice was speaking are the sons and daughters of working-class people who are going to be herded off to become cannon fodder so the rich can get richer, and the poor can get the hell out of their way.

People disgusted with the current political climate look to 2008 with hope. If the best we can do is censure the vice-president for hunting in the press, there is no hope.

Many people look to Hillary Clinton as the candidate. When the honorable Senator from New York grows a spine and stands up to the Neocons, she can have my vote, and not a minute before. We have 100 senators. Why is it that out of those one hundred senators, there was not a single one who would stand up to the Republican election fraud in 2000? The House of Representatives were outraged by the mis-doings in that election. Not a single senator would stand behind them and demand an investigation. Why was that? Could it be because our United States Senators are loath to risk their cushy jobs by doing them and standing up for the people who hired them in the first place?

Why is it that of 100 senators, none is willing to ask for impeachment? Does anyone honestly believe that Bush acted in good faith when he engineered our invasion of Iraq? Does anyone write representatives anymore? I do it regularly, and I get the same answer every time: “Thanks for writing. I’m going to continue doing what I damned well please.”

We are willing to look the other way when our leaders break laws. We like to pretend that there is nothing we can do about all the powerful bad guys in Washington. As long as we stay comfortable and safe, we are going to have the same profit-driven, busybody government without change or end.

Personally, I am angry with Cheyney for shooting the wrong rich, white, middle-aged, male, dominionist Neocon. Also, the dumbass should have used a deer rifle.

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

An Open Letter to God

Dear God,

Please don’t take this personally, but I really think I have had quite enough of your followers. They all seem like nice people until I get to watching them, and then it all falls apart. Granted, I am not perfect, and I do not claim to be a lot better, but these followers of yours, well, they seem downright dangerous.

Take, for example, Christians. They all want me to hang out with them, until I express an opinion that they do not agree with. Then they call me a sinner. I don’t get it. Because I think a really bad marriage ought not be a life sentence, I am sinful. Then there was this man at church who was called to help a woman who saw a snake. His solution to the woman’s fear was to kill it. When I pointed out that snakes eat rodents, and therefore have a place in the environment, he answered, “That snake had two [places in the environment].” Very funny, but not for the snake.

And then there are these Muslims. They seem nice enough, except they say bad things about me (like that I’m a loose woman) because I don’t cover my hair. You gave me red hair. Why would I want to hide that? They also have this thing about blowing things and people up. If I get bummed about dead snakes, You can imagine how bummed I am about busloads of dead people. And they have this other thing about the Jews that just drives me bonkers. They are all cousins, but anyone would think they were fighting for the last crust of bread on earth, the way they carry on. And of course, if I think there should be Jews, then I am a Zionist, and deserve to die. If I go around India way, I have to be careful not to hang out with or befriend either Sikhs or Hindus, because they are also good-for-nothing infidels.

Now the Jews think I am okay, as long as I do not hang out with any Muslims. If I do that, I become scum and deserve to be exterminated. Last week, I heard that some Hindu women, not willing to be outdone, were pissed about St. Valentine’s Day, because it is not a Hindu holy day. Today, Valentine's day, some Muslim women had the same idea. No shit, girls, it’s a Hallmark holy day. Some people are just dense.

We have these dumb asses in government running the world, claiming to be your good friends. I have a lot of trouble with someone who says, “God is my friend, so please send your son to my war so he can die.” The more they claim to be your buddy, the worse their records look. We have these other dumb asses in government who refuse to do anything about the first dumb asses running amok with our money, our kids, and our standing in the world.

Like I said before, please don’t take any of this personally. I know that your friends are not You. I just do not like to hang out with people who destroy for the fun of it, whether it is a snake or an environment, an office building full of people, or young soldiers’ lives. I always pictured You as being creative and nurturing. So what’s with your friends?

About Me

I love my country, that is why I criticize its absurdities; I love my freedom, that is why I do it publicly.