What's Really Bothering Me....
Earlier tonight I posted a comment on Colleen's blog concerning the inevitability of righteous protest becoming violent when arrogantly ignored. It all seems so familiar, the parallel between Viet Nam and Iraq. A good ole boy Texas president (Bush or Johnson, the political affiliation is unimportant except to politicians) inventing excuses to escalate a long-standing religious dispute in which we have no stake into a full-blown war. The creating of a boogieman for the American public to hate (Saddam Hussein or Ho Chi Minh). The false raising of a spectre supposedly threatening national security (invisible nuclear weapons now, Russian and Chinese hegemony then). Claiming unwon victories as American men keep dying. Staying on too long trying to achieve victory in an unwinnable bloody ethnic battle that's been raging for hundreds of years and will probably continue for hundreds more. Ignoring the growing public protest, insisting on a "win with honor". Haven't we been here before? Can't we learn from our history, or, as the famous quote goes, are we doomed to repeat it?
Having lived through it then, I think that it's inevitable that there will be another Kent State. People like a younger me will get their heads bashed in at a riot gone out of control like Berkeley or maybe Watts. Underground movements like SDS will start because in an almost incomprehensible display of arrogance the voice of a growing majority of the populance is being ignored by those in power. Check the airwaves for "unpatriotic", possibly illegal, broadcasts- that's where it will begin.
Can this be avoided? Maybe , if the government is more responsive. This is obviously impossible with the current administration, and if we vote in another Nixon-type in '08 the parallel will be complete. How can we be so stupid as to keep putting these clowns in office? Don't we ever learn?
So that's what's troubling me ,cousin. I think the public is fed up with this war and they're not gonna take it much longer. Just remember to hunker down when it hits the fan.
Later.
Earlier tonight I posted a comment on Colleen's blog concerning the inevitability of righteous protest becoming violent when arrogantly ignored. It all seems so familiar, the parallel between Viet Nam and Iraq. A good ole boy Texas president (Bush or Johnson, the political affiliation is unimportant except to politicians) inventing excuses to escalate a long-standing religious dispute in which we have no stake into a full-blown war. The creating of a boogieman for the American public to hate (Saddam Hussein or Ho Chi Minh). The false raising of a spectre supposedly threatening national security (invisible nuclear weapons now, Russian and Chinese hegemony then). Claiming unwon victories as American men keep dying. Staying on too long trying to achieve victory in an unwinnable bloody ethnic battle that's been raging for hundreds of years and will probably continue for hundreds more. Ignoring the growing public protest, insisting on a "win with honor". Haven't we been here before? Can't we learn from our history, or, as the famous quote goes, are we doomed to repeat it?
Having lived through it then, I think that it's inevitable that there will be another Kent State. People like a younger me will get their heads bashed in at a riot gone out of control like Berkeley or maybe Watts. Underground movements like SDS will start because in an almost incomprehensible display of arrogance the voice of a growing majority of the populance is being ignored by those in power. Check the airwaves for "unpatriotic", possibly illegal, broadcasts- that's where it will begin.
Can this be avoided? Maybe , if the government is more responsive. This is obviously impossible with the current administration, and if we vote in another Nixon-type in '08 the parallel will be complete. How can we be so stupid as to keep putting these clowns in office? Don't we ever learn?
So that's what's troubling me ,cousin. I think the public is fed up with this war and they're not gonna take it much longer. Just remember to hunker down when it hits the fan.
Later.
posted by Papa Bill | 8:04 PM
4 Comments:
That is why it is so important that we give our President unlimited power to fight the war on terror.
Those protestors that will inevitably become violent are terrorists! We need to protect good law abiding Americans from these terrorist.
That is why it is so important that the Executive Branch can wiretap any American citizen without any oversight. It's for your own good, my fellow Americans.
That is why it is so important we not give up our rights, like the right to torture suspected evil-doers. If we can't torture people, how can we be sure they aren't terrorists and won't turn into violent protestors.
That is why it is important that you call your senators today and urge them to approve Alito to the Supreme Court. We can't let justice get in the way of our protection.
That is why we need to carefully regulate the Internet, so that subversives don't start spreading their unpatriot cockamany onto peoples computers.
Listen, buddy, it's America, Love it or Leave it, all over again!
Note: For anyone who is particularly dense, the preceding rant is sarcasm.
Geez, I had no idea that was sarcasm. Excellent points though. I feel as if I need some sort of entity constantly watching me so that I don't act out in a terrorist fashion. Like some sort of older sibling...
One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.
I don't know who said that.
"....the airwaves for "unpatriotic"
, possibly illegal, broadcasts- that's where it will begin...."
Decades later, technology has changed. It is blogs.
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