Over the past few weeks, I’ve been having more and more of what I can only describe as “Dixie Chick” moments. I find myself feeling ashamed to be an American (I’ve long been ashamed that this sorry excuse for a President is from Texas), and to have to admit that Our Glorious and Benevolent Leader © has an IQ that quite likely doesn’t even escape double digits. I mean, let’s face reality, shall we? We’re ruled by a cabal of neoConservative greedhead uber-religious zealots who believe that they really only answer to those who put them into office. The rest of us, despite being in the majority, can just go (&^% ourselves. This from a man who rode into office promising to “restore honor and dignity to the White House” and to “be a uniter, not a divider.” Yeah, right…how’s that working out for y’all??
I’m ashamed that our government cannot conduct itself honestly and openly with it’s own people. When did the maintenance of political power in a democracy become dependent on the occupant of the White House being an accomplished liar and demagogue (and no, you may NOT trot out Richard Nixon to refute my argument)? When did power devolve to those religious zealots willing to dedicate themselves and devoting their energies to turning our nation into a Taliban-style theocracy?
When did war become a serviceable subsitute for the hard work of diplomacy and dialogue? Somewhere along the way, we stopped paying attention, and we allowed our government to be taken over by power-mad thugs who spend their days channelling Machiavelli, Goebbels, and Torquemada. Fifty-four-million-plus Americans simply decided to ignore abject reality and vote for the lies and the propaganda. They swallowed whole the fantasy that the war in Iraq was actually about our freedom and defending ourselves from terrorism, when in fact neither of those things were even remotely close to being true.
When did we become so malleable and vacant that we could continually and unquestioningly accept the canard that 9.11 is actually a valid justification for staying in Iraq? How can so many Americans be so stupid and so sheep-like for so long? It’s as if we’ve lost the ability (never mind the desire) to think independently and to question the propaganda, the lies, and the reliance on 9.11 to justify an illegal, immoral war that has NOTHING to do with terrorism or our freedom and security. (Memo to all y’all who may have forgotten: the actual, honest-to-God war against terrorism was in Afghanistan. There actually was no terrorist threat or measurable presence in Iraq until we invaded and created our very own home-grown terrorist threat. Yes, our sons and daughters are fighting and dying for…well, for nothing, really- to fight a terrorist enemy created by Our Glorious and Benevolent Leader’s © decision to invade Iraq. It’s nice to wake up and realize that their lives have been spent on…well, on lies and propaganda, eh? There’s no other honest way to put it.)
We’ve allowed a demagogue with a double-digit IQ and the absolute conviction that God is on his side to not only steal one election (2000), but quite likely two (2004). We’ve allowed Right-wing ideologues to control the levers of political power and set the tone for the public political dialogue. We think Fox News Channels is actually about news, that Bill O’Reilly is about defending the “little guy”, and that Rush Limbaugh is some sort of political savant who channels Ronald Reagan in his sleep and actually has something sensible and valuable to say.
When did we stop caring? When did we stop paying attention? When did we decide to stop thinking for ourselves, and start reacting like mindless sheep willing to accept the bleatings of any Right-wing zealot with a platform they claim to be ordained by God? Believe it or not, God is NOT a Republican. Or a Democrat. For me, God doesn’t exist. For those for whom He does exist, I’m fairly certain that He cares not a whit for partisan politics. However, if He did…don’t you think that the “heal the sick, feed the poor” shtick skews somewhat Liberal?
I love my country. I’m proud to be an American, but I’m also growing closer to being ashamed to be an American in this day and age. When we can no longer play well with others, when we are almost universally despised as an international bully who cares nothing for the sensibilities and opinions of others, what do we have left? From where I sit, not much. We’re the wealthiest, most powerful nation in the world, and yet we have no moral credibility and even less respect throughout the world.
STILL GLAD YOU VOTED REPUBLICAN? After all, you’re the one ultimately responsible for helping to turn this great nation into an international pariah? Nice going, eh??
