Thursday, December 04, 2003
Swearing Off
My doctor informed me my cholesterol is higher than my IQ and I must, simply must take care of it. So, in the interest of stress reduction (raises BP) and the Christmas spirit, I am temporarily swearing off all politics. However, I do have some parting seasonal wisdom.
Go Ahead, Say It! You Know You Hate Me.
Republicans are painfully aware of the results of their Clinton bashing. We're still paying for it today. I admit it; I thought hating him was okay.
Well, hating isn't okay. First of all, hating is not sustainable, either spiritually or physically. There just comes a time when the hate's gone and resignation and acceptance takes over. I think it's called self preservation.
Hate keeps on giving. Even after you've stopped hating, the ones you hated have a tendency to hate you back...and get even.
Hate should not last more than one election cycle. But, here we are in the midst of the greatest onslaught of venom and vitriol we've ever seen. Think of it: we are watching presidential candidates calling our president a liar and stupid, among other things. That's new.
We're seen a bunch of doltish, uneducated, egotistical power players in Hollywood telling us "they're taking back their country." Hmmmm. So who took their country? By the way, next time someone says Bush didn't win the election because he didn't even have the popular vote, remind them that neither did John Kennedy. The difference is the Republicans didn't get all crazy and make a federal case out of it.
We have two U.S. senators engaging in policy debate about the war while in Iraq and Afghanistan.
And federal judgeships are being held up because of hate and revenge.
President Bush has it right. He keeps the rhetoric low, stays off the defensive and stays on message. Moreover, he's willing to rethink and retool if necessary to get going again. His focus remains as do our promises to the world.
I Just Love Culture, Don't You?
Woody Allen said he could never live in a state (California) whose only cultural contribution is the right turn on red. I beginning to think that about America these days.
Ever thought about just leaving the US? Rescue your family from the excesses of today's culture? Live on a boat, or an island, or maybe just a horse farm in Patagonia? Our ancestors did it, took the whole family to a new world. Why not us?
I've looked at fantasy retirements in Costa Rica, Belize, Hawaii, dream about it, figure how I can do it, then slap myself back into reality in time to watch Chris Matthews.
I only hope that the pendulum will begin to sweep away the exhibitionism, the hypersexuality and gross public discourse and leave us with some reasonable talk and actions. The divisions in our country are dangerous, world-changing ones. The sooner we all face it, the better. What we do about it is based somewhere between thoughtful analysis and common sense.
Many people can't bear to admit the gravity of this war. Denial comes from inexperience. The inexperience comes from being born too late. It is now time for this generation to grow up and face our danger with resolve. Many Americans have done so. But too many arrested personalities have decided to fight it, stand on an outdated principle of not being judgmental, or granting others the right to be inappropriate just because they're Americans. Their pit bull hold on this thinking has now become pathologic. It's sick to be in such denial. And extremely dangerous.
Puleeze. Political correctness is killing us. A spade has always been a spade. Tis ever thus.
My Greeting To You And Yours
I wish I were more literate in the ways of computer graphics--I'd have a pretty greeting for you.
Meanwhile, I wish all of you the best and most meaningful Christmas and Hanukkah seasons, and whatever else you might celebrate of which I'm ignorant.
And...thanks for the read. See ya next year (unless something awful or wonderful happens)
Go Ahead, Say It! You Know You Hate Me.
Republicans are painfully aware of the results of their Clinton bashing. We're still paying for it today. I admit it; I thought hating him was okay.
Well, hating isn't okay. First of all, hating is not sustainable, either spiritually or physically. There just comes a time when the hate's gone and resignation and acceptance takes over. I think it's called self preservation.
Hate keeps on giving. Even after you've stopped hating, the ones you hated have a tendency to hate you back...and get even.
Hate should not last more than one election cycle. But, here we are in the midst of the greatest onslaught of venom and vitriol we've ever seen. Think of it: we are watching presidential candidates calling our president a liar and stupid, among other things. That's new.
We're seen a bunch of doltish, uneducated, egotistical power players in Hollywood telling us "they're taking back their country." Hmmmm. So who took their country? By the way, next time someone says Bush didn't win the election because he didn't even have the popular vote, remind them that neither did John Kennedy. The difference is the Republicans didn't get all crazy and make a federal case out of it.
We have two U.S. senators engaging in policy debate about the war while in Iraq and Afghanistan.
And federal judgeships are being held up because of hate and revenge.
President Bush has it right. He keeps the rhetoric low, stays off the defensive and stays on message. Moreover, he's willing to rethink and retool if necessary to get going again. His focus remains as do our promises to the world.
I Just Love Culture, Don't You?
Woody Allen said he could never live in a state (California) whose only cultural contribution is the right turn on red. I beginning to think that about America these days.
Ever thought about just leaving the US? Rescue your family from the excesses of today's culture? Live on a boat, or an island, or maybe just a horse farm in Patagonia? Our ancestors did it, took the whole family to a new world. Why not us?
I've looked at fantasy retirements in Costa Rica, Belize, Hawaii, dream about it, figure how I can do it, then slap myself back into reality in time to watch Chris Matthews.
I only hope that the pendulum will begin to sweep away the exhibitionism, the hypersexuality and gross public discourse and leave us with some reasonable talk and actions. The divisions in our country are dangerous, world-changing ones. The sooner we all face it, the better. What we do about it is based somewhere between thoughtful analysis and common sense.
Many people can't bear to admit the gravity of this war. Denial comes from inexperience. The inexperience comes from being born too late. It is now time for this generation to grow up and face our danger with resolve. Many Americans have done so. But too many arrested personalities have decided to fight it, stand on an outdated principle of not being judgmental, or granting others the right to be inappropriate just because they're Americans. Their pit bull hold on this thinking has now become pathologic. It's sick to be in such denial. And extremely dangerous.
Puleeze. Political correctness is killing us. A spade has always been a spade. Tis ever thus.
My Greeting To You And Yours
I wish I were more literate in the ways of computer graphics--I'd have a pretty greeting for you.
Meanwhile, I wish all of you the best and most meaningful Christmas and Hanukkah seasons, and whatever else you might celebrate of which I'm ignorant.
And...thanks for the read. See ya next year (unless something awful or wonderful happens)
