BuzzFlash
presents Southern Style
by Rebecca Knight
July 9, 2002
A Sad State of Affairs
by Rebecca Knight
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
Somehow it is getting harder and harder to keep spirits up. When confronted daily with the news of the many wrongs perpetrated on the American people and the citizens of the world by the Bush administration, I find myself in a state of dismay and disgust. With every Bush scandal revealed and every Bush action taken, we, as a nation, are moved farther away from the beloved America I recognize.
As a part of my July 4th celebrations, I revisited an Internet chat room I used to frequent to say hello to old friends. Not much had changed. The dear friends are still there telling the truth about America and the Bush bungling. The right wing nuts are also still there cemented in stupidity and blindly demanding that we who do not support the idiot-in-chief are anti-American. The amusing aspect of these interchanges is that with every fact presented documenting Bush's incompetence, the right-wingers just get louder and more vicious with their attacks. They cannot defend what Bush is doing because there is no defense for it. Their only option is to attack the left because they have no facts to support their positions.
This attitude is the essence of the difference between nationalism and patriotism. Those who refuse to acknowledge the wrongs being perpetrated in the name of patriotism are nationalists who are appalled that anyone would criticize anything at all about America or her leaders! One can point out the eloquent words of our founding documents and our forefathers that fully support the questioning of actions taken by leaders, but it is to no avail. Bush's easygoing manner and the Republican Party propaganda machine have succeeded in duping the people who steadfastly refuse to look at Bush and his administration with a critical eye.
These are the same people who hounded Bill Clinton his entire presidency. Yet, they can come up with the lamest excuses and give Bush a pass on every wrongdoing. It doesn't matter to them that Bush is loathed throughout the rest of the world. It doesn't matter to them that the economy is tanking, the stock market shows no sign of rebounding, the federal budget is busted, and the national debt is again piling up. It doesn't matter to them that Bush and Cheney have undeniable ties to the corporate world and the strong possibility of corruption exists through these ties. It doesn't matter to them that Bush and Cheney thrive on secrecy and manipulation. It doesn't matter to them that Bush and Cheney would prefer to marginalize Congress. It doesn't matter to them that Bush and Cheney have used every possible tactic to avoid an open investigation of the events of 9/11. It doesn't matter to them that Cheney is being sued by the GAO for documents regarding the development of U.S. energy policy. It doesn't matter to them that Bush has been shown, through his own words, to be a liar. It doesn't matter to them that our civil liberties are being slowly dismantled. Nothing matters to them except their selfish desires to have a Republican in the White House, regardless of how he got there.
Bill Clinton was viciously attacked for bombing an Iranian "aspirin factory." Now, what do these people have to say about Bush's bombing of a wedding in Afghanistan? Where are their cries of outrage? The British Times Online reported that wedding guests were shot at as they ran away. Reporters who visited the scene afterwards said there was no evidence of any military presence. Why has the Bush administration not issued an apology for this tragedy?
Bush has spoken with a tone of moral authority on corporate greed and irresponsibility. He has no right to speak on this topic. Reports of his possible insider trading as director of Harken Energy Company have finally become a hot topic with the national media. Where have they been all this time? This information was widely known during campaign 2000, yet, the media was strangely silent. Bush's response, "Everything I do is fully disclosed, it's been fully vetted. Any other question?" Fully vetted? A president is vetted? His excuses sound like an elementary school child's attempts to get out of turning in his homework by saying the dog ate it. This should be investigated just as thoroughly as Clinton's 20-year-old land deal, in which he lost money. Remember that Poppy Bush was Vice President and President during the years in question. Was there a little favoritism from the SEC?
Recently the right has resorted to the "blame Clinton" routine again. The fact is that Clinton vetoed the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. The Republican Congress overrode the veto and the act became law, making it difficult or impossible to sue accountants or companies for most securities fraud violations. Never mind. Don't ever attempt to confuse the "blame Clinton" bunch with the facts.
The following rant was written by Becky Dickens and posted in an e-mail group. I share her words with her permission.
"I can't fight it any longer -- I hate them, I hate them, I hate them. And I'm a Quaker, so this isn't easy for me to say -- I'm supposed to look for the good in everyone. And usually I succeed -- even Saddam Hussein, even Stalin, even Hitler -- all had a least a few good points.
But the Bushes and new Republican Party -- they are evil men, totally corrupt devil spawn, every DAMNED one of them. They have DESTROYED my country, trampled her Constitution, oppressed her citizens, and declared war against humanity, all in the name of greed and corporate profit.
My oldest child is visiting Europe and is shocked at the difference in the lifestyle -- for the first time, she is experiencing REAL freedom, REAL democracy at work, REAL government for the people, and an exponentially lower stress level -- she plans to move there permanently within the year.
Fact: we of the US live in a despotic penal colony (#1 in the world in prisoners per capita), in a plantation economy under Republican "massahs" -- and most of us don't even realize it.
Thanks to the Bushes and the Republican Party, the US is a goner -- yep, a goner. They have total power now -- what can't they do? They can select the president and give him complete authoritarian power, rig elections, blatantly trample on civil rights and liberties of citizens, capriciously defy the courts, and use the US military as their corporate thugs around the world.
As far as I'm concerned, these satanic corporate hirelings have declared war on MY country, and so I hereby declare war on them. You hear that, Mr. Ashcroft, I declare war against YOU and MR BUSH and MR CHENEY and the whole traitorous lot of you! You took my country from me and my children -- all I have left now is my day in court to publicly call you out for what you really are! And may God almighty damn your souls to hell!"
Ms. Dickens is absolutely correct. America is in trouble due to a fundamental lack of character in our national leaders and the complacency of American citizens. George W. Bush is an intellectual idiot, a political opportunist, and he is morally bankrupt. He speaks with no authority because he his lacking core principles. This has been demonstrated throughout his adult life. Yet, he is the president due to the lack of interest of American voters, for had they done their civic duty, learned the truth about his history, and voted in high percentages there is no question that Bush would have easily been defeated. The Florida debacle would have never happened.
General Norman Schwarzkopf once said, "Leadership is a combination of strategy and character. If you must be without one, be without the strategy." This statement represents the failings of George W. Bush. He and his administration have enacted a strategy without character. They attempt to lead for the sole purpose of obtaining and maintaining power. There is no depth to their convictions. There is no purpose to their policies except to further their agenda of power and wealth. This is the root cause of their corruption. It may well be their undoing.
Principles can be defined as rules of collective moral or ethical judgments, especially of good behavior. Character can be defined as a description of a person's attributes, traits, or abilities regarding moral or ethical strength. Conviction can be defined as a fixed or strong belief. Combine those three words – principles, character, and conviction – and search for them in the actions of our national leaders. There is no question that they are lacking in both Bush and Cheney. They have demonstrated repeatedly that they pursue an agenda that benefits their political future and their wealthy cronies.
What America needs now more than ever before are leaders who put American citizens ahead of their own political ambitions. When leaders do what is economically, morally, and ethically right for the citizens they represent, they do not have to worry about their political future because the people will wholeheartedly support them.
The sad state of affairs in America is directly related to a lack of strong national leadership based upon the most fundamental ethical qualities. Americans desperately love their country and yearn for peace and happiness. Are our leaders listening?
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Rebecca Knight is a native Tennessean, who grew up in Nashville, and currently resides in a small town near Nashville. Ms. Knight's political awareness evolved through the civil rights movement, the Vietnam era, the Watergate era, and the cold war. The debacle of the 2000 election increased her sense of responsibility for political activism. You may contact Rebecca Knight via e-mail at tennessee_gal655@yahoo.com.
© 2002 by Rebecca Knight
