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Written by Ed Howes
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Tuesday, 29 August 2006 |
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Word Count: 830 Bring It On!
During the 2000 Presidential election, Al Gore called George Bush and
conceded the election before the votes had been counted or contested. (This
indicates the man who would be President and his advisors had no clue about vote
rigging. Poor clueless Albert.) Within hours he was calling back to say I take
that back. I have not quit. Though his supporters claim to this day he was
robbed, which he would have been had he not quit first, the fact remains Al lost
the election when he made the call saying so. His supporters wanted a clueless
quitter to be President and probably still do. George Bush learned right then,
you can’t take back your words. Enemies will be bringing it on long after
George has become king of Crawford. If only we could keep it all in Iraq eh?
While these few words have cost the United States global respect, admiration,
moral authority and political power, they cost George Bush only his popularity
and not enough to prevent his reelection. Some of us radical whackos believe
this is much too much power to place in the hands of the best men - and today
the best men have no power at all. Some of us radicals have noticed when one
political party controls the Congress and the White House, there are only two
branches of trucks & SUVs">government, the judicial and the executive. Congress becomes a
rubber stamp with assorted voices of protest. Even a large part of the partisan
opposition gets with the executive program. Nobody wants to bet on a losing
horse and we are already hearing the electability rhetoric from Democrat voters
about the ’08 election.
The question has become how long will the United States have a government which
prefers killing to talking? Has it always been this way, or have we actually
avoided a war or two through discussion and negotiation? Maybe that only
postpones an inevitability, since killing is so terribly profitable it has
become a global economic engine. Investigative journalist Greg Palast has made
the incisive observation explaining all modern politics. The connection between
violence, political instability and the price and profitability of oil is
undeniable. The more blood they pump into the ground, the more money they pump
out. Retired general Smedley Butler wrote a book many years ago entitled “War
is a Racket”. Whether people have read it or not, if they don’t know the
title as fact, they are a major part of the problem.
The great irony is, most who participate in the violence racket are not paid
their fair share of the profits. Why should they be? They really do not care how
much money their blood is worth or who profits by its shedding. They fight for
honor, glory, duty, God, country, family, tribe, fellow warriors, freedom,
democracy, sworn oaths of allegiance and politics. They are all de facto
mercenaries fighting for money they never get paid. All the honor and glory is
false and illusory but the warrior does not care. His is not to reason why. At
best, those who might actually love and care for their ignorant warrior do
little or nothing to suggest a more productive vocation. At worst, they
encourage him and glorify his choice.
It’s a totally rotten job, but no one has to do it. The fact great majorities
are otherwise convinced from their youth only testifies to the tremendous
economic value of propagandist education. There is no man on earth suited only
for the occupation of war or any other. Any person who discovers they have made
a poor choice has opportunities to extract their selves and choose again. Yes,
there are perks in war making and war preparations. Camaraderie, a sense of
belonging, a sense of critical mission and economic welfare. Add in medical,
dental, educational, recreational, convenience and retirement benefits and we
are right back to the fact of mercenary vocation. One is promoting violence and
bloodshed for the benefits others have so generously provided. In a twenty year
career, the times of misery and deprivation seldom amount to more than twenty
percent of the career years, provided the warrior survives them.
When your fearless leader challenges his enemies to bring it on, take a good
look at him. Is he the kind of man who would go one on one with any enemy? Has
he ever done so in his life? Has he ever done an honest day’s work? Can he
recall which day it was? When you have your answers to these questions, ask
yourself why you should lift a finger to help him. Make an intelligent choice.
No one has any right to expect more.
Ed Howes sought and found, knocked and entered. Now he sees things differently.
To see more of what he sees, please visit http://www.justanotherview.com
or do an author search here at Webraydian. Readers grow: wiser, better, faster.
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