I'm glad the candidates seem to be taking a break from politics on the anniversary of 9/11, which was certainly one of the most tragic moments in our country's history. I was teaching writing to 4th graders when it happened, pulled off to the side by the teacher who was watching events unfold on her computer. I witnessed the jet fly into the second tower live, and then looked out at this classroom of children and knew their lives would never be the same; they'd never feel the same sense of innocence that they had before. I left immediately to collect my ow two children - Who knew what was going to happen? Whatever, I was going to make sure we were all together to face that.
The purpose of terrorism, of course, is to undermine citizens' confidence in their government, to make them afraid, to instill despair and a sense of hopelessness. You fight terrorism by not giving in to those instincts, by insisting on maintaining hope in the face of despair.
I was thinking of this when a friend, a woman, sent me an email.
I'm getting a scary feeling about the election. Had a discussion with a coworker yesterday and said I was concerned about environmental issues, and about getting a new pres who will be a statesman and get us on better terms with the rest of the world, she said both are lost causes and she's voting for the Palin ticket because there's a woman who can shake things up--and would be a wonderful president.
The Palin ticket?
Let's start with the obvious - that's what people are supporting. Not McCain, but Palin.
More to the point, my friend's co-worker exhibits the type of cynicism that a terrorist would love to see in the populace of the country they have attacked. She already feels issues and positions are hopeless. What she really wants is Palin to go in and throw a tantrum, break a bunch of things, throw furniture and vases around. Just smash up the room and make a mess because, well, hell, you can't actually do anything about real issues, can you? This co-worker has given up, which is exactly what McCain and the Republicans want her to do. Don't actually believe things can change. Embrace your despair and vote for someone you hope will lash out and thus allow you to vent through their childish behavior.
In a way, this McCain/Rove campaign is a type of terrorist attack on America. They are trying to make sure this election is NOT decided by ideas and positions, but by fear and cynicism. And they are succeeding. Because there are a lot of ignorant people out there.
People who actually think a neophyte governor from Alaska can go in and 'shake up Washington', in particular one where the Congress is controlled by the opposition party. Obviously, this woman knows nothing about how Washington works, or history - look at how ineffective Jimmy Carter was. Mr. Smith Goes to Wasington was a movie - it's nto reality.
A wonderful president? On what basis is this judgment made? None. No basis whatsoever. There is nothing in Palin's history, so far, that could allow any reasonable person to conclude she would make a "wonderful" president.
As Jay Leno said last night, "On the eve of the remembrance of 9/11, we're talking about make-up on a barnyard animal"
That, my friends, is the only way the Republicans can win.
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1 comment:
Wonderfully articulated, thank you. I'm also getting that queasy feeling but am working hard to suppress it. We still have lots of time. We all knew this filth would come spewing forth. Obama did too. I hope that we have seen the Rove playbook often enough now so that the Obama campaign has an effective counter-play. My fall back position for maintaining hope until the end is Obama's now proven ability to organize grass roots and get out the vote!
My wife and son are heading to the local Democratic campaign headquarters tomorrow to make phone calls. My wife (a white woman... ahem... over 50 -- a demographic giving Obama trouble right now) hasn't actively worked on a campaign since McGovern! Me -- I'll be working my job so I can invoice enough hours to send more campaign contributions.
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