Elaine with you again while Rebecca's on vacation.
First, on a light hearted note, my friend Debbie phoned me a little while ago screaming, "Turn on the TV!" Thinking some breaking news was happening, I did and went to CNN. Debbie was saying, "NO THE WB!" So I flip over and a program's starting. Debbie and I watched and laughed throughout, it was Smallville. Debbie had Ava and C.I.'s review of this episode ("TV: Super Stripper or Super Chicken, we weigh in on Smallville") and she'd say, "Oh look this is where Daddy Lex checks out Clark's package!" Sure enough he did. A long look down the pants. I love Ava and C.I.'s reviews. They're funny, it's a feminist critique which means gender is an issue as are social issues (check out their review of CSI Miami for instance) but I read them as a non-TV watcher. When I'm home, I either have on the news (radio) or music. If you hit the eject button on my DVD player right now, you'd either find The Dreamers or Tout Va Bien. (I'm not sure which I watched last.)
So it was a real joy to watch a program that I'd read one of Ava and C.I.'s reviews of. I'd say that they nailed the episode perfectly. We were laughing so hard, Debbie and I, when Ma Kent says to the shirtless Clark that he's all dressed up. We were gasping for breath when he was pressing his body and face against her in the "standing lap dance" as Ava and C.I. called it. So thank you, Debbie, for calling and staying on the phone to laugh with me at the show.
And I'll say thank you to everyone who wrote with kind words about last night's post. I've read them all but still have a few to reply to. (Remember, I don't have Rebecca's password to the e-mail account, so if you want to contact me, e-mail care of common_ills@yahoo.com and C.I. will forward them to me. Or Jess or Ava will forward them.) Morey had a problem with the post and felt that I shouldn't say that Paul Hackett isn't eligable for office because he's served in the military. The thing is, Morey, I didn't say that. If you go back to the post, you'll see that I say that military service shouldn't be a requirement for running for office nor should it be a liability to running for office. And that's as close to a reply as Morey's getting.
Rebecca's commented here many times about the kind of threats that can come in and I was aware of them also from conversations with her. That still didn't prepare me for Morey's very specific threats. Jess had asked before forwarding if I wanted to see everything and I said "Sure." I don't have a problem with people disagreeing with me and it doesn't bother me greatly if they do so strongly or in strong language. But for Morey and anyone else, I've advised Jess, Ava and C.I. that if they read over it and it's a threat just delete it.
I'm not interested in them.
It didn't scare me. I was in my office. I never thought, "Oh my God! What if he's here!" But I don't have time for that kind of nonsense. I also took it to mean that Morey was himself very threatened by the thought that we might actually address the issue of the war. Not how to fine tune it, but address whether we should have gone over or not.
There's a lot of talk, among pundits and politicians, that we're over there now so we don't need to address the issue. I deal with patients all day who are in the midst of something. That doesn't mean I don't explore the root cause with them.
This is a discussion we need to be having. When we refuse to have it, it takes pressure off our elected officials. They can focus on fine tuning and not deal with the reality of the damage the administration continues to do, the harm, the costs of the occupation. Not focusing allows us to make a sad face and shrug when we hear the horrible news that more have died. It also allows us to be unconcerned with the deaths of Iraqis because "we're there now." So we dismiss the death toll as "the costs of war."
We can, for instance, see this news on Democracy Now! and just shrug:
14 Marines Killed in Deadliest Roadside Bombing Of War
In Iraq, Pentagon officials have concluded it was a massive bomb that killed 14 Marines on Wednesday in the western city of Haditha. The Marines were driving in a 25-ton lightly-armored amphibious troop carrier that was not designed for coming under such attacks. It was the deadliest roadside bombing since the war began. In the past two weeks, at least 31 U.S. soldiers and Marines have died in roadside bombings. According to the Knight Ridder news agency, bombs killed more coalition troops in July than in any previous month of the war. U.S. officials admitted on Wednesday that troops are now being targeted with more powerful and more effective bombs. The 14 Marines were all members of the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines, based in Brook Park, Ohio. Six more Marines from that Batallion died on Monday.
What can we do but shrug and make a sad face if we don't want to address the issue of the war?
Those fourteen died. Their deaths didn't just happen. They were sent over there. Asking why they were sent over there goes to the heart of democracy.
I think C.I. made excellent points in "Impunity leads to further silence" and I'm guessing that all of you coming here, or most of you, have already read that. But if you haven't, please make a point to read it.
It's continue to avoid the issues and walk around saying, "Well these things happen," or it's asking the tough questions. Avoidance doesn't address the problems.
"Peace Quotes" (Peace Center)
Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of humans as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is not safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.
Helen Keller
