Go figure

You must have all heard about the guy who killed his parents and then pleaded for mercy because he was an orphan. So consider this: two Iraqi women who wished to come to the U.S. to participate in a program to help the American people understand what is happening in Iraq were refused visas. They were refused visas because we (the U.S.) thought they would not want to return to Iraq after their speaking tour. Why would they not want to return to Iraq? Because we killed their entire families and therefore they would have no reason to return. Simple? Yes. Stupid? Incredibly. Mean? Entirely. Is this a great country or what?

One of the Iraqi women who did manage to get into the U.S. for this speaking tour was interviewed by Amy Goodman on Democracy Now. In the course of the interview she observed that the only people that could possibly benefit from a Civil War in Iraq would be the U.S. Why? Because the U.S. needs an excuse to maintain a permanent presence in that unfortunate country. Sensible? Yes. True? Probably. Is this a great country or what?

South Dakota has voted to return to the 18th century. All abortions are to be illegal, except to save the life of a mother (but not in cases of rape or incest). What a fine idea. Let's send all the women who want and/or need an abortion into the alley where they can be aided by the help of coathangers or other such useful devices. A spokesperson for John McCain says he would sign such a bill because he thinks it is up to the states to decide such matters (happily he has no authority in South Dakota). Other Repoublicans have said the same thing - it ought to be up to the states to decide such things (except, I guess, in cases like Terri Schiavo). I think this is an absolutely wonderful idea. Just think, if we had followed this line of reasoning all along we could still be lynching people in Mississippi and Georgia for whistling at white women. Trees all over the south could still be bearing their "strange fruit." Is this a great country or what?

Bush, not content with having illegally allowed the sale of ports to Dubai, has now entered into a secret deal with India to provide them with nuclear materials so they can make more bombs. Cleverly, he avoided a similar deal with Pakistan. I'm sure this is going to make things in that part of the world safer for everyone. Congress is said to be upset at not being consulted. They are also said to be upset over not being consulted about the Dubai deal. And, of course, they are upset about being not consulted about illegal wiretapping. But that's it, they are upset. But not enough to actually do anything about it. Talk, talk, talk, that's what they do. Is this a great country or what?

"Liberty isn't a thing you are given as a present..."You can be a free man under a dictatorship. It is sufficient if you struggle against it. He who thinks with his own head is a free man. He who struggles for what he believes to be right is a free man. Even if you live in the freest country in the world and are lazy, callous, apathetic, irresolute, you are not free but a slave, though there be no coercion and no oppression. Liberty is something you have to take for yourself. It's no use begging it from others."

Ignatzio Silone
Bread and Wine

Inspiring words are they not? What we seem to have here in our country at the moment might be better described as something like "Courage a poo-poo."