Defining moments

Pastor tells wife he’s going to
have his computer fixed, is
found days later in strip club.

Bush says that the battle in Iraq between the militia of Muqtada al-Sadr and the government of Nouri al-Maliki is a “defining moment” in the Iraq travesty. I’m not sure if this is the 50th defining moment for Bush or the 73rd, but there have certainly been many claimed in the last eight years of this ongoing farce. Frankly, I don’t believe Bush would know a defining moment if it jumped up and bit him in the butt. Bush thinks it is a defining moment because al-Maliki’s presumably loyal government troops have taken on al-Sadr’s militia on their own. That is, without U.S. support. But they haven’t, as they did call on the U.S. for help and received it. This means the U.S. is now involved in an Iraqi civil war on the side of our puppet government, which is very cozy with Iran, the same Iran we are trying to keep out of Iraq. How else could our puppets stay in power? Oh well, defining moment, defining schmoment.

I should think that defining moments are more like the American revolution, the Civil War, the Emacipation Proclaimation, World War II, and giving women the right to vote. You know, truly important landmarks in American history. What I believe will be the next truly defining moment in American history will be the swearing in of Barack Hussein Obama as President of the United States. This will be the crowning achievement of the American attempt to provide equality and justice for all. We have come a long way in race relations in this country. While racism undeniably still exists it certainly is not as bad as it was. We no longer have separate bathrooms and restaurants, blacks have made great contributions to business, entertainment, sports, and other fields, they are far more visible as successful, normal people (in spite of the hatemongers like Rush, Coulter, Hannity and others), we see them now everyday in places they would never have been seen before, and we have successfully passed hate crimes legislation, and so on. But I have no doubt that lurking in the subconsciousness of many white Americans is the belief that somehow blacks are in some ways inferior. This is a paradigm that has defined Western-European and American ideology since at least the 16th century. It was responsible in large measure for the unbelievable brutality of European and American colonialism, leading to the murder, arson, rape, torture, and humiliation of untold millions in the name of salvation, civilization, and progress. If Obama is elected and sworn in it will mean, hopefully, the final step in realizing equality in America. Of course there will no doubt remain some hard-core morons, who, because they are morons, will have to have someone to pretend is worse off than they are. Eventually, even these will have to give up their nonsensical ideas of superiority. Not only will Obama’s coronation be a monumentally defining moment in America, it will also send a message, loud and clear, that we here in the U.S. are serious about seeking equality and opportunity for everyone. I fear the expectations for Obama will be so great he will not possibly be able to live up to them. But the problems facing our next President are so great, and in many ways intractable we must be patient and do our part. If we can just get rid of the wicked witch we’ll at least be on our way to solving them and restoring the U.S. to its rightful position as a beacon of hope for all and a respected member of the international community once again.

With all due respects to women and their aspirations, there is no doubt their time will come and we will soon have a female President. Women have already achieved this exalted position in many countries of the world and the idea of a woman for President is not even unusual anymore. It is unfortunate that Hillary has perhaps made it more difficult for women to seek this office but it will surely come. And it will also be a defining moment for America. I do not think it represents the same incredible landmark or defining moment as having a black President but I surely will welcome it when it comes.

LKBIQ:
“Civilization degrades the many to exalt the few.”
Amos B. Alcott