Confessions of an appeaser.

[democrank]

A duck-and-cover plan is essential whenever I go out now that I have that giant pink "A" painted on my forehead. I`m an appeaser, the bane of every Rambo`s existence. The days of daisies glued on my Volkswagen may be over, but the feelings I get whenever I hear war lies are the same. Several decades of steady observation can do that to a person. It`s how I came to know that rule makers like the thought of blood dripping from their fangs because they`re certain it will never be their own. Makes for a good show, minus any risk. How easy it is to march around puff-chested when you can count on room service and full protection.

Pundits are still comparing Jimmy Carter`s cardigan to George Bush`s flightsuit in some kind of national costume contest, the winner being announced in advance. Got to get that mojo workin` if you plan to dominate the tv scenery. Just last week Chris Matthews was chuckling about John Kerry windsurfing. Who in their right mind would want to do that when they could hire someone to release 600 quail to shoot at on a private reserve, or plan a White Phosphorus drop over Fallujah?

What`s the next step beyond twisted? Whatever the name is, we`re there. Our newest deal is....When the going gets tough, real patriots torture. Just ask half the callers on C-Span`s Washington Journal or more than half the "experts" in the pundit pool. I still feel sick when I think of that photo of the hooded, shackled Iraqi man sitting in the sand, holding his young son. That goes to show you what damage can be done when citizens unleash their feminine side. By rights, I guess I should have wanted us to just kill him and his child. That would have put my kind in the favor of the War People.

What exactly have we become and who let it happen? When did we cross that line that allowed bullying to become a national ideal? If Republicans love life so much and all have values we should strive to attain, why all the death? The bombings? The torture? The corruption? The McCarthyism? Why the millions of poor people? Homeless people? Folks without health care? Why are our prisons so full and our factories so empty? It`s a heart hurter, a hope crusher. It`s enough to jar any thinking person`s conscience.

[acmejack]

1. We're a nation of real men.

Or at least half of us, I hear. They are the brave, led by those who never served, but they are braver than those of us who have. They understand warfare better than us, we just don't understand the mindset of the enemy, despite having faced him.

These people have consumed too much "diehard" cinematic nonsense & believe every farcical bit of it. Turn on your TV tonight and count the shootings & wonder why our national psyche is so warped. I think you will have your answer.