Cheney to America: F— You!
Americans are in an uproar about the now-infamous homiletics of Reverend Jeremiah Wright. But is preaching “God damn America!” any worse than Dick Cheney telling America to “Go f—itself”?
OK, so he didn’t exactly use that those words (at least not this time) but his meaning was crystal clear. When challenged by ABC’s Martha Raddatz that two-thirds of Americans think the war is not worth fighting, he dismissed the concerns of Americans with an arrogant, “So?”
So? American service personnel are dying and he says, “So,”? Where is the outrage over that?
The executive branch leads only through the consent of the governed. At least, that’s the way that democracy is supposed to work.
Watching the John Adams miniseries on HBO, though occasionally distracted with the expectation of Paul Giamatti’s Adams to exclaim “I’m not drinking any f—ing merlot!”, I am inspired by the our pioneering leaders who passionately and bravely stood firm against their oppressive rulers.
The British crown’s callous attitude toward its distant colonists brings to mind the imperious approach of the Bush administration. Yesteryear’s taxation without representation has been replaced by invasion without representation.
Like some demented used car salesman, Cheney says through his crooked smile, Trust us. We know what’s best for you. Yet how can we trust them when they refuse to submit to scrutiny and call those who dare criticize their policies traitors?
Although they haven’t gotten to drafting the U.S. Constitution in the current retelling, the Framers of our national values affirmed not just the right but the duty of the individual to stand up to tyranny.
There is no doubt that American military might can win every battle we chose to fight but still lose the war. Subverting our values means we’re no better than those oppressive countries and cultures that mean us harm.
No one on the Right, the Left or the Middle can claim to love their country more than any other faithful citizen. A democracy without dissent is not a democracy. Desiring your leaders and your government to live up to its founding principles is as patriotic as you can get.
A Note to a Purple Nation: While I have recently tried to make political points through humor, there are some things not worth laughing about. For those who visit this site for my satirical musings, rest assured they will return. I encourage your comments. –Purple America
