Wednesday, June 16, 2004
Real Terror
We all recognize on some level the likely possibility that there will be a massive terrorist attack in the U.S. sometime between now and November. Yeah, okay, that is really scary. Trust me, I ride the red line metro to Union Station every morning during rush hour and will be at the Democratic Convention in Boston this July.
Yes, terrorism is a horrible, hideous, frightening thing. However, I have consciously decided that I will follow 80% of people in the world who simply accept that terrorism will and always has been around in some form or another. Most countries in the world accept acts of terrorism every few years like we accept the fact that we could get hit by a bus tomorrow while crossing the street. This is not saying we shouldn't try to prevent it, but as a nation we can no longer let this fear of terrorism paralyze, craze and blind us.
A recent poll by NDN did show that Kerry enjoys a significant lead over Bush in all the major domestic areas including the economy, education and health care. However, Bush still enjoys a sizable advantage on issues of national security and his handling of the war in Iraq. We all know what a joke that is. It is the understatement of a century to say that this administration is a walking foreign policy nightmare. They have ruined our image abroad, rid us entirely of any moral high-ground, expanded the next generation of terrorists, while actually cutting state funding for national security and border patrols.
At America's current levels of hysteria, it will not matter how horrible the situation in Iraq is or how tanked our economy is, if another terrorist attack occurs on US soil between now and November, the masses will rally around this administration and re-elect Bush. Republicans are well aware of their advantage and how to use fear to keep this administration in power. If Democrats don't start talking soon about this inane pyschology and help to innoculate the public against a "rally effect," we are in serious trouble.
Remember that stage where we destroyed the Dixie Chicks for speaking their mind against the war? Seems kind of silly now huh? Well, I guarantee one more attack and the fundamentalists, led by Ashcroft and Cheney, will be back with a vengence. Once again Americans will accept the sheer hipocrisy as we scoff at the bill of rights and turn a blind eye to this evil administration in the name of fear disguised as "patriotism."
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Yes, terrorism is a horrible, hideous, frightening thing. However, I have consciously decided that I will follow 80% of people in the world who simply accept that terrorism will and always has been around in some form or another. Most countries in the world accept acts of terrorism every few years like we accept the fact that we could get hit by a bus tomorrow while crossing the street. This is not saying we shouldn't try to prevent it, but as a nation we can no longer let this fear of terrorism paralyze, craze and blind us.
A recent poll by NDN did show that Kerry enjoys a significant lead over Bush in all the major domestic areas including the economy, education and health care. However, Bush still enjoys a sizable advantage on issues of national security and his handling of the war in Iraq. We all know what a joke that is. It is the understatement of a century to say that this administration is a walking foreign policy nightmare. They have ruined our image abroad, rid us entirely of any moral high-ground, expanded the next generation of terrorists, while actually cutting state funding for national security and border patrols.
At America's current levels of hysteria, it will not matter how horrible the situation in Iraq is or how tanked our economy is, if another terrorist attack occurs on US soil between now and November, the masses will rally around this administration and re-elect Bush. Republicans are well aware of their advantage and how to use fear to keep this administration in power. If Democrats don't start talking soon about this inane pyschology and help to innoculate the public against a "rally effect," we are in serious trouble.
Remember that stage where we destroyed the Dixie Chicks for speaking their mind against the war? Seems kind of silly now huh? Well, I guarantee one more attack and the fundamentalists, led by Ashcroft and Cheney, will be back with a vengence. Once again Americans will accept the sheer hipocrisy as we scoff at the bill of rights and turn a blind eye to this evil administration in the name of fear disguised as "patriotism."
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