Demise of Officer Clancy, and…

… Equality as the new opiate ….

I wonder what it must have been like to live at a time when, despite public claims of having crossed the fearful ocean to seek “religious freedom”, people had very strictly prescribed limits within which they were required to go about their day to day activities, all under the watchful eyes of the Puritan church leaders. The consequences for straying could be severe, and in some cases fatal. There are stories about Quakers being tethered behind horse drawn wagons and towed from town to town in the dead of winter, half naked, as punishment for their noncompliance with Puritan mandates and as a warning to others to mind their ways.

One can travel back through history and find similar periods when populations were held to very exacting standards when it came to what they believed, what they did, and how they spoke, by virtue only of the fact that their oppressors had the power and the willingness to abuse it. Every culture has a system of ethical and moral values, and “mores” that express who and what the people wish to be, and members of the group are expected to live within the generally accepted parameters. Times of extreme restriction by a minority faction of the “people” and enforcement of their parameters seem to be almost cyclical.

With that thought in mind, I would suggest that the United States is presently going through such a time, driven by two primary influences. First, when Middle Eastern “terrorists” hijacked three airliners and crashed them into the Twin Towers in NY City and the Pentagon in Washington, with the third being retaken by passengers and crashing into a Pennsylvania field, the military posture and the civilian approach to security and law enforcement changed radically. Laws were passed which permitted the government to violate traditional and expected standards of privacy, to set up checkpoints that restricted a person’s right to travel freely, and more. Anyone and everyone became quietly subject to extreme measures of surveillance without due process. The Department of Homeland Security has often been compared to the authorities of Nazi Germany, and not without good reason.

Our military forces became aggressively involved in actions in the Middle East, overthrowing the ruler of Iraq, who somehow became the targeted scapegoat of American rage over the September 11, 2001 attacks on America by terrorists led by Osama bin Laden who was holed up on the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Middle East has been in turmoil for the past eighteen years and we have since been engaged in accelerated conflicts with most of the region.

The self anointed defenders of Freedom and Human Rights, and Exemplars of Democracy have not exactly been cherubs throughout this process, with examples of prisoner abuse, torture, and killings of civilians. The streets run knee deep with dopamine, adrenalin and testosterone during warfare.

Meanwhile, domestic law enforcement in the United States has taken on a new military atmosphere with a flood of surplus equipment. The days of Officer Clancy walking his beat are long gone and almost sound like a myth now. “Shoot first and ask questions later” makes no sense today when the slightest tic may earn a suspect the full compliment of a 15 round Glock 22 magazine, multiplied by the number of officers jumping into the fray, whether innocent or not. A civilian would likely get the death penalty for such an action; the uniformed shooters get time off with pay and a few privately whispered “attaboys”.

Those with the power, whether that is bestowed through election, assumed, or otherwise acquired without public oversight, apparently have the willingness to wield that power, enforced by whatever means they deem necessary, for their own gain or benefit.

The second issue that I see as driving our current retreat into an aggressively restricted and directed society would be the sudden explosion of power within the Politically Correct or “PC” movement, directly related to the Civil Rights movement and a number of other “rights” oriented campaigns, and driven by a neo-Liberal would-be dictatorship.

This is similar to other times when our society and many others back through history have ironically, and perhaps inadvertently, converted a positive into a negative. Several factions have taken the very moral and positive concept of equal rights for all, regardless of race, belief systems, and associations, a principle quite central to the very existence of the United States, and created a culture that restricts those rights by separating people into groups receiving special attention and groups receiving blame.

A new category of law appeared from the shadows establishing forbidden patterns of speech, belief systems, and identifying certain crimes and other behaviors as “Hate” based. This last is particularly scary because it would seem to violate at least two of the Amendments in the Bill of Rights. The use of certain words is deemed “Hate” based and is therefore subject to special consequences, such as perhaps the stepping up of some crime or misdemeanor to a more serious level and thus meriting more severe punishments. When crimes are committed by a “white” person against a person belonging to one of the designated “special interest” segments of the population, the offense may be automatically presumed to have been “Hate” based and therefore subject to additional charges by the Federal government. This smacks of the Puritan culture of the seventeenth century and obviously upholds the principle of Guilty Until Proven Innocent. There has been a huge growth in references to “Racism”, meaning the discrimination of one person or group against another based upon things like ethnicity and physical characteristics like pigmentation, which usually translates into the presumption of “Hate”.

Interestingly, the concept of “race” has long been challenged by anthropologists as it has no meaning in the science of taxonomy, or the classification of living things. I have written elsewhere about this issue.

All things considered, it would seem we are living in one of those highly restrictive periods of irony, with “equality” appearing to be expressed as some are more equal than others. This is the opposite of the original reason for the sudden increased interest in ensuring all are seen as equal under the law. Freedoms of speech and association have been reduced to the proscribed and the “approved”. Any expression of negativity by one against another is subject to a rather strict filter to see if it might be “Hate” based. Certain groups are called “Hate” groups because of their beliefs and are discriminated against because they do not pass “PC” muster.

There are many reasons for an observer to suggest that the United States has strayed from its historic values and its purpose, and those who might be most likely to, and capable of putting the nation back on course are also the most likely to be demonized and socially isolated, prosecuted under unconstitutional “thought control” statutes, and otherwise eliminated somehow if possible.

I, of course, oppose any and all tyrannical movements, whether they are popularly based like the “PC” epidemic, or government based like the invention of the “hate” crime designations and a decided shift to more authoritarian, prescriptive and proscriptive methods. I believe in the Constitution as written, and urge extreme caution during the quite necessary process of periodically adapting it to the changing times. Reinterpreting terminology to justify one perspective in a nation that boasts of itself as a world haven for Freedom of Speech, Religion, Association, et cetera is nothing short of an obscenity. These freedoms were officially acknowledged specifically to protect the liberty of those who disagreed with the self-anointed dispensers of morality and wisdom.

Some people seem to have forgotten that “equality” means having the same rights as everyone else; it does not mean suddenly meriting a parade, banner headlines, documentaries, or special certificates to tape to the family refrigerator just for doing the same things everyone else does as a matter of course in the day to day conduct of their lives.

Perhaps it is normal behavior for young people turning 21 to celebrate their “emancipation” by kicking up their heels a bit, making the rounds of the local bars, and so on. But the life of a society or nation is not subject to adolescent mile markers when breaking the rules or stretching the boundaries a tad may be somewhat forgivable. Those rules were painstakingly put to parchment precisely because the act of stretching boundaries for a selected group within a society restricts them for all others.

I’m pleased that certain populations are finally being given the fundamental human respect they deserve, but I am reminded of something the Admiral said at my Commissioning: We were told that respect must be earned, it cannot be commanded. All who continue to demand special laws, special treatment, and special status because of their newly protected rights need to be reminded that no law can or ever will earn them respect. Wielding power over people who may resemble those who once unfairly wielded underserved power over you or people who resembled you is not “Equality”…it is simply changing deck chairs on the Titanic.

My suggestion to those whose lives have finally been given the constitutional and judicial recognition they have long sought would be for them to tone down the parades, the temptation to seek special recognition over and above actual equality under the law. Live, enjoy your newly expanded access to your guaranteed liberty, and pursue happiness. Pay no attention to those on the sidelines demanding more and more on your behalf; truth be told, they serve their own needs, not yours.

My suggestion to the “PC” Police and all of those chanting and demanding and “occupying” on behalf of different groups and causes: Support those in need and those who are oppressed, to be sure, but know that if you attempt to take from me to give to another, you do so at your own peril. Being an advocate does not mean one spontaneously acquires any special status or authority to collect and redistribute anything on behalf of anybody.

My suggestion to legislators who have supported the redistribution of wealth and power in the name of various glibly and overly glorified causes or for your own benefit in the often vicious battlefield of politics: Retire. Apologize and go away. You have apparently become what you once despised when you first ran for public office. The Scarlet Letter for those who have betrayed the sacred trust given them to legislate honorably and protect the Constitution is almost universally the act of being the man or woman who first walks into his or her office with a dollar and walks out a multimillionaire with lifetime benefits only enjoyed by a few of the most successful of civilians.

 

~-~* * *~-~

 

About fiddling…

while stuff burns….

With minimally sincere apologies for beating a dead horse, I noticed an article this morning that reported ISIS is now training jet fighter pilots with some captured aircraft. I’m right up front there with NOT sacrificing another generation on the barbaric Middle East altar, but I can’t ignore those who caution that we are in danger of repeating history if we continue to just sit on the sidelines and opinionate.

We spent a number of years tossing little more than an occasional “tsk, tsk” across the Atlantic while Germany bulked up to threaten the world. At the same time, we tried pretending Japan didn’t exist, until we had little choice but to do something definitive.

Now, in less than a year, we have gone from blowing ISIS off as an annoying fringe group to stammering indecisively as they spread through Syria and Iraq like a beer fart in a sauna, and suddenly appear in the skies flying captured fighter jets.

Maybe when Congress and the White House get done with the Midterm Elections hoopla they’ll get down to business and….

….never mind….

 

~-~* * *~-~

 

Revisiting the Sea of Déjà Vu…

again and again….

Winston Churchill has often been erroneously credited with coining the wise adage “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. ” The fact of the matter is, however, that he actually was paraphrasing George Santayana, who made the remark in his The Life of Reason back in 1905. “Paraphrasing” in Churchill’s case, of course, meant coming up with ten words for every one uttered by whomever inspired him, but it doesn’t matter because Santayana was himself pre-inspired. Evidently, the idea hails from as far back as the 6th Century B.C.E when it was said to have perhaps originated with the Greek Oracles, which suggests they in turn had commandeered it from yet earlier predecessors. In any event, the wisdom of the observation rings perpetually true.

Even now, we continue to reissue the declaration as if it were some virgin epiphany, and do everything short of going to war over who said it first and when. Perhaps someday someone will decide that it’s time to work on coming up with an equally tenacious saying instructing the ages how to not repeat the past. Then again, there are still throngs that will step outdoors during a downpour, hold out a palm-up hand, and announce with an air of professional authority that it is raining.

I don’t suppose it matters, really, but the thought did cross my mind while catching up on how the latest manifestation of humanity’s favorite prophesy is playing out in the Middle East. This mind-crossing took place at the same time as I found myself asking out loud “who the hell is arming these ISIS animals, anyway… !?”

The United States has a superb track record of secretly snuggling up to some of the planet’s most unsavory characters in order to influence or manipulate some aspect of global politics, economics, or military prestige to our favor, only to have our largess later repurposed to do the Big Ugly on us in one way or another. Consequently, I couldn’t help scoffing that we were probably ISIS’ silent benefactor.

I wasn’t far off, unfortunately.

***

Our favorite spot to decide to “fix” in recent years has been the Middle East, although we aren’t the only ones who have a habit of stirring everybody’s soup but our own. As part and parcel of “defending our freedom” by lighting up cities a half a world away, which serendipitously also shoots major juice into our domestic economy, we have made sure to powder the right butts and sprinkle rose petals and free munitions along paths with the greatest potential for a positive return on our investments.

When the falfalel hit the Syrian fan back in 2011, the US, as well as other major global players, poked wet fingers to the skies to determine from whence favorable political winds originated. Since Russia kept poverty and unemployment at bay by manufacturing bullets for Syria’s President Assad, and we still don’t like Russia, we resorted to our usual Bernie Madoff School of Investment Theory and put our chips on the Rebels. Even though they were suspected of having al Qaeda ties and clearly demonstrated an inability to play well with others. As recently as last September, Obama and Company decided the rebels were the good guys.

Now, just a few short and rather bloody months later, the Made in America tools of war that found their way to anti-Assad forces in Syria are popping up all over Iraq as ISIS uses them to eradicate everybody and his dog who doesn’t bow instantly to the ISIS mandated version of strict Sharia Muslim law.

So, here we are again, basking on the shrapnel-strewn beaches of Lake Déjà Vu…, breathing the acrid fumes of spent explosives while we hem and haw over when to don the Superman suit and Go Save the Day.

The United States has an uncanny talent for contributing to the creation of circumstances wherein it would be immoral and unconscionable for us to NOT to intervene and put Humpty Dumpty back together again.

I don’t know who is behind that curtain actually pulling the strings, but the used car salesman with a law degree that does all the smiling, waving, promising, and plays golf while Mosul burns is a serious threat to Woodrow Wilson’s lock on the Worst Foreign Policy President trophy. His domestic performance has been equally disastrous, though many like him. On the other hand, some will follow just about anyone who throws enough of the right flavored candy at them.

So, it seems I may have answered my own question regarding the source of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria’s weaponry, and how they were able to amass the momentum they presently enjoy.

We have a lot of work to do. While not all of the 535 members of Congress are damaged goods and need to be replaced over the next couple of years, along with the Mr. Glib occupying the White House and his Howdy Doody side kick. Throwing the baby out with the bath water is not a good plan, which means the politics of some of our more extreme right and left wingers could be worse than doing nothing. The trouble is, we have been divided into single reference points at each extreme for so long, I wonder if that broad and varied expanse of reality in between can re-emerge to reclaim rational territory.

Do I know how to run this country?
Heck, no!…but I do know an empty ballot when I see one.

Do I know how NOT to run this country?
Heck yes!…I’ve been taking notes for years now

 

~-~* * *~-~

 

Letting go……

of smooching the glutes of humanity’s knuckle draggers….

Every parent knows that one of the hardest things to do is to let go. In fact, parents don’t have a franchise on that very human resistance to change, but it may be the easiest to identify with for most people. People cry when their toddler takes his first step. We like to call them “tears of joy”, but, in truth there is sadness in them as well. There is a grieving of the never-to-be-seen-again infancy.

Sometimes, resistance to change isn’t that romantic and just represents bull headedness, or is a case of sticking with the admittedly dysfunctional M.O. instead of risking the highly likely to be more functional but scary UNKNOWN.

I was thinking about that this morning after I read an Op-Ed piece in the Sunday paper. Of course, so much these days is about the surplus of debt and the shortfall of income. It seems as if just about everybody has an opinion, just about nobody has a solution, and those who do are shouted down as “idiots” by those who don’t. I’m guilty. I admit it.

The quibbler in me strains to break free, however, and throw my non-committal “observations” out there like a slab of bloody meat tossed to the lions for them to hiss and slap over.

It occurs to me that letting go and grieving are processes not limited to individuals. Families do it, communities do it, and by extension, nations do it. Yet, as the world and the circumstances it experiences change, we resist certain changes within our own way of doing business.

The editorial column was in response to a collective question rumbling in the background for so many:

If we are so broke, why do we continue to give away billions to countries that don’t even like us?

Our new Secretary of State John Kerry, for example, just made a bee-line to Egypt where he pirouetted and sprinkled a quarter of a million scented US Rose Petals at the feet of the Muslim Brotherhood, an organization of zealots who pray five times a day for their benefactors to drop dead.

Our international circumstances today are ridiculously similar to the stage upon which the Barbary Wars of our earliest years as an independent nation were spawned, with the notable exception that some 215 years later we are a formidable world power rather than the skinny new kid on the block. We have grown in so many ways, but in others have not. The Muslim extremists of the Middle East haven’t changed a bit, on the other hand. They still use their Holy Book to justify virtually any barbaric sub-human act they wish to commit on the grounds that they are Licensed to Kill, by Allah himself, anybody on the planet who does not do exactly as they are told by the honchos of the religion. Kind of like the Mafia.

So, I ask, why are we still paying tribute to keep the animals happy? People LOVE their dogs, yet don’t pamper them as much as America pampers her foes. The strongest argument anyone seems capable of piecing together as justification for this bizarre behavior, including the ordinarily erudite columnist, is that, if we don’t continue, “it could be worse” .

How do I say this in language that would be permissible in the average elementary classroom? I can’t. Sequester the kids in the gymnasium while I let it fly in the janitor’s closet or something.

We used to have an inspiring little jingle that started off: “From the Halls of Montezuma, to the shores of Tripoli…..” , and the last I knew it was still in the Top Forty, …..but our actions tend to suggest the lyrics may have been tweaked a bit.

I think it’s time we made a conscious decision to LET GO of our old habit of buying friends and work on improving the way we practice the principles we have come to rattle off with the emotional investment of a ten year old obediently reciting the times tables or the parts of speech.

It would be NICE if the Grand Poohbah of Habhoop would marry only one wife, she at least being older than twelve, and stop abusing his trained snakes, blowing up our real estate, and generally being a global pain in the ass. Kissing stern sheets of our antagonists didn’t work 215 years ago and it isn’t working today. Tomorrow isn’t looking too hot, either.

I don’t know about you, but if my kids acted like that, I’d take away their allowance…..not RAISE IT and beg them to accept more.

 

~-~* * *~-~