We are living in one of the most fearful times I, and that of any of living relatives and friends, have ever known. Fearful not only as citizens of the world community continually facing a litany of new and ever-more troubling problems within that world, but fearful as Americans. Americans, every one of us, whether we come from new immigration or from generations-long establishment as I have, are at a curious crossroads. The crossroads has landed us, very indecisively, between turning down a road that we are familiar with but will require a great cut in pride in order to follow again, or a turn down a road that is unfamiliar (to us anyway) that allows us to rewrite the rules as we only see fit, since we are currently the only remaining superpower...today, anyways. It's a kind of fear that while strong and justified immediately following the days of 9/11, it's a fear previous generations would have met head on, accepted the challenge, and shown the world the interior grit and eloquence as a nation...a grit and eloquence that brought us forward as a superpower to begin with.
I, for one, am weary of living in fear. But what's worse, I am more weary of the deception that I should be paranoid, distrustful, and/or flat out hate those who don't like my ideals, worship my values, idolize my money or my financial way of life, or look, think, and act like I do. I am one of the millions who harbour these concerns. The United States of America that my parents brought me up in has survived far more sinister Presidents than the current holder, but none as dangerous and unchecked. The United States of America that my relatives fought for, dating back to prior of its existence, is slowly eroding away in front of my eyes, away from
my values, away from
my way of life, away from
my day to day actions.
Good news, though, folks: we do
not walk alone. Keith Olbermann, from MSNBC's
"Countdown" TV program can do what (it seems) like all three of our governing bodies in Washington and beyond cannot:
he 'gets' it. Give this man a bullhorn and let there be great rejoicing throughout the land.
Olbermann's Special Comment on Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, 8/30/2006
Special Commentary on the Five Year Anniversary of 9/11, 9/11/2006
The Blazing "It's Unacceptable to Think" Commentary, 9/18/2006
The man has been on fire lately. May this wonderful voice become the chorus this country...this Western world even...so desperately needs to hear now. Good night and good luck, indeed.
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