Wednesday, September 13, 2006

september musings

september has always been my favorite time of year- i was a school nut so i loved going back to my social hub and quest for knowledge :) i know- nerd. i like the weather too- where is it is warm but not cold- long sleeves and shorts weather. i guess that is one of the reasons hubby and i decided on september to get married. unfortunately, september 11 has marred my once perfect month. that one brief incident has and will have lasting effects forever. my in-laws are coming for a brief stay so i won't be around reading as much as i like. i like to try and read as many of the folks on the right in my blogroll as possible because of all of the good things going on there. this has become more than a bloviating spot- it has become a discussion spot and a circle of friends. having said that- sophie says hello. she is a bit pesty this morning.

so- with all of the media whatever surrounding 9/11- i prefer a private day of reflection and not the media hoopla. it cheapens it somehow and makes it seem more like a carnival. it is morbid to dwell and wallow in a tradgedy. it doesn't seem right. i don't think americans needed an 'anniversary' to remind them of this tradgedy- we pretty much live with it daily. this got me to thinking about the current state of america. with all of the information coming out and the proof more forthcoming- it can be overwhelming. i think it was ea over at details who had a quote that we have been so busy fighting each other that the terrorists are pretty much laughing- i paraphrase- go check it out yourself :) and it is pretty much true. that got me to thinking again- because we are the enemy. our country is falling not because of foreign terrorists- but rather the domestic ones. i don't think now is the time to play nice with the right wing- we have to stop it in its tracks. we moderates can win if we work together. these right wing folks are our enemy no matter how you try and dress it up. they may look like us but they certainly don't think like us. they need to be stopped in their tracks and shoved back into the hole from which they came. or wiped off the face of the earth altogether.

strong words? i deliberately chose them to prove a point. we, as americans, used to find words like that reprehensible. we used to hold to higher ideal- that our democracy was not to be taken lightly and that we would treat our fellow humans with dignity and respect- even when they didn't reciprocate. that is how we 'won' the cold war. the communist soviet union was taken down by ideas and words- not bombing and killing. democracy and capitalism have a foothold in the world because other places strove to emulate us--because they wanted to. not because we forced them. some folks will say that these terrorists are out to kill us- and they are right. had we stayed on the right course of finding and rooting out the cause in afghanistan we would now have a true global effort against the ideology instead of inciting more. we would have willing participants- not folks strongarmed by blackmail and extortion.

folks- we are at a crossroads in this nation's history. we have the strength and power to take our country back. do we have the will to do what it takes?

16 comments:

The Future Was Yesterday said...

We also need to win "by any means possible", just as they have been doing. It's nasty I know, it's not our style; it better become our style if we are to shove the worms back in their holes. Time and time again, it has been proven that there was widespread abuse of the electoral system by Republicans. We need to take that one dirty trick further. We can worry about "morals" later. Right now, the ONLY goal is to win!

QUASAR9 said...

"folks- we are at a crossroads in this nation's history. we have the strength and power to take our country back. do we have the will to do what it takes?"

Betmo,
with enough people like you yes.
You need to have the confidence of your convictions, the clarity of vision, the purpose ... not just to achieve power, but what to do with it when you have it

Laurie said...

I'm afraid hope has been lost to apathy. There just aren't enough of us willing to fight.

sandy said...

I don't know the answer to that question, but... I can tell you this- I will never again take my right to vote for granted. From now on, I will learn everything I can about anything that I am asked to cast a vote for, and I will not be ashamed to ask questions and research so I can separate fact from bs.

billie said...

ok- so that's five of us. i would hazard a guess that we all know at least 5 people who are with us- and they know 5- and so on. we have to keep each other strong and inspired to go the long haul. we have it in us- we have to be able to inspire it in others. we can do it but will we?

Sarah said...

Of course you can't play nice with conservatives. They don't know the definition of the word. They visit blogs like your just to verbally attack your ideas - there is no reasonable debate, because they refuse to listen if you do not agree with them. Play fire with fire, I say. I tried being nice. I tried being "moderate." Nothing is good enough, so I say stand up for your principles, and to hell with 'em!

You got six now.

Sarah said...

"Of course you can't play nice with conservatives. They don't know the definition of the word."

I should say "many." But definitely not all. I know at least two conservatives who are very friendly and willing to find a meeting ground for positive ideas that will benefit America and its citizens.

There is a coalition of many people who are willing to fight against an ULTRA right-wing grip on this country, including members of the Republican and Libertarian parties.

Personally, I'd rather have a moderate plan instead of one that swings to the other side of the political field.

5th Estate said...

no-one can afford to progress, even to live in a status quo in a polarized world. We all have to make compromises--ohysicaaly, financially, spiritually, personally, intellectually, politically. The majority ofthe world's population does this every day and has done for millenia.
But within every majority is a minorioty of absolutists, certain of their own internally referenced cause, assuming they know what is best.When extremists gain power and challenge and goad each other, the majority become the victims of the extremists visions and their own lethargy and silence.

the price of freedom is eternal vigilence.

No said...

Betmo,

I think you need to run for President. Great speech...really truly.

Anonymous said...

What exactly is this "fighting" and if I were to come across someone "fighting for her country" what would she be doing? Voicing her opinion? Voting?

I think we're taught to engage in both those behaviors by the very people who don't want change. They're far less effective than fighting tactics needs to be. No one gives a damn what anyone else thinks (the HOW is important, but not the WHAT) and voting is just a symbol of participation, if that.

After the towers fell, George Bush told concerned citizens to get back out there and spend. As long as our economy works the way it works for the people it works for, our country will be safe. It was an infuriating and shallow display of his 'leadership' skills, but it did underscore one very important fact: the ways you earn and spend your dollars matter. A lot.

shawn (aka blogstud) said...

I agree with you, betmo, even the "strong words."

I resent being put on the defensive when it comes to values, like the right-wing has cornered the market. I think the Bush-GOP rule has proven that neither Bush nor the GOP has the slightest idea of what values are.

I continue to be amazed that they think invading a foreign country without cause demonstrates "good" family values while they neglect the needy here at home and push tax cuts for the wealthy.

And then there is the issue of their so-called less government platforms that are supposed to mean less government interference in our lives?

Not if you make phone calls overseaes, act suspiciously, want to control your reproductive choices, or marry another person of the same sex.

Sometimes I just cannot believe how naive people continue to be. His approval numbers should be way below 30-40%

Thanks for a great post!

landsker said...

Well, personally, we stopped buying the coca-cola, the nikes, the fords, and anything at all that comes from the shite house.
Soon, there will be elections, prior to which the neo-cons will as usual, use all dirty tricks available, including electoral fraud, false flag terror and pictures of laura bush cuddling Iraqui babies.
I`m sure that the narrow elitist core that leads America is in its` "final hour".
They are desperate, the Russians are signing trade and defence pacts all aross Asia and Europe, South America slips to the left, and China plays with the dollar like a cat with a half-dead mouse.
As the saying goes... "You are not alone".
There is, imho, not a nation on this Earth that would help the Neo-cons defeat an internal rebellion.
Maybe the Canadians? Nah, or the Uzbeks?

billie said...

i would like to see an internal rebellion. i hope that we, the people, have it in us to do it. leaders can't lead people who don't want to follow.

Obob said...

Howdy, can I play?

Laurie said...

So how many of us is that so far?

Obob said...

question is, what are the goals? And how are they attained.