Price of Vanity

All is Vanity
Charles Allan Gilbert, American Illustrator

Ah! vainest of all things
Is the gratitude of kings;
The plaudits of the crowd
Are but the clatter of feet
At midnight in the street,
Hollow and restless and loud

--Belisarius, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

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If you are not familiar with "Belisarius," it is the tale of the forsaken brave and dedicated warrior who now--"sad, old, and blind"--goes begging for his bread.

Poor Americans also need not fear that this administration is overly concerned with their hearts and minds (Money Cut From College Recruitment Program).

"The University of South Florida is among three major schools in the state that lost funding for a program to recruit low-income and first-generation college students."

The U.S. Department of Education allots about $265 million to support the program.

Imagine the $265 million which nationally funds this worthy 41-year-old program, Upward Bound, aimed at striving disadvantaged American youths. Peanuts compared to the funds thrown at our creation of and involvement in the bloody Mid Eastern fray.

"Upward Bound assists high school students from low-income families whose parents lack college degrees and is geared toward helping students pursue higher education. It provides students with a range of services, including instruction in reading, math and science, entrance exam preparation, exploration of education opportunities and assistance in filling out applications and financial aid documents."

Is there any better way to ensure a strong and healthy society, then the advancement and engagement of all of its citizens, to their highest good? Is there any more noble use of federal money than providing for the success of future generations?

Funds that finance the Iraqi and Afghan wars for one day would properly fund this program. But of course, Iraqi and Afghani citizens are first in line for our federal gravy train dollars, all for the vanity of GWB. Money marching off to war, which shall never return to benefit our citizens.

If all the Limbaugh listeners would only think about their rationale, they would understand what this means. "Fighting them over there, so we don't have to fight them here?" Hardly. Fighting them over there, so we can stand in bread lines over here.

I want to tell my conservative friends, "Don't you see? Terrorists do not fight openly. If even a few are "left standing," they can hoof it over here (with some effort) and detonate a bomb. That is the thing that criminals and terrorists can readily do, now and always.

And they can regenerate their ranks. You will never deplete them, and can only strengthen their resolve via a fight. There will never be a cataclysmic battle on the streets of Boise. They do not have to "fight fair". That is their strength and their prerogative.

That is the way it is on the road going West.

--Jim and Lisa