Much Atwitter About Nothing
Don't -- don't hang back with the brutes!
--A Streetcar Named Desire,
Tennessee Williams
People who need people
Are the luckiest people
In the world!
--People, fr. Funny Girl
Ex-cuuuse Me!
--Let's Get Small (album), Steve Martin
_________________
--A Streetcar Named Desire,
Tennessee Williams
People who need people
Are the luckiest people
In the world!
--People, fr. Funny Girl
Ex-cuuuse Me!
--Let's Get Small (album), Steve Martin
_________________
Front page People mag heralds "Brave" Elizabeth Edwards as "courageous", having gone through "hard-fought" battles.
Yes, she may have been the long-suffering wife of less-than-noble politician John Edwards, and she may have carried herself with dignity, save for the last bit when confronting the issue of his mistress and their bastard child, but so what? These are the vicissitudes of far too many ignoble lives. We never learn, and we never tire of the voyeurism.
The same week, American soldiers were killed in a manner most vile, and who cares? Not People, which pretends to portray the lives of those worth talking about. A rich entitled white woman dies and everybody is all atwitter; the Phony Wars on Terror continue to tear up our best and bravest, and no one bats an eye over what should be the central issue for patriotic nation, especially during the holidays when we count our blessings.
Where is the concern for our soldiers, who are truly deserving of our sympathy? As Erin Martin, whose Marine husband is recovering in Walter Reed Medical center, wrote in the letters section of USA Today (12.23.10): "It always amazes me when someone asks me why my husband wants to "kill people" for a living. I have learned that we live in a backward world. ... We praise celebrities who are addicted to drugs and are floating through life like lumps of nothing ..."
Elizabeth Edwards does not deserve my sympathy. She lived a life of luxury and was not exactly a Mother Theresa. Ditto the other denizens of the 12.20.10 front page, Celine Dion and Brad & Angelina.
Why do we hang out in Fantasyland? Let's get back to reality and get our soldier's out of harm's way.
Labels: al-awlaki phony war on terror, elizabeth edwards, fantasy versus reality, PWOT
posted by rangeragainstwar at 11:04 AM
7 Comments:
The cusswords and cursewords bounce around in my head like the ball bearings from a claymore every time I hear of new casualities from the Eastern Front. It astounds me that our servicemembers keep going back into the wars time and time again with nary a whimper. Such a waste.
"It's always tempting to impute
Unlikely virtues to the cute."
Or put it another way; reading about some kid who went to community college with you or clerked at the Staples getting wasted in some pointless engagement in West Buttfuckistan is SO depressing. But reading about some "glamorous" celebrity helps you pretend that you, too, could be that celebrity. It's the same sort of nonsensical human wishful thinking that had people in the streets cheering the kings and nobles who wouldn't have cared if they rode over the bodies of the crowd but for the mess on their bootsoles.
We haven't changed in 10,000 years.
Just delurking for a second to wish you Jim & Lisa all the best for the festive season. Thank you for providing one of the most intelligent blogs out there.
Same to all you other posters, cheers for the engaging dialog and the fascinating links. I am richer for reading here. Ya’ll have a joyful end of year.
Chief,
My discomfort is that this death is just another caused by a natural process. She obviously had the best treatment available, and she did fight the good fight, but so what?? In the final analysis her story is just another one of the normal life process, and is just a neutral event, whereas our soldiers are the buffeted by currents beyond normal human comprehension.
She had a normal life span , and therefore she is not a tragic figure, at least not in my mind.
Not so for the troopies.
Thanks for being a friend.
Juan,
Thanks for your always kind words.
jim
Juan,
Thank you, and wishing you many blessings of the season.
FDC,
Human, all too human ...
Was about 11km vertical for 12+ hours and never once saw Santa and his merry r'deer. Best wishes Jim, Lisa and all for a healthy festive season and new year. Looking forward to 2011 and all it may bring..
Carl,
11 km vertical? Well, that would've provided a good vantage point.
Thank you for the good wishes, and a very happy and healthy '11 to you, as well. Let's make it a great one :)
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