Making hay out of the truth for all the wrong reasons

There are certain truths one never utters in politics in America. For one, no one in American politics will ever directly and clearly apologize for the actions of past American governments no matter how heinous and despicable. You will never hear an American politician stand up and say that it was wrong to overthrow a democratically elected official in Latin America simply because he wouldn't allow American companies to loot his resources while his poorest citizens toiled in abject poverty. That happened more than once, but no American politician visible to the national media will ever admit to that.

For another, it is simply a matter of fact that armies tend to be composed of those members of a society who have little choice but to join the army. President Bush and Vice President Cheney never served in combat and we all know why that was. If John Kerry "botched" a joke at a recent political rally by saying that one should get educated or they'll find themselves "stuck in Iraq", he still told, however crudely, the truth. As the army goes about trying to meet its recruitment quotas they target demographics of the poor and undereducated, they don't go to gated communities. Are they being disrespectful to the poor and undereducated? Do they owe the poor and undereducated an apology? Hell yes! But who's calling for one? Kerry is also correct in pointing out the obvious, that the GOP machine will try to use this to distract voters away from key issues, but I have my doubts that this accidental honesty will really draw voters in anger to support the GOP. In fact, I'm sure it won't matter at all.

The key issue is that the media acts as if he said something traitorous. If families of members of the armed forces are really offended, they're kidding themselves. The truth is that in America, lacking a lot of education or some ridiculously valued physical attributes and minor singing talent, you may find the armed forces your best employment option and then, you will be subject to the decision making processes of the American government and its foreign polocies. So you may well end up stuck in Iraq, serving longer than you'd signed on for, against a multiplicity of foes, for a now thoroughly discredited pretense of a cause. And maybe you'll come home and tell this truth. And maybe people will listen, and maybe some will get angry. And maybe in 30 years you'll be an American senator running for president and those who got angry will still be angry, and the media will present your truths as possibly traitorous and question your respect for the armed services in which you served and your critics, rich kids mostly, did not.

In Singapore I met, briefly, a German fellow and a Saudi Arabian fellow--the German was drinking whiskey, the Saudi a mixture of juices. They both asked if I thought America would get out of Iraq after the mid-terms. I said that I doubted it. We are stuck there. Maybe because we lack a genuine education, don't know our own history, don't know anyone else's either.

To Dave, my cell phone has a converter option so I am remaining faithful to the masculine and pure of heart American measuring system--ol' what's its name. What is it called, anyway? Although it does no one any good here. I am 1.89 meters tall and around 83 kg. J. is 1.54 meters and around 48 kg. So, she's small enough to be punted, which might be fun to try later. Last night we went in for another round of the basketball game at the mall arcade and she not only did not make as many hoops, but one shot caromed back and smacked her in the left eye. I missed that but turned to see her scampering across the room to chase down the ball. I don't think that's supposed to happen, but when you can't catch for nuts...