Reign of ‘Terror’
…I think is an apt title for what the last 8 years have been under the Republicans/Bush Administration/Neo-cons/Fascist Regime whatever you want to call it.
Granted, we had a right to be shocked and appalled at the events of 9/11, but the response to them was entirely inappropriate. We squandered 8 years batting at an enemy that should have been no more than a nuisance, but whom we made a monster of in our minds. We should have swatted it like the pest it was, but instead, as we step out of this era, we are not better off at all. We are only more fearful.
Fearful of Muslims, as is demonstrated by the now pervasive contempt for anything middle-eastern.
Fearful of other countries, as we now label anything foreign (like the world’s support for Barack Obama) as un-American, and dangerous.
Fearful of our children, as we can see from the unwarranted raids of the houses of young protesters of the Republican National Convention.
And most shockingly, fearful of ourselves: unquestioningly giving up liberties in the PATRIOT and FISA Acts, to combat so called ‘terror’.
I think now more than ever, the saying “there is nothing to fear but fear itself” should apply, but instead, we are looking for a president who will check our collective closet for the boogeyman.
What we should remember is that our fear is our enemy’s power.
Right now, it seems that he’s got us by the balls.
PS, Happy Patriot Day everybody