I'm sitting here at the old computer, my legs still sore from karate class this evening (first class in over a week). "Night of a Thousand Kicks," the instructer announced, and even though we only kicked 745 times by his calculation, my legs don't miss those 255 remaining kicks at all.
I got back from Washington, D.C. last night. It was kind of interesting to be in the single most political town in the country on Election Day, watching the election returns from an oyster bar on Fairfax Ave. I realized that Bush had won at around 11:00 o'clock when Florida was declared a "Red State." Even though shortly later Pennsylvania, California and Washington were all declared "Blue States," it was obvious that the election had gone to the Republicans.
---/- 2004.11.01 - 0930-PST -/---
For Immediate Release
From the Press Desk of:
The League of Anything But Bush (LABB)
---/- begin release text -/---
The LABB's Last Statement PreElection - 2004.11.01
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The League of Anything but Bush (LABB) would like to help everyone Imagine a No Bush America on 2004.11.02. An America where:
Causes for War are not revised after War has begun;
International Treaties are Honored;
The President can speak the English Language with Competence;
Losing an Election to a Dead Man in the 'Show-me' State results in a lifetime ban from politics;
In ALL criminal prosecutions, the accused remains in possession of the natural rights:
1. To a speedy and public trial;
2. To be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation;
3. To be confronted with the evidence against him;
4. To obtain witnesses in his favor;
5. To have the Assistance of Proficient Counsel for his defense;
6. To an impartial jury to decide upon his fate ;
War is not waged just 'cause of some unresolved Oedipal Impulses;
No person shall be held to answer for an infamous crime unless indicted by a Grand Jury;
No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law;
Historical Allies ARE NOT slandered and penalized for their unwillingness to engage in conflicts that they deem to be unjustified;
Groundskeeper Willie from The Simpsons is not quoted as a definitive source when speaking of France;
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You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one,
I hope some day you'll join us, and the world will live as one.
--John Lennon, "Imagine"
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Be a Superman in your own time.
Strike a blow for Truth, Justice, and the American Way:
Help to Defeat the Son of Bush in 2004!
Join The League of Anything But Bush.
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Copyleft 2004 The League of Anything but Bush
No rights reserved
"The vast majority of our imports come from outside the country." - George W. Bush
"If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure." - George W. Bush
"One word sums up probably the responsibility of any Governor, and that one word is 'to be prepared'." - George W. Bush
"I have made good judgments in the past. I have made good judgments in the future." - George W. Bush
"The future will be better tomorrow." - George W. Bush
"We're going to have the best educated American people in the world." - George W. Bush
"I stand by all the misstatements that I've made." - George W. Bush
"We have a firm commitment to NATO, we are a part of NATO. We have a firm commitment to Europe. We are a part of Europe." - George W. Bush
"Public speaking is very easy." - George W. Bush
"A low voter turnout is an indication of fewer people going to the polls." - George W. Bush
"We are ready for any unforeseen event that may or may not occur." - George W. Bush
"For NASA, space is still a high priority." - George W. Bush
"Quite frankly, teachers are the only profession that teach our children." - George W. Bush
"It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it." - George W. Bush
And so on. This campaign was widely regarded as one of the most contentious and devisive in recent memory, and the nation is left polarized and more divided than ever before. Hunter S. Thompson wrote about "Fear and Loathing" back in the 70s, but the emotions are still rampant today. It's fear that motivates people to want to wage war in the Middle East, it's fear that makes people want constitutional amendments against gay marriage, it's fear that drives Republicans to slash the tires of a Democratic campaign bus, and it's fear that made the rhetoric of the so-called pundits on talk radio so harsh.
"We do not become angry with the stick that hits us, but with the one who wields the stick," Shantideva wrote. "But the one who wields the stick is impelled by hatred, so what we should truly hate is hatred itself." This hatred is the same thing as the malice that the Dalai Lama speaks of, and it finds its roots in fear. But what is the root of the fear?
I think the fear comes from a sense of isolation, the isolation that arises from the view of a world that can be divided into "us" and "them." The categories of "us" and "them" that played roles during the last several months included Christians and Muslims, Democrats and Republicans, straights and gays, hawks and doves, allies and enemies, and most tragically of all, America and "the World." Until these dualities can be overcome, the two sides will continue to regard each other with suspicion and hostility, hatred and malice, and fear and loathing. When these dualities are transcended, then we can define ourselves and the world around us by their commonalities and not their differences, and live comfortably and peacefully in the world.
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