Tarnished Tinsel and Political Waves

My holiday was quite all right for the most part. I got a chance to see family and friends, not to mention travel a little in order to get away from it all. I reveled in bowl and basketball games (although I'm quite saddened over the Bruins' loss to Oregon last week :( ). However, it wasn't so bright enough to cover the little ripples of change coming over Washington D.C. and the rest of the nation.

It was sad to hear about the deaths of James Brown (who I still remember Mr. Brown performing "Living in America" in the "Rocky" movies.) and Yvonne De Carlo (the most fascinating "Munster" of them all). The melancholy nature of the passing of President Ford also clouded the holiday season because no matter what political stripe you are, it is a solemn and rather reflectful experience in seeing a former national leader pass.

During the televising of the entire event of Former President Ford's Funeral activities, it was quite interesting and impressive to hear the memories of my older family members--especially when it came down to their perception of the people who attended the ceremonies. It was also fascinating to hear them recall how they perceived the record of Mr. Ford's work in office, especially when it came down to his pardoning of Mr. Nixon. And still, the most interesting thoughts came about when they watched and commented on Mr. Ford's widow, Betty Ford.

For the most part, the consensus came that she held herself up pretty well until the internment. The weight of his passing seemed to take a toll on her. Even here, despite the political differences, one can feel a sense of sadness to see her small frame lean against her military escort as she was led to the final resting place of the President. Apart of the drama and cinematic fervor of the Reagan funeral (not to mention Mrs. Reagan in her large sunglasses behind the family in the National Cathedral), Mrs. Ford and her family were stoic and rather melancholy as they followed Mr. Ford on his final journey to his Presidential library in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It was quiet and rather sad to note that the past has gone on.

The only ironic and rather amusing thing about the entire event was seeing the dignitaries such as Vice-President Cheney, the past Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and even the ever ubiquitous Henry Kissenger try to pray and sing the hymns (well, rather mouthing the words). It was hard not to notice that only former President Clinton actually sang and closed his eyes when he prayed while the others only seemed to go through the routine--in a sense of an opinion.

(It's up to you to figure out that conundrum.)

Now, as the curtains closed on one era, still yet another very present one hovers at the surface.

While facing the defeat regarding the (American) football teams of Michigan (in the Rose bowl) and UCLA (in the Emerald Bowl) and watching the vibrant proposal between Boise St. player Ian Johnson and his girlfriend (the head cheerleader), the news of Saddam Hussein's execution came to the fore. That too, was a startling event. It is hard to believe that after all these years the Iraqi leader was dead. There is yet more to be said about this event. But to make a long story short, his death (and the capturing of it on-line and television) marks the beginning of more contentious times in Iraq.

Mr. Saddam's death has caused a lot of controversy, to say the least. And it becomes more marked in the speech given by the current Present of the United States, George W. Bush. Mr. Bush's speech today was rather hard to hear despite his usual look of a "deer in the headlights". When thinking about the Iraqi leader's execution and putting it into perspective, the call for more troops seems to exacerbate a situation already brimming over the surface. Mr. Bush still didn't believe that Iraq was in the midst of a civil war. Yet, it seems rather futile to send more American lives over to the Middle East to try and clean up a situation all of his doing.

For the most part, he was doing his part to stop the bleeding that has already occurred since the bombs fell on Baghdad in 2003. His "take" on Iraq was more of the same old thing. After all, his catch phrases were words we've all heard before in so many speeches--especially when trying tie the war in Iraq to 9/11.

I guess, it is cynicism on my part to note that his speech did nothing to shed light on the problems occurring from the "occupation" and the disaster it produced afterward. His words did nothing to console the lives already lost, nor did it provide any ample growth from a sort of understanding of the weight of his decisions. Instead, it sounded false. It also conveyed a sense of not really feeling the weight of responsibility regarding what the President and his colleagues had done to another country.

His words were probably those considered when "preaching to the choir": a group of Americans who still stick their heads in the sand when it comes to the realities of what this conflict has done not only to the nation, but the world. To them, it probably sounded reassuring.

To the rest of us, however, it only meant the same old song and dance in a continuous loop.

The good thing about this time is that a lot of us know this, especially after a law came on the books regarding the President having the power to read people's mail.

The frightening thing is the mention of turning the war drums toward Iran. I wonder if anyone has attempted to ask our national leader if he has bitten off more than he can chew?