I find myself growing more and more impatient. Like a child waiting for the magic of Christmas morning, only to find those toys were not quite what they seemed, and may have been, in fact, argyle socks and tighty whitey underwear.
In November 2006, we all went to the polls to cast our vote. And the vast majority of our nation voted for change. Or so they thought.
The vast majority voted to bring an end to the insanity of an illegal war.
The vast majority voted to bring an end to the corruption run rampant in our halls of Congress, in the western wing of our White House.
The vast majority gave power to their voices in the strongest way provided by our constitution, they voted, for new leadership.
And yet, ten months later, I find myself growing more and more impatient.
Our leaders, those we look to for change, seem weak in the face of a minority power. The tough words heard last summer are all but gone. Except in the voices of a few, including the man who should be leading this nation, instead of trying in vain to rally his own side.
Other leaders, who should be standing up in our congress, insisting an end to the war, insisting a protection of our failing economy, instead make meaningless safe speeches to protect their chance at the powers that the idiot would be king has created.
And still our constitutional rights have not yet been restored, our government listens in on our private lives, more young soldiers are sent off to die.
I find myself growing more and more impatient.
I know I am not alone.
Go in peace,
darrell
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waits in Kuwait for transport into Iraq, for his third tour of duty in four years of war. His wife pregnant with their third child, he facing door to door sweeps in Kirkuk.
His family praying he comes home alive…
though I know your writing so well, that I sense the anger beneath the politeness.
Honestly, I think we’ve crossed the threshold from impatient to a pot of boiling water with a loose lid, steam screaming out the sides and the lid bonk bonk bonking on the sides, clattering with chattering and seething with barely contained rage. At least that is how I’m feeling.
Amazingly I still have the tenacity to keep hanging on and this blog is helping me to do that. I believe strongly that we can keep a community of like minded people together, smart people, witty people, angry people to put our heads together and find a way, a path, to survival.
I feel as though the word survival is going to become ever more dominant in our discourse. And we do all need each other because of it.
Patience is a virtue. Well, I’m a wicked sluttella then, cause I’ve lost all that virtue.
because that’s where i am now. frustration. desperation.
if i knew what to do, id do it.
im NOT powerless. i FEEL powerless. impotent, insignificant.
and our leaders WERE weak when it mattered most. and now theyre left with compliance and waiting it out or standing on principle and allowing the veto override to make them LOOK weak…powerless….impotent. cause theyre on a political thread…and they know it and we know it. ‘our’ leaders can do very little. yet they still SHOULD do it. shame the r’s into overriding vetoes again, and again, and again, and….you get my point??
but i loved your essay tonight.