Would Americans like to 'buy a vowel'? Maybe 'get a clue'? Nah, probably not.

A federal judge ruled today that pictures of detainee abuse in Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison must be released.

I believe these are the photos that make those originals of a mound of naked Iraqis look like souvenirs of their visit to 'Magic Mountain'. These latest pictures are the ones the government has been desperately trying to "protect us" from.

Our military head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Richard B. Myers--the guy who always appears to the left of our Defense Secretary in those press conferences as a kind of peg leg propping up Don Rumsfeld to keep him from falling on his face, ass, or laughable credibility--fought release of the photographs on the grounds that they would would aid al-Qaida recruitment, weaken the Afghan and Iraqi governments and incite riots against US troops.

Does the fact that our government claims such photos could damage America's image tell you anything fellow citizens? Probably not. That's because we're too busy humpin' to keep our heads above water while our representatives keep fillin' the pool.

One of our greatest attributes is our tolerance for abuse by our leadership. I'm at a loss to explain it. We're numb. How much bullshit are we willing to swallow before it kills us? Let me give you example.

In the middle of September, while the horrendous images of Katrina victims continually played across our TV screens with no help by local, state, or federal governments in sight, a few people decided to try to walk out of New Orleans. So a group of between 200-800 people (the numbers vary greatly depending on which account you read) were advised by New Orleans police to head for a bridge on the city's west bank, toward Gretna.

When the people arrived at the bridge, they were greeted by police from Gretna who had fired their weapons into the air and advised them to turn around.

"What we were told by the deputies is that they were not going to allow another New Orleans, and they weren't going to allow a Superdome to go into their side of the bridge, Gretna," said one of the pilgrims seeking refuge.

The people turned around. So a few armed "authorities" turned back several hundred folks. It's obvious from that event, as a people, we're not yet angry enough. There's no way a few armed officers can stop hundreds of determined citizens.

When people get angry enough, some will shed blood. Some will die. But the majority will persevere to reclaim something we seem to have lost. Obviously, we've not yet reached that point of sufficient outrage. Outrage at attrocities being committed in our names. Outrage to make us take back control of this country, to regain our dignity, and to stop the bullshit. Outrage enough to cross the bridge.

And now we have our leadership fighting desperately to prevent us from seeing the international crimes "we do" in spreading freedom and democracy, American style. Will enough of us be angry by what we see in these latest photos. Probably not.

"I'd like to buy a vowel. To get a clue." Please, give me a fuckin' break!