Just Imagine

"...what I really need is some assholes to be carted off in handcuffs." Enigma4ever, as quoted from a comment left here yesterday. (Note to enigma: Thanks for that piece of Americana. If you'd like me to refrain from quoting you here, then you should probably refrain from making such pithy comments herein. [grin]~D.)

Well, I share enigma's sentiment. Seeing some folks cuffed and carted off for a goodly number of years would go a long, long way toward improving my mental health. It would probably do wonders for the health of the nation as well. But let's be realistic, that doesn't look likely.

When first booting up this morning, I saw the headline, "Glum Democrats Can't See Halting Bush on Courts." I didn't bother to read it. Or, I should say, couldn't bear to read it.

It's just details on the further entrenchment of the Bush regime and its contrived legitimacy by cementing control of the courts around the president with his lackey extremists that will affect this nation long after King Bush has departed, whenever that may be. (Reminder: Bush may not leave in 2008 if his penchant to disregard constitutional law as he so amply and audaciously has demonstrated up to now is any indication of things to come.)

But in what turned out to be a Saturday of most pleasant distractions, I was unexpectedly asked three questions during the preamble to a college basketball game I found myself attending spontaneously last eve.

Those questions were:
1.) "Does that star-bangled banner still wave?" Ans. - "Yes!" as the next question was immediately posed;
2.) "O'er the land of the free?" Ans. - this one I was pondering, what with our diminishing liberties, as being revealed more and more with each passing week, when suddenly the last question was posited;
3.) "and the home of the brave?" Ans. - This one I was shocked to hear me telling myself, "No!" I stood there thinking of the large number of brave souls who are trying to save the nation, but as a collective, I had to confess there is no bravery in a nation who's international diplomacy ends with bombs. Or our leader who appears before every audience of carefully screened and vetted subjects to avoid any possibility of questioning or dissent. Of citizens whose Constitution is being systematically dismantled while we, as a nation, won't "stand up".

"SIT DOWN!" came several angry shouts from behind me. Apparently, as ired spectators reminded me as I pondered those questions, a basketball game had broken out below us.

But this morning when reading enigma's need to see some "assholes being carted off in hancuffs," I wondered--as great as my Saturday turned out to be--how much better it could have been in a world where criminals can't pardon themselves for their felonious behaviors because they've suspended justice in order to break the laws?

I'm sure, given free rein to one's imagination, each of us could construct a list of assholes. I won't begin to delineate mine here or now. It's far too long. But it would include some pretty big names. For starters, it would contain those faux warriors and chickenshithawks who send our kids off for a lie but deny us our right to acknowledge their return by seeing them in coffins. Or, by ordering the Department of Veteran's to NOT give out the names of those returning wounded.

The list would extend to our fiduciaries in Washington, sent there to represent our interests but who violate our trust to enrich themselves at our expense; to the gangsters (you gotta love Abramoff's new Thirties mobster persona) who feed the aforementioned bastards; to those corporate bandits whose justice will never begin to repay the lives stolen from trusting consumers, employees and shareholders; to the generals on down who carry out policies of the chickenshithawks without challenge, rather than standing up to 'em at risk of their rank, career, and retirements.

Yeh, what a better place this world could be.

With that in mind, and to borrow a friend's desire, let me take this opportunity to wish each and everyone of you the following:

May there be some assholes carted off in hancuffs in your near future.

Hell, as Lennon reminded us, one can still "imagine", can't they? I haven't heard yet that dreaming's been outlawed.

Now, go make your imaginary list of assholes. But remember: In that Dada considers this nation no longer the "home of the brave", maybe you should just keep your list to yourself.