note to a friend in Europe

Hi Friend,

Thanks for the kind words. I agree that the current U.S. administration has done a lot of damage, but who they are and what they do are not un-American or inauthentic, they merely represent some of the worst we have to offer, rather than the best. They are not bad Americans, but rather they are mostly good Americans being misled by other good Americans who have their heads up their butts. These misleading Americans are operating in the dark, having failed to learn the lessons of history. Their world stinks. They are paranoid and desparate to hold on to their myths, regardless of the impact in the world. No blow is too low for them, no excess too great. The greed and hubris that have driven the ongoing insanity in Iraq are truly American, albeit wrong on so many levels. The greater tragedy here is that so many of our otherwise decent people have been drawn into the sphere of the necon imperialists and pseudo-religious evangelists.

In my case my political speech activity is more out of frustration and dismay than courage. I protest individually because I have a unique perspective and approach, not particularly compatible with others. I am not a committed pacifist, and would willingly take up arms if that seemed right to me. I am also a democratic capitalist, with specific and distinct libertarian, socialist and even communist sympathies, so I don’t line up well with any group in the political realm. On the street, I yell back when people yell at me for carrying the big sign, and I reject party affiliation, religion, or ethnicity as a primary premise for action. Between and among those stances, I alienate almost all of my war-protesting colleagues. (There are two similarly active people, Atia and Melissa, who seem to accept my approach and welcome me wherever they are. Even they, however, generally stay with the larger group while I have the other side of the street or the other corner to myself.)

Here in Cincinnati there are many thoughtful, perceptive people, who agree with those of us who take public stands against the war in Iraq, but there still seem to be many more people for whom thoughtfulness and perception and circumscribed by fear and short-sighted self interest.

We all do what we can. Perhaps tomorrow’s elections here will herald a better day.

Thanks again,
Ray
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Friend
Sent: Monday, November 06, 2006
To: Owens, Ray

I am truly moved by your courage to protest on an individual basis. In Europe, in the last few years, people are increasingly wondering what happened to the “good” American that we all used to know and love. Makes me soooo sad to see how much affection and good will for Americans and the US have been lost. Congratulations on having the courage to still be a “good” American!!

---

Controlling Congress is for closers

By Bill Maher - Nov. 5, 2006

New Rule: Controlling Congress is for closers.

Listen up, Democrats, it's as simple as ABC: Always Be Closing. First prize? Controlling congressional committees, with subpoena power. Second prize: set of steak knives. Third prize? You're fired.

The election is four days away, and I'm through dicking around with you. Here are your talking points:

1) When they say, "Democrats will raise taxes," you say, "We have to, because some asshole spent all the money in the world cutting Paris Hilton's taxes and not killing Osama bin Laden." In just six years the national debt has doubled. You can't keep spending money you don't take in, that's not even elementary economics, that's just called "Don't be Michael Jackson."

2) When they say, "The terrorists want the Democrats to win," you say, "Are you insane? George Bush has been a terrorist's wet dream, and nonpartisan commissions have confirmed that he's a recruiter's dream: theirs, not ours. And, he has exhausted our military without coming away with a win, the worst of both worlds." Bush inflames radical hatred against America and then runs on offering to protect us from it. It's like a guy throwing shit on you and then selling you relief from the flies.

3) When they say, "Cut and Run" or "Defeatocrat," you say, "Bush lost the war -- period." All this nonsense about "the violence is getting worse because they're trying to influence our election." No, it's getting worse because you drew up the postwar plans on the back of a cocktail napkin at Applebee's. And of course Democrats want to win, but that's impossible now that you've ethnically cleansed the place by making it unlivable, just like you did with New Orleans.

4) When they say that actual combat veterans like John Kerry are "denigrating" the troops, you say, "You're completely full of shit." Remember when Al Gore caught all that flak for sighing and moaning during that debate? Yeah, don't do that. Just say, "You're full of shit."If I was a troop, the support I would want back home would mainly come in the form of people pressuring Washington to get me out of this pointless nightmare. That's how I would feel supported.

So when they say, "Democrats are obstructionists," you say, "You're welcome." Because with a bad administration that has bad ideas, obstruction is a good thing, just as it's a good thing to obstruct a drunk from getting his car keys. I would be happy to frame the debate as a fight between the Obstructionists and the Enablers. There's your talking point: "Vote Republican, and you vote to enable George Bush to keep ruling as an emperor." A retarded, child emperor, but an emperor.

Democrats, you've got two days to get out there and close. It's not about slogans this time. Although when it comes to slogans, accept no other from your opponent except this one: "The Republican Party: We're Sorry."