What a long, strange trip its been
Sometimes the light’s all shinin’ on me;
Other times I can barely see.
Lately it occurs to me,
What a long, strange trip it’s been.</em>
Sunday the 12th marked an ugly anniversary, ten years since Bush v. Gore. Ten years since our Naked Lunch, as Burroughs taught us: a frozen moment when everyone sees what is on the end of every fork.
Frozen, not because of its rarity- brute force has been the dominant political mechanism in all societies since the first three people gathered and two disagreed with the third- and it certainly wasn’t unique in this country. Ask Sherman. Or Truman. Raw power is not only an incredible album, its an efficient way to get what you want. And it sends such a lovely message.
Look what we can –and will- do.
No, the installation of that ghoul into the White House wasn’t anything more than the preamble to a sad, disgusting drama that unfortunately seemingly has no intermission. It was, in the words of Michael Morrissey, a “transparent conspiracy”. We were meant to watch, to care, and to get angry. March in the streets, “demand” change, write angry speeches.
And then shut up, and let the men do their work.
And what work it has been. 9/11. The wars. Plame. Swift Boats. Socialism for Wall Street, squat for Main Street. Birthers in Congress. And finally, the sorry spectacle that is the Obama presidency. All of it, in blazing glory that day ten years ago. Screw you, we do as we please. But remember how fervent we all got, back then? I was recently scanning the archives of this blog, and had to laugh a rueful laugh at my mixture of amazement and indignation that was my reaction to such things as Scooter Libby, or Jeff Gannon. We were just sure the Downing Street memos would sink him. Or Abu Ghraib. Or any of the hundred other spits in the face of democracy that showered upon us.
And the powers that be gathered all that energy, all that rage, all the lost hope, packaged it in brown this time, and sold it. And everybody bought it. Hopey changey, my ass.
“What in the world ever became of sweet Jane?
She lost her sparkle, you know she isn’t the same
Livin’ on reds, vitamin C, and cocaine,
All a friend can say is “Ain’t it a shame?”</em>
I began the decade a libertarian, now, if I’m anything, its anarchy. Our political system is nothing more than than a distraction meant to keep the rabble fighting amongst ourselves, voting against our own interest, and ignoring the real movements in the stream. Sure, we’ve seen the rise of the Tea Party, but they are being sold the same bill of goods by the same people who packaged Obama, but their version has boobs. And not much else. And in the next few years, when their “patriots” end up ineffectual at best, or complete hind-tit sucking sell-outs more likely, they’ll abandon them as the wiser democrats have abandoned Obama and his sneering tongue bath to Wall Street.
So where does that leave us? The last ten years were a joyride of literally unbelievable dishonesty, cruelty and greed. Our nation is now essentially governed by the whims of Fox News, again, as naked and unashamed as a new born baby in their shilling for the man. Completely transparent. Everyone you know says no one in their right minds could believe it- but that’s the point. We’re no longer in our right minds. That’s what the decade has given us. Take a long look back at the what has occurred since Bush lost the race, but won the prize. Once they showed us what they could do, live on cable TV, we never really had a chance to catch our breath.
You’re sick of hangin’ around and you’d like to travel;
Get tired of travelin’ and you want to settle down.
I guess they can’t revoke your soul for tryin’,
Get out of the door and light out and look all around</strong>.</em>
They can’t revoke your soul for trying. Only you can do that. However you feel you can, get out of the door and light out and look all around.
