Misleaders and Malcontents

MISLEADERS AND MALCONTENTS
12/07/05

I have no faith in any American political party. The dripping hypocrisy of our political figures is beyond any fictional character imaginable. Each and every political incumbent in the U.S is a sad and silly figure of a sick society. Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, Joe Lieberman, G.W. Bush, etc.etc. there is no difference between them. They all salivate when the congressional dinner bell rings.

Rich, contemptible, indifferent, stupid, arrogant, American politicians are all well greased and oiled parts of the monster machine that daily rolls over and crushes the American people. They talk big and bold, and scowl and shout and wiggle and grunt before the CSPAN cameras,( if they even show up on the floor of the House and Senate.) Thieves, cowards, and contemptible hypocrites, are the groveling and ignoble characteristics that make one worthy of the ranks of the worst leaders of our times. Leaders such as Tom Delay, Bill Frist, Dick Cheney, Ted Kennedy, Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, and we must not forget to mention the noble characteristics of the great appointed members of our government. Overseer of the Death Squads in So. America. Negroponte now head of all U.S intelligence agencies, orr Condi Rice chosen for her position as Sec. of State not for her qualifications but for her loyalty and ability to lie. The list is endless and implicates virtually everyone in the U.S Government.

I am jaded and I’ll be the first to admit it; but after so many years of being deceived and disappointed, dejected and outright disgusted by the American political process, I’ve come to the belief that becoming politically jaded is the only right I have left as an American, that hasn’t been modified or compromised by our great leadership. The joke is on us. It is a sick and very sad joke but it is never the less a joke. The dialogue on the war in Iraq, the dialogue on the numerous issues facing this country are all tainted by ignorance and propaganda from all sides of the issue except the side of those who are severely effected by the outcome of these dialogues. I reserve the use of the word debates because it has been so abused and distorted in the American political lexicon, that it barely has meaning anymore.

I have either lived too long or not long enough to properly grapple with this all encompassing issue of being an American. Living in America is a blessing. There can be no doubting that as far as I am personally concerned. But as all good has its evil counterpart, I fear that the evil in this nation now has overwhelmed its people. I fear that the selfishness and arrogance of Americans has overshadowed all reason and rational thought with regards to the rest of the world. Americans are the most myopic people on the planet. We do not see or wish to see the suffering that our government and corporations are causing to the rest of humanity and the global environment. We elect idiots and imbeciles to office who are dominated by corrupt advisers and influenced by soul less corporations and ambitious militarists. We content ourselves with materialism and entertainment, television and receive our news from mindless news anchormen and women,( more noted for their hairdos than their integrity) and corporately biased media that brain wash and manipulate the masses. We serve up truth deficient mass education in our public and private schools in the same way we serve nutritionally deficient school lunches. Our educational system is in sad need of repair both physically and systemically. The wealthiest people on the planet are ranked below all other industrialized nations for the quality of our educational institutions and graduates. Inner city high schools have upwards of a 63 % drop out rate. Private secondary schools and public and private universities are corrupted by either Christian Fundamentalism or atheistic ideologies of secular humanism. Art and literature are reduced to second rate status as schools loose their souls, these areas of knowledge loose their sanctity. Liberal arts and philosophy have lost their once high status and are scorned by many public school boards as irrelevant and not necessary for a rounded education. Reading , Writing and Arithmetic are still considered the standard even though the level of American literature has been reduced in the 21st century to a sub standard status compared with other industrialized countries.

Believing again in a great America of true untarnished ideals that stand as true universal virtues of a highly civilized society; is now the vision of mad prophets and fringe populist political platforms. Idealism is only for the innocent, and even the innocent are rapidly being devoured by innumerable outside influences. Innocence at the age of 16 is unheard of in the United States. Innocent idealism and creativity is impeded and mocked by our society. War, pollution, waste, excessive greed and corruption are the bylines of our newspapers and news reports. Pornography and impossible to attain images of beauty ,wealth , status and materialism are depicted in every magazine, billboard and television advertisement. We have become a nation of people programmed daily, to consume and contribute to the mindlessness and madness of our own compulsions and addictions. Americans are forever looking outwards, never satisfied with what they have or who they are , never knowing or caring about other people or nations; not even caring about their own families and neighbors. We are a selfish nation. We are a nation of many fools.

I cannot denigrate the entire American society , because I am well aware of many noble Americans. Many friends and acquaintances of mine have greater convictions than my own in the fight of spiritual warfare, that we are engaged in this country. These people remain activists and altruists; who still believe in the good of mankind and in the greatness that could be America. For these few I retain my hope that the future of America might be brighter than ever; but I am a fool and too often fooled. My greatest idealistic hope, dream and faith in America, are rooted in the preservation of American freedom, liberty, peace and prosperity and that America’s common soul may become enlightened, to embrace the divine power of universal awareness and compassion in time to save itself and the world from self destruction.

L.A. STEEL