Thursday, March 13, 2008

Political Ignorance

I live with my unique tribe and countrymen in a remote corner of tropical Confrica on the island of Menisia under an autocratic, tyrannical dictatorship. Though you have probably never heard of this place hidden away in the North Anticic, we have existed here since time began. This is our country. And like other tribes within their native land, we are true patriots and passionate lovers of country.

And then you come as a shiny-faced American visionary with your magic kit of split salt, talismen, toad’s eyes, cell phones, blackberries, quad-cores, collapsible electronic voting booths, bringing your glowing message of the blessed saving grace of “democratic government” supplemented by DVD’s and tutorial-extracts from “CNN’s Ballot Bowl ‘08”.

I cannot imagine how distracted and confused I would become while you attempt to explain to me the convolutions involved in the last Presidential race and convolutions involved in the present Dem-primary race.

Obviously it will take more than split salt or toad’s eyes to explain to me the interplay of electronic voting, absentee voting, exit and entry polls, counts, recounts, chads – attached or semi detached, calendars, timing, candidates – standing, seated, or are they saying seeded? In addition, you would need to explain the impressive role of super delegates, financial sponsorship. and caucuses (shouldn’t that be caucii?).

And you would need to explain to me why the confusion in the primaries goes on for months. And why a Presidential election in the midst of all your modern technology and advanced wisdom has to be a long drawn out affair that cannot be settled without calling in legal counsel to validate what voting should be counted, what voting ignored, and what voting has a decided effect.

It would frighten me, truly it would. To risk Menisia’s, and Confrica’s, present security in such mass confusion. To start the unending story of the formation of ‘another’ democracy after observing iindicators (if one looks closely) of civil unrest, weakened leadership, and fractured alliances that make it mpossible for citizens to decide with any amount of certainty, which candidate is motivated by love of power, and which is motivated by love of country. How can such a rippling underlying aggression within, efficiently block unexpected aggression from without?

(Someone should tell ‘The General” that maybe it isn’t the slow progress of the war in Iraq as much as the confusion that has virtually halted their move to democracy. Surely he can comprehend that understanding needs to proceed implementation).

But for now, let’s set that aside and move on to candidate agendas. These, too, seem to miss the point.

Candidates offer vague policies that can be interpreted a thousand ways but yet they camouflage them in a way that seems to focus on weighty and significant concerns. But when the vote is ultimately decided, these same policies eerily slip into some kind of stupid private matters that have to do with obesity, smoking, physical exercise, political correctness, sexual preferences, abortion, safe driving, green trees, and animal tracks.

So what, I must ask, is the attraction in a political persuasion that creates such bedlam and chaos? How do you do this thing called ‘democracy’? And why? When within dictatorial rule, things are so simple? When one dictator dies or is ousted, the next steps into place in two seconds flat. Before I can even plunge my tongue into my cheek.

It makes me proud to say that in my country of Menisia, the agenda of the leader is rigid and focused. His mandate is simple. It is to ensure that we are all of one mind and spirit. To ensure that no one can destabilize the government. And to ensure that no outsiders dare run roughshod over our citizens.

I tell you true, you could not hope to convert me. Nor would it be possible for you to convince me to renounce dictator rule despite all your sincerity and conviction. Obviously it would be so much better to live in untold freedom, rather than beneath heavy-handed dictatorial rule, but you are not ready to show us how. Go back to the drawing board and when you have the thing properly worked out without argument and convolution (i.e. a sensible approach); please come back and we will discuss it.

In the meantime, there may be cruelty, even oppression, for the citizens of Menisia in our present existence, but it is adequately counterbalanced by the peaceful nature of our ignorance.

16 comments:

Pauline said...

We don't understand it either, Roberta.

Anonymous said...

Inspired stuff, Roberta! A great read.

joared said...

What price peace? What price freedom? How do we get both? You certainly make some good points.

Roberta S said...

Thanks for commenting, pauline. I'm glad to know it isn't JUST ME.

Roberta S said...

Hi Dick. Thanks.

Roberta S said...

Joared, I find it puzzling that our understanding of peace and freedom is fairly implicit yet the more we try, the farther we seem to stray from the desired outcome. But you have wisely directed my thoughts to the one complication that makes our efforts so fruitless. The "price".

Thanks for that thought.

Suzz said...

Wow! Great post, Roberta. Now if we could just get those folks in Wasoncehington to catch on.

Joy Des Jardins said...

I wonder just how many zillions of people feel the same way....I know I do. We all live in the same state....befuddled. All these painful primary shenanigans have become too much for any of us to deal with. Do you think Menisia will take in one more weary citizen? Terrific post Roberta.

Anonymous said...

Happy Easter, Roberta. Thank you, my dear, for your wisdom and friendship.

Roberta S said...

Thank you, joy. Your comment and visit are much appreciated. And, of course, dear friend. We, in Menisia, will make room for you.

Roberta S said...

Hi anne. Thank you for that warm greeting. I should have sent 'cards' as well but it has been too hectic around here to get it done. Hope your Easter was very pleasant as well.

Roberta S said...

Hi suzz. You are so right. But the folks in Washington don't understand common sense, they only understand nonsense. Understandable since they don't know there's a difference.

Thanks for stopping by, suzz.

Jim said...

I just had a few minutes to glance thru this, will take it with me and read it this week off line.

Obviously it is great.

The simple reason that things are kept complicated in USA is so that one group can dominate and steal from the others, confusions and complexities make that possible, simplicity would render it impossible, and that domination, dear friends, is the great american dream.

More later, thanks for the very interesting post/story.

Roberta S said...

Hi jim. Thanks for stopping by and if you have more comments later, I'll be very pleased to read them.

Jim said...

Excellent to say the least Roberta, should be published on the front page of every paper in the country.
The democracy succumbed to business interests, was hijacked, now 'the business of America IS BUSINESS' , not democracy or human welfare, except as those two SERVE the god of Capitalism and free enterprise on the scale of billions of dollars. The goal that the Constitution is now interpreted as being written for is just that, every other interp is secondary and old fashioned, not modern and promotive of Capitalistic growth. Both parties, and any others that would have the time and money to compete, are actually in one bed, 'the business of America is Business' bed. The don't use condoms, they are all sick with the same diseases and their interconnectedness is legendary and beyond finding out, they would make god jealous and envious of their mass of laws protecting the guilty who looks and talks just, like them, lol. We are calling it now, Vampire Capitalism, and it flies without eyes or sense, just the smell of money and money markets makes their antenni stand erect, even hers. It also can suck the life out of the terrain of any plush and fertile country in the world and make of the ground and vegetation a mess of worthless flyridden infertile dirt that paid off. They that run the show, including the 'elections' are the best money can buy. Lawyers alone can compete with the necessary language made magnificently esoteric as to be from another planet. Humans are deemed easily renewable natural resources and the future expansion of markets for them is apparently never ending, even future food sources. Farmers are standing in lines to be subsidised and turn over some ground in the name of Country and Love of Money. Thanks for the pleasure of such an inspiring and right on article, good luck to you and your dictators, ours wore masks and costumes for Halloween to celebrate the harvests, and never have taken them off, that is patriotism for you, huh? Enjoy your Peace, we hope to see some of that some day in some imagined future.

Actually we are fighting tooth and nail, but dentists costs so much and aren't covered by most insurance companies.

I really find your writing wonderful, form and content wise. I posts my posts by email, they are very esoteric and not for normal consumption, I have little real online time for reading and enjoying such work as yours, though I would certainly read everything you wrote. I will see you again, stop by and steal some of your posts to read now and then.

Thanks for the pleasure Roberta.

Roberta S said...

Your comment, Jim, is a thought provoking perspective. Certainly if my silly story should be published, your wise comments should be included. Brings all within my story into great clarity.