April 23, 2003
Only trouble is, gee wiz, I'm dreamin' my life away. The Everly Brothers song is really a love song, so the rest of the lyrics don’t apply to me these days, but that one particular line does. My sleeping dream time seems to begin at just about the time when everyone else is starting to wake up, and I always seem to be in the middle of the most interesting, complex dreams when I should be hauling myself up to face the day. But I don’t want to wake up because my dreams tend to have lot more going on in them than my real life. Only my dreams also ultimately bog down in complex plots that refuse to resolve themselves. Sort of like the nightmarish world-wide situations that I finally wake up into.
I’ve heard it said that “Dreams are private myths. Myths are public dreams.” I reflect on my dreams and usually see mythic patterns.
I look at the nightmarish public actions of George Bush Jr. and see him playing out the myth of Pandora’s Box.
One day she [Pandora] lifted the lidand out flew plagues innumerable, sorrow and mischief for mankind. In terror Pandora clapped the lid down, but too late. One good thing, however, was there Hope. It was the only good the casket had held among the many evils, and it remains to this day mankind's sole comfort in misfortune.
Now, using the following interpretation, doesn’t it seem that Bush has dreamed himself into Pandora’s mythic skin and has done the deed that is sending us into another Bronze Age?
Before Pandora's opened the box, Civilization had passed through two ages: the Golden Age (a time of peace) when laws, judges and the plow were not needed; and the Silver Age (a time of plenty) when Zeus made winter and mortals began to plow the earth and plant their food. After Pandora's box was opened, the Bronze Age (a time of crime) began. Mortals made weapons and property was divided up between people. Some got more, some got less, and inequality and injustice were widespread. During the Bronze Age, crime became so terrible that Zeus decided to walk the Earth to see what motivated humans to commit crimes against other humans. [emphasis mine]
In Maureen Dowd’s NY Times piece on "Chest Banging" is an echo of both the evils that Bush has unleashed upon Amnerica as well as of his Bronze Age criminal mentality, including this:
The Bushies pretend that we don't want an all-access pass to Iraqi bases (we do); that we are not interested in influencing the disposition of Iraqi oil (we are); that we will stay out of Iraqi politics, even if they go fundamentalist (we won't); and that we will leave Iraq soon (we can't).
Even as they stifle their Pax Americana impulses in Iraq, the imperialists swagger with a Pox Americana at home. Karl Rove has broken creative new ground in appalling political opportunism by pushing back the Republican National Convention in New York City to September 2004, the latest date for a convention in the party's history and only days away from you-know-when….
The Bushies were unpleasantly surprised by the sudden muscularity of the Shiite clerics in southern Iraq. According to The Times's Douglas Jehl, Iranian-trained operatives have crossed into southern Iraq to help the Shiites who are demanding a state like Iran's....
Administration officials have whispered other fears to reporters — that some of the weapons of mass destruction may have been removed to sell on the terrorism black market, accelerating the proliferation they had hoped to prevent. Or that Saddam loyalists are sneaking back into the government, waiting for the Americans, with their short attention spans, to pull out.
Like his mythic model, Bush is not going to be able to undo what he’s done.
On top of that, as his administration sets the standards for deception and manipulation, their minions in the press are having a great time wallowing in the same unmythic shit.
An article at Salon.com actively confronts the purposeful misinformation spread in both print and broadcast about statements made Salon.com editor Gary Kamiya in an article previously available only to the Salon subscriber list. In opening his own version Pandora’s Box, Bush has given permission for the Self-righteous Right to lie their way across the dulled minds of America. Good for Salon for inviting the culprits to have an online debate, where they
hereby invite O'Reilly to debate Kamiya, one-on-one, via e-mail. Let the unedited exchange become part of the public record on the Net. Let O'Reilly leave the home-turf advantage of his studios. Let's see how he fares when he can't simply yank the mike from a guest who disagrees with him too articulately.
Read Kamiya’s original article here and then take a look at the ridiculously misleading Washington Times and Newsmax pieces that followed.
Meanwhile, tv news continue with reports of American G.I.s and reporters stealing money and art works from the Iraqis. Oh yeah. Lie, kill, plunder. Follow the leader.
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Old Comments (3)
Kate S. on 23 Apr 2003
I spent many hours yesterday, pouring over Christopher Allbritton's Back to Iraq weblog where he posted his filings from the war. Although I had already read his direct emails, this was the first time I had seen the comments. I couldn't believe my eyes. Most were using this format to debate, mud-sling, name-call, patronize, belittle and beat their chests, demanding opposing views change their mind or stop cluttering up the cheering section. Both sides were doing this for 50, 60, 70 comments on each posting, sometimes carrying over the same argument for days, changing their alias, posing. I was also amazed how many people could so differently read his post, automatically assuming the absolute worst case scenario of interpretation imagineable. At times, either Christopher himself or his brother or mother had to step in and plead or make threats to stop this behavior. I was so embarassed. And so glad I didn't find out about this barroom brawl til it was all over.
Many were from around the world. I wonder what they must think of us.
I read Kamiya's original article, I did not interpret it the way the Times did, but that's not unusual. I majored in literature, and like a painting class where you're told if it doesn't hurt your eyes, you're not looking hard enough, the same holds true for writing, which cannot be scanned. Lazy people who are irresponsible and self-absorbed turn into trouble makers and Speed Reading is no place from which to base an entire incorrect manipulation of journalistic review.
The possibility of people like that mis-interpreting my meaning and assuming I'm too stupid to be commenting on any given subject, or automatically assuming the worst meaning, makes me want to quit writing altogether.
Elaine on 23 Apr 2003
It's disturbing how militant and relentless the self-righteous Right are. My son had to deal with a similar onslaught not that long ago. He even had some of them calling him on the phone at all hours of the night and threatening him.
If we stop writing, then we let them win. That's not an option. Carry on!
dzwonki polifoniczne nokia on 13 Jun 2004
Hmmmmm interesting !!!