a dark day for freedom

[fflo]

Why don't we use the powerful language of liberty in service of progressivism? Moreover, why don't those blasted Democrats? Is it because they are still afraid of the association with communism of the connotations of "power to the people" behind the real meaning of those words?

I am home while the second water meter dude freezes the incoming line as part of his attempt to get my water back on; the first water meter dude assured me no current meter readers would be losing their jobs, but that job just won't be there any more. No more flirting with the meter reader; alas.

Unfortunately, being home has allowed me to tune in to coverage of the inauguration. Early on Peter Jennings cited a picture of Bush with a NYC firefighter as having been from 9/11. Is it the official ABC position to make that mistake? Are we going to forget, in the mass media, where he was and wasn't that day?

As I live longer in this country I really do appreciate its (supposed) ideals more and more, but I am in fear for their future degree of realization, and I am horrified to realize that, by sheer virtue of our power, we are the greatest threat to ---hey, some heckler just was heard in the middle of this song! I'm sure the poor sucker is face down on the ground already, being handcuffed. Wish I coulda heard what he was saying.

We're the greatest threat to much of the rest of the world, yes. But I also fear, even while I hope for it, the fall of the empire. Will it be led by a loss of economic power? Won't it matter, when global corporate forces are increasingly running everything anyway?

I just heard someone yell "off the platform, everybody!" just before Dubya started the oath. Wonder if that earlier booming voice during the song was not of protest but of "security."

He is worse than Reagan. Things are much worse than the Reagan years, though they got this ball rolling.

Please get your work done soon, water meter dude, so I can get back to the office and away from this nightmare.

Comments

[vjsmom.livejournal.com]

I managed to skip all coverage of the inauguration. I'll manage to skip the State of the Union as well. I'm with pijeanf in that watching W makes me want to break stuff. Or throw up. Perhaps you should try reading the State of the Union address and then writing a response to it. That way, you can find out what's said without having to actually hear or watch the speech. And writing a response (either for publication in an editorial or just for yourself) might give you a way to deal with the anger and indignation that will inevitably result.

[groovesinorbit]

Good idea, S.

[fflo.livejournal.com]

Not a bad idea. I was reading radicalteacher yesterday; she wrote "I can work myself up into a frothy, violent anger without his direct influence. I just only need to think back to the state of the union." And I got to thinking further about it.

I'd been leaning toward listening vs. watching---the visuals piss me off more, and the TV commentary drives me crazy. But reading it is probably best of all.

The social security nonsense is outrageous. Small signs that there is high-ish level resistance are somewhat encouraging, but it's still another area they may well manage to plunder.