Ecumenical Politics

The war in Vietnam was America's bravest moment. Not in it's beginning but in it's end. Publicly we lost and had to admit the project was wrong. Now, we once again have the chance to prove our meddle by owning up to the expensive mistakes of Iraq and Afganistan. America has such a long list of apologies it would sound like the reading of the names of the dead.

In my lifetime we have manufactured a war in Korea, built a cold war, threatened the world with annhilation, assasinated Guevara, Allende, Diem and countless others while supporting the likes of Samoza, Trujillio, Pinochet, Saddam Hussein and the Shah of Iran. It's history, no denial.

Kennedy wasn't such a great man, Nixon not such an ogre, Johnson got lost, Carter confused, Reagan was wrong, Bush 1 apologetic, Clinton beyond his means, Bush 2 dead wrong and Obama ineffectual. Politics and our brilliant dysfunctional democracy leads us only into dire straights.

The most basic truth on America is everybody can be bought. Abramoff says it only takes a nice golf vacation and a few free dinners and it's done, everyday.

These protestors are only asking for reconsideration. Possibly we need a change of mind and practice. Historically, what was intended? All those flowery early documents describing our nation written by wealthy land and slave owners say what? Lord, I know their intentions were good but they were constructing a nation for themselves and those like them, surely blacks and immigrants were not included. Civics and citizenship were brilliant progressive concepts. Without civil rights our nation would have withered. Without the need for labor, immigration would have never happened. Basically, our nation is exclusive, if not we would never have had federalists or the present day republicans. Social conservatism is a byproduct of our basically privileged society, it exposes an engrained hatred of diversity.

I grew up eccumenical with the likes of Pope John XXIII and JFK. He and John died very close together. I was only 12 years old but I knew we were on the path. Then the path led nowhere. To have your dreams ended at age 13 is a crushing blow. We thought we saw a glimmer in Barry but he cannot lead. Now he is happy to be back on the campaign because this is what he knows how to do. If he loses I hope it's to Mitt, at least he's not a right wing nut but a toady to money.

Despite our terrible history we have a wonderful society, look at your neighbors, your church, your cohorts at work. Why can't we make this work?

We keep doing the same wrong things over and over. How long can we stay so stupid?