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Down The Middle - Dec 8, 2004 - Printable Version
- The Monster
by Down The Middle
It was a long time coming. The students had taken to the streets, fending off insults, tear gas, billy clubs and the occasional volley fire of National Guardsmen, to fight the Monster our nation had become, by protesting the war and the corruption of the Right Wing government. Yes, the Kennedys were gone but the legendary brothers had left us their dreams of peace. King never got to the “mountain top” with his people, but he had shown them the way. The struggle would continue. Our government had involved us in an endless war, and the only one coming out ahead, seemed to be Sgt. Dow Jones. Many Americans...or should I spell that “Amerikan”s, were putting on “Love it or Leave it” bumper stickers and branding anyone who didn’t fully back up our Administration’s policies as traitors and communists. Blinded by their patriotism, the “Middle” went along for the ride.
Yes, we had lost our greatest political leaders but we hadn’t lost their message. The struggle for peace and justice was still alive!...so, we suffered the ridicule, we suffered the assaults, and we suffered the political retribution. We suffered...but with every passing day, our ranks grew stronger. Middle America began slowly waking up to the truth about the war and the “votes” were beginning to move our way. Our voices were finally being heard!
With all of the “stories” seeping out...no, POURING out, about the recent election “misgivings” in this country, I’m beginning to wonder, just how many voices are being denied, yet today? I’m even beginning to ask myself, “Why in the hell did I bother to vote, when I already knew, any “world class” hacker could easily decide the outcome?”
Of course, we all knew, brother Jeb would “fix” Florida, AGAIN {States should no longer be allowed to vote in federal elections until they first prove they can actually “count”, and “the really hard part”...do it honestly!} and surely, majorities in the “Bubba” states, like my own {60% Ignorant and Proud of it} were a given...but Ohio!!! This is a state that Gore “lost” by only 4% in the 2000 election and was said to be very evenly divided, BEFORE the hundreds of thousands of jobs lost, during Bush’s first term. Now, even ole Bubba could tell you, “that dog won’t hunt” {the exit polls agreed}. I, myself, started out keeping a tally of the voting irregularities coming out of that state but I quickly lost track {Ran out of fingers and toes and other appendages}.
In at least one predominately Democratic county of Ohio, they didn’t install enough voting machines to handle the volume. At another poll, several people reported voting for Kerry, with the new “electronic” voting machine registering for Bush. {We must DEMAND a paper trail - Computers be damned!} In Lake County, letters were sent out, telling newly registered
voters, signed up by the Kerry or Capri Cafaro campaigns or the NAACP, their registrations are illegal and they “will NOT be able to vote”.
Then, we have the voting machines themselves, {The moment I heard of electronic voting, I knew it was all over!} with two companies, Diebold Election Systems and ES&S, counting 80% of all U.S. ballots. If that wasn’t worrisome enough, the founder of ES&S, Bob Urosevich, also happens to be the CEO at Diebold and is a known, “ardent” supporter of Georgie. {Does anyone smell fish?}
http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/IMAGES/peterking.mov
The final straw for me came, when Colin Powell and then, “Earnest T.” both complained about the possible voter fraud in the Ukraine. THE UKRAINE!!! I thought we might actually want to check out Ohio, before we moved on to the Ukraine...but then, Ohio ain’t got no oil.
How can America live with these “uncertainties” in our voting process? Win or lose, we must know the vote is fair. How can we go on believing we still have a democracy {A true democracy, of course, would have no electoral system...one man, one vote.} How can we say we are a free country, if our freedom of choice is suppressed and manipulated by unfair and inaccurate elections? If we lose our vote...we lose everything!
Just the other day, I was thinking back to the early 70s {you know...the height of the revolution} and remembered how I truly believed, the country and society were changing for the better. The little revolt, starting with all those protesting, longhaired “freaks”, was now being joined by virtually all of“middle” America. Eventually, we forced an end to the war and then, we forced the corrupt administration from office. So “appalled” at the state of the affairs {not to mention, the fear of losing there congressional seats...and influence}, even the staunchest conservative politicians abandoned the Administration, like rats from a sinking ship. {Everyone except Bob Dole, of course, him being the most psychotic of all the rats.} The nation had had enough. Now, things would be better. We had tamed the monster!
As it turns out, that was just my youthful idealism, bleeding through {or it could have been that peyote}. We had fought the Monster. We had chased the Monster away but we could not destroy the Monster.
Nothing’s really changed since the assassinations of the sixties. Nothing’s changed since the Viet Nam War. Nothing’s changed since Ollie North got caught running guns to our enemies, the Iranians and drugs to the youth of America, financing Reagan’s secret war. {except, of course, he has his own faulking TV show, now!} Nothing’s changed since “little brother Neil” Bush got caught in the 80’s banking scandal {except, of course, Neil getting caught with the three Thai hookers, last year}. Nothing’s changed since we found no WMDs and nothing’s going to change. The war will go on. The rich will become richer and our young people will die, fighting in a war that can’t be explained. Apparently, the majority of people in this country {“maybe”, 51% of them} just haven’t learned a damn thing! How can they, so easily, be fooled again?
http://chrisevans3d.com/files/iq.htm
Once again, we find ourselves, in a far off country, imposing our brand of “freedom” and our “way of life” on a people who really aren't convinced they need Walmart {at least, I’m fairly sure, those firing the RPGs at us, feel that way}. It reminds me of the Colonel in Stanley Kubrick’s “Full Metal Jacket”, explaining to “Joker” that, “Inside every gook, there was an American, trying to get out”.
Yes, the Monster is alive and he’s back, stronger than ever and heeeee’s hungry. He’s hungry for our liberty, he’s hungry for our treasure and he’s hungry for our children. Who will fight the Monster, now?
* I am reminded of a song by Steppenwolf, from those youthful, “revolutionary” days, when “we believed” we were changing the would. The “America” verse, the third part of their 1970 musical trilogy, MONSTER/SUICIDE/AMERICA, keeps spinning around in my head and I can think of no better words, to complete my thoughts.
America, where are you now?
Don't you care about your sons and daughters?
Don't you know, we need you now
We can't fight alone, against the monster
If you wish to hear this verse, go to:
http://www.steppenwolf.com/s/w/CD121
click MONSTER 64k or 112k for higher speed
connections.
Read the complete MONSTER/SUICIDE/AMERICA lyrics
below.
(Monster)
Once the religious, the hunted and weary
Chasing the promise of freedom and hope
Came to this country to build a new vision
Far from the reaches of kingdom and pope
Like good Christians, some would burn the witches
Later some got slaves to gather riches
But still from near and far to seek America
They came by thousands to court the wild
And she just patiently smiled and bore a child
To be their spirit and guiding light
And once the ties with the crown had been broken
Westward in saddle and wagon it went
And 'til the railroad linked ocean to ocean
Many the lives which had come to an end
While we bullied, stole and bought our a homeland
We began the slaughter of the red man
But still from near and far to seek America
They came by thousands to court the wild
And she just patiently smiled and bore a child
To be their spirit and guiding light
The blue and grey they stomped it
They kicked it just like a dog
And when the war over
They stuffed it just like a hog
And though the past has it's share of injustice
Kind was the spirit in many a way
But it's protectors and friends have been sleeping
Now it's a monster and will not obey
(Suicide)
The spirit was freedom and justice
And it's keepers seem generous and kind
It's leaders were supposed to serve the country
But now they won't pay it no mind
'Cause the people grew fat and got lazy
And now their vote is a meaningless joke
They babble about law and order
But it's all just an echo of what they've been told
Yeah, there's a monster on the loose
It's got our heads into a noose
And it just sits there watchin'
Our cities have turned into jungles
And corruption is stranglin' the land
The police force is watching the people
And the people just can't understand
We don't know how to mind our own business
'Cause the whole worlds got to be just like us
Now we are fighting a war over there
No matter who's the winner
We can't pay the cost
'Cause there's a monster on the loose
It's got our heads into a noose
And it just sits there watching
(America)
America where are you now?
Don't you care about your sons and daughters?
Don't you know we need you now
We can't fight alone against the monster
© Copyright MCA Music (BMI)
All rights for the USA controlled and administered by
MCA Corporation of America, INC
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