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January, 2004


2004: Resolve to Evolve

by Frank Scott



We have evolved to a much higher life form than our hunter-gatherer
ancestors . They hunted for meat and gathered vegetation; we hunt for
money and gather merchandise . Progress.

But a new year arrives, and we may be poised for a more highly evolved
focus. Like, maybe, hunting for democracy, and not just money, and
gathering as citizens, and not just consumers. Are we ready? Not if our
mind managers have their way.

The staged production of Saddam Hussein’s capture  was propagandized for
all it was worth , but the illegal, immoral situation is no different
than  before. If Saddam “confesses” to having flushed anthrax down the
toilet, stashed nukes in Tel Aviv, and WMDs in his BVDs, nothing will
change. Even if his show trial  produces evidence of his previously
smoochy relationship with the same  neo-con serial killers  who now
depict him as satan, we will still have to confront our own problems and
our own demons. They are not in Iraq,  but here in USrael .

The 2004 election will arrive sooner than many of us would like, but the
issue  should have already been decided. That is, if we were a
legitimate democracy. Instead, a regime which ought to be impeached and
jailed for its murderous lies is still in power , thanks to its spinally
challenged opposition. Despite their terminal wimpinesss, our  immediate
hopes  rest on the nine Democrats  running for the opportunity to defeat
the minority president. Why? Because if we don’t get rid of this regime,
fast, it may get rid of us, faster.

Three of the nine are progressive ,  which is the best percentage ever
offered in a Democratic primary. But almost any of them, however bad, is
an improvement over the language abusing war criminal in the white
house.


Sharpton and Mosely-Braun offer a first;  two black candidates in one
primary . He is the quickest and most articulate wit of the bunch, and
she the most decent and least given to ego posturing. But Kucinich is
the foremost representative of those who want change  that is  more than
rhetorical or cosmetic. His progressive positions, especially against
the war,  make the other white boys look like what they are;  gas bags,
empty until filled by speech writers, poll interpreters and other
political marketeers .

Of course, Kucinich, like the others, wants peace in the middle east
without citing Israel as its worst enemy ,  deserving  an embargo, a cut
off in aid, and other sanctions usually placed on renegade regimes .
Don’t hang by your lip waiting for the ruling corporate party  to take
that position, given that so few on what is called the left are willing
to do it. In fact, Dean made a rather mild statement that the US should
be evenhanded, and he was politically circumcised for this wimpy
transgression of the party line that says; Israeli racial supremacy is
always right, and  Palestinians fighting for their homeland are always
wrong. Unfortunately, the zionization of American politics won’t end
with this election.

But those who are desperate to defeat Bush  are ready to accept almost
anything. In fact, some with stars in their eyes and sawdust in their
heads  went into a swoon when the Democrats introduced a professional
warrior into the race. But Wesley Clark - Colin Powell in white face -
has been unequal to the task so far, though he could still wind up as a
candidate for vice president. In fact, those Democrats who insist the
party needs a serial killer on the ticket in order to win , may launch a
movement to draft Tony Soprano  if Clark fails.

At present, Howard Dean leads the pack. This centrist governor of a tiny
state has become popular, mostly for stating the obvious about Bush, but
doing it in a loud and angry voice. He’s depicted as a leftist fiend by
those “new” Democrats who wish to keep the party only slightly less
Republican than the other wing of the ruling corporate cartel. But far
more impressive than the candidate are his supporters, their
organization, and its performance. Some of them may be desperate, but
given the reality, they can’t be faulted for that.

Nevertheless, progressives -  those who haven’t already  succumbed to a
pre-November form of  crackpot realism  - owe it to their convictions
to vote for Dennis Kucinich in the primaries, and then hope for the best
. And if they get the worst, they can practice the usual lesser evilism
in November, for once, with good reason.


We are ruled by an intellectual and moral featherweight  who lost the
popular vote and  since 911 has moved from  that awful beginning to
head  the worst regime in American history. This cabal of murderous
fanatics, liars and dimwits has alienated us from the rest of the world,
to a greater extent than ever before. Our economy is in debt to a
wealthy minority of  people and institutions, and it is those forces
which control it, and our politics. That was true long before  Bush ,
but he has made the situation worse,  making the world a  more dangerous
place, and bringing  it closer to social, environmental and political
breakdowns.

This is an occasion when many of us  make personal resolutions about
what we will do in order to improve  our lives . It‘s time we think
about social , as well as personal changes. If we have truly evolved, as
humans , we should resolve to  dump this government, as citizens. By any
means necessary, with whatever tools are available.  In November, if not
sooner. And after putting a  temporary new one in, work to create a long
term, permanent democratic expression that deals with issues of peace
and social justice , in deeds, and not just words. We should resolve to
at least start . Happy New Year.


Copyright (c) 2004 by Frank Scott. All rights reserved.

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frank scott
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