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jebbypalSo, in holding with my attention deficit TV viewing habits, I was flipping back and forth between PBS and the various shows I was watching. Tonight was a documentary on the Vietnam War, it's politics, and the various protest movements it spawned. I've always only known the general details about Vietnam -- namely, whatever was in movie or TV because it ended right before I was born and it took another 15 years for me to start paying any attention to politics.
That said....have we used a time machine? Or did someone transplant Johnson's or Nixon's brain into Bush? Cause really, all the stuff that they had Johnson and Nixon say in speeches to justify the war - "We can fight them over there or in San Diego", Nixon's threats of nuclear escalation, and then my favorite "Our goal is to pull more troops out as we train the South Vietnamese to fight" - sound eerily as if they came from a Bush speech just yesterday. Then again, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised since half the cabinet cut their political teeth in the Nixon era and the other half are buddy buddy with Kissinger.
Gaaah. I just can't believe that we're doing this so badly again. Especially after we've proven that the war was started on a LIE! What's worse, dying for a mistake in vietnam, or a lie in the Gulf? At least back then the media didn't turn a blind eye to everything...or at least, they covered the protests because it was more evidence of social breakdown via the counter culture movement. Now, they won't cover them hardly at all. Guess the Nixon cronies realized that was their only weakness back then so they spent the time in between consolidating their lone remaining base.
And geez, but film of political rallies for presidential candidates are down right spooky in color. Put it in black and white and I feel like I should be watching the twilight zone. Some of those folks at the Wallace conventions (you know, I think David Duke was less racist than that fellow) looked downright possessed. Vacant stares, fervent singing...it really did look like something right out of the Nazi propaganda videos (I can't remember the name of the one that the female documentary maker made for the Nazi government. Watched it in college though, compelling and frightening stuff. if anyone remembers the name, feel free to comment).
Hopefully the fact that the major republican figures are finally being brought to task for some of their oh so very underhanded and probably illegal dealings, some of this sense of inevitability will fade...or at least start to. We may have to deal with another 3 years of GW "God tells me what to do is right so I'm never wrong" Bush, but if the Democrats can land some seats and make it so that thepodpeople Republicans don't control every branch of government, Earth might have a chance to survive those three years.
Of course, that all assumes that Darth Cheney doesn't succeed in building his Death Star or perfect the jedi choke hold.
That said....have we used a time machine? Or did someone transplant Johnson's or Nixon's brain into Bush? Cause really, all the stuff that they had Johnson and Nixon say in speeches to justify the war - "We can fight them over there or in San Diego", Nixon's threats of nuclear escalation, and then my favorite "Our goal is to pull more troops out as we train the South Vietnamese to fight" - sound eerily as if they came from a Bush speech just yesterday. Then again, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised since half the cabinet cut their political teeth in the Nixon era and the other half are buddy buddy with Kissinger.
Gaaah. I just can't believe that we're doing this so badly again. Especially after we've proven that the war was started on a LIE! What's worse, dying for a mistake in vietnam, or a lie in the Gulf? At least back then the media didn't turn a blind eye to everything...or at least, they covered the protests because it was more evidence of social breakdown via the counter culture movement. Now, they won't cover them hardly at all. Guess the Nixon cronies realized that was their only weakness back then so they spent the time in between consolidating their lone remaining base.
And geez, but film of political rallies for presidential candidates are down right spooky in color. Put it in black and white and I feel like I should be watching the twilight zone. Some of those folks at the Wallace conventions (you know, I think David Duke was less racist than that fellow) looked downright possessed. Vacant stares, fervent singing...it really did look like something right out of the Nazi propaganda videos (I can't remember the name of the one that the female documentary maker made for the Nazi government. Watched it in college though, compelling and frightening stuff. if anyone remembers the name, feel free to comment).
Hopefully the fact that the major republican figures are finally being brought to task for some of their oh so very underhanded and probably illegal dealings, some of this sense of inevitability will fade...or at least start to. We may have to deal with another 3 years of GW "God tells me what to do is right so I'm never wrong" Bush, but if the Democrats can land some seats and make it so that the
Of course, that all assumes that Darth Cheney doesn't succeed in building his Death Star or perfect the jedi choke hold.