Friday, April 21, 2006

THE HONEYMOON IS OVER AND UNCLE SAM IS CHASING US AROUND THE HOUSE-- AND THE GUN IS LOADED

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THE MYTHS OF OUR LIVES

As human beings, we tend to compose myths about the important events in our lives. We turn the stories of our lives into shorter, happier versions of reality. It is healthy, for the most part, and performs a function. It helps us to make meaning of our lives….to tell the stories. Mommy fell in love with daddy at first sight. It matters very little if that is literally what happened if mommy is still madly in love with daddy today or we can teach some lesson by telling it that way.

We have national myths and cultural myths and religious myths which we hand down from one generation to the next. They are, by and large, told to our children to give them a sense of continuity and meaning. America is all about freedom, we are the smartest and best, and Jesus loves me. We seem to be able to live with the fact that most of what we believe is not literally so. It is a feeling, an ambiance if you will that we are creating around our collective experiences.

Problems arise as problems will, when we move into the extremes, when we invest our myths with more meaning or veracity than they can safely embody. For example, when domestic violence erupts, too many women cling to the myth that he will change. Or, when one abuses their children, they tell themselves that they are doing it for the child’s good. We ought to be more skeptical of ourselves. Maybe it is time to edit our stories.

On a personal level, we experience difficulty when we refuse to alter our myths. We suffer depression and symptoms of our denial become manifest in the oddest of ways. We drink too much, we can't sleep. We lie.

Nationally, we are no less likely to hold fast to falsehoods. It is good for a people to have pride in their country, maybe even necessary. But, it is better to believe in ourselves as people rather than using our energies to uphold illusions. No matter how we try to hide it, national denial shows. The myth is wearing thin, people lie. They smile and deny the truth, get high on patriotism and back slapping. Avert your eyes, and you won’t see as much.

Even though George Bush has an approval rating under 40%, many cling to the national myth of his popularity. In regions like mine, people stubbornly refuse to believe anything except that George is God's agent. They deny the corruption, the deception, and the incompetence. They have difficulty accepting that their party of responsibility has run up the highest deficit in our history, we have lost face in the world, we torture and we have a president who lies with impunity. Even though they are losing their jobs, some still refuse to admit that Republican policies have failed them.

There is a disturbing rhetoric that goes with the failure of our myths. The more our myths are failing us the more we spin a web of the sacred around them, the more desperate our situation, the more we describe it in glowing terms. We exaggerate the smallest bit of decency into a monumental victory of character. A battered woman will explain that yes, her husband does chase her through the house with the gun, but it is not loaded. At least he works and brings home the bacon, he does not cheat on her. The husband of an alcoholic will admit his wife has a drink now and then to calm her nerves, her days are stressful. The child abusers believe that if they spare the rod, they spoil the child, whatever platitude will work to warn people away from the truth. We got a million of 'em. The more emotionally charged, the greater the distance between myth and reality. If we can bring God or country or "family values" into the mix, that best of all.

The denial we live with on a personal level costs us something. Sometimes, it is minor. But, sometimes it costs us a child or a husband or wife our lives. Sometimes we make others pay by not facing our own problems. Consider drunken drivers, or even those who snap and kill others because the strength of their myth crumbled one day in the face of their reality. We are not strangers to betrayal.

Nationally, we are reeling under the weight of the myths we've told ourselves since 9-11. We told ourselves that we were united, when millions of Americans were shamed into silence and their love of their country was questioned because they did not think the Iraq war was the war to fight. We are reeling under the weight of the lies, the war profiteering, the abandonment of our own in crisis and the abandonment of our troops who lack body armor these several years past their deployment. We are in denial when we dismiss ideas that we are not meeting the needs of returning troops. We are in denial over our national debt of over 9 trillion dollars. And, we pretend like the improved economy for the rich is helping us in the middle as we lose good paying jobs and see increases in our own taxes.

We put on our national sunglasses and lie to the neighbors. The media refuses to hold Bush and his people accountable for outing an agent of the United States government or for exposing an agency which was monitoring WMDs worldwide. Our officials increasingly describe the nation in glowing terms. One gets an eerie sense that their tether to reality is completely severed. We feel a bit sick to our stomach, something is wrong. We close the curtains and deny. We shame and threaten those who would tell on us. The denial is costing us. The pressure is mounting. The faces of news casters and pundits are twisted into the oddest expressions as they repeat over and over obvious lies and excuses and lob softballs.

We have come to the place where we call black white and up down. If the country were in a 12 step program our peers would be calling us on the carpet over the depth of our denial and lies. Our sponsor would throw in the towel.

The faithful deniers come on very strong these days. Just this week I was told that George Bush is God's agent, and that it is just plain wrong to question him. If you are going to name drop, it gets no better than God. As a nation we need counseling to leave our abusive husband, a support group, or anti-psychotics. Bring 'em on.

Here's the truth, folks. We have religious groups suing for the right to engage in hate speech against gays and protesting at military funerals. Our military generals are one by one speaking out in an unprecedented effort to put the brakes on an administration out of control. We have congressional leaders indicted for corruption claiming to be victims of religious persecution. George Bush is mentioning the unmentionable, nuclear option. Please note: there is no such thing as a nuclear war! There is however, nuclear annihilation. No matter how we close our eyes and plug our ears, we must admit global warming is for real. Clinging to our collective myths is costing us. Uncle Sam is chasing us around the house, and the gun IS loaded.

Let's start working through our "issues." Let's just get honest about it and leave the tall tales for less significant matters. Let's save the myths of our lives for children's books. We can keep enough honesty in them to be accurate and enough romance in them to be compelling, but whatever we do, let us tell ourselves the true national story as we gather in conference rooms, news rooms, restaurants, town halls, and even in living rooms. Let's embrace reality. Face it, the honeymoon is over, our love is unrequited, and we have been had.

-Mags

6 Comments:

At 8:07 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

Mostly I go along with your comments, and I respect your right to express those I do not personally agree with. So, if I can just have a little piece here, it would be to say this: Can people stop confusing GW, Republicans, Bono or any one else who calls themself a Christian with the actual source, Jesus? I mean, I am a Christian, and sometimes a sorry excuse for one. But the standard is Jesus, if you admit to being a Christian. If you are a Nazi, your standard should be Hitler. Get it? Just because GW and so many others SAY they are Christians, it doesn't mean jack to the guy who has distribution rights on the logo. The bible I read says the devil is wearing a 3 piece suit, not horns. People stupid enough to dump Christ and Judeo-Christian ethics because others lie with and abuse the name of Christ to get what they want need to rethink the thing. Jesus is the standard of being a Christian; "religious zealots" we are all not. God hates hypocracy, and evil done in his name. Lets seperate the sheep from the goats, please! Oh, and I am sure Jesus LOVES Neil Young. Thank you.

 
At 8:39 AM, Blogger Scott said...

A great post breaking through the veil of lies currently gripping the country. Being one of the millions you mentioned who were against the Iraq invasion from the start (because I did my homework) I feel vindicated I guess you could say. But it it is painful watching a train wreck that you saw coming and couldn't do anything about. It makes me sick to the stomach actually.

 
At 9:29 AM, Blogger KenInNY said...

Perfectly valid points, Greenmtn. It's just that I think your quarrel isn't with Mags but with the power-mad, rampaging bullies who shout, intimidate and perpetrate violence today in the name of Christianity.

I am NOT a Christian, but it still astonishes me that we went through the whole phenomenon of THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST without good Christians rising in holy wrath that this putrid pile of S/M pornography is totally unconcerned with what Jesus said and BELIEVED.

I've been waiting for people who profess to be real Christians to take on the juggernaut of American junk religion. What I've heard is mostly an eerily light smattering of lonely voices.

That said, let me get back to what I originally planned to say:

Terrific piece, Mags! The puzzlement I've kept coming back to is how all those heartland minds got so thoroughly clouded in the first place and how they remain seemingly impervious to all incursions from reality. Your explanation makes more sense than any I've come up with or come across.

K

 
At 10:04 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

K,
There was a woman this week who mentioned her chatechism lessons as why she felt it was wrong to buck authority.

Not being a Christian myself, I can appreciate the spirit of what Christ is supposed to be to people and still represent what many proclaim mythological.

So much of what is taught in churches is still about control.

mags

 
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I demand that the Republican Party hold a press conference and accede to these demands. Until such a press conference happens and the legislation and/or actions gets passed I will boycott products from Republican contributors Walmart, Wendy's, Outback Steak House, Dominos Pizza, Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Eckerd, CVS and Walgreens, Curves for women health clubs, General Electric and Exxon/Mobil.

I demand that congress pass legislation ending the war in Iraq and withdraw the troops and arrange with the United Nations to replace US troops with UN troops to defend Iraq until The Iraqi army can defend Iraq.

I demand that the Republican party end their aggressive and hateful action to end a woman's right to choose abortion or not.


I demand that the Republican party end their aggressive and hateful action to harrass immigrants to this country.

I demand that the Congress of the United states and the president of the United States enact a law to increase the minimum wage to TEN dollars an hour and also to extend unemployment benefits to a year or more for all people whose unemployment benefits expired after 6 months even though they still seek work.

I demand that the Congress of the United States to not privatize social security benefits in any form including taking a percentage of the social security tax and placing it in private accounts. People can already create their own pensions with money after taxes in the private sector.

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I demand the congress increase the payroll tax in order to make social security solvent as well.

I demand congress and the president enact a prescription drug benefit under Medicare Part B which covers 80 percent of medication cost, with no extra premium, no extra deductibles, no means test and no coverage gaps, and no penalties for signing up in a succeeding year.

I demand congress repeal the faulty Medicare law HR 1 / S 1 passed by congress in Nov 2003.

I demand congress enact single payer universal health insurance for every citizen as minimum coverage.

I demand that congress and the president enact universal vote by mail throughout the 50 states of the United States of America with paper ballots easy to fill out and difficult to change or invalidate by Republican Party officials. This will prevent Republicans from vote suppression by skin color and political party which happened electronically and in person in the 2000 and 2004 elections.

I demand that congress and the president enact that civil servants on every state payroll keep track of voter registrations and vote counting of mail in votes in each precinct and not companies such as Choicepoint. We need to take the Republican Party out of the business of keeping track of voter registration and counting votes.

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Spread the word. People call their local Eckerd, CVS, and Walgreens Pharmacies and demand that the manager talk to THEIR pharmacy chain CEO, AND the drug companies CEOs, convince the congress to repeal Medicare Part D and replace it with 80 percent Medication coverage under Medicare Part B, with no extra premiums, no extra deductibles, no coverage gaps, no means tests and no late sign up penalties and until congress does this the person will never do business with all 3 pharmacy chains again.

If the person cannot stop buying medication from one of those 3 pharmacies due to a union contract, then they still call the pharmacy they appear stuck with, and tell the manager they will not buy any non medication products from their drug store.

The weight of the number of phone calls throughout the United States in the next number of months will cause a heavy toll on the profits of the 3 pharmacy chains that they will have to talk to congressional leaders to get the Medicare Part D repealed and replaced as I described.

People only have to make a local phone call to 3 pharmacy chain stores and then switch to buying from a pharmacy not in those 3 chains.

We can convince enough people to call their local Eckerd, CVS, and Walgreens pharmacy chain stores. People do not like this Medicare Part D program. The so called 29 million people who have joined the program consist of 21 million MEDICAID beneficiaries who ALREADY had medication coverage before this faulty Medicare Part D got passed and got dragged into the Medicare Part D against their will and only 8 million of the 40 mllions of seniors and disabed people on Social Security and Medicare who did join, leaving about 32 million people on Social Security and Medicare likely who will not join this meager benefit that congress rammed through with the AID of AARP which I will not ever join.

The government should merely place the coverage of medication in part B where they cover doctors visists. No new Medicare part need get set up. We should also demand that congress roll back the 20 dollars that they increased part B premiums in the last 2 years total and not increase Medicare Part B premiums next year either. As far as Costco goes, we only need to stop buying from the 3 chains I mentioned.

 
At 12:09 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

The Republicans are attracting people who make the Crusaders look like angels; one of these "holy rollers" is Tom the Con Kontogiannis; probably on the Foreign Minister of Greece's payroll; he's now lobbying down in Crete on behalf of Condi and Dora B.to build American bases in Suda, Crete; sure he wanted access to Condi thru DukeC.; Greek men always want to be powerful in the eyes of their countrymen; check out the Dora Bakoyianni; Condi, Duke ; American military bases in Crete connection; and you'll know exactly what kind of power Kontogiannis was going after with the Dukester and Company.........

 

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