Songs of the Day: Steve Kilbey - 'Judgment Day' and 'Guilty', Michael Hoenig - 'Departure From the Northern Wasteland'.

Ideals versus actions. Over the last few days, as we've seen increasing evidence of widespread abuse and Geneva Convention violations in our military's treatment of Iraqi prisoners of war, we've also heard the following refrain from President Bush and Donald Rumsfeld: that these incidents are "not representative" of the US military, or of the American people. I'm starting to get a bit tired of the denial implicit in such sentiments. News flash, folks: these actions are the very definition of "representative". Because, despite all of our high-falutin' ideals and insecure notions that America is better than everyone else, these terrible acts are in fact what we're actually doing in Iraq. We're actually abusing and terrorizing prisoners. We're actually killing 10,000+ Iraqi civilians. We're actually arresting the wrong people 90% of the time (according to the Red Cross). We're actually failing to properly guard nuclear installations, which have been systematically looted on our "watch". The list goes on and on. This doesn't mean that our military is all bad and incompetent. Of course not. But what we'd like to think of ourselves, of our country, as we stick our heads in the sand, doesn't add up to a hill of beans. All that matters is what we're actually doing. If we as a people don't own up to our flaws, our denials, our willful ignorance of our own capacity for ignorance and cruelty, the kinds of things we're seeing in Iraq will continue and grow. And we'll continue to see ourselves as perfect and wonder why the rest of the world thinks we're insane.

On a related note, I have to gripe about the ongoing right-wing hypocrisy on display full-time these days. One of the right-wingers' favorite refrains when decrying the evils of liberals is to level the accusation of "moral relativism". Tune into any conservative media these days, and you'll see that very trait on display. From Rush to Sean "Apologist" Hannity, the right-wing media is falling all over itself to downplay the atrocities committed by our military in Iraq. Rush thinks they were just "blowing off steam" and playing sophomoric pranks. Hannity furrows his neanderthal brow and splits hairs over "the difference between abuse and atrocities", while leaping to the defense of the poor, helpless military establishment by claiming they started investigations right away, as soon as allegations were brought up (wrong, fool--they ignored reports and warnings for months before finally being dragged into the spotlight by the media). Ever since this disastrously unfocused 'war on terror' began, Republicans have been taking such hypocritical positions, which all come down to this: it's okay when we do it, but evil when they do it. That's moral relativism that no liberal would touch with a ten-foot pole--and that, you Republican bastards, is hypocrisy.

Not all the news was bad today--buried under headlines that focused on Kerry missing a Senate vote was what seems to be a reasonably positive bill passed in a bipartisan manner by the Senate. While not perfect, the bill aims to close corporate tax loopholes, stimulate the manufacturing sector, and iron out a trade battle with Europe. What I like most about it, though, is that it includes a block against Bush-proposed rules taking effect that would strip millions of American workers of overtime rights. This may all sound pretty weak, but it makes me think what things could be like if politicians actually worked together to make compromises and look after the average US worker. It's timid, but it's a start, especially in an election year.

Labels: Politics