Tannishblog

A lot of death in the news today: In Germany an ice rink collapsed; assassination attempts and a car bombing in Iraq; and fears of lost miners in Virginia, lost family in fire-ravaged plains states and in Californian torrents.

The weather is going haywire, too. Chicago, known for freezing winters, was a balmy 40 degrees today, the ground a soupy mess. California is declaring emergency action in response to unusual rainfall. Wildfires rampage the dry plains states, a phenomena I always associated with late summer or autumn, not January. We all know about our past hurricane season…

Bipolar politics adds a unique twist to this mess. Jack Abramoff cops a plea, now the dealmakers shudder as the Great Republican Greedmonger Show takes another hit. Democrats dream of impeachment proceedures. How long until Americans fight each other in the streets for their politics like in Iraq? Our lack-witted president says spying on Americans is necessary to safeguard our nation. I ask: from whom? Now that we breed terrorists in Iraq, and provide them with the anarchy needed to grow, why should they bother to come here? What we need protection from is ourselves. Who can provide that?

I scan the daily blues for an article of hope. Again, I find none. Wars, disasters, indictments… NY Times, Washington Post, CNN all spread the same dread, all repeat the same things, an echo chamber of diseased minds acting out, displaced people, and disturbing events. If I didn’t believe in the inherent goodness of people, I would despair.