Tannishblog

Chicago got it’s yearly Big Snow last night. For over 30 house a powdery snow fell sideways in a gusty breeze. Parts of my driveway was bare, parts were 18" deep. My snow blower barely chugged through the deeper parts, and as it did the wind gleefully redistributed the blast right back at me.

Not only do I care for my own 70+ feet of driveway, I look after that of my neighbor lady. So, for an hour after dark, as the wind and snowfall lessened, I pushed a growling perambulator and spat snow into the breeze.

I came in afterward, stamped my feet in the hall and shouted, "Look! I’m a Bumble." The Abominable Snowman had arrived, black clothing caked as well as eyebrows and beard.

I like snow. Shoveling is only a chore these days because of decaying spinal discs, but I’d still rather wield a shovel than the snow-eater. This morning as I set out before dawn, I managed to clean the inch-or-so tag-end accumulation off my drive in twenty minutes. I’ll do the neighbor’s when I get home.

Thanks to ddjango, writing at at Sinsquanon's Journal, I learn two things: first, On February 6, 2007 Congressman Dennis Kucinich introduced in the US House H.R. 808 [PDF], which would establish a cabinet-level US Department of Peace and Nonviolence; second, The Peace Alliance Campaign to Establish a US Department of Peace has been recently formed. From the web site:

Department of Peace. There is currently a bill before the U.S. House of Representatives (HR 808). This landmark measure will augment our current problem-solving options, providing practical, nonviolent solutions to the problems of domestic and international conflict.

Domestically, the Department of Peace will develop policies and allocate resources to effectively reduce the levels of domestic and gang violence, child abuse, and various other forms of societal discord. Internationally, the Department will advise the President and Congress on the most sophisticated ideas and techniques regarding peace-creation among nations. Learn more…

What a beautifully ludicrous idea! I say that because, as is quoted in ddjango's article:

Why, of course, the people don’t want war. Why would some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best that he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece. Naturally, the common people don’t want war; neither in Russia nor in England nor in America, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a Parliament or a Communist dictatorship.

— Hermann Göring

Especially considering the Bush administration's propensity toward ignoring informed council and enforcing the will of POTUS upon all. My inner-Christian, despite all the medication he's on, sometimes causes me to ponder if GWB is the anti-Christ. I'm not the only one, either.

But peace, however unlikely, is an option. Governments have been overturned before, and will be again. Hold on: I'm not advocating violent reform in the name of peace. That would be waging war to produce peace, which in which the United Stated is already involved. But putting peace on the negotiating table, giving it the legitimacy it deserves, is a great start…

What's that I hear, a growing rumbling from the political right? Those who would argue the methods and tactics of Iraqis: how twisted and violent they are; how they would just destroy America one terrorist attack at a time if we change course; are spouting well-established, yet unsubstantiated innuendo. How can anyone be so sure peace won't work it it is never attempted? I submit that the naysayers may be correct, to not discuss all options - especially peaceful resolutions - is to Danse Macabre at the Apocalypso Rag Ball.