It's Friday evening. The workweek has ended for me. My wife and I left work early today to visit our ophthalmologist...both of us needed a checkup and both of us desperately need new lenses. After we got our checkups and tentatively selected new frames (both need them, too), we stopped off at a Mexican restaurant and sat in the bar, drinking margaritas on the rocks. Each of us had two. Nice end to the week, wouldn't you say, so why am I feeling so down?
I could blame it on my car problems. I could blame it on my roof-rat problems. There are many circumstances or people or issues to which I could direct the blame. But I think it's the world we live in. It's the fact that, as an individual, there are so many things over which I have no control, and not even a voice.
George Bush. He's an embarrassment to the United States. It's worse than that, of course. He's a lethal danger to the U.S. But it's even worse than that. He's a very real danger to the survival of mankind, and I'm not talking long term here, either. I believe that, if left to his own agenda, Bush's policies will result in massive and irreversible global climate change, world war, religious violence on a scale never before seen, and worldwide economic collapse are imminent. Anyone who knows me more than casually knows how I feel about George Bush. I've never felt so vehemently about anyone in any office, much less the presidency of the U.S. The man needs to be removed from office, with XXXX, if necessary; it needs to happen soon if this planet has any hope of survival with a quality of life that makes life worth living. I realize that could be construted to be a statement advocating the [edited out to protect myself from being the victim of the Bush fascists] of the United States government. Five years ago, I could not have imagined ever endorsing such an idea, much less initiating it. Today, I feel compelled to shout it from the rooftops. When I see a car with a bumper sticker showing support for Bush, I'm tempted to shoot the driver the finger and attempt to run him or her off the road.
It's not just Bush. The president of Iran is cut from the same cloth. An utter asshole who should have been assassinated at the same time Bush should have slit his own throat. Then there's Hugo Chavez, a nutcase who loathes Bush as much as I do...but who ought to look at his own policies and agendas before throwing stones. And, of course, the thugs who rely on Islam to give them credibility as they murder indescriminately in the name Allah. I say put people who rely on religion to direct their every move in a big blender and use their remains for chicken feed.
It's reality today, though. It matters not whether a person is a Muslin, Christian, Buddist, Hindu, etc., etc. Everyone points the finger and draws a line in the sand...if you don't share my beliefs, you're an infidel and deserve to be tortured and kllled. Fuck them! I promised myself I would leave this stuff behind, but I just can't. I see too much and hear too much.
I'd like to think the week I just spent in the office led me to the end of the week. But I listen to news programs...I see Bush say, in response to a question about whether he will be polite when he talks to Hugo Chavez, "Of course I'll be polite. That's what the American people expect of their president, that he'll be polite." (or something very similar) Right. That's what we expect. Not that he will provide good leadership. Not that he will guide the country's government to do the right thing and help elevate the world and its people. No, we just want the motherfucker to be polite! And we want him to go to church, because if he goes to church, that must mean he recognizes the supremacy of a magical being who somehow gave us all life. Bullshit! I'm so tired of being tired of this I could scream!
So, you tell me...is this the end of the week, or the end of the world?
Before you answer, think what bird flu could do, if it manaages to overcome the limits to cross-species infections and becomes capable of transmission with human-to-human contact. 70% of the world's population could become infected, I've read. 40% of the U.S. population could become infected, and 2% could die. To stop the pandemic, people would be prevented from going to work and interacting with others. That would ultimately result in the power grid failing. After that...a nasty scenario.
Maybe all this is why I'm down. I kind of hope tomorrow I feel a bit more optimistic. This whole scenario truly sucks. Makes me want to live in another galaxy, populated by decent beings.
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