Most of me wants to save my energy for more important matters, like breathing. This one, I can’t seem to shake, or allow to float on by with the rest of the atrocities in the river of outrage which I am nearly drowned by on a daily basis, thanks to the present administration our country has voted, er…allowed, into office.

Amnesty International has issued a report on U.S. “policy” in Guantanamo Bay and elsewhere, citing human rights abuses carried out by the United States and its military. Bush, Cheney, and the rest of the traveling circus have begun its smear campaign against one of the most respected human rights watch groups in the world. Respected so much that this same administration, who is presently denouncing the report as “absurd”, uses Amnesty reports to their advantage to further its own agenda against Cuba and China.

Worst of all, we accuse Amnesty of terrorist group affiliations. The neo-conservative Wall Street Journal stated that Amnesty’s latest accusations ”amount to pro-al Qaeda propaganda,” while the Bush/Cheney carnival infers that terrorists are using the agency as a means to spread their anti-American hate campaigns.

Are the people of this country truly going to snuggle up to this plate of bullshit like it is our Thanksgiving dinner, or our we collectively becoming suspect of an administration that outright lied to begin this war in the first place? Let me see…believe Amnesty International, an independent organization that has successfully worked to help human rights across the globe for over forty years, or the government that acts with an imperialistic psychology, which is presently at war, and is already guilty of atrocities at Abu Ghraib?

All I can do is laugh, but maybe what I need is a good, hard cry.

Magnetic yellow ribbons don the back of a high percentage of cars in my new neighborhood, along with “W” stickers. I am being told to support the troops and that I am a traitor if I don’t. I have been called worse.

The last time I can recall ANY dialogue regarding each soldier’s responsibility in perpetuating war was in the 8th grade while reading Richard Bach. I recall him speaking of personal responsibility and consequence, even in times of war. Of each human being having an obligation to make choices based on their personal belief system. That murder is not suddenly nor easily rationalized by claiming one country’s morality over another’s. That was over 20 years ago, and I am hard pressed for any new honest and critical thought regarding each soldier’s responsibility and hand in war.

Please understand. I feel great sadness and compassion for the group of soldiers who are having to fight our War of Greed. I abhor the exploitation of each soldier. I wish for them to come home to their families and live a life without having to murder on behalf of the state. I wish for our war veterans to try and explain to these soldiers how their lives have been bettered by their agreement to kill for the state. To explain to us all how this war is defending our country and democracy itself. It is not. I support the five-thousand soldiers who are reportedly AWOL, and am not puzzled by their decision.

I myself forget that we are at war. I am sure the families of slain soldiers do not forget. Our access to the realities of everyday killing and death are clouded by our administration’s ability to act as if we have spread democracy across the land like some peach preserves across needy toast. Why are we at war? Who will benefit the most from this war? Not the soldiers or their loved ones.

Some things, I suppose, are worth killing for. Fattening the coffers of a select and despicable minority is not one of them.

Welcome to March 9th, 2005 or the Official Dan Rather resignation day. Every time I turn the channel, new commentary appears regarding Dan Rather stepping down from his anchor position at CBS. I am about as interested in Dan Rather’s career as I am in who wins the next American Idol. What DOES interest me, however, is the coverage.

The memo which seemed to be an official document condemning Bush’s military service record which Rather used in a 60 Minutes report was a fake. Definitely something to scrutinize. What baffles me, though, is that NOBODY in the mainstream media ever thinks to discuss the actual subject of the report – Bush’s military service record. We all know he evaded his responsibility to show up for an entire year of active guard duty. I don’t think anyone can successfully deny that. (If your daddy was pres’dint and former director of the CIA, wouldn’t you be doing blow and drinking at Camp David instead of reporting for duty, as well?)

The fact that the Bush administration is so damn good at the media control game is what has me looking for land in New Zealand. They have been successful into turning Dubya’s spotty record into maligning Dan Rather’s entire career.

Dan Rather put it best when speaking about his biggest concern:
“That the American press as a whole will succumb to the undertow to be more docile, in some cases obsequious . . . to move in the middle, settle for mediocrity — one, in exchange for access, and two, out of fear that you’d be called a bad name, unpatriotic, or radical right or liberal. What I’m talking about here is the increasing danger of being intimidated.”