Taking Responsiblity
I just received an email from my buddy, John. Gosh, sorry, of course, John Edwards, the guy that should be VP right now? Anyway, I got this email apologizing for the mistake of voting almost three years ago FOR the war in Iraq. I find the apology noble, but misplaced. It's kind of like this for me. The principal at my son's school calls me up and says that he had heard that a child at his school had brought a homemade bomb and was planning on detonating said bomb. Then he asked, should we go in, take him down, and toss him into juvenile detention? I, based on this information, and believing that I am not part of the circle of information that the principal is entitled to, defer to his knowledge and access, I would say, gee, yeah! My kid goes to that school, I don't want him blown up! Then the cops are called in, they blitz into 7th grade science and throw my kid to the ground who just happens to be involved in lab with twenty other students. This action furthers the feeling that this kid is a danger as the sweep was able to catch him in the act of "actions with chemicals" or other such telling lingo. He is thrown into the back of a car and taken to juvenile hall. Later, it is discovered that some kid that doesn't like him very much and wants to get in good with the administration, has lied and since the administration is not real fond of him either, they believe the kid without really looking into it themselves. Now....should I apologize? Was it wrong of me, based on erroneous information to say, gosh! Yes, do something about this imminent threat! What are you on the phone with me for? Go! Go! Save the children! Save us all! Arrrrgh!
Hearing that an emergeny exists and not responding to that emergency is lax. But, pretending that an emergency exists for ulterior motives and to forward your own agenda is criminal. There is protocol and a system of checks and balances in place to keep one branch of our government from making monumental mistakes. However, there are very clever people out there with a lot of power who know how to manipulate for their own benefit or to push what they want through. When the system that our forefathers (mentioned often by the other side) is circumvented, then we have done a great dishonor to their intentions and their brilliance. It is time to stop apologizing for believing lies. I didn't believe it, but I don't judge members of my party that did. I am not in Washington. I don't presume to understand how the system and inner workings of the house, senate and oval office operate. But I do know that I have believed many lies by many people. That makes me gullible, but it doesn't bring me down to the liars' level. However, if you continue to roll over and show your submission, then you are a fool. The same people that allowed false information to lead us into a preemptive war, are also using a parallel doctine of middle east change. Either we went to war to quash a threat or we went to change the political makeup of a region. I am offered several excuses for the same offense often by my two teenage boys, in the hope that one will be the correct answer to satiate the angry beast (that would be me). It does not work that way. If you did something, there is always a reason that far outweighs all the other reasons. No by-reasons here. What was said at the time? WMD. Imminent threat. Period. Sure, evil dictator, but you can't rely on that one, there are a lot of very bad people running countries all over the world. My response to that at the time it came up was when are we headed to Burma?
So. No more apologies. Mistakes were made based on lies. You didn't lie, Johnny dear, you believed them. Now, let's get rid of the liars.