The Differences, Then and Now
By Les Aaron, Oct 31, 2002
In Europe during the presidential debates in 1999, I found I was in a unique position to be more objective and perhaps tap into the opinion of those who watched very carefully what was happening on this side of the Atlantic. © Copyright 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 by MikeHersh.com
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The Europeans across the board seemed much more objective about our elections than many of us gave them credit for. (I knew that few at home knew as much about what was going on in European elections.)
Collectively, the Europeans I spoke to thought Bush was a fool and that he was mean spirited; that he was a danger to the cause of peace in the world and had very little respect for history based on his background and credentials.
This of course was before 911 and before all of the changes made in the name of attacking terrorism but in reality did much to eclipse our freedoms and our basis in the Constitution.
It is hard to believe that the causes of liberty have been so adversely affected in such a short time. One wonders if what we see around us today is a harbinger of worse things to come. It would not surprise me because it seems consistent with the policies emanating from the White House these days, the days of Card, Rove, Cheney and Rice.
Why this stands out in my mind was because as we were watching replays of the debates in our stopping over place in Florence, I was reminded of how the population of Europe responds to virtually any moves by the government with an outpouring of people, pickets and strikes.
I had earlier been in Paris when something that would not even had caused a blink of the eye here, produced hundreds of thousands marching in the street. The people of Paris do not take a back seat on any issue that will affect them.
Were it only to be the case here.
Admittedly, the previous eight years under Clinton were almost idyllic in the sense that the population was enjoying a war-free period of positive growth. We had cancelled our debt and even built a surplus. The economy was strong and jobs were increasing. All told, there was a sense of everything and anything was possible.
That has all changed now and remarkably so in the last two years....
But despite the major shift in our rights. Despite the damage done to our general welfare and our treaties Bush abrogated with impunity, the attacks on due process via undermining the lawyer client privilege and increased official snooping, and other incursions on our liberties. Not to mention a worsening job market, lost confidence in the stock market, and a sense that the guilty are free to fleece the public at will with Bush's approval. Bush's disdain for the environment and global warming, and our wanton use of fossil fuels and on and on. Oddly, there has been no outcry by the public, no great outpouring of feeling.
Despite Jefferson's words that the tree of liberty's health depends to a great extent on the occasional outpouring of Patriots' blood; it is its natural manure, Americans seem uninvolved, detached from the reality.
Do they one wonders realize that their inaction fuels further abuses from the same cadre responsible for our present state? \ Nearly, two hundred years ago, a prominent French philosopher and statesman whom I will paraphrase said that democracy is the best system possible but can be changed to a form of tyranny easiest while still portraying itself as a democracy.
In Europe, I know that the French, Germans or English would never put up with what we have experienced over the past two years without a very visible churning and confrontation with the powers that be.
On the other hand, In America, we have sat idly by while the government in power goes about its business of approving legislation for the few rather than the many.
It is this aberration, this unwillingness to face the architects of this specialized agenda down, to confront them with their plans to dismantle those programs that still benefit society that leaves me feeling helpless and without representation. . When will the people solidify into an organized body for resistance? Perhaps when it's too late.
It is hard to believe that a country born in revolution does not believe in doing what is necessary to protect the gains of that revolution. We are a changed people it is clear. But at some point, we need to recognize that our inaction acts against our better interests. And that in the name of pure and simple survival, we must coalesce around the issues of our freedom and independence.
Something to think about as we approach election time.
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