WORDS FROM THE SLOW LANE

     If you're new here scroll around on the left and read to your heart's content. If you dip into the archives look for INTRODUCTION TO THE BLOG and I will, personally, escort you around. Good stuff here. I think you'll like this one. Remember: comments, pro and con, welcome and graciously accepted.You can find INTRODUCTION TO THE BLOG in the January file. 

                                                    LET'S TALK PEACE

                                                    NO HOLDS BARRED

                                                                 by

                                                              Bettejo

     My thinking began with the idea that some very brave Democratic candidate should announce that the first thing he/she would do is make war-profiteering a crime. He/she would not be setting a precedent. Roosevelt made war-profiteering a felony in World War 11.

     Now I'm sure all of you are thinking...boy oh boy, there goes Root Brown Halliburton Bechtel Cheney and Bush...hurrah hurrah. But, wait a minute, remember Eisenhower and the military industrial complex. Now there was a soldier who knew war. Who knew what he was talking about. Most of us don't stop to think of the military complex as he (sorry, I think of it as a man's thing) stands today. When you think of those who profit from this industry, the mind boggles. It sways in the wind. It trembles in the after shock. It stumbles around in the dark  debris of death and dollars.

     How's this for starters: are you aware that the American military machine is probably the third largest communistic organization in the world? What! How dare you! But think: 'they' live on government bases, in government houses, shop in government stores, drink in government bars and clubs, drive government vehicles. We could go on and on. And who pays for all this? Guess who? Who profits? Well, again...surprise, surprise...maybe you! Do you work in a cannery that makes baby food? How many cans, bottles, cases of baby food are sold every day to government stores on government bases? Military wives have babies and their babies eat baby food. The mothers eat chocolate, smoke, drink coffee, buy canned stuff, too. 

     You work in a brewery? How much beer does your company sell to the government bars on government bases? Your company makes shoes? Toilet paper? Paper plates? Soap? Cosmetics? Condoms? I win. Hands down. No holds barred. The cat's outta the bag...

     And how about this one: your company, a big company...keeps much of a comfortable little town comfortably employed...designs and makes the most powerful killing toys...er weapons...in the world. Keeps us the mightiest, happiest, safest nation on earth. Right? Wrong. The new toys grow old and obsolete...what could have a greater obsolescence factor than a bomb or a bullet? Once spent, once blown to smithereens, you gotta build a new one. Further you gotta sell the goddam things as they grow old and obsolete and begin to clutter up the landscape, and whom do you sell them to? Who cares? As long as they have the money and you got'a bigger toy to blow theirs up if you should end up enemies on the playing field of war. I must remind you: we sold Saddam the nerve gas he used to do in the Kurds. Who profited from that do you suppose? Who worked in the factory that made the stuff?

     So we have this immense problem. War puts people to work. Keeps'em in houses, shoes, clothes and bottles of whiskey. Remember: Hitler came to power because the German industrialists thought he would be good for the economy. Sigh.

     Well, there goes the old ball game. Or does it?

     There are countries that live in peace and do very well. Switzerland was neutral during the Second World War and prospered. Today, Norway, Sweden, Denmark do quite well. And while you might argue Norway, Sweden and Denmark are socialistic, they also have rich citizens. Norway is a monarchy. I think they were recently judged the happiest peoople on earth. Or was it the Danes? Who cares? They are clean, well-managed successful countries that we might take a look at. Learn from

     A slight aside: how offended were you when one of our politicians....and I am talking about John McCain...said, "What we need in Iraq is more boots on the ground."  The alienation of this remark makes me spitting mad. Human feet go into those boots. Young men and womn die with their boots on so John McCain can lick Jerry Foulwell's filthy-rich boot bottoms. Don't let me get started on the religious right's roll in the madness of war. What could be more miserable, more in need of a great white father in the sky, than a poor scared kid getting shot at? Who could be more in need of a morning watching the 700 Club than a mother and a father whose kid is a boot...grunt...on the front line? How comforting to know god is on his side. Looking out for him and doing the other guy in, to say nothing of making the TV evangalists very rich. Send'em your nickles, send'em your dimes, send'em all your folding money. You must admit our religious right nuts are as loony as the Islamic crazies. Unfortunately for most of the Muslims, and a big pain in the ass for us, they don't got no fancy war toys. All they got are bombs strapped to their kid's backs and there sure ain't no money in that, baby. I guess that's why they get 72 virgins, whereas our troops get halos, wings, and harps of gold. You may want to give that one some thought. I mean if you were a red-blooded young man all fired up to go what would you prefer? Wings, halos, harps? Virgins? I tell you this is a big tough sell. Almost as big and tough as the recruitment salesmen in the public schools and television ads and, while we're at it, what do those ads cost and who pays for thm? Who profits? Do you work in the media?  

     (I have a hawk friend who says, "There is sex in heaven." I don't know how he knows, he probably learned it at Annapolis, but he claims he does. I asked him once if he doesn't see a problem with the wing thing. He didn't have an answer to that one. )

     And so we're back to square one: Peace. How do we sell it? To whom? What's the super duper angle on the peace front? And where do we get the money, honey? It kind'a begins to look like peace ain't cheap at any price.

     This is a wonderful starter for a conversation, discussion, debate and brain brawl. Particularly today, 9/11, when this poor old war torn nation is in worse shape, and less secure, than it was five years ago.

     Are you ready for this?

     Looking forward to your bright minds unsnarling this tangled web. Peace and Love.

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• #51 Comment from margelovesusa 
  10/24/06 9:08 AM | Permalink

  Are you still writing for this blog?I was enjoying it. I don't see you on the Daily Pulse. I hope are all right, not sick in any way. Your blog was enjoyable. If you are going to keep it active, you may e-mail me to let me know. I hope everthing  is all right. You were so active on the Daily Pulse to get people, which was good, and you got people. I hope you are okay.
• #50 Comment from dialtone2511 
  10/11/06 10:39 AM | Permalink

  WHAT HAS HAPPENED, MISS YOUR BLOG, WAS A GOOD PLACE TO BLOG. COME BACK .
• #49 Comment from happyaslark 
  10/9/06 5:56 PM | Permalink

  Are you still writing your columns, so that we can blog about our opinions? It's a good blog.
• #48 Comment from jacksonfromny3 
  10/7/06 8:57 PM | Permalink

  A lot of us like this blog. Are you still writing? It is so much better than the Daily Pulse, which is a tabloid. Let us know if you are continuing it. I hope you intend to do so.
• #47 Comment from mrtuxedoman 
  10/7/06 9:25 AM | Permalink

  I WAS ENJOYING THIS BLOG.  WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO YOU?