Monkey See, Monkey Do

I heard the pundits” talking this morning on MSNBC about “doing" Iran, as in, invasion, as in pre-meditated attack, as in sexual fantasy emboldened by Imperial Viagra—god knows how many fantasies must be simultaneously in play for this blather to be fully aired aboard the Kow-Towing media barges.

The way it works in today’s Washington is that the decision is made—the Republic spins in counter-revolution to the sun; then the Bushies tell the pundits to talk it up (which they get paid handsomely to do—remember that talking isn’t the same as truth telling)—and the cycle of proposed vainglory and real violence begins afresh—this time we will have a “Gulf of Tonkin” but without a resolution, eh Gov?

That’s right. There will be no Congressional oversight at all. Look at the passivity and vacuous language of the pundits. I don’t see anyone standing up and calling for the restoration of reason. We’re in a terrible way in America when “reason” is “treasonous” and yet that’s where we seem to be. Viva Viagra! As if two failed wars aren’t enough, let’s start another one!

Does anyone remember the closing scene in the film “Aguirre, The Wrath of God”? Klaus Kinski stands on a battered raft somewhere in the Amazon—conquistador haunted by sun stroke and a thousand monkeys, the raft just spinning and all that merciless sunlight. That’s the perfect image of imperial failure—which is of course imaginative failure with real lives in the balance.

S.K.

Comments

[Fred]

The person who introduced me to your blog has a way of reining me in whenever I pounce on her with a new idea that will make the world a good and happy place. She always says, "Once again, you assume people are rational." This tragic bomb is always dropped with deep affection, and I always take it as a compliment.

The only comfort we have is that the founders insisted on frequent elections, which don't elect any messiahs, but they limit the power of any regime. What appears to be a good form of government is really nothing more than ensuring that government does as little as possible.

If we're lucky.

[Jessica]

Hi Steve, this Jessica from your film studies course. I was just checking out your blog and came across this post. I was wondering if you watch the Dr. Phil show? A couple weeks ago that show featured the only blind/deaf triplets in the world and made me think of "The Miracle Worker." The segment talked about how these triplets at the age of three had no way of communicating with anyone and Dr. Phil hired this lady to teach these kids how to sign. It seriously reminded me of the Helen Killer/Annie Sullivan story from "The Miracle Worker."