"The
gutters are clogged with the dead
The ones who couldn't join in
The others refusing to sing
The ones who are losing their voice
The ones who've forgotten the tune."
-- Excerpt
"God Bless America,"
Harold Pinter, 2003
Preceding
generations had every reason to believe those following them would step
into the breach and continue the vigil over this nation's Constitutional
freedoms and, if necessary, fight to preserve them. They believed, like
George Washington warned -- "Government is a "force; like fire, a
troublesome servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it
be left to irresponsible action." And they remembered, from generation
to generation. Unfortunately, those following our generation will have
no such luxury.
We blew it.
We forgot to remember when history goes around, it inevitably comes back
around. We forgot to remember that the U.S. Constitution is the beating
heart of the United States and, from its inception, was designed to
protect the freedoms and liberties of "we the people." However, Supreme
Court Justice
Antonin Scalia maintains that the Constitution is a "dead" document,
and says he "cringes" when it is referred to as "living." Vice President
Dick Cheney, the duck-hunting buddy Scalia unconstitutionally installed
in the White House in the 2000 election coup must agree, since he
refuses to abide by even one of its strictures.
Nobody is more adept at forgetting to remember than Attorney General
Alberto Gonzales, or “Fredo,” as Bush calls him. Remember Fredo --
Michael Corleone's dumb-as-dirt, totally controlled brother in the
“Godfather” series? The nickname is a perfect fit for Gonzales, who
cannot recall what he had for breakfast this morning. The one thing he
knows for certain -- the Constitution is "an outdated document" --
quaint and old-fashioned, but of no use in Fredo's world of abuse and
torture and trickle-down fascism.
And President George Bush, who flies into a rage when he feels his will
-- his God-given right to rule -- is being tested, holds this
living document of American liberty in utmost contempt. In Dec. 2005,
when Bush was determined to renew and expand the destructive USA Patriot
Act, an aide reminded him that invasion into citizens' private lives
underminded the Constitution. Bush immediately
exploded -- "Stop throwing the Constitution in my face," he
screamed, "It's just a goddamned piece of paper."
Right then. At that moment, Bush should have been removed from office.
Can anyone make the case that Bush deserved to remain at the helm of
this nation for even 10 seconds after spewing such treasonous hate and
filth? Lest we forget, not once, but twice, Bush stood before the Chief
Justice of the Supreme Court, his hand on the Bible, and parroted, "I do
solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of
the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect
and defend the Constitution of the United States."
Lest we forget, that 35-word oath
is required of all elected presidents,and can be found in Article II,
Section I, Clause 8 of the U.S. Constitution.
The Constitution is so vital for keeping this republic on track that
those who work for the government -- all three branches -- to include
the vice president, each member of both houses of Congress, unelected
Supreme Court justices, and military personnel must take
similar oaths. Supporting the Constitution -- defending it against
all enemies, both foreign and domestic -- is literally their job
description. All else is political folly.
Surely Americans must know that a crisis without precedent is underway
in this country. The first target in the Straussian neocon's
war of terror was the Constitution and, by extension, the American
people. We are hurtling headlong into tyranny and, as Harold Pinter so
aptly put it -- those whom we elected to protect both us and the
Constitution have either lost their voices or seem to have forgotten the
tune.
It's all politics all the time. Those on the right champion the
suppression of free speech and assembly. Those on the left are equally
to blame; complicit in their silence, although they know Bush's war is
but another "option on the table" to keep the populace cowering in
irrational fear for political gain. Neither side seems willing to admit
there's a big difference, both legal and ethical, between asking
citizens to die for their country -- and demanding they "kill" for their
country...
Bush's "reign" since 9-11 has been one bad-tempered tantrum after
another. Bush has executed the office of the president every
single day over the past six years, just as he promised -- faithfully,
relentlessly. As we stare dazedly over the blood-sodden landscapes of
two continents, we remember -- too late -- the only thing Bush ever did
in his entire life with any enthusiasm was "execute."
It's time for Americans to actually read the "Uniting and Strengthening
America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and
Obstruct Terrorism
(USA Patriot Act) Act of 2001 (preceeding generations recognize this
as the "Enabling Act"), and the
Military Commissions Act of 2006, which completes the loop of
oppression, revokes the right to
habeas corpus not only for detainees, but for anyone Bush or Fredo
labels an “enemy combatant,” including legal US citizens. This
destructive act places the "Commander Guy" at the helm of the executive
panthean where he is bound only by his imagination when it comes to
detaining, torturing and murdering other human beings.
Continued compliance with such venal madness is no longer an option on
the people's table. Elected officials must do more than jerk the
Constitution out of their pockets and wave it in the faces of their
opponents as they rip off some really neat sound bytes and posture for
the media. Perhaps if they actually read the Constitution, they would
discover what they forgot to remember -- they have no choice but to
impeach the entire cabal for their absolute despotism, illegal actions,
lies, and filthy war crimes.
It's in their job description.
And then we should revive the
Declaration of Independence so we can get on with restoring this
once great republic to its former grandeur -- an ethical and political
entity that derives its powers from the consent of the governed.
==
Sheila
Samples is an Oklahoma writer and a former civilian US Army Public
Information Officer. She can be reached at
rsamples@sirinet.net
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