Questions without Answers

There aren’t many liberal, peace-lovers who attend Memorial Day services. I’ve tried to do my part – appealing to even anti-war activists to acknowledge the sacrifice of fallen soldiers. I tell them the speeches will be about giving thanks, not glorifying war. I mention music and touching tributes. Then my friends make some excuse to catch me later in the day when it becomes acceptable to start drinking again.

Until today, my arguments were spot on. After today, not so much.

At Bay Pines this morning, I fought the urge to hurl. Never before have I witnessed such a nauseating display of right-wing propaganda thinly disguised as patriotism. Representative CW “Bill” Young gave his typical snoozer of a speech until unloading this gem on the audience:

I’m going to ask you a question and I don’t want you to answer right away. I want you to think about it for a while. This is the question: While protecting the American people from terrorism, what will you allow the federal government to do?

I sat surrounded by Billy’s peeps – a pro-military audience that bleeds red, white, and blue. They applauded at all the right moments. Which is why he seemed surprised that no one responded with: “Do whatever you want! Break our laws and take away our rights! We won’t complain! Just save us, please!” However, they didn’t boo or hiss either. I’m the only one in the crowd who replied with a shocked, “Son of a b*tch!” Boy Scouts behind me seemed more irritated with my words than what the Congressman was saying.

I hoped to see a face as outraged as my own, but instead saw mouth breathers too busy trying to stop Junior from eating bugs.

Billy pressed on:

And if we don’t do everything we can to stop them, if terrorists attack us again, how will that make you feel?

I put my hand over my mouth to stop the vomit and looked around again. I don’t think many people in the audience understood the question. Or perhaps their hearing aids weren’t working properly. I’m not sure. Something has to explain the collective blank stare.

It’s not like I expected Representative Young to talk about the evils of our military-industrial complex. Although I’d have given the codger a standing ovation if he had. No, I simply would have preferred to hear about gratitude and an anecdote or two from soldiers who are still fortunate to be alive. Perhaps someone could have expressed hope for an end to warfare in our lifetime or a need to rally behind the families who have lost loved ones in armed conflicts. There were many topics to choose from and Congressman C.W. should have picked one that inspired instead of excusing an administration that wants to take liberties away and conveniently blame the enemy. I've said it before, no one is buying that particular brand of bullsh*t anymore. Not even Junior.