I was going to rant and rave about how it seems the bad guys in America seem to come out on top. They are full of greed, self service, and and any hint of conscience is stuffed away like winter coats during a hot humid sultry summer.
My focus of good guy vs. bad guy equalling ugly was going to center on all the flip flop on health care, budget cuts for programs helping the poor, the economic recovery which right now seems to be recovering the banks and fortune 500 companies, and the lies and and hypocrisy of the mainly Republican white male Senators, Governors, and a Few House of Representative Congress people.
But as I stated earlier, two supposedly no -related news stories appeared on television, and made me shudder and think. And now I am once again "mad as hell", and feel so frustrated that good it seems IS triumphing over bad, with the results creating ugly, with very little to stop that madness.
The GOOD . Lt Col. Raymond Rivas had elected to serve in the armed forces and be deployed to countries he believed wanted a chance to experience a free life and a life of equality for all. He was deployed in Iraq, and it seemed as his "poor" luck would have it, was caught in bomb blasts on three deployments. And each time after the blasts, the medics treated his physical wounds. But they (the medics) really never had cause to consider what might have been transpiring to his brain each time the blast riveted Lt. Col Rivas's body.
Each time the Lt. Col. was injured the medics tried to repair the body and each time after a certain amount of recovery time Lt. Col Rivas was sent back to the frontline. And for at least 5 times he was in the very epicenter of conflict and was caught in areas where bombs and mines exploded.
Finally, the army realized that the wounds suffered by the Lt Col. might be having more devastating effects than just the physical, and they began to try and repair the real culprit, severe injury to HIS brain.
Of course that course of medicine was lame and time consuming and half heartedly provided. So poor was the assistance for Lt. Col.Rivas, that he and his wife with the support of friends and colleagues spoke in front of the Congress, urging the same swift action all of the patriotic elected officials had in declaring war on Iraq to immediately declare war on an inadequate and post war medical effort.
The same men and women who shouted out "God Bless America", and "victory is ours" for the Iraq War, rung their hands sitting at their respective desks at the Capitol and slowly said we need to do something about this. Need to? How about "why haven't we!"
Well it seems the only person to make a difference in Lt. Col. Rivas life was Raymond Rivas. He sat in the parking lot of the Veterans Hospital which seemed to only slowly and uncaringly handle his priority medical case and the Lt. Col. committed suicide.
The BAD.
Following that news item, the same channel had an update story on the "changing history tour", crusade, Liz Cheney, eldest daughter of the Ex-Vice President, Dick Cheney had been leading. Lizzie it seems is still "pissed" that we are getting the facts wrong about Iraq. That her daddy was only thinking of the United States as he swore there were weapons of mass destruction, as he leaked information about Valerie Plame, as he stated to the Congress that we must allow no bid contracts from Haliburton to supply weapons, food and all necessities because the boogie men of Al qaeda will surely invade the U. S. if we don't act now, was something the liberal press ignored.
Liz Cheney mentioned nothing of the men and women who were sent to Iraq to fight "Dicks" war. She mentioned nothing of the sacrifices these individuals made with their physical and mental health, and little Lizzie, just spoke in her well controlled accusing voice that it was her dear old dad who is suffering the most. For it was his bravery above all else, and his risk of not being popular with the masses, that now hurts and haunts him.
(This is the same brave man who during the Viet Nam war had at least 5 or 6 deferments, and when asked why he had the deferments said, "he had other priorities in the 60's, then the war in Viet Nam.")
The UGLY. So Dick Cheney and doting daughter Liz will speak and lecture and eventually write a book or two and go home to some palatial mansion, never ever meeting or speaking to or even giving thought to the men and women who believed the lies and misinformation, regurgitated by the Bush/Cheney administration.
Neither daughter or father will admit to any mistakes which might lead to an apology or a sense of sadness or sorrow or even conscience to any members of the soldiers families. And more and more Vets, will come home to a life so completely changed and for many void of any hope.
BUT the Cheney clan will try and try to rewrite the facts, the history, make plenty of money, gain notoriety, and claim all who were wounded or maimed or died, did it for a just cause, the Cheney Cause, the Cheney War.
At the final hearing where Lt Col Ravis spoke to the very sympathetic and patronizing Congress he made an important statement. Lt. Col Raymond Ravis said, "I did not choose to get blown up."
Wonder where the blame for the blowing up and injury and lies and uncaring help really falls?
No comments :
Post a Comment