.jpg)
SMALL CHILD: Who are those mean and scary looking men, grandpa?
GRANDPA: They're some very bad men who hurt people, tortured them, or started wars to kill innocent people, or made it possible for that bad stuff to happen.
SMALL CHILD: Oh. Why did they do that, grandpa?
GRANDPA: Nobody knows, honey. They were just very bad men the devil got to do evil things for him.
SMALL CHILD: Were they all soldiers?
GRANDPA: Some were, but some were leaders, and others were people who made a big mistake by helping the leaders do bad things.
SMALL CHILD: Oh. Grandpa, are they in jail?
GRANDPA: Some of them lived a long time ago and are dead now. Those were put into jail and then were put to sleep forever for doing such bad things.
SMALL CHILD: What about the rest, grandpa? Are they in jail now?
GRANDPA: Not yet, angel.
SMALL CHILD: WILL they ever go to jail, or get put to sleep too for being so bad?
pause
GRANDPA: I don't know, sweetheart. I don't know...
8 comments:
Great post Jack. The strange thing is, I remember being a child and looking at the arc of history in bewilderment, wondering how people ever let terrible things happen on such a massive scale...
Once again we are left to ponder the unexplainable. How did a country with a free press and a robust nationwide community of investigative reporters ignore the obvious truth and facts for seven years?
It's only possible when people of good conscience in a nation stay silent while crimes are committed openly in their name.
Sadly there will always be ample followers to march blindly and believe.
Here's hoping that our sometimes cowardly silence doesn't enable future wars and oppression.
-SJ
Good call on Jay Bybee. How that thumbbreaker is still a judger of the rest of us is a crime in itself.
Great points, guys, and I am ashamed and sorry this post ever had to be made in the first place. SJ: To those who wonder with incredulity how the German people could have ever allowed the Nazis to do what they did now have a slightly milder, but still horrible, modern-day example of a country collectively losing its mind and spirit. MD: I'm solidly in favor of Bybee's impeachment, and war crimes trials for him, Yoo, Addington, Ashcroft, Gonzales, Rumsfeld, Cheney, and Bush. Might as well include Rupert Murdoch for his network's jingoistic approach ever since 8/11.
Dude, where did you get that evil-looking pic of Fredo (Alberto Gonzales)?
Fredo's an example of a very sad thing, how a fellow can come up hardscrabble, from a minority group, and yet still end up as big an asshole as Dick Cheney. One would hope he had learned crucial life lessons on that journey. Nope.
GREAT GRAND-CHILD:
Great Grand-Dad, what did you do during the period of Busheney Fascism?GREAT GRAND-DAD JACK:
My son, I blogged my brains out, heart and soul. I wrote letters, demonstrated, and did everything I could think of to stop it and end it as soon as possible.GREAT GRAND-CHILD:
Great Grand Pops, you're my hero!
Manifesto Joe,
I just googled Alberto Gonzales photos and pored over them until I found one that made him look like an evil conspirator. It was quite a search, because he merely looked doofy in most pics. Regrettably, he is one of those people who never seem to really learn much of anything. I think the school that gave him his law degree should have their accreditations yanked. Permanently.
----------------
Vigilante,
Thanks for the kind thoughts and creative comment. Truth is, I didn't raise enough hell during the Iraq War, which I was always suspicious of but finally came to strongly oppose in 2005. Now that this torture program has been exposed, I strongly regret not having raised hell from March 2003 onward. This was perhaps the darkest and most shameful period in our entire history, and I am sorry I had to even post this particular blog. I thought, how could our actions ever be explained to future generations or to small children? And so was born this post.
Jack, you've proposed and exposed what Merlin said so long ago... it's the doom of mankind that they forget. What an excellent way to stir the memory and fasten our current criminal politico's into the nasties who commit the atrocious crimes against humanity! Really. I was struck by the rogues' gallery... a great statement! And yes, what a great shame that you've been so moved to re-create one like this.
And hey! "Vigilante"! Gee but did you hit that one right on the head!
ghb
Thanks, Gwendolyn! They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so I thought I'd put varied people all guilty of similar crimes to make it strike home.
Post a Comment