I Do, Kind Of
Sometimes it's a circuitous route from the germ of an idea for a cartoon to the idea being fleshed out, and finally to the fully realized idea, at which point I can move beyond the doodles and thumbnail sketches that are part of the process. This one, believe it or not, started with George W. Bush's interview with Jim Lehrer last week on the PBS Newshour. I won't retrace all the steps that got me to a couple at the altar, but the starting point was something the president said that I think would have to chill the blood of any American, regardless of political affiliation, and it went completely unnoticed. And that got me ruminating about swearing oaths of office and how casually not just politicians but everybody approaches the serious business of keeping promises. Lehrer asked Bush why, when every president involved in a war from Washington on had asked for sacrifices of the American people, Bush hadn't felt it necessary to do so. Bush, after a moment when you could see he was rattled, said that the American people were indeed making a sacrifice, they were sacrificing their "peace of mind." Once he regained his balance he went on to the stunning non-sequitur of defending his tax cuts for the wealthy, but it was that peace of mind thing that stopped me in my tracks. Yeah, I thought, he's right, that should do it. Sacrifice means giving up something for something else you want even more. The collective American angst will surely bring the Iraq insurgency to its knees.
posted by John M Crowther @ 7:49 AM
10 Comments:
Yes, our Prez has caused America to sacrifice its peace of mind. Cynics may claim that it is a calculated political trick: a fear-filled populace is a malleable populace.
Herman Goering once said: “… it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship… All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.”
Jimmy Carter was asked on C-Span yesterday what he thought the differences were in the various presidencies he has known. He reminded his Georgia audience that once upon a time FDR attempted to calm the anxieties of the American public by reminding us that “all we have to fear is fear itself.”
Our present leader seems to be using the opposite tactic.
Well put, prof. Or as someone once said (perhaps you can track down the origin of the quote), "be afraid, be very afraid."
I cannot imagine how you went from Bush's interview for inspiration to a reluctant or worried groom for the cartoon. I wish I had seen that Lehrer interview.
After 9/11, the attack was so horrible and close to home, I think Bush did not have to ask for sacrifices from the American people, the response at the time was obvious. To me, Lehrer's question was "a cheap shot." What I don't understand is why Congress has not restarted the draft?
Because I lived thru the depression and WW2 I remember all the stickers on cars, "Remember the Maine", "Remember Pearl Harbor". Where are the signs for "Remember 9/11."
il professore quoting Herman Goering has me wanting to look up more about him. Goering's first wife, when he was living in Sweden, was my aunt's best friend. When she died he went back to Germany and after that became involved with Hitler. My father knew him also and both said the man they knew was not the monster he is known as. But they had no contact with him after his wife's death.
Often we get messages that could be open for our own thoughts because of experience and education or lack of it.
I appreciate and value your comments, Katherine. I'm glad that we can open a debate here. I think that in fact after 9/11 the American people were ready and willing to make great sacrifices, but that willingness has dwindled as we've become increasingly bogged down in the morass of Iraq. For one thing, it has become clear there was no connection between 9/11 and Iraq. For another, the reasons for the invasion, one after another, have proved to be false, and Americans can see no good reason to be there now other than to minimize the debacle it has become. You argue in favor of a draft, which is one possible call for sacrifice. One can also ask why the president hasn't called for a draft, especially in view of the fact that his administration has claimed more and more power for the executive branch. If for no other reason, this makes Lehrer's question a fair one, just as yours is.
It was fascinating to know of the pre-war connection between your family and Goering. Thanks for sharing that, Katherine.
Do not want war, absolutely NO draft!, have a young friend who is an artist fighting in Iraq right now. We have a bear by the tail and can not let go. Thought this war was a mistake from the get-go but am terribly afraid that our brave young soldiers might come back to the kind of reception that the young men and women did after VN. I cringe with guilt everytime I think of how they were treated.
Fred Vinson, who later became chief Justice, once said. "When i was growing up it was dangerous to be thought to be afraid"I have always believed that to be true.roger
John, I feel that the war in Iraq was a mistake, but probably would have happened with anyone that was President at that time.
There are times when we have reason to be fearful. We need to take precautions and be prepared.
Katherine, you're unquestionably right about Afghanistan. I'm not so sure about Iraq, since we know now the intelligence didn't really support it; it was a case of "picking and choosing the information that supported the policy." The tragic thing, and I'm sure you'll agree, is the way we're now caught between Iraq and a hard place.
>>(perhaps you can track down the origin of the quote), "be afraid, be very afraid." <<
"No. Be afraid. Be very afraid" was said by Geena Davis in the 1986 version of "The Fly," screenplay by David Cronenberg and Chas. Edward Pogue, but I think we can track its origin back to Romans 13:4-4: "For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil."
Both Afghanistan and Iraq are forever going to have tribal wars. I see no solution to them. About all we can do is get out and hope for the best.
It reminds me of the children's story of the basket of sweet potatoes. You take one out and two immediately replace it. That seems to be the way with terrorists.
Katherine
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