March 10, 2004
Do I Feel Safe?
I saw my first shrub ad last night. Well, not really. Since I have this automatic cut-off in my head whenever there's an ad incoming, I had to be alerted by the spouse that our dinner wasn't being interrupted by another ad for viagra or antacids or the newest machine at the hospital--that it was a George and Laura ad. So, maybe because I tuned in late, the only thing I really remember is the ending where the shrub says "I'm President Bush and I approved this message" and my brain said "Yeah, right."
But then my brain corrected. I wasn't feeling cynical at all; I was feeling really cheerful. Because the ad is SO BAD.
Who's idea it was to have him announce himself as President Bush--like we didn't all know it already--I don't know. But it's weird. I mean who else uses his title when introducing himself to people he presumably wants to serve? Or did Howard Dean refer to himself as Governor Dean in his ads?
Anyway, given the smarmy visuals that preceeded that tag, the brain's automatic response was "you've got to be kidding. THIS is our president?"
I really can't remember much more. Which probably demonstrates why things have to be repeated over and over again. We just don't get stuff the first time around when we're not expecting it.
But, overnight the brain did process something and I THINK the message I was supposed to get was that my president understands that I want to feel safe, and I agree with that. And that he's going to protect me to make sure I feel safe. And that's where we have a parting of the ways. Because
I do not feel safe, when other people here at home or in other countries are being attacked.
I do not feel safe, when my neighbor loses his job.
I do not feel safe when my neighbor's children fall ill and have to be taken to the emergency room because they have no regular doctor.
I do not feel safe when my town tells me to have my well water tested because it might be contaminated with cancer causing chemicals.
I do not feel safe when I go to an airport to pick up a friend and hundreds of people are being patted down and have to take off their shoes in public.
I do not feel safe when buzzers and whistles and sirens go off in public spaces because they remind me of the sounds of bombs being dropped from way up high when I was a very little child. People say dropping bombs don't make any noise, but I heard them. Still do whenever an ambulance races down to road. You never get over being scared as a kid.
I do not feel safe when I read press reports about taser guns being issued to police all around the country to subdue people who might object to being told to "move on," when all they want is to make a statement and voice their disagreement in public.
I do not feel safe knowing that to challenge an illegal order is to risk being being arrested for "obstruction" and being shot on the spot for "resisting"--i.e. defending myself from assault.
I do not feel safe when I see electronic voting machines without a paper trail being installed in a state (Florida) where lightning shorts out electric circuits on a weekly if not daily basis and I know how easy it is for the insides of a computer to get fried.
I do not feel safe when I am told that all my fears will be gone just as soon as the war on terror is done, because a few crazy people blowing themselves up and taking some innocent people with them don't terrify me nearly as much as all of the stuff that's being done to protect me.
I do not feel safe because the people in charge when the terrorists actually struck weren't able to protect anyone then and there's no reason to think they are any more competent now. And that's the truth.
Posted by Hannah at March 10, 2004 08:14 AM