Friday, April 14, 2006

Good Night and Good Luck

NOTE: POLITICAL RANT TO FOLLOW. READERS CONSIDER YOURSELF WARNED ;)


I finally saw this fantastic film about Edward Murrow and the risks he took to speak out against McCarthy in a time when only hearsay and rumors could land you in prison. No hearing was neccessary, no chance to defend yourself, only connections to the wrong people, or speaking out against the wrong people. In fact, the early 1950s were a time when if you spoke out against certain people, you were automatically labeled anti-American and your patriotism was questioned. It was a time when a small group of individuals had were able to intimidate the entire nation by fear and paranoia, a small group of people who had the world thinking that the only way to be a "Good American" was to agree with them. You could lose your job, your friends, your family, your reputation because someone else said you were a risk. Without proof, without cause, just because a person with power said so.

Sound familiar? Back then, it was only a junior senator from Wisconsin who was leading the witch hunt. The President stepped in and put a stop to it. Who will help us now?

I don't often talk about politics. Not because I don't think about them, not because I don't have convictions, but mostly because I'm afraid to take the lid off the boiling pot. I feel very strongly about our leadership in this country, and I don't agree with the vast majority of what is happening. I feel helpless, and without chance to change things. I'm amazed at how many situations have occured in our nation lately, and the people responsible don't seem to really be held responsible for it.

President Clinton was impeached because he lied about an affair. And while having an affair is no way for a married man and the President of United States to act, it also (IMHO) is not a reason to be questioned for or impeached over.

Our current leader has taken us into a war under false pretenses (at the best), even lied outright to us about his intent of war. And that is the tip of the iceberg in my opinion. There are countless other situations that I'm too lazy to list, but always seem to end with it "not being his fault", which somehow puzzles me when the buck doesn't stop anywhere else.

I hate the fact that as an Christian, not only might I be thought of as "anti-American" for these thoughts, but also have my faith questioned as well.

When did we start letting other people think for us? When did it become okay to just follow blindly?

Well, I've tried that route before in my life, and you know what? It sucks. God blessed me with a pretty sharp mind, an inquisitive mind, a questioning mind. He also gave me the ability to see many angles, but still have a strong sense of Right and Wrong.

I see a lot of similarities between the McCarthy age and now. I'm having a really hard time seeing much Right in all of it though.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

While I disagree with you about the President AND about the McCarthy era, I do agree that we should think for ourselves and not blindly follow. I would never question your patriotism or faith because of your beliefs. What I question is how do we find the truth in order to think for ourselves when the media puts their own spin on everything, either left or right.

Anonymous said...

Uhm... Clinton wasn't impeached. Although he should've been. =)

It's important to undertand the role of a leader... leaders make decisions. Right or wrong... the decisions still need to be made, and it is leaders that'll generally make that decision.

Leaders make the best decision possible with whatever information they have at their disposal.

Again, they don't make the right or wrong decisions... they make the best possible decisions.

We voted him in the office... yes "WE."

Some people think that the president of our country should be perfect. Do you see what's wrong with this picture?

Anyway... "Without proof, without cause"... I hope 9/11 is proof enough.

No one should think for you... nor follow blindly.

No similarity between McCarthy age and now. Please be specific if you're going to compare...

How's your pregnancy going?

Denise B. said...

Let me just start out by saying that I'm not allowing this to sink into a big political arguement, but when you post wrong information, or contradicting info, I do need to address it.

Yes, Clinton WAS impeached, however he was not given the most severe form, and therefore wasn't removed from office.

Yes, we usually hope that leaders make the best decision possible, but when there is evidence to prove that those leaders are manipulating public opinion to support their own agendas, well, maybe it is safe to say they aren't making the best decisions after all.

YOU may have voted for him, but I did NOT.

If the idea of holding the president of the country up to perfect ideals is wrong, then WHY should Clinton have been impeached?'

9/11 was not proof that we should go to war with Iraq. Iraq wasn't involved, as far as we know.

Specifically, the similarities between the McCarthy age and now is that individuals are being held, against their will, without just cause or due process, just as then individuals were being persecuted based on rumor but no just cause.

My pregnancy is going fine, thank you for asking. ;)

Anonymous said...

Come on now Denise...

"YOU may have voted for him, but I did NOT."

You know our state is a republic... and not a true democratic one. So if we passed a law and you voted against it... does it me that you don't have to abide by it?

Clinton broke the law!

I'm glad you know about our state affairs more than our state department does. In fact! you should run our state department with your liberal misinformation.

The paragraph on McCarthy... blah, blah, blah...

Haha... Are you mad yet? I bet you're fuming right about now... haha :-P

Correction... I didn't know about Clinton's impeachment. Thanks for correcting me. Although it dosen't matter... because he was one of the most worthless presidents we had in recent years. :-P