Darby Strong

Playing point. Delivering the rock.

The New and Improved Crusades

I live in the Bible Belt. I imagine it to be a real fancy and outlandish belt, like one worn by a princess whose job it is to look pretty and be agreeable, always glistening like cut glass in tar.

I have been around Christian people my whole life; my grandmother was an Eastern Star woman, who wore a dove pin on her shoulder and open heart on her sleeve. She was a true example of a good Christian woman, leaving judgment in the hands of her creator and extending love to all, no matter their religion, sexual orientation, or alternate belief systems. The main lesson I learned from Grandma Rae was to refrain from judging others and to remain compassionate, no matter the situation. She has said to me more than once, “What would Jesus do?”

These are hard lessons, and maintaining compassion in the face of hatred is something I will probably never master, but I try. I am a hedonist, after all, as well as a buddhist, taoist, pagan, and agnostic, all at the same time and sometimes none of them at all. Mostly, I believe that every being deserves respect and dignity. However, I am finding it extremely difficult to extend this compassion and non-judgement to my closed-minded, Bible thumping brothers and sisters who are praising a system that wants to rid the world of anyone not like them.

Jesus IS just all right, but the present day Crusades our moronic administration is conducting has suddenly turned our Christian country into a swarm of obedient and mindless consumers of hate. And proud of it. I see stickers on more than half of the bumpers parked in every church lot from here to Charleston. Please explain to me the idea of war (an unjustified one, at that) in the name of Christianity. I know, I know…they have been married for thousands of years, but it is high time for a divorce.

I have always looked upon this Bible Belt from afar, like a mischievous gypsy observing those faraway lands in her crystal ball. Now, I am IN the crystal ball, and I want to help change the course of the future from hate to at least compassion. For EVERYBODY, including gay, Muslim, Jewish, and even unmarried fornicators like me.

With that said, I keep this quote in mind, by C.P. Snow, an English novelist and scientist:
“When you think of the long and gloomy history of man, you will find more hideous crimes have been committed in the name of obedience than have ever been committed in the name of rebellion.”

Onward Christian Soldiers

Magnetic yellow ribbons don the back of a high percentage of cars in my new neighborhood, along with “W” stickers. I am being told to support the troops and that I am a traitor if I don’t. I have been called worse.

The last time I can recall ANY dialogue regarding each soldier’s responsibility in perpetuating war was in the 8th grade while reading Richard Bach. I recall him speaking of personal responsibility and consequence, even in times of war. Of each human being having an obligation to make choices based on their personal belief system. That murder is not suddenly nor easily rationalized by claiming one country’s morality over another’s. That was over 20 years ago, and I am hard pressed for any new honest and critical thought regarding each soldier’s responsibility and hand in war.

Please understand. I feel great sadness and compassion for the group of soldiers who are having to fight our War of Greed. I abhor the exploitation of each soldier. I wish for them to come home to their families and live a life without having to murder on behalf of the state. I wish for our war veterans to try and explain to these soldiers how their lives have been bettered by their agreement to kill for the state. To explain to us all how this war is defending our country and democracy itself. It is not. I support the five-thousand soldiers who are reportedly AWOL, and am not puzzled by their decision.

I myself forget that we are at war. I am sure the families of slain soldiers do not forget. Our access to the realities of everyday killing and death are clouded by our administration’s ability to act as if we have spread democracy across the land like some peach preserves across needy toast. Why are we at war? Who will benefit the most from this war? Not the soldiers or their loved ones.

Some things, I suppose, are worth killing for. Fattening the coffers of a select and despicable minority is not one of them.

A Farewell To Anchors

Welcome to March 9th, 2005 or the Official Dan Rather resignation day. Every time I turn the channel, new commentary appears regarding Dan Rather stepping down from his anchor position at CBS. I am about as interested in Dan Rather’s career as I am in who wins the next American Idol. What DOES interest me, however, is the coverage.

The memo which seemed to be an official document condemning Bush’s military service record which Rather used in a 60 Minutes report was a fake. Definitely something to scrutinize. What baffles me, though, is that NOBODY in the mainstream media ever thinks to discuss the actual subject of the report – Bush’s military service record. We all know he evaded his responsibility to show up for an entire year of active guard duty. I don’t think anyone can successfully deny that. (If your daddy was pres’dint and former director of the CIA, wouldn’t you be doing blow and drinking at Camp David instead of reporting for duty, as well?)

The fact that the Bush administration is so damn good at the media control game is what has me looking for land in New Zealand. They have been successful into turning Dubya’s spotty record into maligning Dan Rather’s entire career.

Dan Rather put it best when speaking about his biggest concern:
“That the American press as a whole will succumb to the undertow to be more docile, in some cases obsequious . . . to move in the middle, settle for mediocrity — one, in exchange for access, and two, out of fear that you’d be called a bad name, unpatriotic, or radical right or liberal. What I’m talking about here is the increasing danger of being intimidated.”