Who's That

Sometimes I just feel the need to rant.

 

 

          As I observe the goings on of the 2008 political season, I begin to wonder about the intelligence of the people of America. Before I go any further and before anyone scurries off to get the tar and feathers or questions my "patriotism", I should provide a bit of context for my discussion. I have a wonderful dog that I love dearly. Shelby is part Lab and part Chow. She has a never-ending drive to please and protect her people and I love everything about her except her repulsive predilection for the flavor of the “crunchies” that she mines from the cat’s litter box. But I digress. Shelby’s desire to protect her people is displayed anytime she sees someone walking past the front of her house. She leaps up in the window and barks and snarls in a fashion that would make Kujo blush. If she is unaware of the presence of the interloper, I need only call out, “Who’s that?” and she leaps to the window and assumes he role as the psycho watchdog.

          One day I decided to play a trick on her. I yelled, “Who’s that?” with as much urgency as I could muster and true to form my personal intercontinental ballistic canine was launched to the window. When she saw that no one was there, she looked up and down the street, just to be sure. Finally, satisfied that no trespasser was present, she got down from the window, rolled her eyes at me and began to walk away. About then, I began to wonder how long it would take her to catch on if I kept crying wolf. “Who’s that?” I cried again. Without hesitation, she lunged to the window again. Surely there’s some dangerous thug out there now, she seemed to be thinking. But again, no one was there. After the third false alarm, based on the way she scowled at me, I was pretty sure she was thinking, Jerk! Finally on the eighth “Who’s that!” she glared at me distainfully and walked into the kitchen for a bite of kibble. I had suckered her seven times, but eventually she’d wised up.

          I’ve noticed that every political season, the GOP warns us that this is the four-year span that the terrorists will come to get us. They warn us that the Democrats are weak, they want to talk to our enemies; useless diplomacy. "We are hawkish protectors and will keep you safe," they promise. Every time they do it, we run to that metaphorical window and elect another Republican. In the ensuing four-year span, insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, oil companies and corporations who raise profits by exporting jobs, get richer while ordinary Americans get poorer, jobless, homeless and less healthy. As the next election cycle nears, we walk away from the window muttering, much like my beloved hound. We swear to ourselves that we won’t fall for it again. Then the Republicans yell “Terrorists!” again and before we know it, we're at the window barking, then looking up and down the street. Hook, line and sinker. I can’t help but ask myself if we are smarter than Shelby or if we’ll run to that proverbial window again this November.

Reviews

[bailish]

Interesting. But if you don't run to the window, you run the risk that there is actually someone there. Some think it is better to be prepared and not have to use it than to be caught unaware. At any rate, the fact that terrorists have attacked the US is history recent enough that the average American remembers what they were doing at the time makes it a valid concern. Add to that the fact that American policies are alienating many countries that officially are our friends, and we've got a dangerous situation.

I loved using your dog's over alertness as a metaphor for the American people's voting record.

[Le' Pugh']

I think your candidate will prevail. And you're right... Democrats never use fear to get elected.

Republicans poison the water... kill old people... destroy social security... deny you healthcare... fight wars for oil... send your children into harm's way for nothing...

Well written piece. I enjoyed reading and loved the parallel you drew with your dog.

Bear

[Christel Grady]

LMAO! It's all mainstream media propaganda, but the average joe doesn't see it?! I have a feeling that in 25 years, if we as humans are still around, we will have learned that THEY are the terrorists, always keeping US afraid so that we will not think for ourselves. : )

[Blackbirdsong]

I love the analogy you make here about crying wolf and how long it's going to take people to finally get that what's they're basically falling for. I also love the story about Shelby and how finally she got disgusted and walked away...hopefully that will happen someday for those who have two-legs and vote.

[Kristina Moulaison]

Bravo, very good. Send it to someone to publish. Even if it's the local paper. It is very worthy. Good smart analogy. (Love the picture of your puppy too)