Surrealistic Fellow

Well, just when you thought that you had seen the current facist powers do EVERYTHING- You shake your head in disbelief at what happens next.

As you recall, our illustrious gun toting, Hawk-eyed VP had a little "accident" while stalking quail (no former V.P. reference intended) at a private "drive up, step out, and point at our hand raised tame birds" shooting rance in Texas (the only state in the union to still allow open beer containers in HAND while driving). He shot his friend, 78 year old Harry Whittington, in the face and neck.

WOW. Now, my first reaction if *I* had done that, would be to hang on to my friend all the way to the hospital, be profoundly sorry, and stand up immediately to say so.

Oh ho- not so in Conservative Oil circles. In that lofty world of power and corruption and power and private cells in foreign countries and lifting of Geneva convention rules and re-writing the rules of engagment to fit torture and Barbara Bush compassion, the amount of power is so absurdly great that the VICTIM apologized first.
Yep- you got it right. I can see how that can happen in these times.

Cheney, the ultimate poster child for soulless death, sat back quietly (although I am sure he felt a little bit bad), and waitied until his sick friend went before the cameras to make it ALL HIS FAULT. Then our illustrious VP came out - on his government sanctioned network FOX (Full Of Xhit) for a carefully crafted hand holding prescripted completely spun interview where he cried on cue to show us he cared.

WHO in their right mind lets their friend take the heat for shooting them? What kind of people do YOU know that you let apologize when YOU hurt THEM? Cummon- this isn't morals, this isn't the golden rule, this isn't even human.

As John Stewart of "The Daily Show" said 2-27: "Do you have a problem living in an abyss of soul crushing sadness?". I sure do.

Do you know what kind of POWER someone has to have to control the media, the country, and the party so heavily that a 78 year old shooting vicitim has to get up out of his hospital, face the inevitable cameras, and instead of saying "I forgive my friend, I was at fault too, these things happen, it was not forseeable, we both learned lessons, He has been very supportive for years, this won't hurt our friendship, OF COURSE he is still welcome at our house" and say "It was all MY fault"?

Yes, you probably can imagine. The kind of power that Jimmy Carter didn't have. The kind of power that Clinton didn't have. Clinton put UP with all that "free speech crap" for 8 years as one stupid accusation after another was hurtled at him.

These people in power now are SMART. They have enough control, repressive policies, and painful consequences to scare even their high paying FRIENDS.

They actually created the REAL poster on the right ("Watch, Ride, Report") for the DC subway system. They were approved by the adminsitration and put out on our streets.

Who SAYS Stalin died?

You sure can't prove it by this story.

So, if you like the folks in power- THINK a little bit about the way this entire story happened- and try to compare how the opposition handled their response to Cheney. The reflect on how the current administration acted, spoke, and hounded Clinton over numerous issues (many of which they now admit to having created). Look at that poster on the right there, and think about how historically the powerful have manipulated and controlled both the societies they rule and the media they allow to operate.

You have to be pretty damned powerful to have people apologize for YOUR mistakes.

Powerful- and mean.

(True Press Release reported in US Free Press, a non-Fox corporation publication).

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas -- The lawyer shot by U.S. Vice-President Dick Cheney while quail hunting left hospital yesterday, stressing it was an accident and giving Cheney his apologies.
"My family and I are deeply sorry for everything Vice-President Cheney and his family have had to deal with," Harry Whittington said in his first comments since being shot on a South Texas ranch six days earlier.
The Austin lawyer spoke less than 20 minutes before Cheney made his first public appearance since the shooting, receiving a rousing ovation from legislators in his home state Wyoming.
"It's a wonderful experience to be greeted by such warmth by the leaders of our great state. It's especially true when you've had a very long week," Cheney told lawmakers in Cheyenne. "Thankfully, Harry Whittington is on the mend and doing very well."
Whittington, 78, was hit in the face, neck and chest with birdshot Feb. 11. After a shotgun pellet travelled to his heart, he had suffered a mild heart attack Tuesday while being treated in hospital.

Whittington's voice was a bit raspy but strong, as he gave his brief statement. He had what appeared to be a line of cuts on his upper right eyelid and scrapes on his neck.
"We all assume certain risks in what we do, in what activities we pursue," Whittington said. "Accidents do and will happen."
He said last weekend involved "a cloud of misfortune and sadness that is not easy to explain, especially with those who are not familiar with the great sport of quail hunting."
Dr. David Blanchard said the lawyer was lucky to have survived the shooting. But he added Whittington wasn't answering questions because "he is not 100%."
Whittington sent his love and respect to Cheney and his family. "We hope that he will continue to come to Texas and seek the relaxation that he deserves."
Cheney took full blame for the shooting in a Wednesday appearance on Fox News but his comments yesterday were focused on reminiscing about Wyoming politicians.
About a dozen people waited outside the Capitol in freezing temperatures to protest Cheney's appearance.
"We're a little embarrassed that he's from our state," said Tony Hayden, of Cheyenne.
But Cheney also had his supporters, including Dan Yoksh, of Cheyenne, who watched Cheney's speech on television at the Cheyenne Regional Airport.
"I think the media has blown things out of proportion," Yoksh said of the accident.
"If you go duck hunting out here, you're bound to get shot sometime."
In Texas, the Kenedy County Sheriff's Department closed its investigation in the shooting Thursday without filing any charges. The department's report supported the account of the vice-president, who told an investigator he did not see his hunting partner while aiming for a bird. )

If you want to make a change, try pushing the button here: