Fried Clams and Rumsfeld Give Me Gas

I woke up at 7 am. Had gas and went back to bed. Between the family reunion planning, my sister being here from Houston, my interview, packing, and trying to get into a NY state of mind I feel a bit stressed. Like a low grade migraine on my inner peace. I also think that fried clam dinner I had last night has contributed to my sluggishness. I had major gas.

So upon rising, talking to my sister, and finding Rolaids I heard on CNN that Rumsfeld had finally agreed to a meeting with Congress; and, everyone was happy that he showed up in that waspy, American "legal/corporatese", dry, tight-lipped irony that is so funky.

The first words I heard out of Rumsfeld mouth were like tepid swamp water. He said that he believed that we are seeing what war will look like for the 21st century.

"Fine" I thought.

Then he went on to talk about the war on terrorism as a clash between systems and it is not being fought in the traditional way.

At this point my mother stops roaming through the house (she finds dirt where I just don't see it) and sits at the dining room table.

"Bogus." I said to my mother, "Every war is about a clash of systems or cultures with tactical differences."

Mom laughed and started to clap during varying parts of the imperial congressional questioning. I continued to talk under my breath. She would then laugh again at my jokes. I must say in the last year and a half I see that my mother has always been much more politically active than most people take her to be. It has had a great influence on my view of the world. Southerners are very much about appearances, and what people really think is always masked pretty well. I lost some of that in NYC. Now I see its usefulness.

Anyway, back to another episode of Hogan's Heroes and American military policy . . .

It is simple. Rummie and the other cronies make the assumption that if you are poor and not white then you probably can't think and interact with your environment. So, the subtext of the apology that they were trying not to give was: "Sorry, the coloured folk are not behaving the way we thought. And when they do behave and take responsibility for their nation-state then we will claim victory. But, until then the failure is due to their inability to take the opportunity we have offered."

I let it out at the television. "Learn Arabic so you stop signing up militia fighters!" I screamed. "It is a no brainer for the insurgents." I continued.

Needless to say, Congress let it out on Rummie today. No one even stayed for the full thing. Senators just got up and left. McCain drilled them military style. Kennedy asked questions about the numbers of troops and put the conflict within the context of other military feats and wars. Hillary Clinton gave a damn English senior thesis on Rumsfeld's failure; and, all the others let up little on the pressure with number crunched questions and repetitive statements concerning Iraqi troops "standing up" and the US "standing down". I am starting to feel a bit of the indifference towards our military leaders that is circulating everywhere. Congress, in general, wants to take the war policy to task and I don't blame them. It is nerve racking.

McCain hinted at the fact that the militia has infiltrated the Iraqi military and police force, but no one wants to just say that we have helped armed a major part of the insurgency that seems to inch toward civil war like a silk worm.

Ahhhh!

My gas dissipated. I have to get a hair cut and prepare a lesson. There is also a new restaurant opening. Owner is nice enough. He told me to try the shrimp and grits. I will. I would go with friends of mine, but they are going to a campaign function. 150 per person. I ain't got it to give. I am just going to cast my vote this afternoon. It is election day in Nashville. People I went to high school with are running for office.

It's wild.

Life is wild.

Ciao.