Sarah's tea

How was the tea, Sarah? The Alaskan Barbie doll is still stalking the airwaves and the world wide web and newspapers and all that. And that is of course her aim. So well done to her.

The Tea Party. A gathering of naggers to nag about life but without advancing alternative solutions of any depth and realism. Just airing cheap one-liners for a 23 second hit on the evening news. It’s pretty frightening that US politics has turned into a tea party where the competition to be dumber than your neighbour is in full effect.

Hell yeah, critical debates and conversations and newspaper editorials and blogs about the State of the US Nation and President Obama’s chosen paths are necessary, welcome and even vital. That’s what real democracy is all about.

But don’t take it down to gutter level of dirty populism based on emotional cheap shots. That’s what silly dictators do – be it on the left (like Venezuelan president Chavez) or be it on the right (like Italian stallion Berlusconi).

Republican or democrat or none of both, one thing surely cannot be denied. And that is that Sarah Palin’s intellectual capacity to have the knowledge and the brains to be a leader with serious responsibility for the US and the wider world is non-existent. It’s not about IQ or Masters Degrees or rich kids in rich colleges. It’s about understanding the world you live and work in. Understanding the framework you act in. Have perspective. Have historic background. Try to understand instead of laughing it off with a dumbass one-liner with some lipstick on and a fresh hairdo.

Come on. Dick Cheney’s views of the world are 100 times more liberal and contextual than hers. Has Alaska limited her intellectual growth? Since her rise to become republican vice presidential nominee (or whatever you exactly call that ticket) she has openly shown that she is a... joke. She had no clue why there was a South and a North Korea. She thought Africa was 1 country instead of a continent. She believes that the US first amendment (a pillar of American society) means that politicians can’t be criticised by the media. She thinks that global warming is non-existent. She firmly believes gays and lesbians can be cured (Couple of lashes? Plus disciplined bible lessons? Plus some water-boarding techniques?). Sarah has the in-depth understanding that foreign policy is just an issue to bomb now or bomb a bit later. And she openly says that her future is only decided by God. I would right away wonder if her stupidity is also decided by God? It’s an insult to believers.

And her Bible-fundamentalism and conservative morals clearly didn’t work well at home. Cause the daughter forgot all the guidelines and hit the sack at a pretty young age. And why talk about doing it for America. And never giving up. And going the whole mile. Meanwhile Sarah was elected to be governor of Alaska but quit before the job even started. That’s not nice towards your electorate.

She really sounds like a Reborn-Christian crusader galloping into the plains. Bible in one hand and a gun in the other. What’s the difference between that and the Muslim extremists gathering in religious schools in the mountains of Pakistan to brainwash each other with more hatred for the outside world and plot their next killing spree? What’s the difference? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

It’s racist narrow-minded populism fuelled by religious fundamentalism. She is trying to tap into emotions that are similar to what brought the likes of Hitler or Mussolini or Pinochet or Stalin to power.

Is this the path America wants to go on as we advance in the 21st Century? Or is she just a joker passing buy while sipping tea?

Time will tell. Sometimes voters have indeed the power to decide the future of their country and of the world. Meanwhile, I guess, the (dirty) show must go on.

Human behaviour can be scary.

Throw out. Rick Barton is an amazing guy and musician. The man from Massachusetts was the original guitarist of the by now well established Boston-based, Celtic punkrockers Dropkick Murphys. Before that he hit the punkscene with The Outlets. After lending his talent to the Murphys he started a punkrock-ska band called Everybody Out! And now it seems he started Continental with his son on bass duties. Besides rocking it, Rick is also a music producer. Currently fine tuning the new studio album by his Boston mates Street Dogs. A fine man!

C-Ya

collateral – February 2010