Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)

     So I'm finally becoming an adult (I think). Cody and I talked to our mom, and Bob, who thankfully kept things calm and mostly rational, and told her that we're moving out. We've been stuck between two fighting parents for what seems like forever, and my mom had pulled some -- let's just say un-motherly -- stuff on my brother, too. We've always been faced with living with my mom or my dad, the the thundering, raging workaholic. Instead, we'll both be "on our own" for the first time in a place that hasn't been owned by AU. I'm totally stoked. I think it'll be a little bit interesting to adjust to, though, because Cody and I of course have our fights from time to time like any normal siblings. 

     As for the job sitch, I just got the all-clear on a physical on Thursday to work part-time at an adult foster care (apparently the new politically correct term for a nursing home? but I think it sounds just as bad). I got my second Hep B shot then and came back for a TB test yesterday so they can "read it" on Monday. After that, I'm all clear to start training for my summer job. (I'm still hoping I can get another job, since the goal was to actually make enough money to pay off all my bills and be able to put some back for the fall.) Gratiot County is probably the worst place, outside of the middle of a desert or the north or south pole, to look for a job, though. Adults much older than me are laid off, and construction for the new ethanol plant has been temporarily waylaid due to a lack of funding. No new jobs there. Ugh. It's frustrating. Our economy in Michigan is so bad that we've had full ads promising us rainbows from each of the Presidential election candidates, but we've heard it all before. I can't think of anyone that actually believes a politician will get us out of this mess, and I don't like the idea of keeping a losing war going just so we can boost the economy. (I'm not so biased as to think that's the whole and singular reason, though.)

     Speaking of the Iraq War, though -- now I'll open up a can of worms with my opinions and join in the pool of idiots everywhere who have ignorant and asinine opinions on it. I think President Bush made a visceral reaction that I myself supported at the time. The idea that someone can murder thousands of people and get away with it offends us all. And although I knew little about Islam or anythingabout the Middle East, I had a mistrust of Arab peoples from stories about my dad getting ripped off at car auctions by some Arab car dealers. I'll admit, after talking to some international students about Indian and Arab business practices, I still find the notion that "business smarts" could ever include intentional deception strikes me as not only distasteful, but just morally offensive. I'm still struggling to incorporate this with the idea that various acts are looked at differently by separate cultures and religions. Anyway, that was my admittance of bias.

     I think that President Bush acted, like I said, out of an emotional response, but I also think that he acted in the "old school" way of responding to an enemy. I think that oil was a factor, but I don't think it was the only reason at all. I think it was probably just another advantage, just like boosting the economy was a side benefit.   

     I believe Bush was and is still sadly uninformed about "terrorist" countries' reasons to partially commiserate with the extremists of al Qaeda. It is ridiculous to walk into a negotiation room knowing little or nothing about the other negotiators' religious and political needs and ways of thinking, and I'm sorry, but our country's Commander-in-Chief should know that. We keep pushing democracy, but very few Muslims (only the most Westernized) actually want a democracy. They want a theocracy! 

     Also, Muslims all across the Middle East understand the resentful attitude toward the U.S., who supports Israel unswervingly, even as Israeli forces unjustly drop American bombs on Lebanon. Bush didn't even do ANYTHING to punish Israel when Israel just bombed Lebanon out of the blue in recent years. Instead, he tried to start peace negotiations that are still ongoing between Israelis and Palestinians. Although our government's leaders have found it acceptable to threaten to "punish" Iran for its arms program -- I'll get to that -- we have not cut off support for Israel, which is a prime reason we are hated in the Middle East, aside from our support of corrupt and dictatorial regimes through the years and across the Middle East.

     I have to question the Republican party's candidates and actual wisdom in handling problems in Iraq when not only our President, but also his Cabinet members and top military leaders do such IDIOTIC acts themselves. The Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay prisons have been exposed for acts of torture to inmates, and our military currently allows "water boarding," which is sadistic, cruel, and obviously a form of torture. Condoleezza Rice practically dares the government of Iran to do something rash and has been known to childishly roll her eyes and make faces while Iranian leaders are speaking at conventions and meetings -- very mature for a top government official. These are our leaders. Faaaaaaantastic.

     We're also trying to block Iran from assembling a nuclear arsenal when we have an unnecessarily extravagant one ourselves. In fact, Rice has threatened to punishIran if it does not halt its nuclear program. Apparently, not only can we be hypocritical, we can impose our style of government on Arab nations and punish them like insolent children instead of treating them with respect, equality, and a desire for understanding. 

     And no offense, but Bush and McCain are both pretty trigger happy. John McCain has been known to sing "Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Iran" (to "Barbara Ann" by the Beach Boys). What class and tact. 

     Hillary Clinton is a democrat with a different agenda, but the same mindset as Bush and McCain. Clinton, a woman that I find neither authentic nor interested in respect or understanding for Middle Easterners (and whose earlier White House experience also allowed the Rwandan genocide to go on without any adequate United States interference) said in an interview that she would "totally obliterate" Iran if it ever used a nuclear bomb on Israel. Joe Conason, of the New York Observer, zeroed in on this, writing: "What she obliterated with just those two words were her own boasts of superior diplomatic experience — and she managed at the same time to tar America's international image with all the subtlety of the man she hopes to replace." (I think there's an Emeril-style "BAM!" somewhere in there.) 

     I don't want either of these blunt instruments as my next President. There's my two cents, and now I'm done shooting my opinions off about politics until hopefully the 2012 election (or later!).

MUSIC: "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)" - Billy Joel