Witnessing Tragedy

Most of us liberal bloggers are growing tired of pointing out the tragic consequences of the president’s bungling on the world stage.  His vision of democracy blossoming across the Mideast is crumbling before the eyes of a horrified world.  Iraq–particularly  Baghdad–is being ripped apart by wave after bloody wave of violence.  The results of our ill-conceived adventures in Iraq give us precious little credibility to negotiate any sort of solution to the raging conflict in northern Israel and Lebanon, a country that was just beginning to get back on its feet and was planting the seeds of a real democratic state when the bombs started falling. 

 

During a recent telephone conversation with my dad, he bemoaned the fact that nobody here at home seems to be expressing any strong opposition to the abysmal leadership–or more accurately, the lack thereof–coming from Washington.  “Where are the protesters?” he said.  “Why doesn’t anybody seem to care?  What the hell is wrong with people?”  I suggested that most Americans aren’t able to devote too much time to activism or civic engagement because they’re too busy trying to stay afloat economically.  I worry that, as a society, we are increasingly ceding simple acts of civic life (e.g. writing a letter to the editor, calling our representatives, attending a community meeting) to an elite group of professional activists. 

 

But that’s a topic for another time.  I told my dad that the fall elections might provide an opportunity for people to voice their displeasure and restore some measure of wisdom and competence to our government.  For all our sakes, I hope I’m right.