– Captain Renault (Claude Rains) in “Casablanca”
Not many would dispute that the Bush administration has taken “American blundering” to new heights. Ignoring warnings of the 9/11 attacks, abandoning Afghanistan and Osama bin Laden in order to invade Iraq – in spite of no links to 9/11 or al Qaeda – under lies about WMD, false intelligence, with poorly equipped troops, lucrative no-bid countracts for corporate cronies, no post-war strategy or plan while fostering a climate of illegal torture and depravity. At home the President vacationed and made campaign appearances – even after being warned of the magnitude of the impending hurricaine - while floodwaters destroyed New Orleans, America’s most culturally diverse city, he gave multiple tax breaks to the richest 1% of Americans, wiretapped U.S. citizens without warrants, tried to dismantle Social Security, made major negative changes in Medicare, pursued a malicious right-wing agenda against the environment, gays, immigrants and liberals. Bush and his administration not only permitted, but shared in a climate of corruption that has permeated the Republican party and the latest disgrace, covering up a scandal surrounding a pedophile Republican Congressman who was stalking House pages just in order to keep a “safe” Republican seat. Rick would no doubt be reminded of the scene in “Casablanca” when the German officers are singing Die Wacht am Rhein. Victor Lazlo (Paul Henreid) descends the stairs and asks the band to “Play the Marseillaise,” which they do with passion, joined by the customers who stand, singing with tears in their eyes while the Germans slink back to their seats and glower in their beers. Today, as George Bush travels from one sanitized fund-raising event to another, railing against Democrats and conjuring fear, his message is being drowned out by the reality that Americans and Iraqis are dying by ever-increasing numbers, his policies have fostered terrorism, our Constitution is being reinterpreted to condone torture and invasion of privacy, the U.S. economy falters, the Republican Congress implodes under coverups of corrupt lobbyists and pedophiles. Mr. Bush’s tired old song can’t be heard amidst the din of opposition and the outrage of well-intentioned, hard working, upright and reasonable Americans who are finally waking up to the travesties that have been committed under the Bush regime. As the November election approaches Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi are prepared to tell the band: “Play the Marseillaise.” Rick would be only too glad to give his nod of permission: “ Play it.” And let’s start bringing an end to this madness.
|
