1:16 p.m. - 2003-03-18
Rant About War
You know what really irks me? When the MSN site that links to my Hotmail account has a little "Body and Mind" section on it, and the first two topics are: "How To Cope With War" and "How To Lose 7 Pounds Fast!".
I feel like screaming. What the F is WRONG with this country? Since when is losing 7 pounds on a par with coping with war? It's just such a jaunty little juxtaposition. We are so caught up in our own little vaccuous worlds (there's that damn word again - can someone tell me how to spell this please?!) that being 7 pounds overweight is somehow just as important as coping with war.
I think anyone who is seven pounds overweight might want to get on their knees and give thanks that they aren't starving to death in some war torn country. Seriously, be grateful for having seven pounds to lose.
You know, I think Americans are spoiled. But then I've thought that for a long time, and I'm no less spoiled than anyone else. I mean, I just spent the morning painting my library and wondering if the colours are too "Sixties Hippie". Americans have never experienced war on our own territory, except for September 11. I think we just take it far too lightly. It's always something that happens far away, to someone else.
When I was 19 I went to England to visit my aunt. What struck me the most was the "leftovers" from World War II. The churches that had been blown apart by bombs, and never rebuilt. The cellars from houses that had been turned to rubble. The trenches and sentry boxes left in fields, "just in case". And my aunt's terror of gunshots, to the point where she couldn't go see her daughter complete in riflery competitions.
And the fact that my uncle was 20 years older than Aunt Jean. "All the men my age died in the war", she told me. "I'm lucky to have married at all."
What also struck me was how everyone was so happy to see an American, especially the older Brits, who remembered the bombs. "We'd be speaking German if it weren't for you Yanks!", an old man told me, pinching my cheek. "You need to study that war!", said a friend of my aunt. "You helped us so much! Wish we could pay you back..."
I know it was a long time ago, but I somehow believe that, at least in the British government, that feeling prevails. Is Tony Blair wishing he could pay us back? Is that why he's so gung ho?
And I just heard that Bush is now saying he may not give Saddam Hussein the full 48 hours. What a schoolyard bully! Sigh, I am getting really worked up here, which is totally against my policy of trying to just give you all something fun to read at work. But just let me say two more things, and then I'll shut up.
1. At a certain point in his speech last night Bush told the Iraqis not to burn their oil fields. That really sent a chill down my spine, because I honestly believe this war is just about oil. "The oil belongs to the Iraqi people." he said, yet I could swear I saw a bubble come off of his head that said "Soon they will belong to me! ME!!! ME!!!"
2. I had trouble watching his speech because I started almost feeling sorry for him. Because I think he is totally ruled by his testosterone, and it must be awful to live like that, and also because he seemed to be having trouble keeping his eyes from going crossed. It really looked to me like he was just concentrating so hard on not crossing his eyes. Oh dear.
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