Friday, August 29, 2008

panem et circenses. ...


After painfully enduring the coverage of the Democrat National Convention this past week, I hoped greatly for some peace of mind this morning after it was all over.

No such luck.

As I watched the slavish, sycophantic Main Stream Media propagandize as to the greatness of their nominee Senator Barack Obama, I could not help but be struck by the overwhelming urge to weep. Not tears of adoration, or relief as many of the delegates shed unashamedly on national broadcast television. Nay, mine were tears of sorrow and grief for my countrymen and fellow citizens. As many of you know, I am not one to let loose with such emotion, but last night I could not help myself as I watched the Senator from Illinois give his acceptance speech. For all that I could keep thinking was….. Bread and circuses, and the thought has been Plaguing me since.


... Already long ago, from when we sold our vote to no man,
the People have abdicated our duties; for the People who once upon a time
handed out military command, high civil office, legions — everything, now
restrains itself and anxiously hopes for just two things:
bread and circuses


... iam pridem, ex quo suffragia nulli
uendimus, effudit curas; nam qui dabat olim
imperium, fasces, legiones, omnia, nunc se
continet atque duas tantum res anxius optat,
panem et circenses. ...
(Juvenal, Satire 10.77–81)


Have we come to this my fellow citizens?

Listening to the promises of free health care dribble from the mouths of our Senators, and the sweeping Tax reform plan that will lower taxes for 95% of working families, i.e. Plebeians. I think to myself “this is but Bread to appease the desires of the people.” No matter from whence this bread shall come, nor from what valley the grain to produce it?

“Give Us Bread” and we’ll hand over the sacred rights bestowed upon us by our forefathers much like the Romans who went before us and the Greeks before them.
Dazzle us with spectacles and entertainment, and we shall sell to you our vote, we shall give to you the keys of the city Caesar so long as you appease our lust. We care not that the show is false, give our bored eyes something to remember.

The key to this is that both those empires fell through such folly.

I wept as I saw Dr. Martin Luther King’s great “I have a Dream Speech” being used as a segway to further Barack Obama’s popularity. I shivered as ABC, NBC, and CBS bombarded the American people with images of the Great Dr. King, and Obama in turn, while commentating that the Nominee is truly the culmination of that dream.

However, the burden and sorrow I endure today, derives mostly from that which we sacrifice. Those persons, who so plan to cast their ballots upon the idea that the catchword “Change”, backed up by a promise of entitlements, are cheating not only themselves but all of society. Voting is not only a right but a grave and serious responsibility, one that which must not be prostituted for some fireworks and a snapshot. For by doing so, disgrace you bring upon the millions who shed blood, marched, and protested for not only the right, but the responsibility that goes along with it.

We are charged with electing a person to become not only the President of the United States, but the most powerful figure in the free world. Do you not think that deserves a bit more scrutiny on everyone’s part as concerns those running for said office?

Or are we to continue selling our souls along with our votes to those who put on the best entertainment and promise us the most bread? Mayhap we should all step back a little and heed the words that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke 40 years ago.

“ I have a dream, that my children and grandchildren will be judged by the content of their character, and not the color of their skin”

Let’s start there then.

Slainte’
Blighter

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow, how do you do that! Seriously your ability to distill the clamor into it's salient points honestly amazes me.

Keep up the good work.

Anonymous said...

... And yet people scream at me that I'm unpatriotic when I don't vote.

Considering your opinions lately I'm going to guess that you're voting for McCain?

Tuna

Blighter said...

Tuna, I've made no secret of my decision to vote for John McCain. If you read back into many of my former rants you will see that my support for him has been steadfast.

That is not to say I find no fault in the Senator from Arizona. For all men have flaws, just with his I can overlook those things I find disagreeable. Why?
For those particular items threaten not the Constitution of these United States, unlike a certian someone else.
As to your not voting I do not think it Un Patriotic, for here you have the right to do so or not. I do not think, however, that bowing out of the process as a protest of sorts, is in the best interest of our Nation as a whole.
Slainte'
Blighter