(no subject)
Jul. 16th, 2004 01:19 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
my_window_seatFrom The Latter Rain Page:
There is a grain of truth in the old saying that Nero fiddled while Rome burned. Contrary to the popular belief in Rome, Nero did not start the fires. The majority of the Christians were not punished for the actual crime of incendiarism, which Tacitus says could not be proved against them, but were put to death as enemies of society and as dangerous characters, whose principles and practices were such as to imperil the welfare of the people and of the state.
Do I believe that the President orchestrated the attacks on 9-11, and now, on the prisoners in Iraq?
Even in my worst paranoid delusions, I still find that to be a stretch.
But believe that a political official can and would take advantage of a horrific situation to further his own agenda?
My paranoia can easily make that leap of faithlessness. Faster than you can say "Northwoods Document."
If I ever hear that GWB once had a yen to be a painter, I'll find it hard to get to sleep, I think. Because both Hitler and Nero were failed artists.
"I can't get the trees right - aaaaah, I'm just going to kill everyone!"
Bah. All this political eschatology is getting old, even to me.
It's bad, it's going to get worse. It's happened before, and as long as humans are alive, they're going to find a way to fuck each other over.
I don't want to shut my eyes to what's going on in the world, but I have to find a way to keep moving forward. Instead of focusing on the horror, I have to remember that as long as humans are alive, they also have the capability to help each other out.
It's not as trendy as pointing out the latest scandal or atrocity.
But maybe it will catch on.
There is a grain of truth in the old saying that Nero fiddled while Rome burned. Contrary to the popular belief in Rome, Nero did not start the fires. The majority of the Christians were not punished for the actual crime of incendiarism, which Tacitus says could not be proved against them, but were put to death as enemies of society and as dangerous characters, whose principles and practices were such as to imperil the welfare of the people and of the state.
Do I believe that the President orchestrated the attacks on 9-11, and now, on the prisoners in Iraq?
Even in my worst paranoid delusions, I still find that to be a stretch.
But believe that a political official can and would take advantage of a horrific situation to further his own agenda?
My paranoia can easily make that leap of faithlessness. Faster than you can say "Northwoods Document."
If I ever hear that GWB once had a yen to be a painter, I'll find it hard to get to sleep, I think. Because both Hitler and Nero were failed artists.
"I can't get the trees right - aaaaah, I'm just going to kill everyone!"
Bah. All this political eschatology is getting old, even to me.
It's bad, it's going to get worse. It's happened before, and as long as humans are alive, they're going to find a way to fuck each other over.
I don't want to shut my eyes to what's going on in the world, but I have to find a way to keep moving forward. Instead of focusing on the horror, I have to remember that as long as humans are alive, they also have the capability to help each other out.
It's not as trendy as pointing out the latest scandal or atrocity.
But maybe it will catch on.
huh?
Date: 2004-07-16 03:33 pm (UTC):)
Re: huh?
Date: 2004-07-16 04:10 pm (UTC)Trying to write one of two papers that are due on Moday and Tuesday, respectively.
Someone kill me. Please.