Election Day 2004: Day –61-Zell, Terrorism and Emotion as Political Tool

09/02/2004

Election Day 2004: Day –61-Zell, Terrorism and Emotion as Political Tool

Okay, Kaitlyn, there’s only one more day after this and Mom-Mom will go onto to more worldly things. Though the stand-off in Russia continues as hundreds are still hostage in a school while 27 of the hostages were released.

The thing about these Terrorists, Kaitlyn, besides being terrorists and that’s enough, they demand that entire governments set aside their laws! These demands are more blatant than their more subtle method of actually changing elections by terrorizing voting citizens.

Perhaps Grandmother sees things too simply. But can anyone currently occupying this planet, even the French, begin to think this sort of governance should be tolerated? Because that is the de facto result of this brand of terrorism, a bunch of low-lifes are deciding how we should live!

No?

When an entire electorate is confused and scared when their country’s trains are ruthlessly bombed? That populace elects their guy but is he really their guy? Or how about the fact that radical Islamists now demand that France rescind their laws regarding wearing obvious religious symbols in public schools? These fellows want their female colleagues in Muslim to be allowed to wear their burquas but France, via their elected representatives, says no. The Czechniyans in Russia, make no mistake they are radical Muslims, Kaitlyn, they just want to create an entire country from scratch!

Grandmother takes tongue out of cheek and admits now that the above is a super simplification of events. In any event, the net result of whatever laws a country passes based on whatever reasons, or whoever is elected for whatever internal reason, or national disputes unsettled-in any of these events, Kaitlyn, the terrorists, not even a legitimate part of the citizenry, are affecting the outcome!

Governance by Terrorism. Surely this is a concept the world is ready for, even France. Avoid all the hassle of constitutions, laws and elections. Leave your fate to the terrorists and their cause of the moment.

Grandmother sees it like this, Kaitlyn, and I must move on in boredom while the rest of the world awakes. For the moment, forget national borders. Does any human being on this planet want to be ruled by fear of death and destruction?

Which brings us back to the Republican convention, Kaitlyn, you figure the route. Zell Miller, Senator from Georgia on this day of our Lord, gave a speech last night that has the GOP in rapture and the donkey party sputtering.

Truth, even glorified by the strobe lights of the Gardens and strengthened by the technologies of sound transmission, can still hurt. Mr. Miller, a Democrat by the way and isn’t this too cute by half by the Republicans, Kaitlyn? So far as Grandmother sees it, Zell Miller should just convert to Republican and be over with it. Today Terry McAuliffe said, sniffing, that Zell Miller just wanted to sell books.

The crux of Zell Miller’s raging rhetoric is that while he was gone, someone came along and done stole the Democrat party. He’s mad about it. And he sure doesn’t approve of how the Democrats have handled foreign policy of late.

The guy gave a fiery go-to-hell don’t-mess-with-Georgia rock ‘em and sock ‘em political speech ripped from days of yore. Before there was an Internet and a thousand cable news outlets, before television even, politicians had to shout speeches from the rear of train cabooses and off of makeshift podiums. This was the kind of speech Zell Miller gave last night, Kaitlyn, and wow, I’m still reeling.

The Democrats, Kaitlyn, are crying in their beer. The RNC convention this year was well-orchestrated and top notch. The speeches are filled with the stuff of that old liberal standby-emotion, raw and unfiltered through Oprah Winfrey. The Democratic convention, by contrast, was somber, routine, the speeches spoken by rote.

Some mean-spirited media types snidely commented (The Washington Post comes to mind) that the Repubs always could put on a good show.

Paint me blue, Kaitlyn, and put me on a stick. The Democrats have all of Hollywood in their hip pockets. They’ve churned out lying movies and lying books all year. If anyone had the creativity to put on a smashing convention it would be the Dems and their contributors. They could even have Barbra Streisand sing!

The staid wing-tipped Republicans were never known for their showmanship. They do, one could argue, have enough money to hire the brightest and the best. Which I think, thanks to Carl Rove, they did. The Republicans knew the final result they desired and they did what had to be done to achieve it.

Of course the Republicans like to eschew any notion that they wish to appeal to the most base of our emotions. They always blame that on the liberals. Yet darn if their convention isn’t the model to emulate this year of our Lord.

There is a reason that they play drums during a military march. It’s no coincidence that all songs of the military are strident and loud. Victory, it’s a wonderful thing, worthy of song and film.

I guess what I’m saying here, Kaitlyn, is that there is a time for our emotions to be softer and gentler. There is a time for them to be militant and firm. When people are trying to kill you for no reason other than to govern you without benefit of citizenship or election (see above), this is the time to be militant and firm. Any mother who ever raised a child understands this concept instinctively. Sometimes our children need a kiss; sometimes they need a slap. A mother cat will bat a kitten halfway across the room should it bother her without warrant. Some moments later, she cuddles it to her breast.

The American public needs a slap right now and for too long I wasn’t sure the Republicans could deliver it. Evidently they’ve been stung quite enough by the Democrat’s ability to control our behavior through manipulation of our emotions, indeed our natural American good nature. This, and maybe it took a while for the Republicans to admit it, but emotions do exist and they do serve a purpose in our survival.

Of course, the liberals don’t wish to relinquish control because power, Kaitlyn, is a very heady thing.

In the end, and to be fair, I suspect the Republicans knew by gut and fortitude what this country needs to do. The emotion is sprung by instinct rather than film reel. Because I don’t know about you, but I’m not going to sit back and let anyone kill me or my loved ones just because they want to. And I’ll not tolerate for long the notion that they can rule me by fear and intimidation.

Grandmother suspects she’s not alone.

Tomorrow, Kaitlyn, the President speaks!