The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner

[NanceGreggs]

I was asked on a thread last night how I felt about the fact that Obama has not yet prosecuted Bush and Cheney for war crimes.

It was an honest question, and one which I think deserves an honest answer – an answer that some will agree with, while others will not. But in keeping with what is meant to be the tenor of this board, I will express my opinion – and take what slings and arrows may be thrown my way.

I want to see Bush, Cheney and the entire gang of torturers rounded up, prosecuted and imprisoned – every last fuckin’ one of them, from the hands-on participants to those who “advised” on how to circumvent the law, prepared and signed the necessary “paperwork”, or kept silent while they knew what was going on.

That being said, I believe it is too soon for this Administration to take up this task. The Republican party is now splintering, and their hold on their once-loyal constituents becomes more tenuous with every passing day.

IMHO, aggressive steps towards going after members of the previous administration at this time would be quickly spun into a Democratic leadership that is focused on seeking revenge rather than focusing on the nation’s other pressing problems – and that spin would be used to rally the troops on the other side of the aisle. This is not a weapon I would readily place in their hands to be used against us – especially in view of the fact that the ass-kissing MSM would take up the “they’re just out for revenge” meme and run with it 24/7. And let’s not fool ourselves on that score; I think we have all learned that lesson well.

And now I will don my asbestos suit …

When I see the phrase, as I have seen many times here, that Obama should do something “even if it affects his chances of re-election”, I just can’t go there. I have my eye on the prize: a Democrat in the White House not for one term, but for decades. I will not stand idly by and watch the Republicans regroup and recapture power, thereby being in a position to undo whatever good the current Administration will have accomplished in four years.

Simply put, I am not willing to settle for winning a battle, if it means losing the war. I am not willing to do what is "right", if it means placing my nation back into the "wrong" hands - hands that will once again torture the innocent, and cover-up their crimes, past and future, in the doing.

We are, IMHO, not in a sprint here – this is a long distance run, and the goals to be achieved will not be reached without a steady, even pace. Crossing the finish line in 2012 and beyond will take perseverance and patience – having hit the halfway point before your competitors means nothing if you allow the other runners to trip you along the way, and put you out of the race completely.

With all of the in-fighting going on right now, I think a lot of us are losing sight of the fact that we are all on the same side, with a common sense of purpose. And we sometimes become so focused on our individual ideas about how to best move forward, we misunderstand each other’s motives – or simply choose to misread or misconstrue those who want to get the same place we do, but get there by way of a different path.

Patience does not mean capitulation; it means holding that arrow in your bow until the most opportune time to release it, certain that it will strike its intended target.

Praising Obama for positive steps taken does not mean being blind to the negatives.

Expressing one’s opinion about the importance of election reform, education reform, job creation or improved healthcare does not mean one is ignoring one topic while speaking out on another. There are so many things to be done, and they are all of importance.

And yes, the prosecution of war criminals is important – and, in my humble opinion, it is absolutely necessary. Those responsible for dragging our once-proud nation into the depths of barbarism must be held accountable, and suffer the consequences of their heinous actions.

But at this juncture, I believe this particular ball is now in our court. We who believe that justice must be done must make our voices heard – loudly, clearly, and as often as possible. Write about it, talk about it; educate your neighbors, your co-workers, your community. Rally those around you to take action; protest, contact your representatives, flood your local newspapers with LTTEs, contribute to organizations that have taken on the challenge of seeing this through to the end.

If the groundswell of support for prosecuting the war criminals who live amongst us comes from the citizenry, a citizenry that refuses to be ignored or go unheard, it cannot be said that a single administration, a lone president, or a political party was acting on its own simply to seek “revenge” for political purpose.

Let’s not forget that Obama said, right from day one, “Yes, WE can.” That means we, the People, working towards what believe to be just and right; not sitting back and waiting for Obama, or any other lone individual, to do it for us.

I want justice, not revenge – but I do keep in mind that the two bear one thing in common: they are both dishes that can be served cold without losing their ability to choke the fuckers who have it coming.

And as long as they do choke on their own just desserts, whether it happens now or later is not uppermost in my mind. As a matter of fact, I am willing to wait it out – it gives me something to look forward to, and I want to savour every minute of it.

Flame away …