It is a time of freedom and fear, of Gaia and of borders, of many paths and the widening of a universal toll road, emptying country and swelling cities, of the public bought into privacy and the privacy of the public sold into invisible data banks and knowing algorithms. It is the time of the warrior's peace and the miser's charity, when the planting of a seed is an act of conscientious objection.

These are the times when maps fade and direction is lost. Forwards is backwards now, so we glance sideways at the strange lands through which we are all passing, knowing for certain only that our destination has disappeared. We are unready to meet these times, but we proceed nonetheless, adapting as we wander, reshaping the Earth with every tread.

Behind us we have left the old times, the standard times, the high times. Welcome to the irregular times.


 
Dizzying DoubleSpeak!

Last week, James Walsh (in spite of his fat-cat connections, he prefers it if you call him JIM Walsh), Republican Representative and Old-Time Compadre of Fallen Righteous Leader Newt Gingrich, joined the herds of other members of the House of Representatives who decided they would rather hand George W. Bush a blank check than risk their chances for re-election. You guessed it: he voted for the resolution granting George W. the power to wage war.

Sure, the CIA had just released a report to congressional representatives like Walsh explaining that all indications suggest that the threat of an attack by Iraq against the United States is extremely low. Representative Walsh doesn't mind those small details, you see.

What, his constituents may wonder, has gotten into Walsh. Why, just a couple weeks ago, he was quoted in an article in the Syracuse Post-Standard as saying, "I don't believe the United States is under any imminent threat from Iraq."

Perhaps, Representative Walsh, you'd care to explain to your constituents in New York State's 25th Congressional District why you voted to allow George W. to rip off to war without even a United National resolution under his belt when you don't believe that there's any imminent threat from Iraq?

Could it be that you're willing to play politics with people's lives in order to win re-election?

Your opponent, Stephanie Aldersley, has consistently stated that she opposes the resolution to give up the responsiblity for declaring war to George W. Bush. Where you have waffled, Representative Walsh, your opponent has been consistent in her ethical stand.

Representative Walsh, you've got a lot of explaining to do.

We hereby proclaim Representative James Walsh to be the first recipient of the Irregular Times Profiles in Cowardice Award. Congratulations, Mr. Walsh.


Posted by J. Clifford Cook at 10:14 PM. # (permalink)  




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