Skip to main content

Arenas of false heroics



It strikes me that televised news has become, more than ever, an arena for false heroics and melodrama.

Article II, Section 2 of the United States Constitution provides that the President "shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient."

When this was written of course, there were no telephones, telegraphs, Internet, or the Almighty Television. News now is instantaneous. Nothing affects the state of this union without 2,342 news blips about it, continual and live, Podcast, broadcast and posted, over and over, every day until interest wanes or something like Lindsay Lohan breaks her foot in an defunct 80s rocker's shower.

These days, the President can't sneeze without everyone knowing about it (or the Republicans lock-step applauding it) (okay and to be fair, the Democrats lock-step critiquing it) (the only difference being who *I* think is right); so, to what end the State of the Union?

As best I can tell, under the Bush Doctrination, the purpose is to reiterate his foolish consistency and perpetuate the myth of his (false) heroics, not to mention fire back up the fear and remind us all that anyone who disagrees with him is unAmerican and will lose civil liberties as such. Shades more of King George...remember him? That mad, mad fellow who many men fought against for liberty, the liberty written up so eloquently in the Bill of Rights and Constituition?

The State of the Union, televised in simulcast and high-definition, is really nothing more than an arena of false heroics. Bush ought to have a Dramatic Chorus behind him singing praise, glory and amen after each major talking point.

Definitely read Oscars for Politics on Anderson Cooper's 360 Blog.

It's one of the funniest recaps of the show AHEM I mean State of the Union I've seen yet.

In case you don't have time to peruse the many comments, let me highlight some of my favorites:

Loved Rummy's two-finger point- while leaning backwards, as in "YOU DA MAN", to some guy... -Best Actor in a Comedy
Posted By Tina -Chicago, IL : 3:27 PM

I am not sure what award category it would be, but I believe Senator McCain deserves a nod for keeping it real. Maybe it would be the Politician Who Most Resembles a Human Being During a Superficial Event Award.
Posted By Christine, Canton, OH : 4:05 PM

Best set design: Karl Rove for designing "state of the art" smoke screens the past 6 years.
Posted By Trudi, St. Paul MN : 4:07 PM

Best Comedy? - George Bush...everything that comes out of his mouth is a joke.
Posted By Valerie, Montreal, QC : 4:10 PM

Worst Screenplay: Karl Rove and Dick Cheney
Posted By Ford Vox, Birmingham, AL : 4:16 PM

My award for best "crockunmentary" has to go to Carl "Marx" Rove. He makes you beleive the unreal.
Posted By Perry, Glendale, AZ : 4:20 PM

Maybe Karl Rove should get "Best Director".

I nominate myself for an award in choreography, since I'd place some "Robert Palmer Girls" while Bush sings "Addicted To Oil"...
Posted By Frank, Brooklyn NY : 4:27 PM

BEST FOREIGN FILM: The Iraqi People. 40 minutes on Iraq and the war on terrorism. 30 seconds on the plight of New Orleans.
Posted By Allan Burlington KS : 4:51 PM

***Note: And no word on the rest of the Katrina and Rita victims. Who is going to come harvest my hurricane-induced corn? Huh? Who?

The Million Not-So-Little Lies Award to Bush's speechwriters, whose blatant disregard for the truth puts James Frey to shame.
Posted By Leah Ife, Brooklyn, NY : 5:08 PM

**And you? Any awards to add?**

By Julie Pippert
Artful Media Group
Museum Quality Digital Art and Photography
Limited Edition Prints
Artful by Nature Fine Art and Photography Galleries
The Golden Orchid: Original and Unique Wearable Art

© 2006. All images and text exclusive property of Julie Pippert. Not to be used or reproduced.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Cancer's Calling Card

Foreword: I'm not a medical person, or any kind of expert. This post shouldn't be taken as God's word carved in stone by Moses. In other words, don't consider it to be any kind of authority or use it to treat, diagnose, or select medications. Do your own research and talk to your doctor, an actual expert, who, you know, went to medical school and stuff. This post is merely my best understanding of cancer and cancer treatment and prevention, as related to our situation, based on what I've learned from reading and talking to doctors. Author's Note: If you aren't interested in the cancer discussion and the things I learned, and only want to know the outcome of our appointment with the oncologist yesterday, skip to the end. I've divvied this up by sections, so go to the last section. What would you do if one day a postcard arrived in the mail to warn you that sometime in the next three years you would be diagnosed with cancer? Would you believe it? Change an
25 comments
Read more

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Quorum

After being confronted with written evidence, Julie admits that she is a total attention whore. In some things, in some ways, sometimes I look outward for validation of my worth and existence. I admit it. It's my weak spot, my vanity spot . If you say I am clever, comment on a post, offer me an award, mention me on your blog, reply to a comment I left on your blog, or in any way flatter me as a writer...I am hopelessly, slavishly devoted to you. I will probably even add you to my blogroll just so everyone can see the list of all the cool kids who actually like me . The girl, she knows she is vain in this regard , but after much vanity discussion and navel-gazing , she has decided to love herself anyway, as she is (ironically) and will keep searching for (1) internal validation and (2) her first person . Until I reach a better point of self-actualization, though, may I just say that this week you people have been better than prozac and chocolate (together, with a side of white choc
16 comments
Read more

In defense of vanity...I think

Do you have one of those issues where you argue with yourself? Where you just aren't sure what you actually think because there are so many messages and opinions on the topic around you? I have more than one like this. However, there is one topic that has been struggling to the top of my mind recently: vanity and perceived vanity. Can vanity be a good thing? Vanity has historically been truly reviled. Vanity is number seven of the Seven Deadly Sins. It's the doppleganger of number seven on the Seven Holy Virtues list: humility. There are many moralistic tales of how vanity makes you evil and brings about a spectacular downfall. Consider the lady who bathed in the blood of virgins to maintain her youth. Google Borgia+vanity and find plenty. The Brothers Grimm and Disney got in on the act too. The Disney message seems to be: the truly beautiful don't need to be vain. They are just naturally eye-catchingly gorgeous. And they are all gorgeous. Show me the Reubenesque Princess.
31 comments
Read more