thumbing his nose

by commuting the sentence of scooter libby, president bush thumbed his nose at the american people. in essence he said, "i don't give a shit about the values of the american people."

mr. tough-on-crime, the governor who presided over the executions of 111 men and 1 woman in his five years in austin, sent a clear message to the american people this time. in essence he said, "when a crime suits me, it should go unpunished."

it is important, too, to recognize the nature of this crime and where it fits in the spectrum of crimes. the average drug-related crime has one victim; the person who committed the crime. scooter libby's crime of obstructing justice in the investigation of the outing of a cia operative affects a nation, to say nothing of the iraqi and possibly iranian people who suffer bombings ordered by an administration who could have been checked had their misdeeds been uncovered.

the average drug offender receives a sentence of about 67 months and represents anywhere from 22% to 65% of state prison populations. scooter libby received a sentence of 30 months and the president said he thought that was too harsh and so, commuted his sentence guaranteeing libby of never serving a day behind bars?! what the fuck?! libby purposely obstructed justice in a huge case that speaks to the morality of our country and our elected leaders. further, he wrote ridiculously coded messages to his own pawn from the new york times, which virtually mocked the american people as well. (in certain seasons the trees all turn colors at the same time and below the surface, invisible to the american people, he should have said, their roots are interlocked.) jerk.

but you know, i am a hack writer. please, if you happen to read this, whoever you may be and for whatever reason you may have come here, go listen to what keith olbermann, a professional writer of sorts, wrote about all this. click on this link and listen to olbermann countdown the many crimes of this adminstration and expose the naked emperor.

http://video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?f=00&g=8dd25465-1b2b-49e5-81ff-003005828d82&p=Source_Countdown&t=c1149&rf=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19588942/&fg=

beat down

confucius recommended considering life a struggle toward perfection.

It is true that we shall not be able to reach perfection, but in our struggle toward it we shall strengthen our characters and give stability to our ideas, so that, whilst ever advancing calmly in the same direction, we shall be rendered capable of applying the faculties with which we have been gifted to the best possible account.
-confucius

i wonder what confucius considered perfect even as i know the meaning of perfection is beside the point.

i am happy to walk away from confucius' message with this thought:

try to be the best you you can be. i'll try to be the best me i can be.