Wednesday
March 8th , 2006
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Opinion
Founder's seance
It is pre-dawn, on or around an election day, in a fortuneteller’s empty study near the city of Philadelphia.
Mists and smoke appear, thicken and swirl, forming into outlines of men remarkably similar to the portraits on the 1, 2, 10, 100 and 5000 dollar bill. And John Adams.
John Adams: “Monuments will never be built to me.”
Thomas Jefferson: “More blest is that nation whose silent course of happiness furnishes nothing for history to say.”
JA: “Vain man! Mind your own business.”
Alexander Hamilton: “Can a democratic assembly who annually revolve in the mass of the people be supposed steadily to pursue the public good?”
Benjamin Franklin: “The first mistake in public business is the going into it.”
George Washington: “Few men have the virtue to withstand the highest bidder.”
James Madison: “If men were angels, no government would be necessary.”
TJ: “Whenever a man has cast a longing eye on offices, a rottenness begins in his conduct.”
AH: “In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men the great difficulty lies in this: You must first enable the government to control the governed, and in the next place, oblige it to control itself.”
BF: “Laws too gentle are seldom obeyed; too severe, seldom executed.”
JM: “The essence of Government is power; and power, lodged as it must be in human hands, will ever be liable to abuse.”
GW: “Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like a fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action.”
TJ: “All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.”
JM: “I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.”
TJ: “Every citizen should be a soldier. This was the case with the Greeks and Romans, and must be that of every free state.”
GW: “When we assume the Soldier, we did not lay aside the Citizen.”
BF: “Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain security will deserve neither and lose both.
JA: “A whole government of our own choice, managed by persons whom we love, revere and confide, has the charms in it for which we will fight.”
AH: “The people are turbulent and changing, they seldom judge or determine right.”
TJ: “Educate and inform the whole mass of people. They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.”
GW: “’Tis well.”
The ghostly figures fade away. The sun rises. Someone is elected.
Quotes by them, arranged by me. Remember to vote on March 21.
Will March see a complete thaw of Bush's support
By Ron Felten - Columnist
According to a CBS poll released last week, only 30 percent of the Americans surveyed said they approve of Bush’s handling of the war in Iraq. This is down seven percent from January. Even more striking, though, is the president’s current overall approval rating, which is sitting squarely at a humble 34 percent and is, according to a Reuters article, the lowest yet recorded by CBS.
Perhaps these new numbers have something to do with the increased sectarian violence erupting in Iraq or maybe the low marks are simply residual fallout from controversy here at home surrounding Bush’s approval of a deal that would allow a state-owned Arab company to take over and effectively control six U.S. sea ports (so much for Homeland Security!) – either way, one thing is clear: Americans finally seem to be waking up.
The threat of civil war in Iraq has been lingering since Operation Shock and Awe was executed three years ago but any hope that the country might avoid that fate is quickly fading – or, more accurately, is being blown – away. Religious groups in Iraq have been fiercely attacking one another and now U.S. troops are facing a conundrum: whom to protect.
A civil war, after all, is quite different than an insurgency that focuses primarily on battling our troops. And while critics say that a majority of the insurgents are homegrown (meaning that they are Iraqis and not “foreign terrorist fighters”) anyway, the combatants in the looming civil war are or will be almost completely native.
If the U.S. truly wants Iraq to be free, would it be hypocritical for us to participate in a civil war should one erupt? For even if it’s in a violent manner, wouldn’t Iraqis at least be deciding their own fate? I am definitely not prepared to offer up an opinion of my own on this, but it is a question we should be asking not only of ourselves but also our elected representatives.
What greatly complicates this issue is the recent election of Hamas into power in Palestine. Even though this new government, which is still in the process of actually assuming authority, was voted on democratically, Bush and his administration have said that they will not deal with Hamas because the U.S. considers it to be a terrorist organization.
But I thought we were all about democracy? I mean, after we gave up on finding weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, wasn’t that our rationale for going to war? – to overthrow a brutal dictator and forcefully impose freedom on a starving nation? Easier said than done, I suppose, which is why a lot of us thought this war was a bad idea from the beginning. But I digress.
Bush has labeled his critics as unpatriotic and has accused us of not supporting the troops. Well, freedom of speech is essential to any true democracy and here’s the truth: Not even the troops think this is a good idea anymore.
According to another poll released last week, this one by Le Moyne College and Zogby, 72 percent of U.S. troops currently serving in Iraq think the U.S. should exit the country within the year. A solid 25 percent said we should leave immediately. These numbers are pretty remarkable when you consider the support soldiers usually display for their commander-in-chief.
I guess it’s hard to put your life on the line every day when you (and your president) are unsure of exactly what you’re supposed to be doing. And where’s Bush’s leadership on this? Remember when he used to claim that Howard Dean, John Kerry or any of his other opponents would be “weak on terror”? Well, our troops are exhausted in Iraq, bin Laden’s still at large, al-Qaeda has orchestrated several large attacks around the globe since 9/11, our Homeland Security is a joke (please see Michael Chertoff, Michael Brown and the aforementioned port deal) and so on and so forth.
Only 66 percent of us disapprove of Bush’s work? Come on, America! We can do better than that!
Counselor's Corner
By Courtney Bailey - Counseling Center GA
For most people, sadness happens every once in a while and then it lifts and they feel better again.
However, for about 18.8 million adults sadness occurs frequently, intensely and painfully. Depression is a difficult and powerful force that can overtake one’s life and leave them feeling helpless and hopeless. Unfortunately, sometimes when the effects of depression become too overwhelming people contemplate suicide. Suicide is a scary and permanent solution to a temporary problem. Depression is treatable!
Counseling offers ways for people suffering from depression to learn ways to cope with depression. Through counseling, people with depression can learn what aspects of their life may be contributing to and exacerbating the symptoms of depression and learn how to solve or improve those aspects.
Negative thinking can also aggravate depressive symptoms and contribute to feelings of hopelessness and helplessness. Counseling can also help alleviate these symptoms and teach new, positive and hopeful thinking patterns.
Most importantly, counseling offers the opportunity to be heard and validated. Depression is a biochemical imbalance; it is not your fault. Help is available!
If you or someone you know may be at risk for depression or suicide, please seek help before making a permanent decision. Stop in (HRB 64) or call (206-7122) the Counseling Center to see a counselor. Or call 1-800-SUICIDE, the national suicide hotline. Counseling is free and confidential. You do not have to feel this way.
Please support Suicide Prevention Month by wearing the yellow diversity pins that can be picked up at many locations across campus including the Counseling Center.
Source: National Institute of Mental Health
