Courage, it is said, is not the absence of fear. It is acting in spite of the fear.

Yes I’m scared. There’s good reason to be. Even if I don’t see them, there are snipers on the roof across the street and several drones on the way. But I insist on truth. I’m gonna fill in some of the blanks here, and I pray you’ll look The Beast right in the eye.

The United States government has not formally declared war in over fifty years. The US Constitution confines that responsibility to the Congress. President Bush ignores that (because he prides himself on his ignorance), but screw him, y’know?

And Vice President Cheney, over the past week, has snarled his snarl in support of the President like the rabid bulldog that his truly is. Screw him, too, y’know? I realized that I, nearly sixty and weighing only a hundred-fifty pounds, could take the SOB on and knock him silly in a fair fight. Leave the shot gun home, Dick. You’re a damn coward, slinking around in your “undisclosed locations.” Come out, come out, wherever you are. You do scare me, but you don’t intimidate me. You’re out there snarling these days because more and more of the truth is seeping though the cracks and it looks like your game may be lost, the jig may be up, and your and Doubleduh’s position may be overrun before 2008. I think these days you’re more scared than we are.

OK, citizen, turn off “24” or “The Unit” or whatever the hell you’re watching with the Miller Lite in your fist, and give me just a few minutes. Treat this like a commercial … I know you can do it. It might sting a little bit, because “the truth will set you free, but first it’ll drive you crazy.” You can take it, right? You’re not a coward, right? …

More at P!

This is part of the P! series on “Waging Peace”. Part 6 will explore the forces of peace available and building in the US and around the globe.

Part 1 is here; Part 2 is here; Part 3 is here; Part 4 is
here.  Read more 

Howard Dean’s mass e-mail today recalls the Right’s brief flirtation with the “c” word:

“Elections have consequences.”

Remember that saying? It was a favorite of George Bush and the pundits after his narrow victory in 2004.

I understand consequences: I learned about them from Missile Command.  Read more