by Judith Gayle
It seems to me, with an eye toward the Sun/Venus/Node conjunction, that the news is reflecting the Cappy/Cancer opposites in full force. With the Capricorn signature acting as our point of dharma and stability, representing the future, the angst coming from the Cancerian concerns of yesteryear continue to chip away at us from the chattering class. Think of it as reality vs. irrationality.
Currently, every step forward seems to meet with another headed backwards. The Obama administration, attempting to restart negotiations between Israel and Palestine, suffered the appearance of John McCain and Joe Lieberman in an open Israeli news conference defending Netanyahu’s ongoing land grab. The hoorah over national security challenges continues with Dick Cheney distorting Obama’s dealings with the Underwear Bomber. The President is proposing a banking fee that would give the public some of its bailout money back, meanwhile Wall Street bonuses are ready to be revealed that will add fuel to the public ire.
Reality came to the political conversation with a Right-leaning head butt when conservative George Will and neo-conservative Liz Cheney went at one another on Meet the Press over Harry Reid’s supposed racist commentary, Will defending the reality of his statement if not his word choice. Cheney’s daughter would have none of it, seeing a vulnerable point to go after the leader of the Democratic Senate, and calling overt racism. While Reid’s use of the word Negro seems archaic, the Dems will be held to a higher standard because they eschew racist rhetoric, having supposedly moved past it. I guess that means ignoring all its implications and never mentioning it again? We still can’t speak plainly in this country without catching hell. Until we can, we will suffer.
Reid’s commentary is in the eye of the beholder, me’ thinks. I trust it’s not lost on the liberals, if almost completely occulted to the conservatives, that racism is a Republican core value, culminating in exceptionalism and fear mongering. Old stuff, this — and some of what we’re witnessing is the obvious choice between where we’ve been and where we’re going.
One would think most of us would see the serious need to move ahead on these issues, breaking the stronghold fear has on us and dealing with the inevitable. Venus coloration here will tell the tale: it cozies up to our collective value system and wants its comfort zones. If we’ve grown to the point of taking responsibility we can cooperate with our dharma and begin reaping the rewards of mature accountability. If we haven’t, we’ll continue to self-protect and hold up forward motion.
Venus welcomes in. What we welcome now will give us a clarifying look at the political climate and show some sign posts to what awaits. The longing for the past is being prompted by our fear of the future, but this point of Now offers us release if we’ll trust and move forward. As with old Harry’s commentary, the opportunity is in the eye of the beholder. It will be interesting to track the fallout of this mid-eclipse conjunction, to see if we’re willing to stop licking old wounds, lugging old baggage and get on with the responsibilities ahead.
Ha! But have “you” picked a side in the Jay Leno/Conan O’Brien dispute?
Once again the cat-in-the-hat has disguised the real issues of the world with tit-for-tat.
Hi dearhearts — a little late to the party, server glitches in the Pea Patch.
I read a good article today by David Rothkopf about the terrorism paranoia and I think he sums it up here:
“… terrorism by definition is only successful if it produces “terror” — the kind of hysterical over-reaction we are once again seeing — yet this fact does not seem to have resulted in very many critics toning down their hysteria or shrillness. (The Republican Party has the collective cool on these matters of Prissy helping to birth Melanie’s baby in Gone With the Wind. As for the media, given that the “news” networks probably devoted more live news coverage to the balloon boy hoax than were devoted to say, the invasion of Normandy, you recognize that they are actually in the business of emotional over-reaction.)”
I don’t think we can easily grow out of this kind of response if a large portion of us can’t even take responsibility for ourselves or face reality about our national presence across the world. I think of this period as a time when we finally drive a stake through John Wayne’s alter-ego, but it’s taking a lot of pounding to get there.
As for Harry, I had to laugh at his use of the word Negro — he has an old world courtliness in his public persona belied by his upbringing in and around Nevada brothels. That was equalized when he was caught on camera not long ago muttering to a Republican to “kiss my ass.”
eric:
Its the terror AND the banks.
The louder they yell about Underwear Bomber and Reid saying “Negro”, the more airtime they have to distract while covering their tracks on:
1) NOT keeping us safe and;
2) ENCOURAGING more terror with Gitmo by the Bush-Cheney release of former Guantanamo detainees to Yemen, and;
3) The shit about to hit the fan about the bailout.
Sounds like lots of scared folks in high places relying on a Nigerian kid with chemical underpants. That’s alot of nerve and karmic irony about the whole f–ing thing.
But then again, the Republican Party as it is now, which is a far cry from what it was in the days of Nelson Rockefeller, has garnered its strategies from football:
Even if you’re losing, and your back’s against the wall, you make each defensive tackle a victory. You psyche the other guy into believing you’ve got the momentum, even while its hopeless. The other team may be ahead of you by six touchdowns and you’re in the fourth quarter, and you still slap each other high-five after you’ve tousled the second-string quarterback.
These guys know how to psyche when they’re losing, and they get coverage for it. The Democrats need to know how to psyche when they’re WINNING, and learn the art of making face time on tv.
Two slow news days in a row can leave the media, especially the cable channels, beating any poor old horse to death. However, there have actually been dialogues over the word “negro”, the likes of which I never thought I’d ever hear.
Maybe it’s a good thing.
Actually was so incredulous and fired up that I tried to call Sen. Reid last night and leave a message on his office answering machine and tell him what a load of wank this all is. I mean seriously. But the machine was full so I had to type in a message on his website. I am an honorary citizen of Nevada — that is where Book of Blue is incorporated.
Meanwhile the irony of these jowly pubs blathering on about Sam’s alleged racial insensitivity is just so over the top I could not even watch TV for more than 10 minutes yesterday; for the better.
They can’t even let Obama decide for himself when he’s offended and when he’s not. There’s this jury chaired by Rove that decides when he’s offended. SHUT UP GUYS AND DEAL WITH THE BANKS. THE BANKS. YOU KNOW…the public trust…
Eric:
You mean that’s Harry Reid’s twin brother? Must have been separated at birth.
Judith,
Thank you for the service of bringing clarity to the tiff over Harry’s Reid’s remarks. What with all the opportunistic partisan bombast, it’s been difficult to find an account of what happened in the first place. An interesting phenomenon, news of the reaction and not a clue as to what prompted it.
Your parallax perspective on the Sun/Venus/node conjunction is well taken and appreciated by this grateful observer. Thank you so much for your words today.
(and yes, the Cat in the Hat rhymes nicely with the header)
It’s not, it’s Sam Reid.
How I love the Cat in the Hat!!!