Relax And Enjoy It

I have long maintained that our American population doesn't give a shit about our wars. We were never taxed to fund them. We were never conscripted to wage them. We were never attacked by the parties against whom we engaged. Two trillion dollars on two wars? Christ, that's but a sliver of the overall economic calamity that's upon us; we borrow and spend that much in ten months' time these days.

We failed to sacrifice anything for these wars. With heavy hearts back in 2003, we climbed into our SUVs and drove to the mall to do a little extra shopping. That was our sacrifice. Remember that? Go buy a new car, we were told. From the highest office in the land, no less.

Now, today, there's this fake outcry against invasive patdowns at the airport. It's fake. It's protesting this fabricated notion that "they're taking away our freedoms." Bullshit. What it really is, is our nation's unwillingness to sacrifice anything for the engagement of our wars. If we indeed are fighting wars against terror, and if indeed we really gave a damn about 'em we'd accept these efforts. Instead, we cry foul over a hand across our crotch.

I rightfully bitched in June of '09 about having my little Alien bicycle toolkit taken in Amsterdam; rightfully, because the TSA expressly permits these on carry on luggage but that screener demanded I surrender it as he was ignorant of the security measures he was supposedly enforcing.

Now we have little girls "groped" and men's junk and women's breasts "fondled." What an outrage, eh? What a violation of our civil liberties! Our privacy is besmirched! Is there no God anymore? Why, oh why do we have to sacrifice at all? Aren't we the chosen ones? Aren't we privileged? Doesn't our liberty mean anything anymore? Does it not still shine as a beacon in the night across the oceans to all those who hate us?

Again, another interesting cultural fricassee is upon us, and I will enjoy hearing about how the 0.002% of those getting screened complain about a grope, about spilled shit from a colostomy bag, or whatever, and how we will all be made to "fear" the security checkpoints via well crafted media spotlights on a coupla people who cry feigned havoc over scanned images and patdowns.

If being groped by the TSA is inevitable, relax and enjoy it. You are finally being made to sacrifice for War, American Style.