Day Tripper

Peter Koelliker | June 24, 2009 3:04 AM | Reply

JB - Glad you mentioned the Peace Moratorium (October 1969). It brought back some memories. We drove down from Gettysburg College. There were six or seven of us, all crammed into a VW mini-bus lacking a starter motor. We’d always have to make sure to park it on a hill.

I’d be lying if I claimed to attribute anything lofty or cerebral to this exercise. It was envisioned as a ‘happening’ – no more; a reason to embark on a day trip, drop some acid, smoke a little dope and raise hell. ‘Vietnam’ simply provided the pretext.

So you were there too! I remember wandering around aimlessly and being suddenly confronted with a phalanx of helmeted cops. They were shooting tear gas in our direction. We all turned and ran. I stumbled and fell – blinded; my eyes burning. Maybe you were the one who lifted me up and carried me around the corner. …and my faith in humanity was restored.

This stumble and subsequent rescue, more than anything else of that day, remains etched in my mind. I realize now that I had decided to go only because I felt myself perfectly safe. Even from the police, ultimately under the command of a beleaguered president, I knew I had nothing of lasting consequence to fear. It’s way too easy to be brave under such circumstances – quite unlike those in so many other parts of the world who risk everything daily for freedom. I now wonder how I could have looked myself in the mirror all these years.

I continue to be grateful for this forum that gives me a chance to redress some of my youthful indiscretions. I remain fearful for our nation. By helping to sound the alarm, I hope to help mitigate the worst of what might yet be in store for us.

Peter Koelliker | June 23, 2009 10:27 PM | Reply

Why is POTUS cranky? It's because he's learning first hand that there is true evil in the world. This is not something he learned about in Ivy League affirmative action universities, where the concept of 'evil' has been effectively purged from the lexicon. The closest thing to 'evil' that POTUS can conceive of is cranky opposition from misguided capitalists who might not feel comfortable with the tenets of Marxism. Neither is he able to blame the U. S. as being the source of this particular evil. All this has left him without the usual talking points without which POTUS' teleprompter finds itself outside its depth - cranky and confused.

Peter Koelliker | June 23, 2009 3:24 AM | Reply

Powerful stuff indeed! Thank you, John, for posting it. I haven't seen too much of this over here in India. B. Raman's posts appear to indicate that at least some here are aware. I also don't know how the rest of the American media is treating this. I just saw a sanitized version of it on the NYT on-line edition. I doubt that the same media that refused to show people jumping out of the World Trade Towers would make an exception in this case. If I'm wrong, it must be because they feel that the cold-blooded murder of Neda does not in any way reflect badly on their own cartoon creation ‘cat-got-your-tongue’ president.

Peter Koelliker replied to comment from Sapientia | June 22, 2009 11:06 PM | Reply

"Iran is very similar to Romania, the people hate their leaders." Look closer to home, Sapientia. It's not so much that we hate our leaders (it hasn't come to that point yet), it's more that we don't trust them. "More ballots counted than eligible voters in any given district." Where have heard that one before? IG's fired for no legitimate reason (only to protect Obama's buddies). Taxpayer's TARP money unaccounted for. Billions in treasury bills (real or fake) in suitcases awash along international borders. The numbers re Obama's welfare programs not adding up. Obama's policies of trying to play nice, nice with corrupt and brutal foreign leaders while dumping on long-time trusted allies. Obama strangling the development of U.S. energy resources. Obama strangling industry. Obama unleashing the IRS (on perceived enemies). Obama rewarding car dealerships that supported his election and closing those who didn't. Obama building an army of brown shirts apart from the military and local law enforcement agencies.

I can hear some of you say, "Peter, you're being paranoid. Obama is a good, God-fearing man. He's doing his best, given the mess he inherited (from Bush). Give him a chance!"

Perhaps you're right. Perhaps I'm over-reacting. I just find it extremely troubling that not a single soul with clout, either in the government or in the press, is pursuing any of the issues I have just mentioned. Only discredited, scorned and vilified talk radio is asking questions. Who exactly and how many are we insuring for a trillion dollars? Do the math! Divide a trillion dollars by the legitimate number of the currently uninsured. This will give you what this new government insurance policy will be costing us. I doubt that any of us who are currently paying health insurance premiums is paying anywhere close to what Obama is willing to spend on our behalf.

Peter Koelliker replied to comment from Anonymous | June 21, 2009 1:56 AM | Reply

Intelligent, straight forward observations. My own, admittedly anecdotal experience is quite similar to yours. I also think there's a huge segment of our population that's not being properly served by the government/media complex. When these people begin to make themselves known, who knows what will happen. Democrat? Republican? Independent? I happen to think that an Independent Party (or Third Party) could win at this point. Look at what happened last November. Both, the Democrats and the Republicans essentially lost. Instead, we chose a wild card from a stacked deck.
Next time, I'm sure, we'll be more careful. We'll demand that our media vets our candidates properly. We'll demand accountability for past actions and associations. We'll actually listen to what candidates say and ask them to elaborate. They themselves will be made to acknowledge the desires of the majority of us, as the extremists on either side will have been exposed (and marginalized). All this, of course, is contingent on the media righting itself.

Peter Koelliker | June 21, 2009 1:10 AM | Reply

As is always the case, the people suffer when the big boys can't get along. B.C. makes a good point. America has no dog in this fight. Nothing will change for us whoever wins. I'm dying to know how Obama sees this. He's being awfully circumspect. Still, he must have a private preference. Is he beginning to realize that the regime he once embraced (or still embraces) consists of murderous thugs? Or is he quietly rooting against the people? Is he as blind to the Iranian people's plight as he is to the plight of the American muddle class? Does he view them as a potential threat once the effects of his re-distribution policies begin to hit home? Is that why he is reconstituting catalist; funding ACORN; and organizing his private Civilian National Security Force?