Splitting Hairs

“In Geneva I have known artisans who did not know what I meant when I inquired if they were communists; but immediately admitted to being ‘progressives‘. I was not deceived. The same is true of Buddhists. The name by which the world knows them is not one they themselves utter.” (adapted from Borges’ “The Sect of the Phoenix”.)

I don’t know why we keep trotting out Sarah Palin at every turn. She is a good person, to be sure; but her comments are utterly predictable (as are the comments of those entrusted to publicly berate her.)

Why are we still surprised about what Obama says or does? There is now enough evidence for us to know precisely who he is and what he hopes to accomplish. Anything beyond that reaches into an endless curatorial abyss. We must act now!

Obama’s remarks about the proposed mosque near Ground Zero are not remarkable. What is remarkable is that we still haven’t learned to avoid taking the bait. A huge argument ensued that now echoes on practically every doorstep. And that was the point; to get us to argue amongst ourselves. Any happenstance that allows BHO room to dodge and weave shifts our focus away from the damage that is being inflicted as we speak. By splitting hairs with our neighbors about what has happened, what should happen, and why, diverts our eye away from the actual threat.

Who cares if the mosque is built and completed even before (what used to be called) “Freedom Tower” has been started? The girl is being assaulted in a public place - right now! Who would refrain from jumping in to stop it on the basis of some absurd sophism? Who could not be certain that once the decision has been taken to personally intervene, others would not also join in to help? Would we really just stand there and argue while the rapist attacks woman after woman? Have we already reached that point?

We know that Obama is a communist, or an Islamist, or both. We know his playbook. We know what must happen if he were to succeed. It is as if we were already bound and gagged awaiting execution. We are aware of the circumstances that have conspired to bury us in this echo chamber - the lies, the exposés, the show trails, the false witnesses. We know; we anticipate; we fear, yet we do not act - except to argue amongst ourselves about something as meaningless as loopholes in nomenclature.