Inauguration Day 2005

Today, Inaguration, CNN, with a mention of who is being sworn into cabinet, it was mentioned that Condaleeza Rice was not going to be sworn in yet.

There were two Senators who raised objection to her confirmation. Andrew Card in commentary indicated this was "petty" partisan politics.

Hmmm, since the objections to Condi are based on the unanswered questions of war in Iraq, it seems to me the concerns supercede partisan politics and reflect the growing anxieties of those among us in the military family culture who have our kids' lives on the line over there in Iraq, and those citizens who don't see the value in the war in Iraq. Does Andrew Card view those concerns as "petty"?

I can't be outraged, I'm beyond it now. I've come to expect the most insensitive and outrageous statements from this administration and can waste no more energy in being outraged. What I can do instead is use my authentic voice to speak to an authentic truth not much mentioned these days in mainstream news.

Remember, as of today's inauguration speech by the President, I have endorsement to have a different view of freedom under democracy that does not look like our government's views.

My voice is neither typical hooah military, nor anti-war. My voice is one of the reality assigned apparantly only to the military families as a burden to bear apart from the citizens of the rest of the country.

Two Senators who take it upon themselves to raise a concern about the indefinite duration of combat in Iraq are reasonable to ask on behalf of those of us carrying the burden the why, when, where, how and what questions.

That is most assuredly what I expect the people in Congress to do so it hardly falls into the category of petty, unless Andrew Card believes that concerns about Iraq are petty.

The two in our family who have already served in Iraq, and were extended at the last minute to serve 15 months just got the word this week they will be re-deployed to Iraq for second tours. The same week of Inauguration of the President, Commander-in-Chief; the same week of the hearings for Condaleeza Rice to be confirmed to Secretary of State, someone indeed should be asking the hard questions.

Listening to the President's Inauguration speech today where he indicated that under freedom, we don't want to impose our government on others, that we want them to have their own voice in their democracy. I have to take that as Presidential permission then for me to speak in my own authentic voice in the freedom of democracy of the United States of America.

Which means that I don't have to adhere to the politically correct line or jargon or propaganda that has become majority now in these times. No, it means that you folks better respect that my opinions that don't match the majority have Presidential approval. Now I think that means that all the propaganda I've had to listen to from the republican side through the campaign, the value judgments made by the "faith based values" crowd, and the hooah military families who think it somehow inappropriate or treasonous to speak out against the war and the President's policies, is no longer the mainline or only line of reasoning. My authentic voice counts too, which I already knew, but today the President endorsed that in his speech so unless you are wanting to appear unfaithful or disloyal to the President of the United States, whom you voted back into office, then stop bashing my authentic voice.

Thank you Mr President for the endorsement that not all view democracy in the same light. Now I know you meant something quite different in your speech, but hey, they were your words and I have to give them the weight they deserve. I will continue to advance a different view of democracy as per your own words. To you right wingers with your hateful and venomous platitudes, guess you better knock it off, as your President has said today, my authentic voice in the freedom of democracy has weight.

Oh yeah, he also said no more racism, so guess you better quit hating those Iraqis and can our troops stop the killing now and come home?