Prayer and Probability

A Tale Of 2005
It was the best of times; it was the worst of times

In reviewing the past year not much need be said to recall the worst of times. There were natural disasters of hurricanes
and earthquakes and man-made disasters like the Bush war in Iraq and the Bush war against America. There will always be natural disasters and those who think they can control nature are running a fool’s errand. There will always be man-made disasters because man is not perfect nor can he be made so, those who think otherwise are engaged in an exercise in futility. However man can influence the regularity and intensity of both kinds of disasters.

We must quit trying to separate ourselves from nature. We are part of the natural world, the earth is our home. We must begin to treat it as such. Man has always exploited nature, some cultures more so than others. But over the past two centuries as mechanical technology has become the dominant force in shaping the world, exploitation has far surpassed preservation. We must learn to live in harmony with nature not just consume it for short term material gain. If we fail to do this we are on certain course to destruction. To put it in technical terms we are bending over and kissing our rear goodbye.

We must stop separating ourselves from each other. Mankind is one with our self. To quote John Donne, “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main…Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.” As long as man continues to divide the world into the “us against them” fight to the finish scenario of extremists like Osama bin Laden, Karl Rove, Dick Cheney, and other right-wing radicals there will be no advances in the world political situation.

To say it was the best of times a certain perspective is needed. For clearly the Bush driven world is and has been nowhere near the best. In scientific terms, it sucks. To put it in biblical terms, it is on the highway to hell. However 2005 clearly has marked a turning point in America’s understanding and knowledge of the mean spirited Bush and company. America has caught up to the rest of the world in seeing them for what they are, lying incompetent weasels bent on making the world in their own image. It is an image of world domination by the few (economic and corporate elites) that rests squarely on the backs of the many (everyone else).

2005 was the best of times because it brought the attempted putsch of the radical right to a screeching halt.
They had nothing but failures the whole year, starting with their grand scheme of welfare for Wall Street, Social Security privatization. This was the number 2 priority of the Bush gang from the start, second only to gaining American dominance in the Middle East. As the year went on their top priority also slipped from their grasp, though they still refuse to admit it. It is a refusal sustained by thousands of deaths and injuries of Americans and Iraqis. But no sacrifice is too great for others to make.

Seriously wounded by failing to achieve their two main objectives, the right –wingers are gradually losing their grip of power. The media at long last has awakened from the dogmatic slumber induced by the radical right’s attack on the 1st Amendment. Karl Rove is no longer able to deny or bully his way out of his many acts of lying and duplicity. In fact he is just on his way out. Bill Frist and Tom DeLay are too busy trying to stay out of jail to put enough pressure on their party members to vote their inclination against the Geneva Convention or to void the Constitution. With a main supplier (Jack Abramoff) of illicit funds to their campaigns on his way to the big house most Republicans are being forced to look for legal and legitimate donations. This requires them to at least pay lip service to the values of everyday America, values like following the Constitution and obeying the law.

The Bush Credo - No Sacrifice Is Too Great For Others To
Make.