Curious Character
 
Character in a politician is like a character in a play. You may find it heroic or villainous but in the end, it’s also artifice. The jury being in on basic competence, the left and the right in the United States now debate the President and his administration on character. So far as I can tell this battle of ideas opposes the lying killer caricature and the plain-spoken man of principle. I think first place gets a case of Rustoleumtm, which is useful for both graffiti and yacht-painting. To the jaundiced eyes of this citizen, this president seems to be without curiosity, which for any leader or authority ought to be the fulcrum for weighing moral fitness. Thomas Jefferson took care of his estate by seeing to government and investigating horticulture. Jimmy Carter conducted bible study throughout his presidency. The current president doesn’t read resumes. It seems impossible to credit an incurious man with stewardship. Much has been made of the case for war in Iraq and the evidence presented in support. It is a little distressing to have to say whoops before the world after invading a country but few Americans and doubtful any senators were fooled into thinking Iraq was invaded due to noncompliance with United Nations resolutions on weapons of mass destruction. The too rarely discussed implication of the pre-war evidence fiasco is the absence of due diligence. Martial leaders have been for millenia avid information gatherers whether to protect their troops, secure victory and/or seem smart before congress and prostitutes. I would prefer, actually to think the President lied to drag us into a war for honest purposes than to know he just didn’t do his homework. No one can protect who won’t investigate, and what better measure of character than the courage to protect whatever is given you to defend. And then there is science, both the forebear of statistics and the product of polling, it’s own grandpa. Fidelity to one’s faith, beyond the tautology, can be a noble calling and evidence of a strong character, never more so than when religious doctrine comes into conflict with secular ideology. Not, however, as a shadow hiding dark deeds or pratfalls. A stem cell may be human life worthy of protecting and there may be a maker of us all, but the potential of stem cells to treat illness is however promising it actually is and my grandfather was, in fact, an ape. By the way, is it me or is it hot in here. There is no cowardice without faithlessness and no infidelity that doesn’t hide. To be careful, protective, courageous and faithful requires curiosity and who can claim character without these? The Prattler Wordbook NOVOCAINE, n. Political reform. NOWHERE, n. The plain English translation of Utopia, a perfect place where those who deceive us are educated and our enemies keep terrible weapons. NOXIOUS, adj. Well-informed. NUANCE, n. The root of all failure. NUCLEAR, n. The Mount Everest of oratory. NUER, n. A tribe of southern Sudan, cousin and enemy to the Dinka who the Nuer accuse of stealing cattle by guile. The Dinka accuse the Nuer of taking cattle by force. Both tribes stand accused of infidelity by the government and colonialism by the cattle. NUGGET, n. An honest proclamation. .
Saturday, July 22, 2006
From the collection of Richard Samuel West / Periodyssey.