Of Elections and War

Life imitates art far more than art imitates Life. ~Oscar Wilde

Not only did Oscar Wilde hit the nail on its head or pinned the needle on the donkey’s tail (or whatever cliché there is for that), when that happens, there will be guys out there who will watch history as it unfolds watching the whole thing on CNN during day-off eating popcorn and drinking beer. And no, he won’t be watching any news about some natural disaster in China or Pakistan but rather, the fabled American Elections—the longest presidential campaign in its history so far (’08). As for natural disasters, there is that emphasis that: a) precious lives taken isn’t life imitating art of any sort, and b) it’s simply bad news, and no one ever watches bad news eating popcorn.

An election is coming. Universal peace is declared and the foxes have a sincere interest in prolonging the lives of the poultry. ~T.S. Eliot

With the American Elections in dwelling almost everyone’s thoughts these days, I may say it is life imitating art. Prophetic words by Wilde indeed who I bet never intended it as prophetic. Anyway, whatever happens in that election (or whoever wins), I still admire America’s democratic processes. I never really cared about the American elections until one day when I woke up and saw Barack Obama on TV announcing that he was running. And when my mom gave me a little lesson of how elections (US Elections 101) are conducted in the States; she took up Political Science in college, so I believed her.

And whoever spread those insane rumors that Obama might be assassinated early during his term (if he wins) are the handiwork of misguided elements of society or just idiots with wild imaginations of conspiracy theories and such. (There you go with life imitating art again.)

Some people believe that Obama is Indonesian. In fact, some even professed that he was Muslim, creating therefore the idea that he might just be another terrorist infiltrating America. In the words of my officemate Joy Gustilo—whhaaat!??

Some Americans are such losers. A few days ago I joined a forum about the elections there and realized (from a foreigner point of view) they didn’t know what they were talking about. Maybe I joined the wrong chat room—a far cry from the one I joined (along with Harvard students) before the computer at my place was hurled outside the window in rage. I think Obama is a sincere fellow with sincere intentions for America, reminiscent of John F. Kennedy—especially if you’ve read a lengthy biography of him (Kennedy). I bet what caused those persons in the first place to ponder about Obama having the same fate as that of JFK is because JFK was assassinated. Crazy sons of b’s.

Draft beer, not people.

One thing wrong with Bush’s long stay in the White House is the long stay of American military personnel in places such as Iraq, and well, those places. If he found an early solution for the whole “Weapons of Mass Destruction” thing, he would’ve actually made a name out of himself. But it dragged on for years, people got tired of the idea and people got tired of hearing young men being killed almost everyday. Not to mention billions of dollars spent in the name of patriotism.

Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong. ~Richard Armour

Whatever they say, however they condone war, it will never cease to be violent. Guns, bombs, rockets, are a violent thing. Many have even said that there is no victor in war—that only the innocents are the victims. Military strategists call it collateral damage too often that any civilian fatality is more than a given.

Give me the money that has been spent in war and I will clothe every man, woman, and child in an attire of which kings and queens will be proud. I will build a schoolhouse in every valley over the whole earth. I will crown every hillside with a place of worship consecrated to peace.
~Charles Sumner

War does not determine who is right - only who is left. ~Bertrand Russell

I join all the Americans, and of those who espouse peace, to spread peace all over the world. Maybe the outcome of this election in America be a beginning to an end.