Gore Wins Nobel Peace Prize, Bush Pushes

It is the war of the worlds.

As Al Gore is honored with the Nobel Peace Prize, George Bush and Dick Cheney appear to be pushing on all levels for a new war, with Iran. Not a day goes by without some political or public relations push for an attack on Iran by a President who has learned nothing from his tragic mistakes and seems determined to escalate them.

The profound juxtaposition of the Nobel Prize being being awarded to Al Gore and the push for another war by George Bush is powerful proof of the war of the worlds that will largely determine the future of America. It is a battle about:

The vision of America and the world of Al Gore versus the vision of America and the world of George Bush, Dick Cheney, and the leading Republican presidential candidates.

In the George Bush vision, oil profiteering reaches historic highs, oil companies have secret meetings in the White House, oil power creates pressures for unwise wars, oil politics buys influence with those who plan those wars, and oil pollution threatens nothing less than the very existence of planet earth.

In the Al Gore vision, the people of the world are freed from the chains of an oil based economy, the genius of America is mobilized for a new deal of new and safe energy sources, and the earth is protected from the rapacious greed who those who pillage it for short term profits, and threaten it for future generations.

In the George Bush vision, America initiates unwise preemptive wars and allows those who attacked on September 11, 2001 to escape.

In the Al Gore vision, America does not initiate wrong and unwise preemptive wars, leaders should have the clarity and conscience to know it, and we defeat the real enemy in the right way with a united people and a shared spirit of patriotism.

In the George Bush vision, America violates the wisdom of George Washington and commits heinous acts of torture that alienate the decent opinion of the world community.

In the Al Gore vision, America is a beacon of hope and light, George Washington and our commanders through the ages were right, we reject torture and rally the friends of freedom everywhere to our cause, because they know and believe it is the right cause.

In the George Bush vision, the king is the law, the constitution is dispensable, the Bill of Rights is the petty cash of partisan politics, and we become spies against each other.

In the Al Gore vision, the law is the king, the Constitution is a sacred trust, the Bill of Rights is honored as the timeless statement of our freedom and democracy that it is, and we are a nation of fellow citizens who stand side by side, under the rule of law, for the higher purpose of true Americanism.

In the George Bush vision, our politics is polluted by the corruption of money, our debate is demeaned with the politics of domestic enemies, and our people are made to be afraid and asked to turn against each other.

In the Al Gore vision, our politics is ennobled with a spirit of public service, our debate is elevated by great visions and great dreams, our people are challenged to be strong and brave and united with each other.

In the Al Gore vision, the Democratic Party is a party with the clarity to see the truth, the courage to speak the truth, the honor to put the truth ahead of political convenience, and leadership to set great expectations for the nation and strive boldly to meet them.

It is the war of the worlds.

In one corner is the George Bush world of oil prices, oil profits, oil money, oil pollution, and the inevitable pressures for war, distortions of politics, and dangers to earth that flow from this axis of oil evil.

In our corner is the Al Gore world that dreams of a vision to liberate the world from these dangers and threats, that promotes plans to accomplish the mission with the same fortitude that took America to the moon, and that seeks to inspire people of all kinds, in all nations, to an American Dream that is the shared dream and good and decent people around the world.

It is true, that Al Gore has been the conscience of our politics, and the greatest single voice of the truest loyal opposition to the wrongs that have been done in recent years.

It is true, that the world community now honors Al Gore in ways that will make Americans proud of what is possible and more confident in the world we can build together.

It is also true, that the war of the worlds has only begun, and the great battle for the future and spirit of America has only just been joined.

The winds of war are blowing again, as those who pray on the darker impulses of fear are promoting yet another unwise war, and sadly, there are signs that the loyal opposition will need an infusion of steel more courageous and wise than what was shown in October of 2002.

And while the winds of war are blowing, a new Nobel Laureate is born, one of the world's great leaders is honored by the world, and America is lifted by the honor bestowed on one of our own.

To paraphrase what Ted Kennedy said when he lifted a Democratic National Convention to its feet, the fight goes on, the cause endures and the dream shall never die.

For those who believe in this, today is a very glorious day for America.

It is the war of the worlds and the stakes are enormous.

Comments

[ekelly]

Thank you Brent for putting it so succinclty. I am sick of seeing people attach Al Gore in a day when he should be allowed to enjoy the reward for his efforts in such a 'nobel' cause... It is a War of the worlds and as Bush is the WAR KING Al Gore would try to be the Prince of Peace and working together.

I miss the days when the US was known for "Peace Corps" and not War and Punishment and Torture. We are all on one planet and we must all be united to save it, not tearing each other apart and attacking those less fortunate etc.

Thanks for your powerful essays Brent.

[altohone]

Whoa there...

... "the Democratic Party is a party with the clarity to see the truth"?

Let's not pretend that there is unity.

Hillary falls squarely into the Bush vision as you've laid it out.

The great battle for the spirit of America includes the great battle to reclaim the Democratic Party from those who enabled Bush.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Winds of war? Or winds of change!

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Another great essay from the incomparable BB.


I read once that Bill Clinton said we wouldn't recognize America after eight years of George W. Bush.

He was wrong; I don't recognize it after only seven.

[BeyondPopper]

There is more to it than just oil.

The world we live in is a world where the fundamental conflict is between corporate greed and human dignity.

Bush and his corporate regime do not just act in service to oil companies. Their idea of education reform is to throw billions at educational testing companies. Their idea of health care is to throw billions at insurance and pharmaceutical companies. Their idea of defense is to throw billions at contractor and security companies. Their idea of an informed citizenry is to ensure that the billions in profits that go to major media companies are preserved, and the truth is locked away in man-sized safes so none can see it. Their idea of an industrial policy is to subsidize sending jobs to countries where slave labor is the norm, and leave average Americans flipping burgers. Their idea of law is a court system that gives more rights to corporations than to mere human beings.

Why is this a problem? Why are there so many -- beyond the media whores like Coulter and Fox -- who don't make millions in service to the fascist corporate regime, but still support the fascists, thinking they are "American values" voters?

Because it's never stated in these terms, and when it is, the Right Wing Republican Propaganda Machine (otherwise known as the media) morphs it into an infantile statement no different than communism.

People need to grow up, look at what's going on, and realize that we have returned to the 1890's. We need a Teddy Roosevelt, and we need to protect ourselves from the real danger, unrestricted corporate greed.