Is Spineless Better Than Evil?

This guy's sign at last week's peace rally on the St. Paul Capitol steps really connected with a lot of people. But is the answer that clear?

Considering the slick double-talking of Minnesota Politician Norm Coleman, for example, whom we were able to recently capture on videotape (posted here), artfully dodging and deflecting our questions about why he won't vote to end the occupation of Iraq, how can we even distinguish between what's evil and what's just spineless? Coleman says his is not double-talk, it's "middle ground" and certainly many "fair and balanced" (and lazy) reporters willingly print what he tells them.

But Coleman happens to be one of only a handful of neocon-leaning Senators who co-sponsored the Kyl-Lieberman amendment which passed (once its worst language was removed) and could pave the way for Bush to launch a massive bombing attack on Iran. You know, the bombing that neocon Norman Podhoretz "hopes and prays for"and secretly urged Bush and Rove to begin not long ago. The letter Coleman currently sends out containing his views of "U.S. policy on Iran" is so full of double-talk, that it's hard to figure out what he's saying, but it's probably significant when he inserts "the President may take necessary actions to defend American Security, but Congress must authorize these actions within 60 to 90 days, or the forces must be withdrawn." Certainly 60 to 90 days is enough time for another promised cakewalk to turn into a new quagmire. Then Congress will get involved? Haven't they learned that starting wars is a lot easier than ending them? Or do they really not care at all about this country's national security?

Hardly on "middle ground", Coleman supported the amendment BEFORE the bill's backers were forced to take out its most incendiary language, including a provision "to support the prudent and calibrated use of all instruments of United States national power ... including diplomatic, economic, intelligence, and military instruments". Sen. Dodd, on the other hand, correctly pointed out that it takes little to "give this President a green light to act recklessly and endanger US national security. We learned in the run up to the Iraq war that seemingly nonbinding language passed by this Senate can have profound consequences. We need the president to use robust diplomacy to address concerns with Iran, not the language in this amendment that the president can point to if he decides to draw this country into another disastrous war of choice. We shouldn't repeat our mistakes and enable this President again."

As an aside, the only consolation in the terrible 76-22 vote on Kyl-Lieberman's bill which helps pave the way for Bush-Cheney's plan to bomb Iran was Minnesota Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar's "NO" vote along with 19 other Democrats and Republican Senators Hagel and Lugar. A number of us had been writing and calling her to "stand tall" and resist all the pressures, fear-mongering and special interest groups; but instead, to vote her conscience and do what's right by the Minnesotans who elected her. The small group of 22 Senators "standing tall" yesterday, not giving their go-ahead to "War President" Bush's third war, could not help but bring a lump in my throat as it rekindled memories of the late Paul Wellstone's brave vote in October, 2002. Wellstone was the only Democratic incumbent facing a re-election challenge who voted "no" to the Iraq War along with 22 other Senators. The late Minnesota Senator apparently even defied recommendations from his own staff who wanted him to do the easier thing politically and just go along with the vote authorizing war on Iraq. Wellstone was threatened with loss of his re-election only a few weeks away--to none other than slick politician Norm Coleman. So how tough was Wellstone's decision to vote his conscience under those circumstances?! (And if I may digress on a personal note, seeing Wellstone vote against authorizing a war that I knew to be totally unjustified and based on lies was the epiphany moment that changed me from having reflexively voted for Republicans most of my entire life.)

So the 22 bipartisan votes evidencing spine are proof, on a couple of levels, that this guy's sign is not entirely correct. But polls do show public approval of Congress is down to 11% and there is that common perception of the Democratic majority in Congress being spineless.

Which brings us to the question: IS spineless better than evil? I hate to keep lecturing about this but as an ethics-teacher, and this hopefully being a teachable moment, . . .

Spineless IS better than evil. But spinelessness is characterized by silence and silence is complicity. Inaction is also complicity. The Kitty Genovese stabbing incident exposes how and why bystander apathy works. It is not true apathy but only (temporary) denial of an ugly, unpleasant truth (that a woman's screams could possibly mean someone is being stabbed right below one's window, in one's own alley) and (temporary) confusion as to what to do about it. People are unprepared for such relatively unusual (and horrible) events. And this accounts for both their lack of initial vigilance as well as their inability to react quickly. So in the Kitty Genovese case, thirty eight otherwise good people ignored the sounds of a woman being stabbed but it wasn't because they didn't care. It was primarily because they hadn't practiced for such an event. They hadn't previously carefully considered what to do in such a situation.

Perhaps the most profound lesson of the last century's most horrible event, the Holocaust was: "Thou shalt not be a victim. Thou shalt not be a perpetrator. Above all, thou shalt not be a bystander." The man judged to be smartest of the last century, Albert Einstein, similarly said, "The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." These quotes certainly don't mean that any one bystander is worse than any particular perpetrator or evil doer. What they mean is that the perpetrators are few in number while the bystanders are many and could easily stop the perpetrators if they only tried. Unfortunately this sad lesson of history seems to be repeating and, Holocaust museum sign nothwithstanding, few remember it.

I know one thing. If Paul Wellstone were alive, he would have been proud of Senator Klobuchar and the other 21 Senators who are not in denial about the potential disastrous consequences to giving another green light to this "war president." I bet Wellstone would also be calling for all bystanders to immediately report for duty to stop the Bush-Cheney-Lieberman and other neocon war hawks from launching their third war in six years.

Comments

[Vigilante]

Great post, Coleen. I'm swiping that photo 'cause...I just hafta have it!

[MAX1]

.

Spineless is as spineless does...

And what spineless has done has given to this Nation LESS protection of our Bill of Rights and Constitutional Law. Spineless has brought us the lifting of Habeas Corpus, war without end, free speech ZONED, detention without proof, torture...

Spineless is all it took for this evil Fascist state to take hold.

.

[FlowerGirl]

This reminds me of a political discussion my father and a neighbor had when I was a child. It was about a state office. Our neighbor said that he was voting for X, and me father said, "But he's as crooked as a corkscrew.­"
Our neighbor replied, "Yes, but he's smart. That other fellow is dumb and crooked. He might not know when he has gone too far."

Spinelessness is not smart, however. Something could arise requiring a decision and the spineless would surrender without thinking even though it might be smarter to stand up. The Democratic "leaders" are waiting for AIPAC and the corporate interests to tell them to how to move. But they (and most certainly, we) would be better off if they did what WE want once in a while.
70% of the American people oppose extending and expanding the war. BUT
70% of "our" Senate approve extending and expanding it, including declared "war opposers."

Please do not confuse spinelessness with brains. (Anatomically they brain and spine belong to the same system.)

[ColeenRowleyMN2]

I kind of figured the photo of the sign would spark good comment (like the ones already posted above!) just because it did so with people who saw the real thing at the peace rally in Minnesota a few days ago. These are the kinds of daunting issues, however, that ethicists write entire books about and which, if I ever have the leisure time to do so, would be my choice for a first ethics book. (So I might use some of your great comments--thanks!) We frankly need more than a sign on the Holocaust Museum for people to remember!
One of the other keys to overcoming bystander apathy is to not get yourself locked into hopelessness of the (albeit difficult) task. That's why, it's important to point to the cup half full (actually I guess it's only 22/100's full right now) and get every bystander we know off the couch to do something to stop Bush's war machine.

[Purple Girl]

Complacancy is what got US to this point in our History. Inaction is Action- and is therforeit can be just as detrimental. Abolish the language of Rep's & Dem's they tell US nothing.an­d ther is no real differnce between them anymore.It­'s not black or white- there a rainbow if you just open your eyes.

[zjr909]

One doesn't have to choose between the two. Spinelessness is evil. Those who murder, pillage and rape are demented; those who help create the conditions amenable to murder, pillage and rape are the evil ones. If you consider the Kyle-Lieberman amendment a prelude to murder, pillage and rape (as I do), then those who avoided the vote are the evil ones; those who voted yes are the demented ones. It seems to make life easier when you look at it full face.

[Snakeback]

It would be nice if it were a simple case of spinelessness, but it's not. The Democrats are co-conspirators.

Knowing the unlikelihood of a GOP majority surviving 2008, the neocons have started plying their trade among the Democrats.

Apparently, they are finding willing collaborators from that party too.

Nancy and Hillary threw in their lots with the neocons long ago. Neither of them is antiwar. How is the White House paying them off for this?

"Impeachment is off the table" = "Do as you wish, George, I've got your back."

Whoever said there is only one party - the War Party - was right on the money.

Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton are war mongers just like the rest of them.

They are eating with the pigs, and they are looking an awful lot like pigs themselves - you got that right.

[MAX1]

,

And they stil wear lipstick.

.

[LizM]

Not all Democrats are spineless or have remained silent without objection. Democrats who are demonstrating leadership on the Iraq file, among others, are just being ignored...­by the media...an­d bloggers, alike, I should add.

Y'all will start paying attention, I suppose, only when it is too late and that would be pretty much par for the course.

[WorkingClass]

Obama didn't vote. Spineless. Hillary voted with the Republicans. Evil.

[LizM]

Ha! That was good.

May I add that Senator Biden demonstrated real leadership­...on this vote, and on achieving the overwhelming support of 75 senators for the Biden amendment, calling on the US government to start doing the heavy diplomatic lifting and begin to promote a political solution based on federalism and the Iraqi Constituti­on...you know, act like the leader of the free world.

Well, at the very least, Bush-Cheney and their ilk, along with the Democratic "leadership", will no longer be able to get away with saying that nobody has offered a comprehensive strategy to end the war in Iraq in a responsible manner, worthy of a superpower.

[snaggster]

Perspective matters as well. I hardly think that many Iraqis see ANY difference between evil and spineless when they evaluate the catastrophe that our political class has inflicted on them.

[peterg76]

As long as the Democrats win by simply being the less psychotic choice, they will have no incentive to reform. Voters have to make their collaboration cost them. (And they're not merely spineless, they are *actively* supporting the neo-con agenda.)

[Qbear]

Coleman was evil and is moving to spineless, the BEST of both worlds.
Al Franken will kick his a$$, his spine is fully in tact, and his cajones are ADULT sized.

[Wilbur]

Are you aware that Al Franken supported the Iraq war when it began? Just curious.

Wilbur

[snaggster]

What's your point? Vote for Coleman? Can Franken not change his mind? Would that make him a flip-flopper?

[thicky]

spineless is better than evil?

not if the spineless bystander is supposed to be the cop defending/­representi­ng you.

[Tellmethetruth]

The nightmare just continues. This is all like Orwell's Animal Farm, where the animals over throw the cruel exploitive humans from running the farm and the pigs come into control and then begin to oppress the other animals so at the end of the book, the animals peer through the window and see the pigs eating with the humans and the humans eating with the pigs and can't tell one from the other.

When did we wake up to find the three handpicked Democratic "front runners" plan to keep the war going to 2013?

The Democrats knew all along the war was always about oil and remained silent for the past seven years raising no objection to anything this administration has done.

Why does it hurt more to be betrayed by Democrats than even Bush/Cheney?

[sorenmeetsdylan]

Said without the sligtest understanding thet Animal Farm was a parody of Stalinism.

[nancytheragingliberal]

Thicky, Yes, interesting comment.