Cheney Is No Darth Vader
Our world is one of global iconicism. Living among us are a tiny Korean dictator who wants to be Elvis, a Saudi jihadist who thinks he's Mohammed, a U.S. president who flips between Clint Eastwood and Johnny Carson, his top advisor who channels Napoleon, and a vice president believed by many to be Darth Vader. It almost makes a bearded, murderous hippie who called himself Christ seem like the good old days.
There is no doubt that Dick Cheney gets a huge kick out of being called Darth Vader. Vader is the ultimate badass. Before the dark lord of the Sith, the only notable screen villains were Nurse Ratched and a Great White shark. But the real question is does Cheney really live up to the title? Sure, he talks about fighting terror from the dark side, the most obvious direct reference. He once held a sensible, geopolitically accurate view of the Middle East about 15 years ago, until somewhere along the line he was seduced by the forces of unreason, most likely during his days at Halliburton. He seems to be serving some form of higher master, but whom? It ain't the president.
But the similarity ends there. Darth Vader was, up to his last breath, an authentic, spiritual warrior who risked life and limb for both sides of the Force. Cheney couldn't be bothered to even serve chow in the Mess Hall when duty came calling. Vader could strike fear into a man's heart just by breathing, and his command over the elements could break a man's neck from across the room. Cheney can manage only a quiet "go fuck yourself" under his breath. And let's face it, if Big Daddy Skywalker ever blasted a guy in the face, it was intentional and he never looked back.
No, Cheney is much more resembling of Emperor Palpatine. Who else would snatch up as much power as he can seize under the pretext of national security? Who else would abuse such power to perpetuate a military industrial empire? Who else would lobby the Senate in favor of torture? Who else would claim to be accountable to no one? Who else would launch a widespread campaign to crush the voices of reason within and around his government, and send his top aide out to do the dirty work?
There is no Darth Vader in this administration. Only slimy, cowardly emperors.
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Well done, Murph. As usual, your writing is colorful and concise.
Would Mr. Potter (ala It's Wonderful Life) rate honorable mention? The guy is too petty for emperor status; and too craven to take credit for any significant achievements on his own.
Cheney has no historic or fictional equal.
He's a coward to the end, cackeling with laughter as he packs his bags and slinks out the back door of Blair House, leaving the ENTIRE F*CKIN' FIASCO for the next president.
In the end, Darth Vader did the right thing. Cheney's closer to Emperor Palpatine.
AWESOME!!!TRULY
No, Cheney is no Darth Vader. Cheney is Judas. The traditional Judas who sold out his Lord for 16 pieces of silver. In this case, of course, Cheney sold out his country for 16 Billion pieces of silver in the form of barrels of oil. It is at times like these that I somewhat regret being an atheist because I fear that this traitor, this sick, twisted individual will retire to a life of ease and comfort while the dogs of war he and his sock puppet unleashed will devour the earth. If there was a hell, no one would deserve to be tortured there for eternity more than Richard Bruce Cheney.
Your blog is true. Dick Cheney is Elmer Fudd, not Darth Vader. But fantasy, not fact, rules when you demonize. To the public Cheney is Darth Vader the epitome of rampant evil. Sen Clinton was aiming at the public which demonizes Cheney as Darth Vader.
Cheney's bluster is more Elmer Fudd like. When he shoots, it's at a comfortable game & his targets are unarmed animals which are bred to be shot & may have been driven to him by game keepers who beat the bush & scare the animals into Cheney's path. That doesn't resemble a battle field at all. Accidently shooting a friend in the hunting party isn't like combat either. Cheney shot the guy in the face but Cheney lost face by trying to cover-up the hunting accident & became an object of ridicule. Muttering, "Fuck you." to a senator was a sophomoric stunt on Cheney's part. Muttering fuck you may play big in a White House turned into a frat house by W but it draws laughs of contempt for Cheney outside the Beltway. The prudish, shocked censure for Cheney made both Cheney & the US Senate into objects of ridicule. But both the US Senate & the US Vice President have often been objects of ridicule since these institutions were estalished.
Cheney is like a trick or treater kid dressed like Darth Vader on Beggar's night dragging a burned out light saber & his goody bag as he goes from house to house.
Snarl pretty, Dick, for the VCR.
Excellent piece!!!
Reason will destroy all these ass-holes!!!
no he is not darth vader. darth vader is a fictional charactrer, just like all of the religios mumbo jumbo. fictional.
best to deal in the here and now. in reality. cheney, bush and quit a few other are just fallen human beings. dark of heart, selfish of intent and wholly criminal. not mythically criminal, but really criminal.
cheney doesnt deserve the grandeur of a comic book character's identity. he deserves the same scorn we heap upon pedophiles, dog abusers and other small bad-acting people.
he also, of course deserves and shall have a prison cell. i can just hear the shrieks of "medical issues" now.
i suspect that if things continue as they are, people arent going to just let him slink off into the night. at least i sure hope so.
so they have created misery of biblical proportions, so shall they suffer a historic punishment.
amen.
Vice President Dick (I have other priorities) Cheney is trying to relive VietNam as he thinks it should have proceeded. As a VietNam era Vet I have no patience for people like him who avoided the actual war and did "other things". Just to set the record straight, I entered the Army in 1972 but never served overseas. I still have a wariness of my contemporaries who spout nice things about the troops and supporting the government.
The VP is trying to place himself and his office above the Constitution, something I protected and defended for 28 years. It was the VP who "approved" the high level incompetents to run important agencies like FEMA based solely on party loyalty. I am patiently waiting for this administration to end and hope the next president has the abilities and wisdom to correct the errors. Writers have said we get the President we deserve/need for any given time. During the Civil War we had Lincoln, during Iraq we have a President who channels Bozo the Clown.
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Need I say more?
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