DD just did a great job explaining why we fight from a strategic perspective. For me, and maybe others, there is also a personal element that explains why we need to stay on constant guard against right-wing greed and stupidity, and why when we do it might sound “shrill” to the uninformed.
To explain it so even Sharon can understand I’ll use the metaphor of a condo complex called “The Orange Tree Condos”
SO imagine a small condo complex at the center of which is a beautiful orange tree. The condo is governed by an elected board and, as people do, they have differences from time to time about how things should be run – but they know they have to work out those differences for everyone’s mutually benefit and they know ABOVE EVERYTHING they have to keep the orange tree healthy.
(Just so Sharon and other dim bulbs can keep up I want to say here that the condo complex is the United States of America and the orange tree represents our economy, culture and long tradition of being willing to put aside our difference for the common good.)
One day a group of condo owners decides to run the retarded son of a past President for the position of board President. You don’t happen to think it is such a good idea, but you figure that the board’s traditions of governing for everyone’s mutual benefit are pretty strong and this retarded son will be cared for in his role.
(Again. I don’t want to lose anybody. The retarded son of the past President represents George W. Bush.)
One day you draw back your curtain and see the idiot president chopping down the orange tree. Axe in hand he is happily chopping away, so you rush out to see what is going on.
Confronted he says, “I fixeded it!” And while you stand there dumbfounded he says, “Chicken POT PIE!….IS Gonna GETCHA!”
Well that is pretty fucking alarming wouldn’t you say? That kind of wonton stupidity could make you a little angry right?
Well what would really make you shrill would be the morons who elected that nit wit rushing out saying, “He didn’t chop down that tree. That tree fell down.” And someone else in the crowd says, “You know he has a good point about the Pie.”
You point to the axe in the retarded son’s hand and they say, “Barney Frank picked and orange off this tree three years ago and now it has fallen down.”
I guarantee that the next thing that comes out of your mouth is going to sound pretty dang shrill.
(Barney Frank in this parable represents Barney Frank.)