These are things I knew nothing about until George W. Bush.

[kpete]

The Impossibility of Unknowing
by SusanG
Sun Jul 30, 2006 at 10:01:32 AM PDT
Fallujah. Signing statements. Abu Ghraib.

Waterboarding. Stress positions. Free speech zones.

The theological and historical differences between Sunni and Shi'ite. How levees are constructed. Why levees fail.

These are things I knew nothing about until George W. Bush.

I've always considered gaining knowledge an indisputable good, but these pieces of the world I've come to know in the past six years have the feel of being forced into me under threat. They now carry with them a weight and a darkness.

The Ninth Ward. Haditha. Guantanamo Bay.

How much sweeter to have picked up these nuggets of geography and history as I always have, serendipitously led through a leisurely stepping stone process of one book or conversation suggesting another, and yet another, and now a couple of twists and turns ... you start out here, reading Faulkner and next you're drawn to learning about cotton production and before you know it, you're at civil rights.

Instead, in all cases above, I'd begun my acquaintance because of headlines and horrors and a screaming, driving voice in my head:
There's something wrong! There's something very, very wrong! Learn about it! Fast!

more at:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/7/30/13132/0506

[knowbody0]

1. there's a little green man in my head too

what to do? what to do?

born in the land of the free, the most powerful nation on the planet, keeper of the flame of democracy. so proud, with such potential to do good.

all gone to shit. an illusion.

really sad

[Pirate Smile]

2. That is an excellent Diary on the front page of Daily Kos. I would

recommend everyone read it.

I think many of us can relate to it.

[DemReadingDU]

3. I can relate to this, K&R

[babylonsister]

4. Kick! nt

[ms liberty]

5. K&R: She's been inside my head...

"Instead, in all cases above, I'd begun my acquaintance because of headlines and horrors and a screaming, driving voice in my head:
There's something wrong! There's something very, very wrong! Learn about it! Fast!"

That's a great description of the kind of inner screaming I've been having for oh, about six years now. It's little comfort to know I'm not the only one. The horror just keeps coming.

[thefuzz811]

6. I've learned

more about my government, because of people explain how much he is messing it up. Illegal acts justified by secrecy. This guy needs to get impeached.