The color of our life - war, politics, and the intersection of time

[The Straight Story]

I was flipping through the channels yesterday and came across some old shows. Movies and sitcoms from the 70's. I then skipped ahead to more modern shows, the CSI's and Bounty hunter, Discovery channel, and so on.

It is then I remembered things from times gone by. And the color of it all.

Once the world was broadcast to us in black and white. Simple and effective, and perhaps even reflective of how so many saw the world.

And then we got color. But not the color we have today. Muted color, almost like a flat paint. The film type, the lighting, and other things like clothing and such all seemed less vibrant than today.

Such, to me, was how things were when I was a youngster.

Therein lies a world we cannot go back to, a place where memories flash back from photo albums - flat and muted, almost unreal. It is as though at some point in the world and life colors came alive. What we saw when we watched tv became equal to that which we saw when we looked out our window.

And yet - the color of war has retained it's muted feel. We see the war sent into our homes, but not the same war that the people living it see when they look out their windows.

Broken bodies, dead children, amputated vets, families torn apart by bombs.

A part of the public waxes nostalgic, enjoying the old muted colors of their childhood when they felt more safe and unaware of what the real world has to show. War becomes about an objective, and get back to us when that is done. What happens betweens points A and B we don't need to see. Don't want to see.

We want our old B&W war movies. Smiling people, dead nazis, and everything is good.

Our politicians show up on camera in their vibrant colors, nice red ties, shiny white teeth. But the picture they paint is made with the flat colors spread with a paint brush made of lies.

Some try to show the real world. But those who own our airwaves want only to tone it all down. Go watch discovery channel if you want to learn something, because you won't see truth on your nightly news or blathering talk shows.

War is hell. And it's color is blood red. It is terror painted from a palette of camo green and desert brown. And the painting it has made will not be broadcast.

We can't tune in, and the ones living it cannot tune it out. For if we saw the truth each night the war would not be in Iraq - it would be on the streets of Pennsylvania Avenue.

We can't change the world by changing the channel. We can change it by splashing a bucket of paint from the spilled blood of the victims onto a white house for all the world to see.

[knowbody0]

1. my young sun thought color was invented

WAY after I was born, that the world was black and white until just before he was born. he also firmly believed he used to live in space and that there was no Jesus hanging on any cross up there. that the government put kids in school so they would learn how to stand patiently in line at safeway. He's 31 now with a sun of his own, his heart has been broken and betrayed, his body weary from the labor at work. I sigh, and this Christmas I weaped like never before, ashamed of this world and AmeriKa's legacy I leave them all.

AmeriKans do need to be force fed the ugly realities of the carnage and destruction, and then run to the streets until we take back our country.

[The Straight Story]

2. It is sad indeed this grown up world

It is as though the bullies grew up and took control. Destroying the dreams of people from their offices while patting each other on the back at how well off they are.

While the good folk see their dreams erased and replaced with a reality they never wanted to be created.

The victims get no justice, and the perps get all the spoils.

[The Straight Story]

3. Kick for the late night crowd (nt)