sorrow and silence

I have been quiet in this space for a number of weeks.

One reason for this is that i am still reeling from the loss of my good friend and neighbor Ralph about which (and whom) i suspect i will have much to say once i get my legs under me.

And i have been traveling and working madly.

The rest of it is barely contained rage at Mr. Bush and his administration.

What's going on now in Iraq: this is what we said would happen if he rushed to war.

He said it wouldn't go this way -- or, more properly, Mr. Rumsfeld, Mr, Cheney, Ms. Rice, Gen. Powell, Mr Wolfowitz, Mr. Perl and Mr. Libby said it wouldn't go this way while Mr. Bush maintained a mainly soundbite-safe rhetorical discipline. But who would deny that Congress got the message and acted accordingly?

They said it wouldn't go this way and they were dead wrong -- where dead equals hundreds of Coalition (mainly U.S.) fatalities and tens of thousands of Iraqi dead (not to mention thousands of Coalition causualties and tens of thousands of Iraqi wounded).

There were no weapons of mass destruction. There was no attack on the West by Iraq. Rebuilding the Iraqi infrastruture is stalled, with millions of reconstruction dollars missing and presumed lost. They're having trouble keeping the lights on in Baghdad.

How are we supposed to react to this when this is what we said would happen and we were shouted down?

Frank Rich notes today that attempting to change the subject by smearing Cindy Sheehan -- Swift Boating her into irrelevance -- isn't working:

"The public knows that what matters this time is Casey Sheehan's story, not the mother who symbolizes it. Cindy Sheehan's bashers, you'll notice, almost never tell her son's story. They are afraid to go there because this young man's life and death encapsulate not just the noble intentions of those who went to fight this war but also the hubris, incompetence and recklessness of those who gave the marching orders."

Ms. Sheehan puts a finer point on it:

"'I got an email the other day and it said, "Cindy if you didn't use so much profanity .... there's people on the fence that get offended."

'And you know what I said? "You know what? You know what, god damn it? How in the world is anybody still sitting on that fence?"

'If you fall on the side that is pro-George and pro-war, you get your ass over to Iraq, and take the place of somebody who wants to come home. And if you fall on the side that is against this war and against George Bush, stand up and speak out.'"

i've been silent in this space for a number of weeks because i have been overwhelmed with sorrow and rage and my inability to find words to talk about the sad mess we're in (where we equals all of us who love the American ideal and flinch every day at this American reality).

Don't read too much into this last part; i'm just borrowing a page from another national story. If the shoe fits…well, we all know what to do:

"When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood; wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow. “Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the LORD has spoken. See how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of justice; righteousness used to dwell in her — but now murderers! Your silver has become dross, your choice wine is diluted with water. Your rulers are rebels, companions of thieves; they all love bribes and chase after gifts. They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow’s case does not come before them." Isaiah 1:15-23