Wretch’s and Wade’s comments underline why the rag I’ve been associated with, FIRST OF THE MONTH, tried to make case a left case for the War in Iraq and the War on Terror. Kilcullen’s comments indicate why we also always made room for folks who thought the Iraq War was a mistake. Hope W & W will allow for the possibilty that what one Clubber recently called Bush’s “heavy lifting” has set the stage for a different kind of effort to promote Western/liberal/American values – one that’s more suited to O’s talents that W.’s. (And I’m talking about brigades in Afghanistan!) The cunning of history? – Well I recall that Wretch recently lifted Marx’s line on farce/tragedy. Thought of that as I was watching the Beatles HELP with my little boy over the weekend. Occurred to me that Farce predicted tragedy. Ya’ll remember that movie. Ringo is targeted by human sacrificers from some nameless “Oriental” religion. There’s a great scene where one of “their” priests takes tea with High Anglican (pace Rowan Wiliams) who listens attentively as the exotic makes the case for the purity of blood sacrifice…(There’s a Greek Orthodox prelate at the garden party too.) Anyway – the Beatles and their fans all over the world once incarnated the pursuit of happiness. Fundamentally – you know hard Islamist really hate that…BTW – HELP – in classic 60s fashion mocks the military and Scotland Yard. Such mockery all seems out of time now. Still – I’ll allow that I think the key opposition going forward is going to be between the party of hope = democracy/pleasure principle/humanism/wit/rationalism vs. party of death = authoritarianism/fundamentalism/piety/death-mongering/isolationism…What the hey – W & W- I believe we just might belong to the same party even I believe in social living (if not necessarily socialism). If that seems possible, maybe, as I’ve suggested here in the past – you might be a little more welcoming to those of us tweeners who are on the margins…

Help…I need somebody!!