This is a notorious clip of then Governor Sarah Palin performing a common political stunt "ritual" this time of year. I can't get it out of my head. I made some snarky status update over on Facebook about Joe Lieberman and my new Profile Pic as a turkey and a link to this You Tube video made it into the comments.
It is so easy to pick on Sarah Palin and to see this video clip as just another Palin gaffe. However, what really made my head spin was thinking that this clip is a perfect metaphor for life in this corporate republic these days. By now I hope you've watched the entire video clip. Sarah Palin has chosen a turkey farm in her hometown as the local for picking a turkey to "pardon" before Thanksgiving 2008.
First off let me say that I watched this video within hours of reading that the Governor of Texas, Rick Perry, had allowed an execution to stand despite the recommendation of the Texas Board of Pardons for clemency. For the first time this "harmless ritual" seemed rather offensive in light of continued capital punishment throughout the nation. I'm not trying to be overly P.C. here - but politicians regularly make a big HA HA joke about pardoning the turkey before the execution. It's kind of sick really...unless you think that capital punishment is joke worthy.
This wasn't meant to be a rant against capital punishment and "pardoning" turkeys, however. What I began to see in this video clip is a reenactment of much of the crap we are fed regularly from our leaders. Sarah Palin, the politician, is making a big show of pardoning a turkey at this turkey farm that is set up to butcher turkeys. As she continues to speak, we are witness to actual turkey slaughter continuing to occur behind her.
The juxtaposition of a meaningless "pardon" - like the turkey will really go off and live a better life after this - with the continuing "executions" in the background reminds me of so much of the theater we call politics. Substitute President Obama for Sarah Palin. Instead of pardoning a turkey, he's peddling his bailout of Wall Street, and in the background we see the head of Goldman Sachs continuing to hand out million dollar bonus checks to the upper echelons of the firm.
This is how things work in the United States. The alluring promise represents the brass ring in the title. (The link will explain what brass rings were all about.) So much of what we experience is just stuff and nonsense--pardoning turkeys while the real butchering continues unabated.
Mark my words, what will finally emerge as "health care reform" will really end up looking like quite the boondoggle for the insurance companies. The Change We Can Believe In was not universal. Much of the scary inflated Executive Branch privileges and powers implemented by W. have been kept in place. The wars are still continuing; Guantanamo is still open, no one talks about Bagram Air Base, however; the men who got us into the financial mess are running the show for the President.
The Great Oz just keeps on plugging along - pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. Pretend you don't see the blood draining from the butchered turkeys - after all, one Tom has been "pardoned and so everything is just fine. Hey, live it up a little! The recession's over after all. Peace.
There they go again, damn progressive trouble makers, can't they just leave well enough alone?
It is so easy to pick on Sarah Palin and to see this video clip as just another Palin gaffe. However, what really made my head spin was thinking that this clip is a perfect metaphor for life in this corporate republic these days. By now I hope you've watched the entire video clip. Sarah Palin has chosen a turkey farm in her hometown as the local for picking a turkey to "pardon" before Thanksgiving 2008.
First off let me say that I watched this video within hours of reading that the Governor of Texas, Rick Perry, had allowed an execution to stand despite the recommendation of the Texas Board of Pardons for clemency. For the first time this "harmless ritual" seemed rather offensive in light of continued capital punishment throughout the nation. I'm not trying to be overly P.C. here - but politicians regularly make a big HA HA joke about pardoning the turkey before the execution. It's kind of sick really...unless you think that capital punishment is joke worthy.
This wasn't meant to be a rant against capital punishment and "pardoning" turkeys, however. What I began to see in this video clip is a reenactment of much of the crap we are fed regularly from our leaders. Sarah Palin, the politician, is making a big show of pardoning a turkey at this turkey farm that is set up to butcher turkeys. As she continues to speak, we are witness to actual turkey slaughter continuing to occur behind her.
The juxtaposition of a meaningless "pardon" - like the turkey will really go off and live a better life after this - with the continuing "executions" in the background reminds me of so much of the theater we call politics. Substitute President Obama for Sarah Palin. Instead of pardoning a turkey, he's peddling his bailout of Wall Street, and in the background we see the head of Goldman Sachs continuing to hand out million dollar bonus checks to the upper echelons of the firm.
This is how things work in the United States. The alluring promise represents the brass ring in the title. (The link will explain what brass rings were all about.) So much of what we experience is just stuff and nonsense--pardoning turkeys while the real butchering continues unabated.
Mark my words, what will finally emerge as "health care reform" will really end up looking like quite the boondoggle for the insurance companies. The Change We Can Believe In was not universal. Much of the scary inflated Executive Branch privileges and powers implemented by W. have been kept in place. The wars are still continuing; Guantanamo is still open, no one talks about Bagram Air Base, however; the men who got us into the financial mess are running the show for the President.
The Great Oz just keeps on plugging along - pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. Pretend you don't see the blood draining from the butchered turkeys - after all, one Tom has been "pardoned and so everything is just fine. Hey, live it up a little! The recession's over after all. Peace.
There they go again, damn progressive trouble makers, can't they just leave well enough alone?
2 comments:
Ah, the Palin turkey video. Like the Marx Brothers, some comedy gets better with age.
Thanks again for an enlightening and insightful commentary.
as a Christian man I can't express myself!!
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