Dear Santa: The Last Eight Years
The following letter to Santa is posted with permission from the author.
TO: sclause@northpole.com
SUBJECT: All I Want For Christmas
Cc: blog3@democracyforiowa.com, comments@whitehouse.gov
Dear Santa,
I’ve never written to you before. I guess that’s because I’ve never wanted anything as much as I would really like to have the last eight years of my life back. You see, when George W. Bush seized the presidency in 2000, I was only 46 years old. I'm 54 now and I can feel the loss of good years, and the debris of W's past two terms polluting my sense of well-being about the future. I slog around from computer to computer posting blog items, getting out action alerts, and keeping myself informed, so my hyper-vigilant mind is not so shocked each time the Bush administration does something that inevitably causes me to utter, “They… Are… So…. Un…. Be…. Lie…. Va…. Ble!”
Santa, I don't mean to complain. Many others have it way worse than I do – like the Iraqis who have had their country literally demolished, (whereas ours is merely figuratively demolished) and everyone who has lost jobs, sons and daughters and faith. Like I said, I don't mean to complain, but I am just so tired of saying, “I can't believe they are getting away with it,” and “they are so pathetic” that I'm not sure I can hold up until January 20th.
I have spent countless hours over the past eight years trying to do my part to minimize the damage. I haul my laptop everywhere I go, because you just never know when they're going to try something that calls for an immediate response from the resistance. I go to meetings after work when I am too tired to go out. I take vacation time to work on democracy-saving projects and campaigns. I walk in parades and carry signs. I write letters to my local paper. I volunteer to do things I don’t have time to do. Not just me. Most of my friends live this way, too.
Don't get me wrong – it's a good life and I'm happy to do my share, but I wouldn't mind having a little time to watch American Idol or [the fictional version of] Crime Story, or some other mindless TV show, like any other ordinary American. Last week, I went to a UI basketball game for the first time in eight years. Ashton Kucher and Demi Moore were there. I swear, I didn’t know they were married! How sad is that?
Well, Santa, maybe this is starting to sound like just another bailout request… I guess I know deep down you can't really give me my eight years back. And I've probably learned some valuable lessons…that our democracy is worth working for and we have to guard it with our very lives. And perhaps I and my friends did save the democracy, with a little help from our fearless leader, Howard Dean. We’ve sure tried, anyway. I guess that remains to be seen.
Now Barack Obama is about to become the new president, and there is real hope that the polar bears and auto industry can be saved! So, never mind, Santa. Please disregard this letter and concentrate on someone who needs your help more. I know I'll never get these eight years back, and that’s okay, because they are starting to look like a pretty good investment. Merry Christmas and have a safe trip!
Anonymous
Whatever your religion, faith, or spirituality, Blog for Iowa wishes you peace, progress and hope.
We’ll be back Friday.
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