FULL OF SOUND AND FURY

Have you noticed how angry the Rychus Ones get when anyone gives a critical opinion regarding any of the Cheney/Bush cabinet nominations? Strange! We can remember back when Clinton was naming his picks, the Rychus rose up to loudly condemn nearly everyone of them as communists or wrong doers or, worst of all, FOBs - Friends Of Bill. Now they are using pejorative to smear anyone who questions their nominees.

We hear transition spokespeople, and some media, actually attacking the patriotism of any person who dares to disagree with the cabinet choices. One caller suggested on a radio talk show that because Colin Powel was a military person, it might send the kind of message we didn't want to send to the world by having him as Secretary of State. Instead of replying about the "message" that Powel's appointment may or might not have sent, the host of the show and others reacted by calling the caller a racist. He was also roundly condemned for "criticizing such a great American hero."

Frank Luntz, a Republican pollster, accused an editor of a newsmagazine of being a COMMUNIST, representing both China and Russia, after she commented adversely on the nomination of John Ashcroft on Hardball. Newly appointed adviser to Cheney/Bush, Mary Matalin, accused CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS including women's groups, African American groups, environmental groups, gay/lesbian groups, gun control groups, People for the American Way and the ACLU of being COMMUNISTS. Is there a pattern here? We think so. The media is being used to condition the American public to think that all opposition to Cheney/Bush is a communist plot. Shades of McCarthyism!

The discontent of the American voter is more than just political -- Democrats vs. Republicans. There is a growing movement of Americans of many stripes who are upset and concerned about the way the presidency was attained [appointed by the Supremes]. This discontent is reflected in the criticism of some of the cabinet choices.

Where is the promise of being a president to all the people? It is becoming very clear that despite the "labor pains" with Chavez and the blotched election in Florida, Cheney/Bush is proceeding as if it had a mandate. So far, we have not heard anyone in the media refer to this as SPIN. It seems that to the media, spin is only what Democrats do.

It was energizing to watch and listen to one after another of the House members of the Black Caucus rise to a point of order to challenge the Florida vote certification. They were asking that Congress investigate the travesty of justice that occurred in Florida. C-Span carried it live, but think about this: most of the Representatives that came forward were WOMEN, but when the T.V. media reported on this, it showed, at the most -- one woman, but both of the two males who participated were shown.

The Nation magazine writes in "The Counter - Inauguration":

Civil rights groups and others will take to the streets of Washington and other cities starting on January 15, Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday, and continuing through the inauguration on January 20, to raise questions about the legitimacy of Bush's election, and to press for reforms that will guarantee more representative results in the future. To encourage these efforts, we've launched the Counter-Inauguration Calendar, which highlights many of the groups organizing the wide range of expected protest activities.

More information on the People for the American Way website: http://www.pfaw.org/news/ashcroft_abortion.shtml

PLEASE read, sign and send the petition at this URL to all your friends and relatives: http://www.opposeashcroft.com/

Be invigorated! Be strong and resolute.
BUT above all, LAUGH! LAUGH! LAUGH!
Bushisms from: http://www.slate.com

"I would have to ask the questioner. I haven't had a chance to ask the questioners the question they've been questioning. On the other hand, I firmly believe she'll be a fine secretary of labor. And I've got confidence in Linda Chavez. She is a -- she'll bring an interesting perspective to the Labor Department."
            -- Austin, Texas, Jan. 8, 2001

"I do remain confident in Linda. She'll make a fine labor secretary. From what I've read in the press accounts, she's perfectly qualified."
            -- Austin, Texas, Jan. 8, 2001

To aid you all in your celebrations of the upcoming inauguration: a sing-along --

twanda@gendergappers.org       

2001-002

Copyright 2001 Renee T. Louise and Ruth M. Sprague, Ph.D. These articles may be republished for noncommercial use only, provided that they are copied intact, and that this copyright notice is attached. Address all queries to: twanda@gendergappers.org.

G e n d e r G a p p e r s   ^{T M}