Open letter to The Smart People

I've just returned from finally seeing "Good night, and Good Luck", and Edward R. Murrow was right on both counts. As in, "I'm going to bed soon", (Good night), and "Damn, are we in sad shape!" (Good luck)...and shoot, he was saying this in the 50's--Iraq war and terrorism aside.

Being raised mostly around a bunch of raving liberals, (that's right, not raving Limbaugh's) I was brought up to believe that Republicans are bad and Democrats are good. Are you good? How good? Jesus good? Pat Robertson good? Fundamentalist Christian good?

It's just that some things have come to light for me--

-Oh boy! We have a two party system! That means parties on July 7 and July 8th! [what?!? that's not what it means?!?] Ohhh, BI-partisanship. Wow! Concept!
-Not all Republicans are bad. Some of my best friends are Republicans.
-People get news at the gym! From a banner scrolling across the TV as they climb the StairMaster.
-I am about as well informed as they. But less fit.

When I was in the music world, we spoke about some of our fellow musicians as if they were ill. "They've got the music bug." These were people that had to be musicians, poverty and all, because they just couldn't do anything else. And not necessarily out of intellectual incapacity, but more out of emotional commitment. As in, "I will be unhappy in my life if I can't have this life as a musician."

I may be unhappy, but not because I've not played cello today.

I'm unhappy because I don't understand what's going on with my country. Why the public indifference? Why is politics such rarified matter that noone at Starbucks today mentioned Samuel Alito's ambiguous record on abortion? Or the exit strategy for Iraq?

In fact, I've got the political science bug. I've taken vitamin C, played dozens of Solitaire games...nothing will shake it. Alas, I think I'm going to have to go to school.

Thus the letter to You Smart People.

Yes, always with the last minute, this author is. Full application due December 1st, including ***2 letters of recommendation***. Who can testify as to my political obsession and intellectual capability? Maybe some random person reading this blog? (Don't worry; I'm going the usual routes too; but at 2 weeks out, it's best to use all options.) So if you have kind words to submit on my behalf, wait no longer! Operators are standing by: bethello42(at)yahoo(dot)com.

So Good night! (to you)
and Good luck! (for me...oh heck, and you too, I guess)