Where Are Our Smiths?
As usual I awoke very early this morning and while my computer was running it's daily virus scan, I tuned into one of the old movie channels. And guess what was playing on this morning of our mid-term elections? It was a movie which has been declared to have "cultural significance" by the Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry. It was none other than Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. A movie nominated for eleven Academy Awards which dealt with corruption within our hallowed political halls. Yeah, the people knew about graft and greed within our political system even back in 1939.
And the early corporatists even campaigned against the movie labeling it as an anti-American pro-Communist film because of it's implication that the American government was corrupt. Imagine that! The movie was a powerful message apparently because it was actually banned by Nazi Germany and the fascists of Italy.
I'm just wondering where are the Mr. Smiths of today? Today we have even more bribery, extortion, cronyism, nepotism, patronage, graft, and embezzlement. So are there any Mr. Smiths or have there ever really been any? Perhaps the movie was a social cry for the need of a Mr. Smith? Perhaps the movie put a little too much emphasis on democracy and watching out for the people? Maybe it was fought against by the very ones that were portrayed as being neck deep in graft. Such as the corporate media and the bought and paid for Senate and House?
Mr. Smith was considered a Don Quixote in Washington by his assistant Saunders. A lone simplistic, idealistic man whose heart and will for fighting injustice was much greater than his abilities. I suppose our naivety has long since dissipated with the amount of information we now have access to and our ability to hear the whole story. But however idiotic it is, there is something inside me that keeps hoping there are still some Mr. or Ms. Smiths out there somewhere! But as I look at the candidates I have to choose from in today's election, I am forced to face reality! If there are any Smiths out there, they must have enough character, integrity, and common sense to stay as far away from politics as they possibly can!
It seems that most of the citizens who still possess the quality of character our country needs, do not want to expose themselves to the cancerous corporlitical system which we have inherited. But I can't help but believe we are nearing the point within our history that coalitions and communities will take the place of the single heroes and the cleansing of the corrupt social, economic, and political systems will be accomplished through concerted efforts of new communities and their organized power. So I'll see you at the polls fellow John and Jane Does and you too Mr. and Ms. Smith.
And the early corporatists even campaigned against the movie labeling it as an anti-American pro-Communist film because of it's implication that the American government was corrupt. Imagine that! The movie was a powerful message apparently because it was actually banned by Nazi Germany and the fascists of Italy.
I'm just wondering where are the Mr. Smiths of today? Today we have even more bribery, extortion, cronyism, nepotism, patronage, graft, and embezzlement. So are there any Mr. Smiths or have there ever really been any? Perhaps the movie was a social cry for the need of a Mr. Smith? Perhaps the movie put a little too much emphasis on democracy and watching out for the people? Maybe it was fought against by the very ones that were portrayed as being neck deep in graft. Such as the corporate media and the bought and paid for Senate and House?
And it seemed like a pretty good idea, getting boys from all over the country, boys of all nationalities and ways of living. Getting them together. Let them find out what makes different people tick the way they do. Because I wouldn't give you two cents for all your fancy rules if, behind them, they didn't have a little bit of plain, ordinary, everyday kindness and a - a little lookin' out for the other fella, too...That's pretty important, all that. It's just the blood and bone and sinew of this democracy that some great men handed down to the human race, that's all.
Mr. Smith was considered a Don Quixote in Washington by his assistant Saunders. A lone simplistic, idealistic man whose heart and will for fighting injustice was much greater than his abilities. I suppose our naivety has long since dissipated with the amount of information we now have access to and our ability to hear the whole story. But however idiotic it is, there is something inside me that keeps hoping there are still some Mr. or Ms. Smiths out there somewhere! But as I look at the candidates I have to choose from in today's election, I am forced to face reality! If there are any Smiths out there, they must have enough character, integrity, and common sense to stay as far away from politics as they possibly can!
It seems that most of the citizens who still possess the quality of character our country needs, do not want to expose themselves to the cancerous corporlitical system which we have inherited. But I can't help but believe we are nearing the point within our history that coalitions and communities will take the place of the single heroes and the cleansing of the corrupt social, economic, and political systems will be accomplished through concerted efforts of new communities and their organized power. So I'll see you at the polls fellow John and Jane Does and you too Mr. and Ms. Smith.
posted by atuuschaaw at 5:13 AM
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