Molly Ivins Remembered

As I witness this defining moment in American history unfolds, the words echoing in my mind are Gerald Ford's 1974 speech: "Our long national nightmare is over." Certainly it's far from over yet, as this time it is longer than Watergate and W's legacy crime is far worse and more consequential than Dick Nixon's, but looks at least we can have hope now. I could not help myself thinking of the late Molly Ivins, who, as a political columnist in Texas, in 2000, long before most Americans have any clue what character George W. Bush is, or will be, wrote the most informative book on then candidate Bush, with revelation like how W was helped every step of the way in his life by wealthy and influential friends of the family, how he has always been good at rounding up powerful players to bankroll a variety of ventures, including political campaigns. It certainly sent chills down to my spine, made you wonder what would happen if such character could ever be President of United States? Well, after 8 long years, most Americans (and the whole world) sadly knew by now, at what New York Times aptly put as "the utter failure of government to protect its citizens".

Here is an excerpt from a review of "Shrub : The Short but Happy Political Life of George W. Bush":

"Behind the down-home style and tasty jokes, Ivins and DuBose (who edits the Texas Observer) lay out plenty of well-documented dirt on GWB's career--though it isn't nose candy they're after: instead, the authors make a case that the affable governor has climbed ladders, traded favors, bent rules and enriched himself, without doing much for the people he governs. W.'s oil ventures "lost more than $2 million of other people's money," netted him $840,000 and tied him to international banking scandals, say the authors."

Molly Ivins died in 2007 at age 62.

為了忘卻的記念

又是六四了，看了馬英九莫名其妙的感言，只能說 “wtf”。又想起這兩段話來：

"No one may speak for the dead; no one may interpret their dreams and visions. I have tried to fight those who forget. Because if we forget, we are guilty, we are accomplices.... We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormenting, never the tormented."
--- Elie Wiesel

"If I am not for myself, then who will be for me? And if I am only for myself, then what am I? And if not now, when?",
--- Jewish saying

We must always take sides.