Divert your eyes. Not looking at something means it isn’t really there. Or so goes the thinking of big dumb birds.
According to popular legend, when an ostrich spots something unpleasant–such as a hungry tiger charging its way–the bird’s gut instinct is neither to flee nor to fight its impending foe, but to bury its head in the sand.
If 21st century America were a bird, surely we would be an ostrich. With our heads implanted in the soil, its easier to believe what we’re told by the more refined politicians: that our scariest enemies are the wacky Muslims two seas and half a world away.
We’ve discovered in 2007 that the only way to pry ostrich heads from the cold, hard ground in which they hide is to do so gently, gradually, politely. You can’t force them; otherwise their necks will snap and life as they know it will be null and void. Presidential hopeful Mike Gravel is learning this lesson, albeit too late. We as citizens have been appalled 
not at Gravel’s message, but at how he’s chosen to package it. Confronting the truth is hard enough as it is without having to be jolted back to reality by a grumpy, 77-year-old battle ax scolding, “wake up people!”
So we shun Gravel. We call him insane, we call him rude, we call him pompous, and (with a bit of help from biased pollsters posing as language experts) we even learn to call him funny.
Gravel is furious about what he perceives as corruption within the ranks of his political party–not only because he feels corporate manipulation of a democratic election is morally wrong, but perhaps also because the big businesses that pay for his competitors’ advertisements haven’t given him a dime. Too many people misinterpret Gravel, or are so put off by his passion that they disregard his message altogether.
I continue to struggle with the monumental challenge of convincing people to peak behind the curtain. If some awful conspiracy were taking place at our expense, most people would rather not talk about it. The popular political candidates inevitably are those who comply with corporate interests. The main political battle has less to do with Democrats vs. Republicans than it does with People vs. Corporations. We have fallen into a political atmosphere of spectatorship, led there–ironically–by the once radical Baby Boomers who today fall uncritically in line.
Hi there, nice site, and insights!
Jones Town sent me and have added you to my blog links, unless you’d rather not.
Cheers!
Mike is delightful, and a common usage word to describe him would be “correct.”
The marginal candidates are marginalized before they even enter the arena. The money knows they are coming, and have factored in their presence. Watch how the other candidates tend to ignore him during a debate. I was totally surprised to see Barack enter into an exchange with him.
Mike and Ron may be the only two truly decent people in the race, and I’d bet everything I’ve ever owned that neither of them get out of single digits in the polls.
not sure why i read this, but whoever wrote it is an ignorant idiot. ostriches dont bury their heads in the sand, its a myth.
Hi Kieran-
Speaking of “ignorant idiots”, you yourself should perhaps brush up on your critical reading skills. Try again:
“According to popular legend, when an ostrich spots something unpleasant–such as a hungry tiger charging its way–the bird’s gut instinct is neither to flee nor to fight its impending foe, but to bury its head in the sand.”
The ostrich is a literary device, not the focus of the article. After acknowledging that it’s just a “legend”, I go on to make a substantive point. Do you know what substantive points are?
The retard who rote this is a moron because muslims aren’t all bad and enemies. And if you think that you are races weaher you know it or not. Just like you get offended if someone says something about your akward religion you shouldn’t even say anything about anyone elses religion.
P.S I AM MUSLIM.
p.s.s I am also younger than you because im still in highschool but you are one big idiot for actually thinking they stick their head in the ground.
MORON!!!!! And thats for ticking me off about that rude comment.
(Sigh) Once again, Hally, the ostrich is just a symbol. The point of the article has nothing to do with whether or not they literally put their heads in the sand.
Also, here are the correct spellings to the words you fucked up:
“Wrote”
“weaTher”
“aWkward”
Familiarize yourself with the apostrophe as well.