happen

                                          FRIAR LAURENCE
                                               O, then I see that madmen have no ears.
                                          ROMEO
                                               How should they, when that wise men have no eyes?
                                                                                ~ Romeo and Juliet Act III, scene iii

How does it happen?

That we ask the impossible of our best?

Nine dead.

How does it happen that a career Navy man, a Captain with a pristine record, is required to take a half-assed fall? The end of a career, an honorable discharge, full pension, plus who knows what other thanks from the current appointistration, and resignation by October.

Nine dead.

How does it happen, with sixteen civilians on board, that two of them were at “sensitive posts” or in layman’s terms, the controls, during an emergency surfacing maneuver?

Resulting in nine dead.

How does it happen that none of the sixteen civilians, including the two at the ‘sensitive posts’ most of whom happen to be large contributors to the Bush 2000 presidential campaign, were ever subpoenaed for a single question, even though they were THE star witnesses in the incident…

that left nine people dead.

How does it happen?

If Captain Waddle were truly responsible under normal circumstances, without the sixteen fat cats on a joy ride, for nine Japanese deaths aboard a training vessel, what would the ‘by the book’ punishment be? Court Marshall? Involuntary Manslaughter? Prison?
Instead, not only is he given a letter of “punitive reprimand” during an Admiral’s Mast, but also national airtime Monday night on NBC’s Dateline to explain it all away.

How does that happen? How does it happen that an administration can sacrifice such an exemplary Naval Officer, and in doing so, that very branch of the Military, in exchange for its own bad judgment call?

Does the quid pro quo of corporate payback also require blood money? How much kickback is the media getting in this huge Crisco party?

Honor is lost. Dignity is lost. Nine living, breathing, vital people are lost, sacrificed on the hull of a machine of war which instantly became the steel altar of American politics.

Nine dead.

To our shame, they are but a footnote of yet one more cover up to add to the Bush Family Scoreboard, and the political machinations are the story.

Why do we sacrifice our best to protect our worst?

Restoring honor and dignity to The White House? When is that supposed to begin?

And at what price? Honesty, Ethics, and Integrity?