The U.S. and Canada seemed to be singing from the same song sheet during Egypt’s march to freedom. How about we call it The Orderly Transition Symphony with the Western Stability Choir? I understand that musical selection when it comes to Canada—peace, order and good government aren’t much of a call to bold action, never mind overthrow. But America?
It likes to think of itself as a paeon to democracy. Yes, the zenith of the democractic ideal that started so long ago in the minds of Greek philosphers finally came to full flourish in America. The Super Bowl told me so. The Declaration of Independence was read outloud as prequel to the big pigskin battle in Texas. And remember that riff from the Declaration?
…That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
Giddyup Cowboy, if that ain’t a call for what was happening in Tahir Square, what is? The Egyptians simply want to affect their safety and happiness. And what did America do? Hedge its bets for as long as it could.
Meanwhile, the Super Bowl pre-game was convincing us we were a country like no other. Images came at us—Kennedy, King, Ali, Roosevelt, JFK Jr. saluting at his dad’s funeral, Obama, firefighters in the Twin Towers and then--during the singing of the Stars and Stripes, just after we saw George and Laura Bush standing next to Mr. Football, John Madden--we cut to soldiers at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan. (Sorry, but I couldn’t help wonder where dwelt the ghost of Pat Tillman, the brave and idealistic NFL player who quit the game to enroll in the army and was killed by friendly fire in an incident the Army tried to cover up. The documentary, by the way, is called The Tillman Story.)
At a certain point, the gap between theory and reality became too wide to bridge. Let’s call the it chasm between how we talk and how we walk. We all knew the Dubya’s claim that we were invading Iraq to create a wave of democracy throughout the Middle East was merely a sales job, but Egypt was the real deal. A bottom-up overthrow of dictatorship. And America—God Bless America—played it safe.
Canada? Well, when the Super Bowl ended, the Canadian Broadcast Corporation had a show on called Make the Politician’s Work featuring Canada’s Minister of Defense, the duplicitous and studly Peter Mackay, undergoing an arduous combat boot camp. “Sir, yes sir, sir!” and more.
Now I can, at last, sleep soundly! The Minister of Defense is ready. He’s all polished boots and disciplined killer. Maybe he can go on a mission in Afghanistan and catch the faint, whispered wisdom from the ghost of Pat Tillman.
