Doom looms

This week, gentle readers, there are a couple of bases I need to touch, just so I can say I did it. Not that my view of the world is especially valid or even rational. Heaven knows, I’ve had more than a few people tell me they think I’m from outer space.
As regards the war in Iraq; in case you haven’t noticed, the much publicized mass defection of Iraqi troops hasn’t happened. Although the supposedly elite Republican guard has proven to be far less formidable than their publicity would indicate, there are quite a few folks over there in the so called militia units who are fighting pretty hard. It’s difficult to tell whether this is because of a misguided devotion to an evil despot, or because they believe themselves to be defending their homeland against a foreign invader and don’t care who’s running their country as long as it ain’t us. I’ve seen it told both ways.
Before we go any further, let’s get one thing straight: I am very much in support of our troops. As in most wars, the majority of the combat soldiers on both sides are little more than children, and have seen little of the real world, no matter how much training they’ve had. I’d really like for them to get a chance to make some decisions for themselves, not an opportunity that presents itself frequently in a military environment.
I salute their courage and commitment, I wish them well and pray for their safe return to their loved ones. That being said, I can’t help but wonder how our civilian citizenry would react if Arkansas should be invaded by a powerful military force from elsewhere. In the case of the Iraqis, some have given up at the first opportunity, some have fought tooth and nail with what one is tempted to term a “patriotic fervor.” Some have behaved honorably, some have behaved about as dishonorably as can be imagined, torturing and killing captives.
What would we do, I wonder.
I am reminded of a line from the classic Humphrey Bogart film “Casablanca,” when a Nazi officer asks Bogart’s character how he would react if the Germans invaded New York. Bogart’s character responds that there are certain sections of New York he wouldn’t recommend the Germans try to invade. Somehow, I get the same feeling about Arkansas.
On to our domestic woes, specifically our state legislature. The wife and I attended the Arkansas Press Association convention in Little Rock the last weekend in March. At one of the meetings, the speaker of the state House of Representatives and the president pro tem of the state senate answered questions from the APA members.
I am sad to report that the leadership of our state legislature has fallen into less than reassuring hands. The speaker of the house is one Herschel Cleveland, a lawyer from Paris, Arkansas. It’s bad enough, in my opinion, that he is a lawyer, even though he also has served his constituents as a judge (as I have said before, I just don’t think it’s a good idea to let lawyers make the laws), Bro. Cleveland is far from an inspiring leader. In fact, although he tried mightily to answer the questions put to him, it was obvious that the third term legislator was in over his head as speaker of the house. He created the impression that he simply didn’t have a sufficient command of the issues facing him to deal with them effectively.
As for the president pro tem of the senate, one Jim Hall (a cattle rancher and bird watcher from Nashville), he’d do well if his office called for the talents of a stand-up comic. As a leader of the supposedly deliberative house of the state legislature, however, he made a very poor impression. Although he said he took his position seriously, he gave no indication of it in speaking to a room full of journalists. His audience was composed of responsible people from small towns in Arkansas, yet he treated the education reform issue with levity, as though he thought it was a joke. In short, the boy is no Mike Beebe.
So, in assessing our current state legislature, gentle readers, I fear I must quote Sarcophagus Macabre (a character from the late Walt Kelly’s comic strip “Pogo”). “Doom looms, dear friends. Doom looms.”