Throughout the \Star Wars"" saga, the line between good and evil is always incredibly unambiguous. Unfortunately, for those of us in the minority that can actually discern between the imagination of George Lucas and reality, things are not so simple and well defined.
Recently, our government has undertaken a variety of foreign policy programs based on a view of the world so black and white that it would leave Frank Capra longing for a box of Crayolas.
I usually try to stay somewhat removed from the world of political debate. Although apathy might have something to do with it, the problem is not that I don't care. Quite simply, it's a lot more enjoyable to watch ""Spongebob Squarepants"" than it is to watch C-SPAN' unless that crazy character Jesse Helms is speaking. Talk about a barrel of fun!
While it might be true that I would rather have dental work performed on me with a rusty ice pick than endure the inane ranting of ""The O'Reilly Factor,"" recent developments in the political world are bursting with problems glaring enough to capture the interest of my limited attention span.
I have heard that, within political circles, it is currently considered improper to criticize policy regarding the war on terrorism. Believe it or not, restricting dialogue surrounding the war makes sense. If the government were forced to listen to the foolish ideas of the public it represents, there would be a lot less time to undertake the important task of blowing stuff up.
Putting aside the question of whether criticism is appropriate, many aspects of America's war clearly deserve rigorous critique. The most blatant problem is the President's ""axis of evil"" rhetoric, a policy that involves issuing somber-eyed threats to any country we don't find agreeable.
While it does allow President Bush a chance to pose for reporters while smugly affirming America's inevitable triumph, the tactic of alienating our adversaries is more applicable to the playground than it is to the complex world of international politics.
If the entire world were comprised of a bunch of fourth graders hanging out under the monkey bars, the President's playground diplomacy would be a brilliant strategy. He would simply have to say, ""Hey, North Korea, stop being such a butt-monkey and give me back my Alf sticker,"" and international tension would completely disappear.
Although increasing worldwide tension through the paranoid fabrication of a monolithic faction of evil constitutes a significant cause for alarm, further ramifications of America's warlike policy warrant additional concerns. The government is using the make-believe upsurge of evil to justify astronomical increases in military spending.
After the tragedy last fall, every American is aware of the importance of defending our nation from attack. Personally, I don't see how spending billions of dollars on laser-guided missiles will do anything but increase antagonism toward the United States. The problem is compounded when military spending takes funds away from valuable programs.
When push comes to shove, the priorities of the United States government are clear. Helping citizens is well and good, but what really matters is blowing stuff up. As everybody knows, the freedom of this great nation is expressed in a single, powerful axiom: ""Huh huh, big explosions are cool!""
Luckily, our leaders are truly looking out for our best interest, ensuring that we will prevail over the ""axis of evil."" The best thing is, after spending all that money, we definitely have the technology to destroy the Death Star.
