February 14, 2006
Just shoot first, forget the questions
What a waste of five draft deferments. Vice President Dick Cheney went through all that effort to skip the Vietnam War, and then after decades of leading and profiteering from America’s military he winds up shooting some guy anyway.
Sure Cheney just “sprayed” a hunting buddy and political crony with birdshot in a complete accident, but he can now join many of America’s soldiers and gang members in the proud fraternity of people who’ve capped another human. It’s kind of fitting for him to get this experience since plenty of those soldiers are joining that club somewhat unwittingly while under his watch and at least partially in service of lining his pockets. I do the love irony of the whole mess.
Of course as with everything Cheney does this never meant to be talked about. Cheney’s undisclosed location was a joke for just about everyone, but for him it seems to be a motto. It’s been 2002 years since a Vice President of the United States shot a guy, and while this one wasn’t deadly vengeance like when Burr gunned down Hamilton, the general public still might want to know about it. Word of a shooting is gonna get out, but Cheney did his best to stay locked up in the cone of silence. He still hasn’t publically spoken of it.
Now, to be fair, Dick Cheney is not exactly the most eloquent and sensitive public figure. He presents a gruff figure and scowls with the best of them. Cheney often speaks harshly of and to others. So maybe a public mea culpa isn’t his best platform. But how about a statement at least attributed to the man and not one of his aides? What does the man who has made a career playing with war and conflict around the globe think about plugging another person full of lead?