Boston Calling

Well, here it is - April, 15; tax day. I will admit that I am one of those who tend to put off that distasteful chore until nearly the last minute. Perhaps because until the second week of April I simply have better things to do, or, more likely, because I know I will spend a considerable chunk of time feeling an ever-increasing level of frustration as I try hopelessly to decipher the instructions, and fill in the blanks on my federal return. It all culminates with the box indicating how much of my money I am about to write a check for and send off to the IRS. That's when the frustration turns to anger. I've all ready been well primed with the frustrating part. The anger, when my new tax wizard software reveals the bottom line, is nearly explosive. "What the... I paid in how much? ...and I owe how much?". This always causes me to go back over my receipts and figures, which only leads to more frustration. Eventually, exhausted, I sign the check, feeling defeated.

No wonder the evening news was filled with stories of the "TEA" parties that took place all across the country today. People are pissed. Most of them aren't even sure what they're pissed ABOUT, but they're angry, and they're frustrated, and they're mostly scared. A lot of us are looking for someone to pin this mess on, and we want somebody to know just how mad we are. The safety and security of our world is beyond threatened; it's under siege - and not by terrorists, or ideologies we don't understand - but by the confrontation of our own greed and avarice.

To put a slightly different spin on the leading question of this blog, "Man, how did we get here", the answer that comes to mind on this particular tax day is "we did it". We, the people, in order to form a more perfect money sucking machine, do hereby establish institutions designed to collect the wealth of nations, and establish laws to protect those institutions from the scrutiny of those of us handing over our money, and from having to answer too many embarassing questions.

So maybe a TEA party is just what the doctor ordered. We can all get together and blame one another until we figure out that there is no turning back. That is, after all, what I think most of us really want. Give us back that safety and security of our perceived prosperity. Can you do that Mr. President? Don't blame US if we're angry, and frustrated, and scared - mostly scared.

I think putting tax day so close to Easter was a particularly cruel joke. But then I recall some wise guy once said "Render unto Ceasar what is Ceasar's". So I signed the check, and I hummed a little tune by another wise guy -

"Father forgive us for what we must do - you forgive us and we'll forgive you
We'll forgive each other 'til we both turn blue - then we'll whistle and go fishin' in heaven". - John Prine - 1970 something.