One recent morning, Rob asked if I had read Maureen Dawd’s column abut Dick Cheney’s new book. When I said I hadn’t, he said, “Read it. The only believable part is at the end.”
I hadn’t had my coffee yet or even a bite of breakfast and frankly didn’t know if I could muster the courage to wade through any column about Cheney and his new memoir, In My Times.
In my mind, Cheney remains a Darth Vader, a man who actually ran the country for eight years and nearly drove the U.S. into oblivion. He was the guy who backed torture (enhanced interrogation, Cheney called it) the invasion of Iraq, and the outing of CIA agent Valerie Plame. And that’s just for starters. For all we know, he may have written George Bush’s speeches, in particular the ones about mushroom clouds and Armageddon and be afraid, be very afraid. About midway through the Bush years, I couldn’t even look at Cheney without feeling the urge to vomit.
Darth Vader, if you recall, wore that weird black helmet so that he could breathe. When stripped of that helmet, he looked like the pathetic, dying man he was, who could merely gasp for breath. Cheney, it turns out, is a man without a pulse.
In July of this year, he had heart surgery to implant a mechanical pump known as a ventricular assist device. It’s used in a small, but growing number of people whose heart failure is so severe that they would die in a few months without it. In other words, Cheney was at the heart failure stage where he was severely short of breath, could only walk a few steps, or was confined to a chair or bed for most of a given day. The pump doesn’t mimic the heart’s beat. There’s no beat at all.
I found a curious synchronicity in Cheney’s end of life surgery. A man who claims he would order torture again, who takes no responsibility for anything he did during his eight years as VP, who is responsible for the destruction of thousands of lives in Iraq, who lied to Colin Powell about WMDs in Iraq, who outed a CIA agent, has no pulse. No heart. Interesting symbolism, right?
The second synchro is this: during the weeks that Cheney, apparently in a coma, recuperated from his heart pump surgery, he claims he had a “prolonged dream” that he was in a villa in Italy. “It was in the countryside, a little north of Rome, and it really seemed I was there,” he wrote. “I can still describe the villa where I passed the time, the little stone paths I walked to get coffee or a batch of papers.”
That was the part Rob found believable. Me, too. His description has all the hallmarks of a near-death experience.
“So it must mean the universe forgave Cheney,” Rob remarked after I had read Dawd’s column and burst out laughing. “The guy was in an Italian villa, sipping cappuccinos every day.”
“Either it’s forgiveness or it’s all bullshit,” I replied.
“You think Cheney’s lying about that villa stuff?”
“No. I mean, maybe what we believe is all wrong, that it’s all BS, there’s no afterlife, no karma, no accountability, that Cheney and Bush and Wolfowitz and all the rest of them will be joining Cheney in the afterlife, in his Italian villa to drink cappuccinos and plan their next assault on freedom and truth.”
I run into this wall from time to time and promptly call Carol Bowman, for a reality check. Carol is the author of two books on reincarnation and a past-life therapist who has regressed thousands of people. She’s convinced we live many lives, that we bring issues for one life into another, that we’re here to resolve and move forward.
But really, the bottom line is that we don’t know. Yes, there are signs, and it may be that synchronicity is the language of this particular terrain. It may be the best language we have at this time and place, at this juncture between what is and what is to come. But is it incontrovertible scientific proof? Well, maybe.
In the meantime, as Maureen Dawd says, think about “Caesar and his cappuccino.”
Or, as Carol Bowman says, Believe.
I’m right there with you, Nicholas! In an email this morning I told someone that it feels as if the world has somehow gone insane. We must remain positive and keep our thoughts and lives as loving as we can, in the face of so much vicious hate energy that is spinning out of control on our planet. Perhaps these are tests of our faith in the ultimate triumph of Good over Evil…..or as in Star Wars, the triumph of Light over darkness. I honestly have that conviction. It isn’t a religious conviction, but a spiritual truth that I embrace. Good prevails, and we mustn’t lose sight of that, ever.
I thought it was interesting in Maureen Dowd’s column that at Camp David, Cheney’s dog had attacked Bush’s small dog and Bush had Secret Service tell Cheney that his dog was no longer allowed at Camp David. A strange case where the dog seems to act out the probably suppressed human interaction. I believe that Bush realized too late that Cheney had too much power over his presidency, which is why had to say, “I’m the decider!” as if anyone doubted it, or why he did not pardon Scooter Libby.
>> A strange case where the dog seems to act out the probably suppressed human interaction.
Wait until you see our 9-11 story on Sunday.
I always am reminded that you are here when I see your comments on my blog, Trish. Cheney has ALWAYS given me the creeps, but lately, he seems so perfectly Darth Vader-ish that your post really got me to thinking about creatures without a heart. Thanks for this, and for your continued efforts to write about things that matter.
…maybe it was all just wishful thinking on his part 🙂
🙂
I feel compelled to address a response to Zach. It doesn’t matter whether Dick Cheney is a Democrat, a Republican, a Zionist, a Communist, a Socialist, or one who falls under any other “category” or “group”. Evil exists where evil exists, and Evil, like God, has no name and many names. There are very good souls who are from every persuasion, spiritually and politically. And there are purely evil souls from every persuasion, spiritually and politically. I don’t put Dick Cheney into a political discussion because, for me, no matter where his “allegiance” may be politically or otherwise, his only allegiance is to himself and to the Darkness from which he arrived on this planet to wreak his destruction. That is not a political commentary. Just an individual, personal observation that I have acquired over the years watching of his reign of horrors.
You nailed it, math. Evil is evil irregardless of any affiliation with politics or anything else.
I love you, math, for telling it like it is! You are absolutely right. His political affiliation and supposed “Christian beliefs” have nothing to do with who he is at his core: which is evil. There is no way anyone can look at the fruits of his life and say that he has done good for the planet. He’ll leave this earth much worse off than when he found it. Its a terrible burden to face the Life Review panel with.
Funny, this whole thing, because yesterday I moved our daughter’s car and then promptly lost her keys. I’m going to look behind my printer!
Speaking of crypto-Nazis here’s an article I came across in the Sydney Morning Herald about the IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad.
He’s really in hot water in Europe (again) over his sensitive comments on slave labour,
where the reporter asks him about slave labour practices and he responds by saying ”in the opinion of Ikea it would be in society’s interests” (???)
Read more: https://www.smh.com.au/world/ikea-used-political-prisoners-as-slave-labour-20110906-1jw0f.html#ixzz1XOpsK1PN
(which seems to be how he makes such huge profits,anyway).
Something to think about next time I think of buying a sofa for my “living” room,
I guess .-)
https://www.smh.com.au/world/ikea-used-political-prisoners-as-slave-labour-20110906-1jw0f.html
Don’t think I’ll be buying IKEA.
“For all we know, he may have written George Bush’s speeches …”
FYI: No President in recent history has written his own speeches. They ALL have professional speech writers who do that for them.
“A man who (…) takes no responsibility for anything he did during his eight years as VP (…) “
A man who is unapologetic for something that you happen to disagree with is not the same as a man who “takes no responsibility.” He has taken full responsibility for supporting and condoning what you deem to be torture, and says he would do it again – that’s not denying responsibility, that’s standing by his idea of what is moral and just. The fact that his version of “moral and just” differs from yours is of little consequence, and certainly does not equate to a denial of responsibility for his actions.
I respect your right to have an opinion, even if I disagree with it. You would do well to extend the same courtesy to others, even if they happen to be Republicans.
With regard to Cheney’s Italian villa dream, I believe he did in fact have a NDE, and a very peaceful one at that. To me, that indicates that he is at peace with himself and the decisions and actions he took throughout his life, including those in his role as Vice President.
As a side note, from this and your earlier political posts, I would say that you seem to carry an awful lot of negative energy directed toward those you disagree with. I would suggest you let go of all that negativity, for it serves you no purpose and only leaves you feeling angry and bitter.
No one here is angry or bitter, Zach.
And perhaps what you deem to be negative energy directed toward “those you disagree with” is simply your own negative energy because you disagree with what’s written here.
I find people who calmly and logically defend a mass murder, crypto-Nazi like Cheney to be really scary. Like the crowd at the GOP debate last night that cheered and applauded loudly when Gov. Perry talked proudly about killing 243 Americans in his death chamber. And these are the people who say they favor small government. Not really, at least not when it comes to killing people. – R
Cheney is pure ego, so the idea of him being “at peace” with what he has done is delusional. There is simply no way you can look at the actions of his life and believe that this is a good and Godly man. I mean, he shot a friend in the face and did not report the incident for several hours (supposedly because his blood alcohol level was higher than normal)! He had no problem sending Americans off to war while he received five deferments! If you look at his life from the standpoint of the Golden Rule, he fails.
And remember, even Gadhafi and Saddam had their loyal followers who did not see them as evil. It is pretty sad when people are unable to recognize evil when it appears in our culture. Evil always seems to be some other out there, never within.
Cheney’s version of a Near Death Experience: no accountability for his lies, the untold deaths he has caused, the corruption and wealth he attained through government contracts. In his egotistical mind, he envisions an Italian villa to spend the rest of eternity. I don’t think the spirit world works that way. He will get what his karmic debt earned him. All I can say is that I would not want to be him when he takes his last breath. I feel sorry for him and his future in the spiritual realm. His wealth and power will mean nothing.
Well said, Sansego.
I also found to books written by people close Cheney to be very disturbing: Scooter Libby’s “The Apprentice”
and Lynn Cheney’s book (whose title escapes me). They both covered sexual perversity (including children and animals) in a way that public figures should not. Why would people such as Lynn and Scooter even feel the need to publish this material? These are role models for America???
Public figures representing our country?
The Vice Presidents closest companions?
Even with freedom of speech, one would hope that these eminent citizens would have more class than that. (Air America read portions of Scooter’s material on the air.)
I hadn’t realized this about the books. Somehow, I’m not surprised.
Her book is called “Sisters”. Also I’ve spelled her name wrong, it’s Lynne.
I’ll pass on that book!
Cheney didn’t have had much of a heart, but he was able to keep his longer. Others aren’t so lucky. Pacemakers and artificial heart valves produced only by U.S. companies or foreign affiliates are unavailable (due to embargo) to Cuban Physicians for their pediatric heart patients.
Article 11 of the 1948 Geneva Convention, identifies genocide with “acts committed with the intention of destroying completely or partially a national, ethnic, racial or religious group” and “the intentional submission of a group to conditions of existence that could occasion its total or partial destruction.”
Sometimes children, adults and even entire countries go down the wrong road before getting on the right one… we are simply a product of a natural world… of our genetics… our environment.
I’ve always compared Cheney to the Emperor because the Emperor was so evil that he could not be changed. Darth Vader was redeemed by his son in the end. But the mechanical heart does make comparison to Vader appropriate.
The Italian villa dream is likely a past life vision. I often suspected that Cheney was a Nazi in his previous incarnation. He was born in 1941. Italy became fascist in 1922, so it is quite possible that he was picking up his former existence. As for his future, I believe the idea: “first you create the experience, then you experience the creation.” So, his future incarnation might be limited to being born in Iraq, Afghanistan, or Somalia. The hell he brought to earth means that he will have to experience the hell he helped to create. I can’t imagine a more gruesome hell than being a child soldier in Somalia, a country in perpetual chaos because of a lack of government and rule by rival gang lords.
I thought it might be an interesting experiment if Cheney was given the heart of a Buddhist monk. It would be curious to see what kind of transformation might happen.
His book is mistitled, though. It should be called: “In My Crimes.”
Long before I knew who Dick Cheney was… in the early 90’s,….. I dreamed of a man who was being kept alive by machine, and he was running the politics of the US, and more. In the dream, he was a secret Nazi, a figurehead behind a large group. He terrified me, they all did. In the dream I was offered this: anything I could materially want at the expense of humanity, but the price was my soul. I ran screaming. I can still “feel” this dream as if it’s a memory.
It was Mr. Cheney.
I found what Mr. Carroll wrote interesting in light of my dream.
And one would be surprised to know that there are evil “Buddhist” monks, too.
Now THAT is scary, particularly in light of what Sansego said and the message in your dream, Debra.
That’s an amazing dream! What a lesson, too. I’ve always loved Faustian tales since childhood. I find it interesting what you said: you can have anything you want materially, even if it harms other people. And the price we pay is our soul. This is exactly what the Faustian tales cover, as well as the Bible verse: “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world but lose his soul?”
I know some conservative evangelical Christians who really believe that Cheney is a righteous, religious man. Boy does he have them conned! Cheney is a neoconservative and I don’t think he believes in spirituality at all. He knows how to use religious people for his agenda. After all, the basic tenet of neoconservative philosophy is the idea of rule by the “philosopher kings”, who view themselves as virtuous and intelligent, which allows them to lie with impunity to the gullible masses because they “know more” than the average person.
I’m well aware that not every Buddhist is not noble and good. The military junta that rules Burma consider themselves Buddhist. My mom is also from a Buddhist country and her abusive stepfather has spent time as a Buddhist monk and is widely regarded in his village as a “shaman”, even though my mom saw a demon in him growing up.
However, I think a humble Buddhist monk who has a reputation for kindness and compassion, his heart should be given to Cheney (after the monk’s death, of course), just to see if there is any change in Cheney’s persona.
I don’t know if you’ve seen the Al Pacino film “Devil’s Advocate”, but there was a scene where Charlize Theron would look at the beautiful people at the law firm and see the snarling demon beneath. That’s exactly what I see when I look at Cheney’s face. The man is truly evil. The tragedy is that Americans can point fingers at Saddam or Stalin or Hitler as being evil, but many won’t acknowledge that there is evil in our country and we should do everything to deny such evil people any kind of power. Otherwise, “Cheney happens”!
He is truly evil. You and math describe him in similar terms.
I wish that I could receive notices when people respond to posts here. I miss that about blogger.
I loved the film “Devil’s Advocate”… I felt it caught the tricky way that evil tempts people.
Another film that is interesting that way is “Jacob’s Ladder”.
Jacob’s Ladder. Wow. That was one of my old time favorites. Had forgotten about it. And you’re right. It’s a perfect depiction of how evil tempts people.
I’ll see if I can figure out how to set up a notice.
Dimensional, not dimentional! Typo!!
You know, Cheney began to have cardiac issues, his first attack, in his early thirties.
His electrical/mechanical heart always has given me pause to think about some of the work of Budd Hopkins and John Mack, and about artificial intelligence species. Also about alien entities such as the reptilians, because when I look at the face of Mother Bush the Elder, (Barbara), and at Cheney, I very clearly see a mask overlaying their human features, and the mask is reptilian. Serpentine. Horrible, horrible vision. Because of the experience my Dad had in the final moment of his life, with which T and R are familiar, I have not a shadow of a doubt that inter-dimentional or off-planet entities, both Light and Dark, can inhabit a human vehicle. Apparently a very highly-evolved, very loving entity entered my Dad’s body at the moment of his transition, and it spoke. (My Dad had no speech center and was deeply comatose, and this “miracle” was witnessed by several unquestionably credible medical personnel.)
I’ve pretty much come to the conclusion that some of the species are transgenic, (Hopkins’ material and his coined word); that they are only partially human. Dick Cheney’s physical heart no longer functions on any of its levels. Without the device, he would die not in weeks or months, but in seconds, because his heart muscle is damaged to the degree that it might as well not even be in his chest. Without totally artificial pumping, he’s a dead dude. So his “group”, whatever it is, is keeping him alive to our detriment. I assume he’ll leave when his “work” is completed or is passed along to another of his kind. (Dreadful thought!!) Meanwhile, I’m of the opinion that if we are astute and attentive and watchful, we are able to learn much about the enemy from Cheney’s presence among us. KNOW THINE ENEMY is wise. Vader indeed.
What you describe is similar to what Nicholas is talking about above!
NDE or maybe even a regression? If so his karma will follow. As for it all being BS – perhaps it’s good to have doubts at times, it makes us question our beliefs and fine tune them – or even alter them. What will be will be, no matter what we believe about an afterlife.
Good point, Mike.
As I read about his dream I immediately wondered if this was a past life experience; do you suppose he was wearing a Blackshirt? It might explain a lot.
Intriguing possibility!
oh, see, this was the FIRST thing i thought of too – that it was a PAST life – and actually as i read i had an instantaneous vivid mental image of that dream of mine where i’m walking on the dirt road in another time – funny how reading of another’s experience can send our minds to another place another time of our own –
I remember that dream of yours, Gypsy. I’m starting to think it was a past life he was inside of it!
Come on…how can you compere Dick Cheney to Darth Vader ?
Darth ain’t that bad .-)
Well, you may have a point, Daz!
One take on the afterlife experience is that you experience what you expect to experience. It may be that Cheney sees himself deserving of a villa in Italy, and thought creates reality. This would explain the variations in NDEs. Some people who have experienced OBEs have said there are many levels that one can go to after death – based on where they are in their evolution. (The “many mansions” concept.) I have also read that there is no Hell, per se, but just an understanding that one may have failed to achieve evolutionary gains in the current incarnation. The hell one experiences is in the past life review, complete with how one’s actions have affected others, while basking in pure love. In other words, we see our failings in light of our true higher-self – and that is hell.
But, as you said, no one really knows.
I think at some level each of us knows for ourselves, through feelings we get upon meeting certain people, being in certain locations etc. But so far, the only best case in the western world is James Leinenger’s story.
I recall reading years ago in Robert Monroe’s Journeys Out of the Body about a place in the afterlife that he “stumbled” into which was a place that physicians went…the doubters…until they grew
accustomed to the afterlife.