©2004, UrbisMedia
When all the meteorological elements align just so, a “perfect storm” might eventuate. The term received great currency by the publication of Sebastian Junger’s book with that title, and the subsequent so-named feature film. “Perfect,” in this case, means a storm of rare ferocity and power.
Meteorology is also often employed as a metaphor for social events; “climate of public opinion,” “storms of protest,” “an economic dry spell,” those sorts of references. September 11, 2001 might have started out as a sunny morning in New York City, but the climate changed dramatically that day. In many respect6s, 9-11 might be consider the catalyst, and eventually the “eye” of a “perfect storm.”
By itself, 9-11 was a momentous change for America, but the political response to it, the “climate” of fear it generated, was seized to political advantage. The political culture of those in power, were the necessary elements that formed, with it, the vortex of what has become a “perfect political storm.”
The climate of post 9-11 turned a controversially-“elected” president, widely (and correctly) regarded as a fumble-mouthed dim-wit, into a smokeless Marlboro Man and God’s anointed protector of a nation under siege from dark, asymmetrical, sinister forces. Emerging from his hole in Nebraska to put a confident arm around the shoulder of a fireman at “ground zero” George Bush felt the power surge into him from the collective fear of the public, and the political fear of their representatives, and had his “mandate, ” to rid the world of terror.
Perhaps even these factors were yet insufficient to produce the perfect political storm. But stirring the maelstrom were a cabal of neo-cons led by a Dr. Evil vice-president bent on having their war with Saddam Hussein even well before 9-11, corporate contributors ready to latch onto the public teats swelled by debt-pumped budgets (not to mention their generous bonuses form the only tax cut in American history during wartime).
All the elements for a disaster were present, and the Commander-in-Chief, sailed the ship of state into the maelstrom, ignoring the meterological intel, denying his folly, and placing those in his charge in greater danger. If you read the book, or saw the movie, you know how things can end up when fools encounter a perfect storm.
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©2004, James A. Clapp (UrbisMedia Ltd. Pub. 5.26.2004)