Jack Bauer and George Bush

February 25, 2009 · Filed Under National Politics

is a mega hit TV show that has captivated audiences quite literally worldwide. There are ‘24’ web sites, blogs, shows that go behind the scenes, conferences, interviews galore and don’t forget, if you miss any episodes you can get the DVD’s at the end of the season so you can relive every moment.
I’ll admit I resisted the show for the first couple seasons. I remember Rush Limbaugh going on and on about it but I could never get past the commercials advertising the show. It was always “the virus” this and “the virus” that, yelling and screaming; I think I’d rather watch American Idol. This year however I started watching with my son and I’m amazed at how glued I’ve become. Which got me to thinking.
What makes this weekly hour long show so popular? I mean by all accounts this program should be banned. You have Jack Bauer, who is the star constantly going over the line. When Jack shows up someone always seems to die, gets tortured or has his civil rights, shall we say, ‘infringed’. He’s a nonstop gun pulling, karate chopping, conniving, threatening man. He uses lives to get what he wants and what he wants is to get the job done that he was assigned, no matter the cost. Last week he had an agent hold a man’s wife and child at gun point threatening to kill them if he didn’t get answers. The man was visibly shaken and gave bits of info but in the end died. Jack killed him in self defense of course. This week Jack had an innocent lady who was mixed up with a bad guy help him in a sting operation, she died adding to the long list of those unfortunate ones who crossed his path. His not so willing partner is a FBI agent who in the beginning chastises him for his techniques but soon see’s the results and even defends the methods to her boss who is all about the rule of law and Habeas corpus.
So I’ll ask again; what makes this show so popular when ALL the world abhors this kind of behavior? Where are the marchers in the street with puppet heads of Jack Bauer? Why aren’t the producers brought before congress as the happy press snaps thousands of photos’s hoping for that glum or angry look?
These kinds of action were never tolerated from our C.I.A. or F.B.I. and chants of criminal prosecution have risen all the way to the top calling for George Bush’s impeachment along with charges of war crimes. Water boarding, torture, sleep depravity and playing the ‘Barney’ song for hours on end were all deemed way out of bounds by the masses. The media fanned the flames with daily exposes and ‘investigative journalism.’ More credence was placed on the accused, (al Qaeda detainees) stories than those who would up hold our flag. OK, you want to talk Abu Ghraib? Fine, you want to say that came from higher up than just the guards who we all saw in the pictures? Great, then let’s apply that same logic to the housing market with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. If we go higher there won’t we find Barney Frank? Mortgages bad? How about Chris Dodd wasn’t he the higher up? Tax system a little screwy, oh there’s good ol Charlie Rangle. Funny how they don’t seem to be worried about congressional investigations much, no puppets on a stick that I see.
thankw-43-209x300 Jack Bauer and George Bush Look, I may not be the sharpest pencil but at least I know I’m a # 2 so I can officially fill in the answers on the state mandated ‘SAT’s’ test. It just seems odd to me that we glorify the hero’s on TV who fictitiously save the world all the while we castigate the brave men and women who actually have stopped real plots and saved countless lives. I thank God for leaders like George Bush and his nonstop defense of the freedom we all enjoy today.
As for my original question, “what makes this show so popular?” I don’t have the answer,by all rights the world should loathe it. Perhaps you can help me out.