There was no shortage of villains in this year of
terror and recession, but crucifying the obvious
culprits like Saddam, Cardinal Law, and the snipers is
simply blood sport and serves no real purpose.
But, exposing villainy that may not be so apparent -
now there is a noble endeavor.
Is FBI chief Robert Mueller a villain?
Time Magazine is reporting that he has treated FBI
agent Colleen Rowley shabbily. Ms. Rowley, of course,
risked her career by informing Congress and the
American people that the bureau had major blind spots
in protecting us against terrorists.
But Mueller has not rewarded Rowley. He did however
single out FBI supervisor Spike Bowman for
"exceptional performance"?
One problem: Bowman was the guy who fought Colleen
Rowley over tapping the computer of suspected
nine-eleven terrorist Zaccharis Moussaoui before the
attack. Exactly what was exceptional about that
bonehead call, Mr. Mueller?
Unless you have an explanation, you are a bureaucratic
moron, and a villain.
Another federal villain is INS director James Ziglar.
Under his leadership, that agency endangered all of us
and has done it with arrogance.
Our borders remain wide open, and when the accused
sniper triggerman, John Lee Malvo, was designated
for deportation by the Border Patrol in Washington
State, INS supervisor Blake Brown overruled the B.P.
and released Malvo into the custody of his mother also
in this country illegally.
The rest is history. But did Ziglar say a word about
it or produce Brown to explain to situation?
No way.
So Ziglar is another bureaucratic villain who has now
resigned. Maybe he will go back to trading bonds at
Paine Webber.
It would be easy to call the Pope a villain in this
priest-pedophilia scandal. After all John Paul could
have fired Law and the other villainous American
Cardinals months ago.
But the Pontiff did nothing even after the evidence
became overwhelming. The Pope even refused to meet
with a few victims during his visit to Canada earlier
in the year. His public relations guy said he was
"just too busy"?
WITH WHAT?
This is the biggest scandal ever to hit the North
American Church and the Pope is too busy?
But I believe John Paul is not calling the shots
anymore. He is obviously ill and my sources tell me
that at times he is barely lucid.
Apparently, his "handlers" keep bad news away from
him. If you saw him at Midnight Mass last week the
Pope could hardly keep his eyes open.
So I am saying this: There is villainy inside the
Vatican but the Pope may not know about it through no
fault of his own. Then again, I might be wrong about
that.
The leaders of North Korea and Saudi Arabia are
obvious villains for doing everything they can to hurt
America.
But what about our German friend Gerhard Schrvder? Now
here is a class guy. After the USA spends trillions
bringing down the Soviet Union which lead to the
reunification of Germany just ten years ago, Schrvder
sells America out to win re-election.
He fires up anti-American sentiment and declares that
Germany will not participate in the forced removal of
Saddam Hussein no matter what.
Nothing like keeping an open mind, eh Gerhard? The man
is a villain and an ungrateful boor to boot.
Finally, there are legions of villains walking the
hallways of the television industry but VH-1 has
become the Murder Incorporated of tubeland.
Its series "Music Behind Bars" features convicted
killers and rapists playing in prison rock bands.
Before almost every episode, family members of those
murdered asked VH-1 not to feature the killers on
television because the thought of it reopened all the
old wounds.
VH-1 did not even pause a beat, however, and continued
to air the series even after almost every sponsor had
dropped out.
For this, VH-1 President Christina Norman attains
villain status as does the program's host, actor Dylan
McDermott.
Television does not get any worse than this.
Although I should be careful, 2003 is poised to hit us
with villains galore.
And next year we will be right here with the list.