Changing of The Guard

David Cole's photograph, Changing of the Guard, is a poignant reminder that presidential administrations come and go, unfortunately their actions, or lack of, can remain with us deep into our futures. The ease with which Chief Petty Officer Bill Mesta takes out former President George W. Bush's picture at Guantanamo Bay, and replaces it with President Barack Obama's is quite telling. Isn't the presidency just a picture constructed by each administration to anesthetize the people? If ever a glossy finish were applied to a photographic print, it would certainly be used for the official presidential portrait (a LOT of gloss is needed to make this a pretty picture).

Time for a short story. I remember rolling into school, in the summer of 1985, to have my graduation picture taken for our high school year book. School had not officially started, but I was on campus because soccer practice began several weeks before the start of the school year. Ok, one problem. No one actually told me I was going to get my picture taken for the year book that summer day, so when someone came down to the soccer field to tell me to go get my photograph taken, it came as quite a surprise. I was covered with mud, wearing my goalkeeper clothes, and I didn't have an extra change of clothes. So, I washed my face, threw on a graduation gown and hat and had my picture taken. The photograph actually turned out nice, but what would people think if they knew what I was hiding under my handsome graduation gown? In this regard, I do share something in common with our government.