Some words are active words, some passive. When telling a story it is best to use active words like verbs. This lesson has evidently been lost on our government, from the president to the lowliest spokesperson. Revolution and violence rips the Middle East and we get nothing from Washington but platitudes, nary a verb in sight or hearing. At a recent Congressional hearing on the riots in Egypt the Director of National Intelligence told us that the Muslim Brotherhood, an organization that goes out of its way to preach Muslim takeover of the world by violence, is a secular organization devoted to peace and tranquility. Mr. Panetta, the CIA chief, admitted he had not a clue about what was happening. Not a word from the president or the administration in support of freedom and democracy. All passive, all the time.

Raymond Chandler was the best

He certainly knew his pronouns

Obama now, surely you jest

He ducks from mob rule throwdowns

His DNI has not a clue

The CIA chief likewise

Heard not a verb all day, did you?

Just passive words came mikewise

It isn’t that they’re dumb as rocks

Though bags of hammers fits them

It’s just that when the big ship docks

They’ll never know what hits them

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