When Bitterness And Anger Reign

There can be very little mistaking the fact that anger and bitterness, when allowed to ferment further than what is healthy, can eat a person up. Sometimes, this becomes a way of life, when people are not able to accept things.

When they don't get their way, they get angry. Someone says something (or doesn't), does something (or doesn't); whatever the case, there are people that will react by getting irritated or mad. If they do not let it die out naturally, they begin to resent (which denotes bitterness).

Sometimes, when resentment gets out of hand, we see certain people react and over-react. Angry reactions can go from pouting, all the way to second-degree murder (and all points in between). When this becomes a way of life to a person, it becomes an integral component of someone's personality. And if this happens, the line between constant resentment and outright hatred, gets real thin.

One casy study is Cynthia McKinney, the outgoing Congresswoman from Georgia's 4th District. You might recall that Ms. McKinney is the representative that slugged a Capitol Policeman. This incident was just one of a long line of angry reactions, but this one was the one that lost her whatever slim thread of credibility, she may have ever had. (And she didn't have much, to start with.)

It also led her to a resounding defeat in the primary election, earlier this year. Since that time, Cynthia McKinney has been virtually a no-show on the Hill, to vote or do anything that would give the impression that cares about the voters in her district. In essence, the people she was elected to represent have had NO representation in the House of Representatives.

That's political pouting. That's Cynthia's way of saying, "I didn't get what I want, so I am not even going to honor my commitment". "And, you can't make me!" But even though she didn't show, you can sure bet she cashed her paychecks.

But wait, she did show up at the end of the session. Why? To introduce a bill to impeach Bush.

In what was likely her final legislative act in Congress, outgoing Georgia Rep. Cynthia McKinney introduced a bill Friday to impeach President Bush.

The legislation has no chance of passing and serves as a symbolic parting shot not only at Bush but also at Democratic leaders. Incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has made clear that she will not entertain proposals to sanction Bush and has warned the liberal wing of her party against making political hay of impeachment.

Her last day she shows up for something that isn't going to be voted on and couldn't be successful until next session (which she won't be a part of because she is an angry woman and the voters have rejected her), anyway. A brilliant way to go, wouldn't you say?

My advice to Ms. McKinney is to find a good therapist and get to the root of why the anger is allowed to ferment. Then she should be prepared to make some changes in her life. Otherwise, she will die an angry woman, forever dealing with the hatreds she has allowed to form in her life. That will be her legacy.

But not to fear, even at that, Ms. McKinney will not be totally worthless.