Reflection
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither Liberty nor safety."
-Benjamin Franklin
It is an interesting time for someone like me right now. I have a great concern for the events of the world and in my country, yet it seems I haven't done enough to have any real effect on them. I feel somehow responsible for the outcome of last week.
Not that I'm so delusional that I think that the fate of the world rests solely on my shoulders, I just feel that my personal level of commitment to change is a bit wanting.
I know of so many bright, motivated, empathic people like myself that have the ability and courage to see the inequity of the world and not shy away from it. We're all doing what we can, but problem is that it's at levels far too low to effect true change. We're not insiders or well connected Washington-groomed types. We're just people who give a shit and aren't fooled by wedge issues.
I read this message board entry by a 17 year-old high school kid who used the Mirror quote "How Could 58,941,293 People Be So Dumb?". Well, it wasn't long before Bush supporters showed up and started informing this kid that she was "too young" to have a valid opinion on anything. I started boiling-over with anger reading this stuff until someone who actually uses their mind chimed in with the fact that just one year from now, this teen could legally vote or even join the army and die for this country. Funny, it seems she in fact did have a right to a viewpoint after all. And one that is informed by very real dangers that will impact her.
This interaction showed me something important. Those who voted Bush are indoctrinated. They are not to be reasoned with for right now because they have drunk the Kool-Aid and are still high on its effects. The left needs to be aware of this. We need to stay away from the same dangers and delusions. We have the power of empathy and deeper thought on our side, not exclusionary doctrine.
It seems dangerous to try and meet these folks on their level. I'm tried of hearing everyone say that the left is "out of touch". It seems if anything, we're just way too bashful of how left we really should be. Look at Howard Dean. Everyone thought that this election cycle would be a knockout for GW, then along came Dean and he energized the Dems with is way left, anti-war platform. It wasn't until we got stuck with another middle-pleasing centrist that we became vulnerable.
I think this article say what I'm thinking quite well. An Edwards ranting "on message" day after day about the class warfare that exists today would have cleaned Dubya's clock. If all Americans need to hear is a repetitive message with a southern twang, Johnny E was our man.
Well, I'm done rehashing this stuff for now. I'll start writing about knitting or pottery to keep my blood pressure down.
Maybe.
-Benjamin Franklin
It is an interesting time for someone like me right now. I have a great concern for the events of the world and in my country, yet it seems I haven't done enough to have any real effect on them. I feel somehow responsible for the outcome of last week.
Not that I'm so delusional that I think that the fate of the world rests solely on my shoulders, I just feel that my personal level of commitment to change is a bit wanting.
I know of so many bright, motivated, empathic people like myself that have the ability and courage to see the inequity of the world and not shy away from it. We're all doing what we can, but problem is that it's at levels far too low to effect true change. We're not insiders or well connected Washington-groomed types. We're just people who give a shit and aren't fooled by wedge issues.
I read this message board entry by a 17 year-old high school kid who used the Mirror quote "How Could 58,941,293 People Be So Dumb?". Well, it wasn't long before Bush supporters showed up and started informing this kid that she was "too young" to have a valid opinion on anything. I started boiling-over with anger reading this stuff until someone who actually uses their mind chimed in with the fact that just one year from now, this teen could legally vote or even join the army and die for this country. Funny, it seems she in fact did have a right to a viewpoint after all. And one that is informed by very real dangers that will impact her.
This interaction showed me something important. Those who voted Bush are indoctrinated. They are not to be reasoned with for right now because they have drunk the Kool-Aid and are still high on its effects. The left needs to be aware of this. We need to stay away from the same dangers and delusions. We have the power of empathy and deeper thought on our side, not exclusionary doctrine.
It seems dangerous to try and meet these folks on their level. I'm tried of hearing everyone say that the left is "out of touch". It seems if anything, we're just way too bashful of how left we really should be. Look at Howard Dean. Everyone thought that this election cycle would be a knockout for GW, then along came Dean and he energized the Dems with is way left, anti-war platform. It wasn't until we got stuck with another middle-pleasing centrist that we became vulnerable.
I think this article say what I'm thinking quite well. An Edwards ranting "on message" day after day about the class warfare that exists today would have cleaned Dubya's clock. If all Americans need to hear is a repetitive message with a southern twang, Johnny E was our man.
Well, I'm done rehashing this stuff for now. I'll start writing about knitting or pottery to keep my blood pressure down.
Maybe.
posted by finx at 1:25 PM
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1 Comments:
I'm struggling with this. America is cool and all, but the best country? How do I know. I've been to Spain, Canada and Mexico. They were all really cool. The Canadians seem like better people than the Americans. Is it running if we liberals leave? Or is it saying" enough is enough, this country is nice, but the people that live here are fucked up and I cannot help them." No solution yet.
But at least your SUV is green, ha!
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