I must say that yesterday's follow-on post provoked further, and
unexpected, opening of my eyes. Dialog is essential across the gulfs; as long
as you’re yelling at each other, you're not shooting… and you may even agree on
how to start putting up bridges. These bridges can be followed up by new
communities, shopping centers, ballparks, and taverns where we can meet and get
ripped together.
My friend of incredibly long-standing, "Spartacus", read
yesterday's blog and had some sobering words to share. He's got me mulling over
further things that my and F3's words triggered. I, too, think that
characterizing the American culture as dichotomous short-sells it; at the very
least, it's a TRIchotomy. Here's his email; please excuse the usual automatic
chopping-up of lines and paragraphs:
-----Original Message-----
Sent:
Wednesday, February 07, 2007 1:31 PM
I admire your fortitude in trying to deal with these soulless,
brain dead ideologues, but unless you derive great satisfaction from the fight,
I'm afraid that's ALL you will gain from these verbal jousts. In a just world,
specimens such as Craig would be locked up in a level 4 Bio-containment
facility and studied as a deadly virus which has somehow managed to take on the
shape and superficial characteristics of a human being. What a pathetically
shameful state we have reached when at least half or more of our population seems
to have succumbed to the same awful pathogen.
I reject the Dem/Rep, Left/Right dichotomy--the whole system is
rotten to the very core. Debating the merits of Dubya vs Clinton is a complete
waste of time, they are both pathetic in their own unique way. If they are
examples of the best our American political system has to offer, we are doomed
as a nation. What we really need is to reexamine our most basic assumptions.
We've been dancing this deadly tango for the past 10,000 years, but we're
running out of steps and running out of room--it's time to change the tune.
We desperately need to develop the courage and intellectual
honesty to recognize the TRUTH for what it is. This will require us to question
the fundamental beliefs about our culture and what it means to be human. The
tired old categories of liberal/conservative, Democrat/Republican,
Christian/Muslim, East/West, or whatever other cliche dichotomies have no
bearing in this quest--dwelling on them as possible answers to our problems
will only prolong our ineffective tap dancing around the real problems, and as
I said before, we are running out of time. We face real problems. We need real
solutions--not more of the same ol', same ol' BS which has brought us precisely
to where we are today--on the edge of the precipice, staring down into an abyss
from which there will be no crawling out of. Electing Hillary or Jeb or
whatever prevailing political flavor of the moment isn't going to do a damn
thing to solve the real, lasting, serious predicament we are faced with in the
world today.
Our human culture is fundamentally flawed. Our understanding of
what it means to be human is fundamentally flawed. Until we dare to look
unflinchingly at the fallacies of our understanding about these basic truths,
we are well and truly doomed. Spartacus
***
And I responded:
-----Original Message-----
Sent:
Wednesday, February 07, 2007 8:17 PM
Oh, taking on these lobotomized-and-happy-with-it folks is
indeed quite a futile pursuit. You know… I think at some point in the past
several years I reached a point where I choose my own battles. And this one
specifically I chose because one of the spectators was a close friend, who
injudiciously sent back to me a raft of crap that her husband's buddy Bunghole
Turdlips just had to spew out. If she weren't a link among those missing links,
I would have ignored him.
Seemed to me this was also a good opportunity to show this trio
of goosesteppers that not all opponents of their Präsident are acid-case
tree-hugging wimps. Some of us do not just stand there and take it, or cower
under their lowbrow locutions. Sometimes I do not back down, brother.
I hope not to take it any further with these particular folks. I
hope this hasn't damaged a long-standing relationship – and I took pains to
point out to my friend that my bile was at that idiot Smith, and then at that
inflexible twerp whom her calmer-headed husband had somehow befriended.
However, if she has lost her own endearing flexibility, and
chooses now to put ideology and idiots over the gulf-spanning bridge of
friendship, fine. I'll regret the loss, but I just don't have the time to bend
over backwards (or forwards) for rockheaded, heartless craptongues. I will,
though, pray for her, and for myself.
I’m largely in agreement with you, in re anti-dichotomy. Yet so
much of world culture falls along two lines: the self-centered (often, though
not always, also power-hungry… either one-on-one, or wholesale), and the
others-centered. And along the third of those two lines are those who look for
others, of whatever stripe, to tell them what to think; these are often tromped
over by the other two ilk.
My heart aches for the little guy; and envies the selfless,
other-centered saint (wanting to follow him/her); and boils a bit at the
self-centered. So, yes, it's too easy for me to buy into the universe as
dichotomy, too, at least as I narrow my focus on it more microcosmically.
From my perspective where I'm increasingly more strongly
anchored in faith, some dichotomy is not cliché: there is a benevolent (and
incredibly patient and loving, and sustaining) creator, who is calling us each
and all to him/her. Name this creator "gawd". There is one
"gawd"; we his/her people are either hearing and heeding the call, or
ignoring it and turning away from it, or – huh; trichotomy again – are so
twisted inside we can't hear it.
We are indeed running out of time, my friend. We have to find common
ground, and start beating the blasted swords into plowshares. I doubt my
e-tirade is much of a step in that direction, although I'd like to believe that
at the very least, these folks across the divide can recognize that some of us
over here have brains. Trouble is, what's called for is hearts. Thanks for the
brain-fodder, buddy. I need to chew on this some more.
Regards,
Aging Child
***
Note that I took on a hypocritically harsh attitude toward F3 and
his friends, including my own friend. Even while far different from me
politically, they simply did not deserve this, and do not fit the rude an
immature characterizations I gave them. This was underscored by the email I
came across next, from F3 himself:
-----Original Message-----
Sent:
Wednesday, February 07, 2007 10:05 AM
AgingChild,
Thanks for the dialog. Yes, this has
indeed been fun. Let's just say that we will probably disagree on EVERYTHING.
If we keep going we could probably write a book. We two are certainly not going
to cure America's ills debating in this venue.
You should know that I am a German
immigrant and a US citizen. Also, you should know that I am certainly no racist
as any of my close friends know. However, I detest anyone of any stripe that
will not get off their behinds and pursue the bountiful opportunities that
American has available, liberal excuses aside.
My parents and I came to the US with
virtually nothing, and through very hard work have grown to enjoy the American
dream without the help of any special set aside programs, language courses, or
some special government project. We did it the hard way. We're not special in
any way shape or form just as millions of others have done so before us. That
being said, there are no "real" excuses for failure in this country.
America is the greatest land on the earth
with opportunities for anyone that chooses to apply themselves though simple
hard work. Granted, we as a people have a responsibility to help the less
fortunate as you pointed out. Everyone of us has choices. However, I believe that
we as a people have no responsibility to help or reward the lazy.
With regard to the war, this is the one
that we have now. I believe that we must as a nation band together and win this
fight. The consequences of our inability to see this to a successful close will
be visited on our children and our grandchildren. In the meantime, I believe
that another 9-11 is on the horizon and will visit us shortly. God bless us
all.
Respectfully yours,
F3
***
You know, if you keep your mind open enough, you find that crow
can be quite tasty. It's best eaten raw, with no grain of salt, no seasoning,
and all at once. So without hesitation I responded to F3, and cc'd F1 and F2
while I was at it:
-----Original Message-----
Sent:
Wednesday, February 07, 2007 8:46 PM
Grüß, F3! (Mir hab' ich gedacht, Sie sind Deutscher, oder Sohn
eines Deutschern; toll! Muß sagen, ich neugierig gewesen bin.)
And I, too, enjoyed having had the opportunity first to express
my viewpoints and, second, to defend them intellectually. Let's let this be
encouragement to stay open to dialog – not you and I, mein Freund, but rather
with all those who are passionate for this great country, regardless of where
they stand (and fall) politically.
It's my further delight to tell you that I fully agree with what
you say below, here. I, too, have little patience for laziness, and in coddling
the lazy. (F1 knows that there are a handful of key areas where I concur with
the conservatives: e.g., illegal immigration.) You are one-hundred percent
fully right, as well, in saying that we must bring this war to a successful
close; our paths diverge simply at the means and method, not the need. Hear,
hear!
And I appreciate your time and courtesy in following up our
head-butting (does that make us butt-heads?) with a persönliche and herzliche
note. To be honest, I didn't expect it, and had mentally geared myself up to
receive another blast from the right. Instead, I received a respectful (and
arguably undeserved) salute. That I return, with a friendly wave.
Take care, sir, and thank you again for the fun, and the
surprise.
Hochachtungsvoll,
AgingChild
***
Conveniently, you can use the crow's feathers to floss your teeth
afterward.
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