Wednesday October 8, 2008, 9:32 am
[Excerpts] To begin with, America has been soaked in poisonous homegrown racism for three hundred years. It affects every American child. Yet even aside from that elephant-in-the-room, we have to fight our native culture to maintain a leftist perspective.

...Americans don't vote for eggheads. I remember Adlai Stevenson running against Eisenhower. Stevenson didn't stand a chance, not least because he was pegged as too intellectual to be President. We prefer our leaders to be plain spoken, practical men who don't think or read too much. A cowboy, maybe. It is hard to think of an American icon, fictional or real, who is an intellectual. Who comes closest? Albert Einstein, Benjamin Franklin, Mark Twain?

...I bet John Wayne would be a strong supporter of the Bush administration. He would cheer us on to "victory" in Iraq and Afghanistan. We'd have to respect the opinion of such an American hero. But then we forget that John Wayne was born Marion Morrison, and it is documented that he was a draft dodger during World War II.

...[Comment] It was a great article. Our problems as a society stem from our roots. Racism, homophobia, genocide, sexism, mixed with patriotism, honor, glory, independence, and all blessed by a male god. You don't actually see the results but we sure as hell feel them everyday. We're a rapidly declining empire.

Wednesday October 8, 2008, 9:57 am
It isn't so much that the Dems are spinless, I really believe they want to stay out of the fray. Eventually the truth about the RepubliCons does come out, and some of them even go to jail.

Former Alabam governor Don Seigleman is now out of prison, and he has first hand knowlege that Karl Rove instigated and falsified the charges they made against Seiglemen. I received an e-mail from Mr. Seigleman explaining what really happened to him, and now the Alabama AG is investigating Karl Rove. So it might not be long before Rove goes to prison with some of his other buddies. But they do have to wait until Bush leaves office where he will have no authority to commute any sentence Rove may get. This also applies to Harriet Miers and Josh Bolten. May they all end up in prison.

Racism seems to be an American problem. I have not seen it in other countries where I have visited in the past. It began in the late 1800s after the Civil War. And has continued to flourish ever since. The KKK is a prime example as well as the American Nazi Party, or Skin Heads. They preach hate where ever they go, and it just ins't blacks that they hate. They hate Jews and Catholics alike. In fact they hate everyone....

Sarah Palin is just showing us who she really is, and she's not a Bible thumper the way she claims she is. If she was she would not be preaching messages of hate, for this is not the way of a true believer....

Wednesday October 8, 2008, 10:05 am
EXACTLY!!! i deal will this every day. some call me un loyal from walking away from even family members for their twisted manipulative ways. but you know what -i am not here for their purpose!! let them call me crazy for doing things that are right and just -let them persecute me -let them make up viscious lies to avoid their own truth -they are not the one's who sent me. it took me years to realize diversity does not mean you have to embrace evil. as the good book says many times -walk away from the stiff necks -know the difference -make those judgements thoughtfully mind you -test them with your pearls of wisdom -but don't willingly hand those pearls over to the pigs. keep your mind clean from the generational perversions of society and yes family too.

thank you marion

Wednesday October 8, 2008, 10:15 am
Stephen and Mae ~ Excellent comments. Politicians know the pulse of the public. They quickly become bible thumpers (like many psuedo Christians) and move into Christian homes to get votes. But underlying all this 'God Bless America' goodness is a dark, horrid poison that politicians, government and the elite money controllers use against and manipulate Americans with to drain us dry.

Until Americans acknowledge the poison in this country and do something about it, we will continue to watch this nation sink fast.

_____
"We have met the enemy and it is us..."

Wednesday October 8, 2008, 11:36 am
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Wednesday October 8, 2008, 12:04 pm
Thank you Marion excellent! Fight the enemy!

Wednesday October 8, 2008, 12:28 pm
I couldn't even read the whole thing. Republicans don't care about anything except to make you afraid of it and to tell you who's to blame for it (usually someone other than the true culprit, Republicans). We are not at heart, conservative! The problem with Democrats we want to fix everything and we want everyone to love us. It's time we realize we can't have it both ways, or maybe we can, if we stop being so spineless and actually do something for the people.

Wednesday October 8, 2008, 1:00 pm
Quote;
"We love stories about poor boys making it big. Who of us has not dreamt of being a millionaire? We admire and love Bill Gates and Henry Ford by making their lives into stories of good men working hard and earning their wealth and freedom, and by excising anything negative from their stories. Our high school students know that Henry Ford built the first mass-produced automobiles, and that he offered a living wage to his workers. We don't recall, though, that Ford advocated for Hitler and published anti-Semitic crap in his Dearborn Independent.

On TV and radio we are deluged by endless get-rich-quick commercials; one salesman after another hawking his easier, faster way to make "life-changing" money. Or we peek into millionaire mansions, the "cribs" of the rich and famous, the garages full of Ferraris and Rollses. Or we watch the parade of new luxury products. Is greed really good, we wonder? Haven't too many Americans come to believe that making money in itself is a goal worthy of a lifetime's pursuit? In Thailand they talk of "suspiciously wealthy" individuals--people so rich one should be suspicious of how they got it. We have no similar concept.

Who can count the American heroes dispensing justice from their fists or from the barrel of a gun? From John Wayne to Charles Bronson, Dirty Harry to Rambo and the young Vito Corleone, we thrill to our heroes walking tall, carrying a big stick (but preferably a gun, which is much more practical) to right the wrongs of society. They do it pretty much alone. No social action to achieve social justice here.

Rambo invades Vietnam to free American prisoners. Bronson's character fights and kills the evil inner city gangs. They both avoid the incompetent government and corrupt police force. A despicable judicial bureaucracy wrongly stops Dirty Harry from dispensing real justice.

Here we have a righteous vigilante who fights for freedom, and also, of course, his beloved family. The young Michael Corleone does what is necessary to "protect his family." We want to forget he is a gangster and murderer. We want to forget Bronson's character is killing, because he is right to fight evil in any way he can.

In all this there is a strong flavor of the virtuous ends justifying the means. If you have to lie, cheat and kill to achieve the Kingdom of God on earth (the true America), so be it. Sound familiar?

When Rambo blows up a hundred Vietnamese to rescue American prisoners, we know he's only killing bad guys. Bronson's character kills and the bad guys' blood runs in the streets. No innocent victims here!

We can't cheer Rambo in the real world, but we can swear our undying love for our soldiers, somehow forgetting that their messy job involves killing innocents. And when our fighters come up with slogans straight from Rambo, like "killing is our business, and business is good," we shrug."

*******************************************

Marion, I wish I could send you many stars....This is so very true, and profound. I might disagree with the articles comments with the two parties, but this a freaking good. We are our own worst enemy, and "we the people" have the power to change it all, for the greater good of living in this nation. Much Love...Namaste

Wednesday October 8, 2008, 1:11 pm
Hans, Deborah and Dar ~ Thank you for your support and comments.

I don't agree with the comments about the two parties either, Dar. Frankly, I think they are two sides of the same coin...a stage play to make us think we have a choice.

Wednesday October 8, 2008, 3:43 pm
You cannot currently send a star to Marion because you have done so within the last week.

Wednesday October 8, 2008, 5:51 pm
Two headed snake trying to eat itself -- Politics???

Signature:
http://tinyurl.com/3fs5m8

Wednesday October 8, 2008, 10:22 pm
Well, I'm a liberal, and I know some conservatives, there is a difference when it comes to politics. A difference between Democrat and Republican politicians, doubtful, they are after all, politicians.

Thursday October 9, 2008, 3:16 am
The author of this piece is saying that Americans don't have the 'right' kind of cultural icons, the kind of heroes who promoted rebellion or revolution or at least championed progressive causes. And even the few who did have been stripped of any revolutionary content in their transformation to icon status.

We rather idiolize the poor boy who makes it rich, our favorite heroes all come out of the 'American Dream' factory & perpetuate the rags-to-riches saga.

I agree with him and would take it even further.
Our system has a vested interest in perpetuating this myth: it provides the proof that our system is democratic and that equal opportunity truly exists since ANYONE can become a millionaire and/or president ! Of course, the flip side to that bit of ideology is that if you DON'T become president or rich, it is your own fault, since nothing - no class, religious, or racial barriers; no class, religious, or racial priviledges - is there, ingrained in the system, to prevent you ! Isn't it strange, though, that the goodness and rightness of the system is epitomized in the opportunity it offers individuals to become rich ?

I wonder how this myth will fare in the current economic crisis.

Will Republicans remain more in tune with these American roots, as the author thinks?

In US culture, we celebrate the individual, not community...the individual struggling against terrible odds, and who wins. We also find this in the
other cornerstone of American culture- the frontier hero, the 'real' man who fears no confrontation, who welcomes the ultimate showdown with the enemy. Obviously, you absolutely MUST have an enemy to prove your stuff; and if circumstances do not supply one, you'd just better invent one. Transpose this into current affairs and you've got US foreign policy ! In the Western scenario, the issue is always "good" vs "evil" -- there are no complexities as in real life, no need for thinking or weighing different views. The good guy is right, 100% right - the bad guy is wrong, 100% wrong; and 'right' must destroy 'wrong' ! It's as simple and mindless as pulling a trigger.

I fear that many Americans are vicariously reliving a Western when they push for military intervention instead of diplomacy. It's 'weak' to want to discuss issues, when simply destroying the enemy is so much more effective AND, what's more, justified by religion. In the Jesus-backed crusade to rid the world of evil, there are no moral uncertainties about killing and maiming other human beings, "evil" people aren't people, they're "forces of evil," & don't have any humanity to take into consideration. So who could possibly oppose destroying "evil," in a system where everything is black or white, with no in-between, no grey areas...and no grey matter ?

The very strong anti-intellecual strain in American culture probably stems from this simplistic scenario that is so deeply-rooted in too many psyches. We worship 'action,' the showdown, the opportunity to 'win.' We may say that Abraham Lincoln is an American hero -after all 'he freed the slaves,'- but he does not have icon status. Too secretive, too much given to inner musings, too intellectual. We create a false dichotomy between thought and action -- a thinking leader cannot be a leader of action. Which is simply ridiculous, since thought naturally precedes action. When Obama is criticized for being elitist, belonging to an elite, aren't they really trying to brand him as an "egghead," like Adlai Stevenson ?

Ah, to have an intelligent person in the White House! How refreshing that would be.

French society is very different. Knowledge and intellect are greatly respected (...perhaps too much, but that's another story). The other day when I heard Sarah Palin's audience boo-ing loudly when she said 'NY Times,' I transposed the situation into France - it was impossible, absurd even, to imagine a French audience boo-ing at the naming of our great French daily, le Monde. Well, maybe the far right supporters of Le Pen's Front National party would...but it would never be mainstream.

Friday October 10, 2008, 1:54 am
I believe that if we don't begin to understand that we exist in a dualistic reality, and seek answers and solutions to this conundrum, we will continue to spin in the chaos.

I just visited one of my groups where a past topic was posed regarding religion and politics. They'd moved on to something else, but what struck me, while there seemed to be support for that stance, was that they really didn't intend to embrace 'religion' per se. The term and concept of 'spirituality' is ever so much better.

The anger, hate, fear, distrust between factions and philosophies needs to be healed. If not, it just finds more destructive ways to manifest.

I guess I'm moved to remind myself of these things, and any of you that would be moved to take a breath, and center. I'm a 'rad' old B, trust me, and I know that we have a fight on our hands, but the question is, how will we handle it. I do have some thoughts on that.

Friday October 10, 2008, 5:25 am
Why is it that so many Leftists sell out? People buy things they do not need, cannot afford, and do not make them happy. For example, until just a few months ago more trucks/SUVs were sold than passenger cars.

We do not have to buy into the Republican Party. It is up to you what you do with your time, your money and your vote.

Friday October 10, 2008, 6:56 am
"Obviously, you absolutely MUST have an enemy to prove your stuff; and if circumstances do not supply one, you'd just better invent one. Transpose this into current affairs and you've got US foreign policy ! In the Western scenario, the issue is always "good" vs "evil" -- there are no complexities as in real life, no need for thinking or weighing different views."

Jill...BRAVO!!! How clearly you explain the problem of the American psyche. It's usually a winner-loser situation, not a win-win with time taken to consider all sides. America typically admires the 'lone wolf' rather than embracing the community that helps one another. And it seems we model ourselves after the lone wolf personality of toughness and rigidity, rather than varying shades of softness, compassion, creativity and tolerance. It's no wonder drug use is up in America...we don't know who we are!

One would think there are few intellectuals in Congress, let alone in American society. There are plenty of them...they just are not respected or recognized as such. We call them nerds, geeks, touchy-feely types, girly men and other names to say "you're not one of us." In this repressed environment, how can true leaders emerge? How can a society progress? When we hold the thinkers back, we hold everyone back because everyone in society is needed to be heard. It is the still, small voice in the background that just might have the solution we are begging for.

Jill, I'm going back to read and reread your post. It's one of the most profound statements I've read here at Care 2. Thank you and Vive la France!!

Friday October 10, 2008, 7:44 am
Suruna...I think I understand your concern. Before I explain, here's a bit of my background:

I was raised a Roman Catholic - baptized, communed and confirmed. I also graduated from a Lutheran (Christian) university, and was required to learn about ALL basic religions. Those of us who speak of spirituality are not being disrespectful toward religion.

Because there are many religions, spirituality embraces them all. There's Buddism, Muslim, Judaism, Christianity, at least 22 different major religions and subsects within those categories. Spirituality is showing respect for ALL religions and beliefs or faiths.

Here at Care2 we have members from all over the world. If I discuss Christianity which is my basic faith in terms of 'my God,' I will no doubt turn others off. If a Buddhist member talks about Buddha in the same sense, it may turn off Muslims, Christians and more.

Religion is the manifestation of spirituality. Without spirituality, there would be no religion. It is how we convert our spiritual beliefs and make them into something more tangible. To a point, ' belief ' (religion) alone simply is not enough. As humans, we have a natural curiosity in that we like to feel and touch things that affect us emotionally and physically because it helps to confirm that the world around us is ' real '. We always want 'proof' that something exists or not. Religion becomes that physical connection for how we express our spiritual beliefs, assuring us that the spiritual world is also very real.

Here is a formal definition for both religion and spirituality:

Religion is a specific set of beliefs and practices. When we speak of 'religion,' we ask 'which religion'?

Spirituality is a more general term that INCLUDES religion but that also encompasses the general human impulse to reach out towards the greater whole of which we all are a part. The difference between religion and spirituality is simply that most religions offer a specific set of beliefs and structures to help people to attune to their innate spirituality.

I hope this helps.

Friday October 10, 2008, 7:47 am
Daniel...Amen to that!!

Friday October 10, 2008, 7:51 am
Suruna...I forgot to say...

The next time the conflict comes up in a conversation about spirituality vs. religion, the explanation above might help.

Friday October 10, 2008, 8:00 am
Marion, Loved the article and it and you raise many excellent points. The idea of the republicans becoming bible-thumpers. The republican can do whatever they want and claim it is because of God and Jesus. Others try to do the right thing and get in trouble because they aren't "christian" enough.Because of this I have been expecting a civil war for years. And it will be based on religion- which really is culture not political.

Daniel thank you! I remember living in CT years ago (20?). The economy was tanking, that was during the previous savings and loan crisis, and jobs were being lost in my area. I remember seeing all the liberals driving Toyotas (at least they weren't gas guzzlers!)with "Housing is a right not a privilege" bumper stickers. To me, there was something wrong about that. If you want to help people have housing- then support American jobs.

Friday October 10, 2008, 8:13 am
great job marion!! religions are brand names for the way one interprets their ideology of belief. they consist of man made rituals and traditions. usually past down from many generations. history and origin are the key here. you would be amazed at how many miss the mark -and just how many perversions most have just come to except. all religions have their truth -but they all also have their lies. spituality leaves the lies and perversions behind -embracing their higher power seeking wisdom and the correct way to walk without man made rules inhibiting them.

Friday October 10, 2008, 8:55 pm
Kudos to Daniel..*S*
Exactly. It is a concept thathas never been within my comprehension.
My mother..bless her heart taught us when I was just a kid that have your needs met like a roof over your head, your bill kept paid and knowing that you have stability is all she ever worried about. HSe never missed work unless it was an absolute need, and she still works at the age 76.
I never could understand the keeping up with the Jones's, or having something that everyone else has. Just the simple things have tickled my fancy for as long as I can remember.
Even after almost 33 years marriage, and an raising of 2 children...there is nothing inthis world that I "have to have" for having sakes. Things have never interested me..why? If I don't need it..why have it?
A roof over our heads, bills paid witha a little extra set aside. Healthy kids, hubby and companion animals and friends and foes alike...A alot more peace in this world and no more hardship for anyone....that includes the planet and its beasties as well...*S*It such a more simplier, happy and contented life for me and my own....*S*

Saturday October 11, 2008, 8:16 am
well this is one liberal who lives with out things. we have 1 truck -and wouldn't have that if my husband wasn't the owner of his small roofing co. not a fancy one -an old chevy -with emissions up to date -funny it sucks less gas than the average car -thank goodness as we stick with only owning one vehicle. wolfweeps -i love that lifestyle -i live it. how could i collect baubbles when their are children in my own neighborhood needing food and clothes. we give what we can -but since he mainly roofs for seniors and low income -we aren't exactly living high -my dwelling is obvious of that -very clean but with only the basics -clutter and too many things bring nothing but chaos -although for many chaos is the only way of life. all these things people are so posessed to have take precious resource from our earth -things are not created from thin air. I believe liberals and conservatives alike are both just as guilty -missing the mark of what is truly important -living under the veil of society perversions. Simple truly does =happiness.