To all of my anti-war friends…

To all of my anti-war friends: President Obama did not deserve to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for a variety of reasons like, for example, you can never achieve peace for everyone by fighting wars, especially preemptive ones. We’re foolish and we should be ashamed for thinking so. Perfecting neo-imperialism/liberalism isn’t enough. That’s like the Europeans–Portuguese/Spanish/British/Dutch/Germans/French–saying that colonialism will bring peace and prosperity to everyone by “civilizing the lower races” (Yep, I said it.). The commentary around all of this makes me chuckle a little bit, if not laugh out really loud. Especially when I hear the likes of Limbaugh say that he agrees with the Taliban. I guess fundamentalism really can cut both ways…lol. Now, I may disagree with the committee’s decision, but I’d refuse to sound like I belong in the same category with those on the far right. I hope my anti-war friends everywhere begin to drop some sophisticated analyses of the situation rather than speaking/acting out of blind outrage. This could be used as another means to hold the Obama Administration accountable if we’re smart enough to seize the opportunity. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with anger. But let’s continue to use that anger, and Obama’s award to our advantage. Let’s strive to be better than everyone else and their knee-jerk reactions.

Michael Moore and Cornel West have the right idea.

P.S. I will give Pres. Obama a lot of credit for slightly changing the tone in international relations thus far, though. That change of tone is important, relieving, and well received on my end…lol

P.P.S. I would also add, before some of my friends who claim to be more of a conservative persuasion get it twisted, I probably wouldn’t agree with your assessment either. LOL I won’t understand how you can like my comments if you are, or have been, for the wars, or any sort of idea that “America” is superior to any other nation, or that terrorists “are jealous of our freedoms” and you’re now just against Obama (lol). I got love for Obama despite my disagreements, and I’m not about the hard, or soft, core nationalism either. I just had to get that straight…I don’t want people misinterpreting my comments.

Filed under: Politics

“The New Disspossed?”: Frank Rich- The Guns of August

Frank Rich enlists Daniel Bell  to address some of the fears of mainstream Americans and some people on the far right in his recent piece:  “As the sociologist Daniel Bell put it, ‘What the right as a whole fears is the erosion of its own social position, the collapse of its power, the increasing incomprehensibility of a world — now overwhelmingly technical and complex — that has changed so drastically within a lifetime.’” That was from ‘62 and that sounds rather correct (maybe not totally with some since there are probably quite a few of far rightists who harbor feelings of xenophobia/racism/ethno/cultural-centrism, if not chauvinism). And I could totally understand “bracing for some sort of impact” due to the fact that US has finally entered into a space where a particular form of work and capital is finally flowing out of its border, while our own economy is changing into something different–service, information, socially, and thus immaterially based. However, we all should be looking for ways to act positively rather just letting ourselves crumble over our presumed cultural/political values.

It’s not just the responsibilities of those who lose their jobs, poorer, somewhat middle-class people to try to “make it” during these times. We all have to try to find ways to bring water to the fire. We may have to try something new politically, economically, geographically, ecologically, and socially.

Filed under: Politics , Daniel Bell, Frank Rich, health care, NY Times

“Whites Only in German Village”

Jessica Winck

Austin and I went down to German Village this afternoon to meet up with a friend of his. In all his preciousness, Austin is just having a good time catching up with his friend. But meanwhile I’m noticing all the white people who have serious staring problems.

We walk by Cup o’ Joe under the stares of a white couple having coffee. They watch the three of us go by, turning their heads to follow us, not saying anything.

At the hot dog joint, a middle-aged white guy sitting behind our table at the bar is turning to stare at Austin when he talks, then looks back at his food and shakes his head. The man is actually grimacing, and when Austin laughs at something, the guy turns to stare at the back of Austin’s head. Somehow he doesn’t notice me staring back at him – it’s the black guy talking about globalization who is the real problem, not the white woman who might start bitching.

On the way back to our car, we pass Cup o’ Joe again. More white people sitting in the shade. A larger group of about seven looks disturbed as we approach. All of them stop talking. Four or five turn in their seats to look over their shoulders at the approaching party – a black guy in between two white women. They turn their heads as we pass to follow us with their eyes. I’m thinking to myself, “What the fuck are these people staring at?” Someone reading this might say, “They’re just people-watching.” That weird thing white people do when they’re in cute, art-filled neighborhoods, having coffee at 2PM on a Friday afternoon (don’t you have to work or something?) But I’m going to have to disagree – these were “what are you doing here?” stares.

Ever since I got to Columbus I’ve been hearing how lovely German Village is – it’s such a great place for hanging out, the people are so friendly, it’s just the right amount of quaint to complement the city. But we’ve got to stop and think about what all that means when we’re saying that. I’m sure it’s a great place for some people to hang out, but Austin in his Whatever State Alumni (he’s got a lot of degrees) shirt can’t walk down the street without getting the “what are you doing here” stare. What’s worse is that they were perfectly comfortable staring him down because they own the place and have learned from their experiences that they can do whatever they want – stare, whisper, and lean back in their seats to sip their espresso – without being confronted or challenged. But as soon as a black person opens his/her mouth about it, h/she is the racist one, that angry black person who wakes up in the morning cursing white people and crashing their neighborhood coffee shops just looking for racist whites. What’s funny is that Austin didn’t even notice it – he was just hanging out.

But I think we all know already that the onus isn’t on black people to make whites stop being assholes. These people staring at him didn’t say the n word, they didn’t actually say anything to us – but those people have got to get over the belief that those are the only things that would make their behavior a problem. I really wouldn’t be surprised if when we passed, someone said something about that black guy being with two white girls – I know those conversations happen because I’ve been there for them. It’s like Austin has said before – if you’ve got a problem with him, why don’t you say something? Don’t just sit there cowardly and self-important, then look at a black person like he’s the one who’s the problem.

The next step should have been to ask them what they were staring at so that Austin never has to, then let them know what it feels like to be the problem. But first, some of us white people need to stop romanticizing German Village and talking about how great it is. Take down the “whites only” signs, then I might think about going there again.

Filed under: Race

Chris Hedges – “America the Illiterate” and Empire of Illusion

Here’s an article and video by Chris Hedges that speaks to the concepts of illusion, perception and reality. I’ve really been interested in how his thoughts connect to the questions regarding illusion, perception, and reality in our political discourse…

I must say, though, there’s much to be criticized with Hedges views (at least in the interview). I’d question that, somehow, we’ve “gotten away” from certain “traditional” values. His critique of the “cult of the self” also needs examined more. I’m not sure if I agree with his, seemingly, dismissal of personal ambition. Even the person who he referred to as his “God”–Martin Luther King, Jr.–implored that we bend this “cult of the self,” or the quest for success, towards justice in his sermon, “The Drum Major Instinct.”

His thoughts regarding illusion and our failure to acknowledge various social ills and the corporate-driven initiative to package and sell conformity are on point, though.

Filed under: Literacy, Politics

The Stimulist–”‘Is Socialist the New “N-word’?”

I must say that I am a fan of Carlos Watson’s site, The Stimulist, however, nothing will ever replace the “n-word.” But I agree that people on the right are trying their hardest to turn socialist (like many of them did ‘liberal’ during the 90s and Bush Presidency) into a pejorative, and thus debate-silencing, term. I do sympathize with him raising the issue, however. As Dr. Delagrange (Professor of English, The Ohio State University) told us in her rhetoric class, “socialism,” like “freedom,” “liberty,” “fascism” etc. are “God” terms. Meaning, these words tend to hold a disproportionate amount of weight in meaning and conversations. Really, people tend to count on the perception, not the actual meanings, of the meanings of the words to bolster their own positions or to slander their opposition.

So, what happens when reality and perception are actually aligned in (political) debate? Good question…

Filed under: Uncategorized