Again, the present controversy concerning health care, the House version, is a case in point. Without getting into the nitty-gritty, the disruptive atmosphere pervading nearly every town-hall meeting devoted to clarifying and discussing the issue, despite the lack of preparation on the part of the congresspersons who are supposed to know better, I have but one comment to make: it’s been a total disgrace.
I know that some have and will call it the reigniting of the American spirit, the radicalization of the silent majority, the reawakening on the part of the forgotten white male, once so prominent in laying America’s foundation and now, all so neglected and made dispensable, the call for freedom and liberty on the part of Everyman. And they’ll regard it as the greatest happening since the War of Independence — so sweet the sound.
Well, I have a different take. Once more, we’re seeing the great unwashed masses — white trash, if you ask me — subjected to politics of fear. Indeed, it’s no different than, when under the auspices of “The War on Terror,” most Americans have been more than willing to give up some of their rights under the Patriot Act. This time, however, it’s the government that represents the greatest menace by way of “death-panels,” rationing healthcare, and whatnot. And in the name of what? Insuring those who, by reason of personal circumstance or the vagaries of the private insurance market, have been left in the cold? Of possibly reducing the overall medical costs when the uninsured check in the emergency rooms and, while not denied treatment, contribute more than heftily to everyone’s insurance costs?
Yet the propaganda continues, and it falls on the receptive ears of our seniors, old farts who have no sympathy for anyone but themselves, a privileged class which has never experienced a setback while America was still believable and going strong, the old and dying remnant which knows nothing of solidarity or class-consciousness, of the common lot uniting all peoples of every color, creed and ethnic background, be they Americans or of any other origin. And why? Because they never had to! And so, their only concern is their own entitlements, screw every-body else.
What a sorry state of affairs to be concerned only with number one? What a legacy for a nation that bills itself as the land of the free and the brave? You want my honest opinion? We don’t deserve to survive. And we won’t if this continues. What we’re seeing is a nation disintegrating before our very eyes, falling apart at the seams, while its people think nothing of it. The public good is the furthest thing from their mind. The spirit is gone, the spirit of humanity and common destiny that awaits not just Americans but all men, the sense of human decency and all the values which make us thoughtful, sentient beings.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Zozobra
When America's immigrant philosophers give up on her, she's doomed beyond question.
Z
2 - Cindy
Darn, Zozobra beat me to being the first responder. Oh well. I will read this tomorrow Roger. I'm late for an important date with a book on CD.
3 - Jordan Richardson
The world will go on, with you or without you, and so will humanity’s march toward a better tomorrow.
Agreed.
I hope that the rest of the world reconfigures its worship of America and that notions like the "American Dream" and the selfishness that "drives" (more like cripples) the economy in the United States ceases to catch on as an international standard.
Part of the problem for the future of America is that they are now being beat at their own game by the Chinese. China is becoming a nation of better capitalists than America, as their inventive spirit is producing while the Americans continue to consume. So when you add that into the mix, things in the United States start to look bleak. They won't be able to maintain this myth of "leader of the free world" for much longer, I daresay the "title" will be relinquished in a decade if the progress in China continues.
America is reaping what it sows. A culture built on a conception of the Individual or on Ego is destined to collapse, as humanity is destined to collapse due to our foolish misuse of the world's resources (how we could think our fuel and natural resources would be infinite is beyond me). America is just the ideal example of humanity: taking without giving anything back and expecting without sacrifice.
People fight in the United States for "liberty" and "freedom," but what those concepts have become is freedom and liberty for the Almighty Me. When lobbying groups invade the health care debate with their own mandates and poison the well of discourse, scaring people along the way, it's no wonder nothing gets done. And this happens because the population is too lazy, stupid and selfish to do anything about.
The world has long been tired of the American Ego, of American selfishness poisoning and eradicating other cultures and societies. There's a reason fundamentalism is growing around the world and a reason that American distrust and hatred continues to blossom. No matter who's elected, the underlying current of consumption, greed and corruption NEVER changes. This goes beyond government, big or small, and sits directly in the lap of a people who allowed corporations to become human beings and sold their souls for fleeting superiority.
Humanity sure as hell has hope, but it isn't in any particular country or nation. It's within the whole, it's within those who still believe it's a good thing to give, share and live in a sustainable fashion. It's within those who believe that it's a good thing to sacrifice of themselves without asking questions about who "deserves" it or who's "earned it." It's within those who believe that being "human" is enough of a fucking prerequisite to deserve health and dignity. It's within those who believe a nation or country is best defined not by its wealth but how it treats those without any.
As long as there are people like that in the world, there's hope for mankind. But as long as there are those resistant to progress and change, resistant to helping and sharing, and resistant to selflessness and compassion, there's always a threat to our survival as well.
I'm sorry you've become disillusioned with America, Roger, but I don't blame you for a fucking second.
4 - Arch Conservative
Is there anything more selfish than expecting the government to take from your neighhbor to provide for you?
People like you have been using emotion and semantics for years to advance your agenda of moral relativism Jordan.
No judgement. Everyone is equal regardless of their actions. Everyone is ENTITLED to the same thing.
Merit, personal responsibility....what what's that.
I'm disillusioned with America too. We didn't use to be a nation full of whiney little excuse making pusssies that couldn't stand on our own too feet and had our hand out every two seconds.
Now this weekend we get to listen to a bunch of fossils reminisce about how a weekend concert at some farm in upstate NY 40 years ago where a bunch of deadbeats sat in the mud and their own feces while consuming massive amounts of drugs was the greatest thing that's ever happened to this nation. Such a useless self indulgent display of the "almighty me" phenomena the world has never known seen before and most likely never will again.
Please....that's where it all started to go wrong. Ever since it's been nothing but excuses and enslavement to the federal government.
Now those useless, shiftless malcontents have all grown up and started driving hybrids. Oh but they haven't sold out. they all became college professors so that they could poison the minds of another generation with their perverse ideology.
But recently we have seen a backlash against them and their messiah. Perhaps their is hope after all for this nation and perhaps in these past two weeks we have witnessed the birth of someting extraordinarly great.
5 - Clavos
I invoke Sam Clemens...
6 - Georgio
Roger..I don't come to this site very much because it has gone down hill for a long time and it is a shame because it has very intelligent ppl on it and YOU are the most intelligence of all of them..
I was not going to read your article because I was in a hurry and I already read Dave's usual bullshit and a very informative article from Chaz on Financial meltdown ..I don't know if you remember me but I'm the guy who retired to the most beautiful place I have ever seen.Skidaway Inland in Savannah Ga..just about everyone is rich here and do't want change of any kind..they hate Bush because he hurt their bank accounts but they hate Obama more..
you said despite the lack of preparation on the part of the congresspersons who are supposed to know better, I have but one comment to make: it’s been a total disgrace.
You are so right Roger ...You don't see this happening when Obama holds a town meeting because the man knows what he is talking about..oh I know someone will say the audience was hand picked but this will be more bullshit.
you also said "Humanity sure as hell has hope, but it isn't in any particular country or nation. It's within the whole, it's within those who still believe it's a good thing to give, share and live in a sustainable fashion. It's within those who believe that it's a good thing to sacrifice of themselves without asking questions about who "deserves" it or who's "earned it." It's within those who believe that being "human" is enough of a fucking prerequisite to deserve health and dignity. It's within those who believe a nation or country is best defined not by its wealth but how it treats those without any"..This is such a good point you make Roger and I don't think most here will appreciate the importance of it..It is something that Obama believes in and wants to accomplish but nooo they will say it's socialism he wants ..what selfish fools..the othere night I was having dinner with my rich friends ..very nice ppl but when I brought up H/C they got mad they said they don't want change ..of coarse not they can afford anything they want..when I asked them ..what about the poor they said "they can go to the emergency room".isn't that a shame ..but in away that's a big gain because 6 months ago they would have complained that the bastards are costing us money by using the emergency room ...another rich friend emailed me and said "you don't actually believe that our health system is not the best in the world..so I emailed him the facts that we are rated way down on the list..
I just hope Obama can get a decent plan passed and after a year when all the lies don't happen like the death panels etc..they will say "umm dis ain't so bad after all" just like the prescription drug plan that the seniors did not want..now they say don't touch it..I could go on and on Roger but I am old now and tire out..keep up the good work Roger.
7 - Bliffle
Archie is SO eloquent that I'm coming out in favor of infanticide. Nothing exemplifies welfare deadbeat socialism more than those damn babies! Always whining and crying for food, grasping , eating , demanding more. And then what do they do when they should be expressing gratitude? They puke on your shirt and poop in their pants! And they get even worse when they're teenagers! It's always "me, me, me", "I want, I want, I want". It doesn't even get any better when they're middle-aged, it's still "what are you going to do for me next?".
Those kids never show any respect or gratitude! Just look at what they want to do now: setup "Death Panels" in the healthcare reform bill! What kind of gratitude is that? What kind of respect?
We need to do what the Spartans did and have a Valley of the Unfit, so a person could go to the edge and throw the little whiney pukey poopy blood-sucking dependent entitlement-hog proto-socialist into the abyss and have done with it!
Me first!
After all, it's the American thing to do.
8 - roger nowosielski
I'm very appreciative of all the comments thus far, Jordan, Georgio - yes, I remember you, talking about beautiful Savannah (Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil comes to mind, Johnny Mercer's home), Bliffle and Zozobra of course.
I do apologize that my article was kind of disjointed - it didn't draw the kind of necessary connections, only suggested them. I couldn't do it because the emotional response was predominant: I couldn't get past that.
I'm grateful, however, for the fact that Jordan, Georgio and Bliffle were able to more fully articulate what was merely implicit: and all of you did a heckuva job doing it. I couldn't have said it any better.
In part II I should be able to provide a more substantive, rational analysis behind "the emotion." I'll fall back on the writings of Michel Foucault and Umberto Eco (especially as regards their analysis of the concept of power) and marginally on Chomsky's account of our failing states. But that's latter.
One thing is clear, as long as there are people like you, all is not lost and we shall progress. Even within the BC community, there are enough clear-thinking, rational and properly motivated people to concern themselves with the future of humanity - and that's regardless of what political spectrum they come from. Silas Kain is a perfect example. So there is definitely hope. Whether America shall prove to be the crucible for the necessary social change, that remains to be seen. If we don't change our ways and embrace a more comprehensive, progressive viewpoint, I'm afraid we will be the followers rather than the leaders. Future will tell.
PS: Georgio, if I remember correctly, you lean to conservative thinking. It is refreshing to hear you being concerned with the larger picture. We need more people like you.
9 - Ruvy
Poland always beckons, Roger. You know, "march, march Dombrowsky!" and all that rot... I suggest you stop whining and read this article from Cluj, Romania.
I can afford to throw the "love it or leave it" line in your face Roger. I didn't love it - and I left.
10 - Doug Hunter
America is dying. The sites so called 'progressives' come together to spit on it's memory, scoffing at it's notions of such things as liberty, freedom, and self determination. Congratulations, you killed it. The 'progress' you have wrought is the death of the American dream, the marginalization of this nation, and the turning of the populace into a spoiled, entitled children looking for nothing but a handout (or is it bread and circuses?).
We desperately attempt to cope with the death of our collective spirit by self medicating, with Ritalin and painkillers, overconsumption, and moral degradation, but we're finding out that's a dead end road to nowhere. I appreciate the offer for a ride, but I think I'll walk.
11 - roger nowosielski
What has liberty, freedom and self-determination got to do with these "protesters," Doug? They haven't had an original thought all their life. The fixing of the health insurance system is not contradictory to any of the values you mention.
12 - zingzing
"The sites so called 'progressives' come together to spit on it's memory, scoffing at it's notions of such things as liberty, freedom, and self determination."
gosh, i sure do hate liberty. i'd rather not be free to say that. and freedom! oh, the liberties i would take with that rotting corpse. feh! i don't even know what to say about self determination. you just tell me what to do about that. that said, i wouldn't even recognize it if you told me to.
"Congratulations, you killed it."
death to america! haha i spit on you!
13 - roger nowosielski
# 9:
Ruvy, it's still my country. I just happen to have nothing in common with probably 30 percent of its people. They may as well be from Mars as far as I am concerned.
14 - Dave Nalle
Roger, I really think your desperate promotion of a New World Order and the destruction of America as a sovereign nation with a unique identity is a terrible idea. When things go awry is the proper response to immediately reject everything in the past and try something new or unproven just because it is new? It seems much wiser to examine why we have the problems we do and to try to fix those problems rather than scrapping everything which has worked along with everything which has failed all in one big spasm of change.
The truth is that the problems we now have are the result of certain specific policies which can be identified and corrected. Going back to policies which worked for a very long time, but were gradually abandoned is the sensible response. When you act out of panic and desperation you create more disaster, and that's exactly what you are advocating and what the left is promoting today.
As Doug said in his over-the-top way, throwing out the values of liberty and individual responsibility and representative government on the pretext of "hard times" is what will truly show that America has failed.
Dave
15 - roger nowosielski
I'm not promoting it, Dave. It's just how I see the future unfold. The American people have lost it. You can't expect the Wall-Mart consumers to lead the world. And that's by and large what we've become.
As I mentioned to Doug, I see no inherent contradiction between abandoning the concepts of liberty, freedom and self-determination and accepting however incomplete or less-than-perfect healthcare plan that's on the table. That's setting up a bogus set of choices.
Besides, the protesters at these town-hall meetings don't strike me as being particularly well versed in the tenets of American political philosophy. The notion of the common/public good is the furthest from their mind. Their objections are not general or philosophical but only self-related, having to do how they will fare as a result of the bill's passage. Nothing else matters.
16 - Doug Hunter
I was drawing more inspiration from Jordan's comment. His ideas are our future, perhaps even a bit more 'progressive' than yours.
Read his comment in agreement with the article and tell me if the distaste for the things I mention don't ring through.
"I hope that the rest of the world reconfigures its worship of America and that notions like the 'American Dream' and the selfishness"-JR
"A culture built on a conception of the Individual... is destined to collapse"-JR
"People fight in the United States for 'liberty' and 'freedom,' but what those concepts have become is freedom and liberty for the Almighty Me"-JR
Of course it's for the almighty me. For starters I don't even understand the concept of freedom and liberty outside of the individual. Even the term individual freedom is a bit redundant. Is it really freedom if someone else, or some other group, is dictating it? The biggest and most powerful group always has freedom so the term has little meaning in that context, the idea is to extend that freedom down to smaller groups and individuals.
Of course, he realizes that China's star is rising because it's competing, producing, and becoming more capitalistic than America. Now if you guys could just put two and two together.
17 - roger nowosielski
I see what you're getting at, Doug.
I would want to say, however, that perhaps you're operating with somewhat exalted, if not unrealistic, concept of freedom. It's never meant as an absolute kind of thing - especially in the context of a civil society which, according to a legalistic, juridical model, some of those "original" freedoms enjoyed in "the state of nature" are relinquished and subject to limitations by vesting certain powers in the sovereign.
On the moral level, individual freedom is also mitigated by responsibility - whether to your country (sense of duty) or your fellow men. It doesn't mean ruthlessness.
18 - Clavos
Don McLean should sue for the gross and inappropriate misuse of his copyrighted song title.
This article is another verbose pseudo intellectual mish-mash. Another dose of hyperbolic nonsense clothed in overblown, obfuscatory rhetoric and couched in apocalyptic terms, especially the second half.
Like the Bard's definition of life, found in Macbeth, it is "...but a walking shadow; a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more: it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."
19 - roger nowosielski
It wasn't pretended to be intellectual, Clavos, just an account of emotion based on my perception of certain events and facts. If you've ever been in love with someone and then you fall out of love, you would understand. It's that kind of accounting - nothing more. A personal statement, if you like.
Thank you for your kind comments, though.
20 - zingzing
clavos: "...another verbose pseudo intellectual mish-mash. Another dose of hyperbolic nonsense clothed in overblown, obfuscatory rhetoric and couched in apocalyptic terms..."
you must realize what you've done here.
21 - Clavos
you must realize what you've done here.
Uh huh.
It's called parody.
22 - roger nowosielski
I think Clavos suffers from all too rigid a dichotomy between emotion and reason not to realize that they're intricately connected, that reason, more often than not, is a mouthpiece for our emotions, unexamined.
Well, perhaps it does tell of his real persona, perhaps it doesn't. Either way, one would have to be a fool not to recognize
the connection.
I suppose Dave's characterization of the anti-protesters as thugs and shills is a different matter - an intellectual exercise at its best - than my calling the protesters old farts who don't give a shit about anybody but themselves. Mine was an intellectual mish-mash and his a finest work in critical thinking.
But it's all in the eye of the beholder, I guess.
23 - zingzing
"It's called parody."
juuuuust checkin'!
"I suppose Dave's characterization of the anti-protesters as thugs and shills is a different matter - an intellectual exercise at its best - than my calling the protesters old farts who don't give a shit about anybody but themselves. Mine was an intellectual mish-mash and his a finest work in critical thinking."
yep. that's the way it goes. laziness on clavos' part, but then again, we're all guilty to some degree.
24 - roger nowosielski
The quote from Macbeth was a parody, not your own depiction.
25 - roger nowosielski
The way I see it, he wouldn't be as biting if it didn't strike a cord.