Joho the Blog
An Entry from the Archives

"Our America" doesn't exist.

You've got some old episodes of Ozzie and Harriett (gee, I wonder how many will remember this glimpse of suburban utopia where the father inexplicably didn't work?) replaying in your head.

"Is a dream a lie when don't come true, or is it something worse?" B. Springsteen

David, ala Dean, you don't offer any solutions.

A few days ago, Michael Gilbert published "The Nonprofit Sector and the March Toward Tyranny".

Worth reading. Twice.

I'm not nearly as eloquent as you, but I did something similar a few days ago, and sent it to the candidates.

http://www.islamicate.com/islamicate/2004/05/an_open_letter.html

Ah, David!

Close, but yet no cigar!! Still, getting closer to "now".

The mistakes we made in the past don't define us.

EXCELLENT! and OUTSTANDING!! The mistakes do not completely define anyone.

Yet they do to an extent, like in the very, Very, VERY recent past, like the preceeding sentence:

"Immigrants from everywhere, people of color, women, gays and lesbians...

You, David, are aware of and have some understanding of whaz-called-a "disconnect". Yet you do not frequently note the similar problem of mis-connects:

There is no connection between the strength of America, which is America's immigrants and people of all colors, and America's weakness which is hypocricy.

Lesbians and "gays" are Americans, of course, and good people mostly, although not that gay about things in general, mostly. However, they both (women homosexuals and male homosexuals) suffer to the extent they themselves claim that it's all about tolerance of diversity of opinion and feelings.

If it was, then lesbians and "gays", ie homosexuals, would be a LOT more tolerant of the views and opinions of heterosexuals. Which most are, but the most vocal of the lesbians/"gays"/homosexuals are decidedly not.

And, as a matter of fact, there are quite a few (most probably the majority) of immigrants who do NOT believe that a man is essentially identical to a woman, and can be inter-swapped (sexually speaking). (Even tho, medically, they in actual fact CAN be swapped, of course.) Yes, woman are equal to men in America, to a large extent, but not identical most would say, afaik (immigrants and non-immigrants both).

So you mis-connect on this aspect of the discussion, yet again.

"The way we have moved into the future"

You are yet confused here, throughout your otherwise mostly-outstanding piece. (This is so pretty-much-goodness, that I won't even call it a blog!!...:-)

One does not "move into" the future. This is what I meant by close but no cigar. You could, logically, only move into something that materially exists. That, necessarily, means you cannot "move into the future", unless you are claiming that you actually see the future!

That is an unwise claim for any Scientist, such as yourself Dr. Weinberger, or anyone that thinks even remotely like a scientist to make.

"Our America is full of life. Not" [only that but also some] "fear and doubt. We're a confident country.

You and Shel are so sure of yourselves, at times...

"Confident enough that we know not everyone has to be like us, and not everyone is going to like us. That's ok. That's more than ok. That's life on this planet. We love it. We love to laugh. And we love to try things out. Come up with new ideas. Tinker. Invent. Innovate.

Again, close. I hope I express some of this on a personal level, day-in and day-out.

But to start to claim this is, on balance, what the entire country does day-in and day-out?

Over-confident, to my "lame eye".

"Some of the ideas are just plain wrong. Doesn't matter.

Well, you appear to miss the point that some mistakes matter more than others.

Or, I should rather "say", you apply this point against others (primarily the Bush Administration), but do not apply the same point to people who are opposed to others (primarily the Bush Administration). Why do you go so easy on your friends, David? is a question with a very simple answer.

You make some good partially-accurate points in the part I snipped, HOWEVER...

"But we can take back our America. And it's not just because we're going to vote in November. That's just the beginning. We can only take back our America because in our hearts we never lost it."

Unless you are American Indian, David, "we" never lost America in the first place.

Not "in our hearts", but in actual fact.

Notwithstanding the previous Presidential election end-results, the point is that you do not own America, David.

"We" do not own America. "We" would suffice to take responsibility for our own individual actions, which is somethings we CAN own but most normally don't.

People like you and Joe Trippi who talk of "taking back our country" are trying to start a revolution. It appears to be in goodness, but people of common sense appreciate that what America is trying to do is have less revolutions.

We just had one attempted revolution, the day the 9-11 call came in. Do not WANT another revolution, nor semi-brave people causing one.

"Road to hailstorm is paved by good intentions."

I believe that is part of what America is and what America stands for, that you're not seeing nor believing, David (and even more, Joe Trippi), but icbw.

That's why it scares me, slightly, to "hear" you say "We are uniquely situated to lead. Never before in human history has a single country been so powerful militarily, so powerful economically, so rich in ideas and values, and so dedicated to using its power not to dominate, but to liberate. No country has ever before been in that position. Ever."

This would be, precisely, what most non-Americans are afraid of, and some Americans as well.

As an American, myself, I remain unconvinced that we can (let alone should) use our power to liberate (rather than dominate). The view that power is easy to use to liberate is one-a THE primary misconceptions that people face.

On an individual level, all the way up to the global level.

Not saying this should NEVER be attempted, but that it should be approached with Extreme CAUTION.

As, from prior readings, I believe you firmly believe as well, David.

I don't have time to nit-pick some of your other comments, nor commend your other find points... But would say there is much work and opportunity to be done as far as Americans leading America towards the present,
rather than leading America (let alone the world) towards this mythical "benign future".

"Knowhaimean?, Vern??..."

- Jim Carey (iirc)

Just because I'm a sonofabitch contrarian, I'll disagree with Bob M (whoever he is) and assert that "Our America" does exist. It's just that we sometimes have trouble remembering who all "we" are.

And stopping by here to blithely observe that David didn't offer any solutions isn't exactly the epitome of penetrating insight or rhetorical criticism.

But I'll always give credit for quoting the Boss.

David, I find I'm in complete sympathy with your sentiment, if not your entire thesis.

"We" can't change the world. Indeed, the world does seem to change, and we often give ourselves credit for it, but that's not the change you're looking for. The world that you're lamenting is the world all of humanity has lamented since the beginning of time, it's the world of human nature; and we can't "change" it.

We can try to understand our own nature, and to be mindful of it, to see ourselves in the "other." It's not likely we can "change" our nature, but we can be aware of it and try to mitigate its worst traits.

Ghandi had it right, "You must become the change you wish to see in the world."

In other words, we should probably stop trying to change "the world," and focus a bit more of our attention on changing ourselves.

David,
I think the world of you and your wonderful mind, but until you can shape this passion into why it's important to ME and my family, you're simply masturbating in public. This is the problem with liberal America. Everything is presented in judgmental terms from a lofty, utopian perch. Go back and look at each of your points and ask yourself how each helps the guy or gal at home. Your whole premise is that we should care about other people, and that's contrary to human nature. Tell me why it matters to me.

You need to care about _________ because ______.

Terry

Bob, the piece is written in the style of the grand ol' stump speech. So, yeah, it is very upbeat about what is best about America.

Hanan, thanks for the link. Pretty grim view. I wish I could disagree with it more.

Islamoyankee, loved your letters and blogged them over at www.corante.com/loose

JayT, the point about the "making America ours again" was to say that there is a revolution happening, and it's by the neocons who are subverting the most traditional American values. And how you ever confused me with a scientist is beyond me. I am such a liberal arts major.

Dave, I agree that our attempt to change the world inevitably has an imperialist cast to it, which is why I talked more about leading the world, and "lifting it up" -- purposefully vage -- than about changing it. I do think that we're in a position to do a hell of a lot of good in the world...and a lot more than we're doing now.

Terry, what, you have something against masturbating in public? But it sounds like you have a good speech in you. I look forward to seeing what you come up with.

Mr. Weinberger, Those liberal stump speeches get me every time...thanks for the inspiration.

I am also looking forward to Terry's speech. Such a speech (or notes) would have been quite useful at a house party I was at last night in Cleveland.

David, I wrote a reply here earlier (before the comment on other post), but decided.. bah...

Terry, although I agree with you about liberal America, especially the kind exhibited by nearly ALL the Blogs and Bloggesses of the Blogdom, nearly ALL the time.

However, would just like to point out the slightly-less-than-liberal view:

"Your whole premise is that we should care about other people, and that's contrary to human nature"[at times]. "Tell me why it matters to me."

"You need to care about _________ because ______."

As you almost said, you need to care about other people, because it's contrary to human nature ONLY SOME TIMES. Other times caring about people IS human nature. Furthermore, it is only possible to NOT care about other people to an extent.

That's why it matters, Fundamentally speaking.

So that resolves to a question of when/where/why one chooses to care or not-care. For individuals, corporations, societies.. whatever.

"

sorry, i cant read speeches, but i listened to the entire testimony today, and i must say that it seems like a desperate attempt to intimidate people into submission, because the war itself isn't working, and the administration is panicked about losing control--imagine, us loosing the war. and be damned if the very definition of terrorism isn't exactly what our side allowed to happen. it's like when the nazis knew they'd lost, they commited some of the worst atrocoties then.

"JayT, the point about the "making America ours again" was to say that there is a revolution happening, and it's by the neocons who are subverting the most traditional American values. And how you ever confused me with a scientist is beyond me. I am such a liberal arts major."

What we on the internet need to realize is that, like the Federalists in 1789, the time has come for us to have faith in our theory, and faith that an entire society can run as a networked, rather than building block, system.

In the Constitution of 1787, they placed their faith in an untested theory of economic utility - which we now call capitalism - and won big.

Will we do as much, as well?

My current flog: Jim Newberry, blogger for Congress.

Excuse me. I confess my ignorance at not having read The Federalist Papers, iirc.

Mr. Newberry, where you say "In the Constitution of 1787, they placed their faith in an untested theory of economic utility - which we now call capitalism - and won big."

History was one-a my worst subjects, but as I recall the Constitution of 1787 was a no-go, replaced by our (real and "un-real" Americans) current Constitution of 1789. Icbw.

Btw, there are plenty enough untested theories of economic non-utility floating around currently, so the imagery was apt. However, would point out to David that there are also multiple revolutions going on, on the extremes left and right and other, all.

Btw, afaik societies have never been "run" by exclusively networked nor building block systems in the past, why should they now?!?

Keep your faith, bro...;-)

Will we do as much, as well?"

Ooops about that trailer. Had intended to either add a comment or snip, but did neither.. "Funny" how 'Freudian Slips' will slip in there...;-)

"bw", we should talk philosophy sometime, but no time... (I visited Kent afterwards, btw.) To "bw" or anybody that's of the faith that the war is not working:

Do you recall how many died in VietNam, compared to Iraq??

Estimate, to within an order of magnitude or two, how many people you would expect to die when a Completely Totalitarian Government of a generation or two collapses?? Estimate again, how many people in an area that has a history of centuries-old "blood feuds" between the relilgio-cultural-co-habitants of the region? (ForExample: '80s - '90s wars between the Iraqi "Govt" and both the Sh'ite's (sp?) and the Kurds)

:

And btw, did anybody ask Ted Koppel if he could read the names of those Iraqi's (I understand thousands to tens-of-thousands) who are alive today, who wouldn't have been?? Sure, they are harder to track, those who did NOT die from torture (mathematically impossible to do perfectly, of course)..

I guess it's harder to identify a person living in Iraq, who positively, certainly would have been dead if Hussein was not found where he was.

:

Also hard to identify, for some, the difference between exhultation of torture and degrading humiliation, which is bad enough.. the difference between that and exhultation of mutilating human bodies after murdering them in cold blood (civilians, btw) before the entire world.

Or did you skip over those pictures? (as I actually did) or just dwell your attention elsewhere??

I observe how some people get upset about both of these (and many other) recent events, and in varying proportion.

我们不需要做这么多

我们不需要做这么多

yes ,it is!

Hmmmmmm.

!

Instead-a speeches, and I don't know anthing about intelligence of any kind, but would like to see more in the Tech Community say "Get up, Stand Up"!...

Possible solution on a different topic, altogether?

"Stand up" some cross-the-platform-planetoid-standards, might be appropriate, for one step. And "stand up" some peoples apps, too!