Be here now.
Brooks' article is spot on. Though he does not invoke Nixon (or Rove for that matter), Brooks points out that the conservative party (which has had the presidency for every year of my life, less the 12 years of Clinton/Carter) has finally come to an end (which is, in fact, a new beginning) . . . and I hope he is right.
I am not rejoicing that conservative thought has come to an end, because there are conservative ideals I agree with (such as a strong national defense), but I am happy to see that conservative social dogma is no longer resonating with the majority of the electorate. The issues of religion, race, and nationality (again, all issue of otherness that stoke the fears of so many) are being reconsidered . . . and, I believe, rejected, or at least, redefined.
When I look at this election I see a country that has held onto its past for far too long. I think, as a people, we don't want to let go of our history because we feel that our history defines who we are. But, the past merely defines who we were. In truth, we are defined by our current action, by what we are doing right now.
The Cold War is over, though some insist we continue framing the world in terms of Superpowers that are either (wholly) Good or Evil. We are no longer a Superpower, primarily because the world does not need a unilaterally acting Superpower. We were a Superpower when we had to be . . . let's move forward and become something the world really needs now.
Though the Civil War is long over, we continue political 'discourse' that posits the cultures and practices of those in the South against those in the East . . . thinly veiled references to not only food and music, but racism and religion as well. We need to put the War Between the States behind us, we are one country now. Religious intolerance and racial distrust anchors us to the past. How do we expect to move forward?
Come together, right now. This is neither a liberal or a conservative diatribe. It is prudent, practical, and necessary.
jg
I am not rejoicing that conservative thought has come to an end, because there are conservative ideals I agree with (such as a strong national defense), but I am happy to see that conservative social dogma is no longer resonating with the majority of the electorate. The issues of religion, race, and nationality (again, all issue of otherness that stoke the fears of so many) are being reconsidered . . . and, I believe, rejected, or at least, redefined.
When I look at this election I see a country that has held onto its past for far too long. I think, as a people, we don't want to let go of our history because we feel that our history defines who we are. But, the past merely defines who we were. In truth, we are defined by our current action, by what we are doing right now.
The Cold War is over, though some insist we continue framing the world in terms of Superpowers that are either (wholly) Good or Evil. We are no longer a Superpower, primarily because the world does not need a unilaterally acting Superpower. We were a Superpower when we had to be . . . let's move forward and become something the world really needs now.
Though the Civil War is long over, we continue political 'discourse' that posits the cultures and practices of those in the South against those in the East . . . thinly veiled references to not only food and music, but racism and religion as well. We need to put the War Between the States behind us, we are one country now. Religious intolerance and racial distrust anchors us to the past. How do we expect to move forward?
Come together, right now. This is neither a liberal or a conservative diatribe. It is prudent, practical, and necessary.
jg
posted by geistweidt at 11:31:00 AM
2 Comments:
Hey. I think the real change in the conservative party was partly due to the power struggle within the party. The religious factions have virtually hijacked the GOP. Mix that with the "In GOD we Trust"..sprinkly a little xenophobia of the immigrants stealing AMERICAN jobs..and you get an idea what the party has morphed into. Sad..the fiscally conservative/socially moderate GOP (lots in New England) is largely gone.
Best-Jim (CT)
Some folks call the Civil War the "War for Southern Independence!"
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