Obama won and it's a wonderful thing, but… since I have no false expectations that the Democrats' will become the liberal party that they should be, I'm going to be looking for a new political home. But I've been doing that for years now, so I don't think I will find what I want overnight. Since the statement that 'All wealth comes from labor' resonates with me, I may just join up with the Democratic Socialists of America. Or not. Isn't America grand?
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Freedom; to be…
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Yesterday I listened to a Canadian conservative commentator say that she was favouring Obama, that a Canadian conservative is still left of an American Democrat! So maybe you need to move to Canada...
ReplyDelete...just kidding! ;-)
But today I heard that Canadian Immigration folks at the US border can now relax, they no longer need to screen for American Democrats seeking a new home...
Sorry for the disappointing results in your county, but I am very happy for you for your overall results!
Funny!
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm happy as well. A 'Blue' guy in a 'Red' county gets used to it after awhile. And since no one blogs or reads blogs in this county, I'm free to write whatever I feel like.
Oh boy, I tread here lightly, but tread I must....
ReplyDeleteI read your blog entries going back a few weeks and must say I thoroughly enjoy them ALL... I have found one item that compels me to comment...really to get your thoughts on my thoughts, not to "challenge" your position or ideas...
Here is my observation:
-in your blog entry from 11/4 entitled "I'm through" you very eloquently and correctly (IMHO) assert that the mere act of labeling people as black, white, brown, in your words "...perpetuates the myth by paying attention to it.".
-You also say that stating things like "My black friends" doesn't do a thing to end those tribal divisions that plague us as a society.
-I AGREE WITH YOU 1000% on both of those assertions...
-Here's the rub...I think the same principle should apply , NOW, to the use of Democrat and Rebublican....Liberal and Conservative. Not to say that those labels are not valid or relevant or accurate, but because if we, as a nation are going to move forward we need to do EXACTLY what you are suggesting we do on race as it relates to politcal affiliation and sub-category; that is, DROP the labels, DROP the categories, DROP the micro managing pidgeon holing of people and view people as INDIVIDUALS, not labels...
-my observation is that I'd like to see you, me, and all of us, EXTEND the "un-labeling" concept you espouse by NOT using labels such as Democrats, Repulicans, Red, Blue, Liberal, evangelical, etc......
MY THOUGHT: if we ALL extend the dropping of labels to ALL levels, are we not that much further along?? Are we not further eiminating the same "tribal divisions that plague us as a society"? I think we are, and I think we should drop, as best we can, ALL LABELS...
MY QUESTION: what do you think...am I "on to something" or off base, in your opinion?
Final caveat:::: I am not being CRITICAL of your thoughts, your blog entries, your use of Republicans, Democrat, etc.....just wondering if there is room for us all to take your very appropriate call for less labeling and less divisiveness from race to poltical affiliation to ????
I look forward to your thoughts!!
All my best, -Ed
Thanks for the kind words. And 'comments' are always welcome. Blogs are designed for 2-way communication.
ReplyDeleteI have always thought about the same thing you are concerned with; the use of labels. And sometimes I even stop and explain why or how I'm using a label, such a small 'c' christians versus the big 'C' Christians. I try not to label people on a personal level, but I'm not always successful. At the same time, personalities such as senators, presidents and rock stars will be labeled in some way just by the fact that they chose to be 'personalities'. They don't get a pass...
Last, everyone makes a choice when they decide to become a Democrat, a Republican, a Moose or a John Birch'er. But, they don't have the luxury of choice when being born. Tijuana, Compton or Beverly Hills; who knows where we will show up on our birthday?
I'm sitting on the fence about labelling. I agree with a lot of what you say but on the other hand I believe we have a need to identify ourselves with some recognizable and finite group with the larger group called humanity (the human species?).
ReplyDeleteI live in the Portuguese part of Toronto. I'm not Portuguese but I very much enjoy the stamp of Portuguese-ness in my neighbourhood. I am happy to give the local Portuguese respect for their pride in being Portuguese. I have the same respect for many other self-identified groups, and quite frankly I think that groups that self-identify by skin colour deserve that respect too. A lot of brown-skinned people in the USA do self-identify as Africans, African-Americans, black Americans. I respect that.
It's the labels that imply disrespect that I have a problem with.
In my country First Nations folks (aboriginal peoples) do want to be recognized as such and do want attention paid to long outstanding problems in their communities as a result of past and present discrimination and prejudice. I think they have a right to that, and until the way they live and the poverty and health issues they face as a group are resolved and their lives are indistinguishable from non-aboriginal lives, then they have a right to self-identify as a distinct group within the larger population.
OK, rant off, down from the soapbox, have a great day!
Thanks, Anne... of course, it's never black and white. (Oops!) And just as people can choose to label themselves, I can choose to ignore those labels. Especially when people use them to prove some imagined superiority.
ReplyDeleteAnd speaking of the First Nations folks, will we ever see a resurrection of the radio program, Dead Dog Cafe? I loved it!
As Anne said...don't use labels in a way that implies disrespect...that is a tough one...as I told my friend Cathleen yesterday, the shots of the McCain celebration (?) were all men and women from obviously privileged lifestyles and predominantly white..the description of the Republican party I have always had in mind. The shots of the Obama CELEBRATION were a complete cross section of everyone in the united states...how a melting pot might look before you start it up! So in my mind I have those images and they sinc up with the opinion I have had that MOST Republicans are those (predominantly white) who consider themselves elite because of what family they were born into, or their socioeconomic status, or their title in life. Not just elite but better than others not holding their credentials. Elite in their minds seems to mean...better and that is what gets me the most...NOONE is better than others because of those credentials. You are a better person if you treat others well...so I will do my best not to treat Republicans badly...wink! All to say I agree with Ed in the concept of not using the political labels for forming opinions...but they still have use as identifiers...so...not sure what the answer is...need more coffee...
ReplyDelete