In terms of how many people are on each side of the current culture gap, that I could not say, but its existence cannot be denied. People see the exact same event, like Dick Cheney defending torture, and define it totally differently. The extension goes beyond how you fight a conflict to how you live at home, and it involves beauty queens, politicians, any spokesperson for either side, and all news media. Both sides of this gap want to interfere in personal liberties, the only difference will be which ones.My question is can it be broached? Will this lead someday to a civil war? How would you fight such a war if you have decided the ballot box is not going to let you win? It's not like it's one state against another as within each state there are differing views-- the only issue is which is in the majority.
The irony is one side used to talk about patriotism and would say someone like me was trying to destroy our country. Now they are the ones talking about secession from the Union. What's that all about?
So, stepping in where angels fear to tread, I will mention we saw Religulous last night which is Bill Maher's documentary on religion. Naturally if you detest him for his satire, you won't see it, but it was interesting, if really really hard edged, about the three religions that came out of the Middle East. It looks like it is online, but we saw it through Netflix. Here is a taste of it: [Clip from Religulous]. If you are defensive of either Judaism, Chrisianity or Islam, you would likely dislike it.
Maher's attempt to get people, who are in religions, to see what they are doing (as he sees it) was met with total failure if his hope was to convince someone, anyone, to look at their religion through a different filter. He asked one woman what would it be like if say Jack in the Beanstalk had been in the Bible instead of Jonah and the Whale; and she saw immediately the trap and refused to answer. Pretty much all the religious people saw that he was trying to get them to think about their religious beliefs and were well prepared to not let that happen. That's why they call it faith, baby. Culture gap.
Then we have the California beauty queen story. She said she opposed 'other' marriage and quickly became the spokesperson for the Sarah Palin contingent. Maybe she'll run as her veep, you think? The California pageant contributed to her new found fame (who knew before this that beauty pageants paid for boob jobs), added some press time for Donald Trump, and voila a new martyred heroine was born.
Miss California cried as she discussed how awful she has been treated. The irony is she feels she has been discriminated against while she is discriminating; but her discrimination is okay because it was ordained by god and it's in the majority (same arguments were once used for racial discrimination and in that bunch probably still are). That irony was clearly lost on the new Joan of Arc. Culture gap.
There is a group so fearful of the word socialism that they have decided all government programs (except regarding war) are bad. They equate socialism with communism or dictatorship. They quickly forget that dictatorship is something they liked right up until they had a different party controlling the leadership.
Within the social-phobic group, you get people like Joe the Plumber who wants to cut out all government spending except... and by the time you get through his exceptions, what exactly did he think was left? You have those who want no taxes and don't care about public education and those who want to see government services expanded and improved. Culture gap.
Then we have torture. According to the right wing, this is a partisan left wing issue. I guess it's the only way they hope to win because if they look at it ethically or legally, they lose. The fact, that in the past people have been arrested, tried and even executed for using waterboarding (and not just in foreign lands), is discarded as meaningless. This is all about how one group (don't like torture) wants to see our country taken over by Muslims before it can be divided up by the other group (do like torture). Culture gap.
The question I have, and this list could have gone on, is what can be done about this gap? Anything? Education used to be a leveling force but is it today? Or does it reveal more of the division which is so wide that it cannot be breached? If that is true, what comes next? Camile Paglia had a good essay on this, expressing her own concerns, in her monthly column: [7 Days in May].
Cattle herds don't have these complications. They have a leader and some second in commands who maintain order. The herd has (most of the year) a common life purpose-- find food. Humans (most of us) have gone way beyond simple life purposes and maybe that's our problem. The calf in the top photo is the one we nearly lost, and you can see the nurturing love he is receiving from his mama.
Love is a good solution to a lot of problems-- real love; but the culture gap shows up even there as President Obama dared to say he would like a new Supreme Court justice who had empathy for other people. Boy, was that a bad word to the right. Their ears pricked right up while the left nodded and said that makes sense. Culture gap.
[Incidentally, Obama just declared he didn't want more of the torture and abuse photos to be released (number of which I heard might be as few as 44 to as many as 2000) showing what military personnel had done to prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan: [Bloomberg].
Supposedly the generals argued, as does the right wing, that it would make our soldiers less safe. I am not sure of the logic of this because supposedly we were all made safer by knowing we did torture with Cheney's saying the country is less safe when we don't torture.
President Obama says he won't authorize torture, but eventually will the Cheneyites convince him that he must-- but just this one time? And then that one more time and so it goes? Do we truly have a new direction or will we find things we disliked, like rendition and dictatorial presidential powers, will be continued? I wouldn't like that any more in Obama's hands than I did in Bush's. This isn't about a party but a policy.
Don't think I like asking these questions, but I voted for Obama not just for the heck of it. I voted for him because I believed we were following a fundamentally flawed path which McCain had committed to continuing. Revealing the extent of the wrong might be the only way the right ever faces up to it because they still want to think it was just a few bad apples instead of a government policy. I don't believe these photos are the concern of the right because of the possible reaction from the Muslim world but rather the reaction here at home if citizens see the extent of what was going on.
My concern is not helped by learning Obama appointed a general in charge of Afghanistan who likely was part of torture politics. Obama's changed position on the photos came after the appointment of that general. Does Obama's change of mind (something that doesn't bother me as stubborn adherence to a policy, no matter what, is no virtue) relate to that general's appointment? What do you think?]
4 comments:
I didn't want to have my sleep wrecked by this issue last night but I woke up at 3:00 AM with my mind trying to find the my view. I started thinking maybe there still stands a glimmer of hope. It is obvious that the office of President of the United States has and is not the power of Commander in Chief but as Bush said when he visited with the then President Elect Obama. Bush said in so many words that the nation elected the face of the other party to explain to them government policy for four years. Saying that his promise of change is impossible. In the wee hours of the morning I also reviewed in my mind how the first time President Obama boarded Air Force One. He saluted the Air Force guard and then relaxed and personally engaged in a hand shake and short conversation. Then more recently his salute body posture reads as a president feeling the thorn of a military deeply frustrating him. The guard is nolonger a person to him but a representative of his most bothersome burden. It is my hope that he will continue to make military mistakes like trying to release the photos. I hope he will also continue to extend a humbled hand to countries of the Middle East. We are not a superior country. I hope Obama is going to bring about the changes in our military government 's workings by following their plans showing to all the absurdity of their path. He then will at moment of great effectiveness make swift changes bringing his promised change. I heard him say this morning at a college graduation that we must always think that our greatest work is yet to be accomplished as he is doing.
I think the mark of an intelligent man is his ability to admit when he was wrong and change his mind. But he has to have a valid reason for doing so.
That said, I think Obama's reason for not releasing the photos has more to do with stirring up a hornet's nest at home than in the Middle East. Is there a single person who does not believe that the Muslims don't already know about all of the torture techniques practiced by the CIA?
As always Rain...you wriye in such a wonderful and informed way....I am troubled by so very many things you talk about. This "culture gap" seems quite insurmountable to me. When I hear some people discuss the same things I have heard and it is as if THEY see it all through such a different pair of eyes and mind and heart--well, I find it incredibly depressing. I hope Obama is not backing down on a lot of things that to me were why I voted for him---this NEW Washington, Transparency...I guess only time will tell. But I am disappointed in a few of his decisions that seem NOT what he talked about when he was trying to get elected....!
As to the Beauty Queen...THAT is all so surreal to me I almost cannot believe what I am seeing and hearing...Including The Trumpster...OY VEY! When she said she was punished....WHAT???? How, pray tell?
It is all too surreal. Cheney appearing all over the place after practically being Silent Sam for eight years...SURREAL...! IT IS NUTS, All of it! Texas leaving the Union?? Did you ever think you would hear anything like this in 2009?
I LOVE the picture of the Cosw, my dear, and that sweet Baby being so lovingly looked after by his Mama....I LOVE COWS.
This comment should in no way be interpreted as support of torture. That said, I believe certain groups within our government have engaged in torture for many many years, long before the incidents of recent years came into the general public's awareness. Top level government leaders encouraging and justifying such behavior as has been happening is the very evil in which they believe that they claim to have been combating.
I also believe we've had lots of serious divisions with culture clashes and idea conflicts throughout our nation's history beginning with religious, social and other. Some of those out of power and others who want power are often fomenting chaos and revolution with varying degrees of intensity as their numbers ebb and flow. You know, the old "divide and conquer" game.
I fully expected Obama to waiver, even reverse positions on issues once he was elected, but I just didn't know which ones. That's what President's have done after assuming positions that will get them elected. To expect otherwise is unrealistic, unfortunately.
When the circumstances are bad enough and the people become massively dangerously unhappy our leaders finally take action -- i.e. our health care, social security, other issues. Up to that point they'll avoid and postpone acting as long as they possibly can -- leave it to the next leaders, 'cause we want to get re-elected.
What you have written is important to arouse individuals that whatever their views it's important we take stock (an unintended pun *grin*) of our differences and not allow our disagreements to get to a point where a violent revolution is precipitated. That's often when a small third minority group slips in to take over with resulting dire results for any nation, especially our way of government.
Frankly, I don't ever want to see any one political party prevail in perpetuity. I think the ebb and flow between groups slows the sudden extreme actions of any one group. Leaders seem to have found increasing ways in which to circumvent the natural checks and balances which was especially true in the preceding eight years -- now, that is scary.
I hope Obama's Administration closes the door on that and does not make the opening even larger. Of course, as my mother raised in horse and buggy days on a farm would say, "It doesn't do any good to close the barn door after the horse is gone."
Perhaps my view is jaded and incorrect. Whatever! We must stay informed, act rationally and be alert to even those well-meaning individuals who would subvert our nation's ideals.
I'm a "the cup is half full person" who embraces hope for our future. (Gee, I should have written this for a personal blog post.)
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