Now that it's becoming fairly clear that the Brits are leading us out of the finance mess (never, I mean never, elect a President who cannot manage the ownership of a baseball team), I found these contrasting stories quite telling:
The Right Thing (so far): "Simpson 'Expects Sack from BBC'"
The Wrong Thing: "Buckley's 'Sorry, Dad' Piece Leads to Exit"
The news about Buckley underlines the fact that it is increasingly impossible (if not already and actually impossible) for us as a nation to engage in political dialogue and dissent based on analysis of the issues at stake. Subscribers, outraged by Buckley's column, have apparently been cancelling subscriptions en masse, the NIMBY approach to the ideals behind the First Amendment. To be fair, Buckley offered to resign his column; it should be to the great shame of the National Review that they accepted his offer.
Funny that the BBC has taken the stance that the views of a respected journalist ought to be, you know, respected.
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3 comments:
Wow, super interesting.
I have to admit, if the shoe is on the other foot, i.e. people leaving the Democratic party Joe Leiberman (essentially gone) or the guy from Georgia, who keynoted the first night of the 2004 GOP Con (name forgotten...) I struggle with being civil. So I am at fault, duly noted.
I think a return to principled, far-sighted government, along with, as your pointing out, civil, intelligent discourse, should be the top priorities and obviously could be great bipartisan issues. Plenty of blame on both sides of the aisle for the current situation, Though after reading "The Right Nation" and the more concise "The Republican Noise Machine" I feel that they started it.
On the Brian Lehrer (WNYC / NPR) podcast, callers recently were asked to weigh in on over-partisanship and polarization. Tons of lefties called in, my guys, and screeched (really) that we need to be more polar because #they# are out to get us. It felt like IRA-English or Israel-Palestine. Biggest lesson of growing up for me has been to see the universal foolishness of these feedback conflict loops. Time for Buddhism. Or real Christianity.
Cordelia,
First I apologize for contacting you through the comments on this post. I could find no other way to do so.
That said you have a great blog. I find what I've read of your posts interesting and informative. I am going to add your blog to my follow list.
If you're at all interested here are my blogs. I have 6, 4 are bicycle related, one is my politics blog and one is my Freemasonry blog. I hope you find them interesting and informative.
Bicycle:
http://johnsbicyclinghobby.blogspot.com/
http://historyandculturebybicycle.blogspot.com/
http://commutinganderrands.blogspot.com/
http://bicycleadvocacyandsafety.blogspot.com/
Politics, I am going to warn you, this blog is extremely one sided, mine. It is my opinions on politcs and how I see things regarding the topic. http://johnspoliticalviews.blogspot.com/
Freemasonry, I do not post on this blog nearly as much as the others.
http://jtefreemasonry.blogspot.com/
Wow, Christopher Buckley sure wasn't trying to hide his enthusiasms. Check out his interview answers on the homepage for WNYC's Leonard Lopate Show:
http://www.wnyc.org/shows/lopate/guestpicks.html
-----------------------------
Christopher Buckley
09/26/08
What have you read or seen recently (book, play, film, etc.) that moved or surprised you?
Ron Suskind’s book "The Way of the World"
What are you listening to?
Pandora! Music on-line.
What are you currently reading?
See first question. Also Susan Gray’s "The Last Cigarette."
What's one thing you're a fan of that people might not expect?
Barack Obama’s autobiography
Christopher Buckley on the Lopate Show
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