As we prepare for the Inauguration of Barack Obama, it's instructive to look at popular culture and see where the American soul stands at this point in time. Two articles this morning caught my attention:
The first was by Jay Nordlinger, Senior Editor of National Review. He had written about a musical concert he had attended where politics were inserted into the comments of the conductor. His dismayed observation led to a flood of confirming stories from other readers, some of those who favored Obama's candidacy, and reflected a concern about politics being inserted into EVERY aspect of our lives and a coarsening of our public manners as a citizenry. I strongly urge anyone who reads this blog to read this article. I sent him an email relating similar experiences I have endured this year, so I guess I felt a little emotionally invested in the subject. You will find some of the snippets shared by the readers dismaying, but also, perhaps, a call to arms of sort. Not to fight a political battle, but perhaps to stand up and be counted.
Perhaps it is time for people to summon some moral courage and nicely, but firmly,inform the offenders that not everyone shares their viewpoint and that rudeness is unkindness; in many ways just as offensive as what the offending blabbermouth is upset with Bush/conservatives/Republicans/Americans about. It will keep happening until people start speaking out.
I know this is difficult for most of us, because we feel we would be perceived as no different than what we are criticizing. It would seem to defeat our purpose.
I happen to subscribe to the Godwin's Law: that "there is a tradition in many newsgroups and other Internet discussion forums that once such a comparison is made, the thread is finished and whoever mentioned the Nazis has automatically "lost" whatever debate was in progress. " But it is also the most recent, and widely accepted, example of a formerly great culture that let it's moral and principles get corrupted due to fear, intimidation, and apathy. Let's not let "groupthink" prevent Americans from speaking up against thought intimidation, even if it comes in the guise of "hope and change" replacing "Bush lied, people died." Frankly, both those concepts are provably fraudulent.
Secondly, a cultural front on these issues is being opened in no less hostile ground than Hollywood itself. After meekly, and secretly, keeping their head down for fear of loss of career destruction and public humiliation, Hollywood conservatives are deciding to "come out of the closet" and go public in a big way. Andrew Breitbart is taking the lead in his organization called "Big Hollywood."
This isn't an "anti-Obama" organization, or even an "anti-liberal" interest group. They are most tired of the default Hollywood position of being "anti-American, especially if a Republican is in power."
No more.
It's about time.
Coach
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