Monday, May 04, 2009

What I've been thinking

I haven't been posting much recently because I've had a lot on my mind and not much time. The topics I want to post about all need, and deserve, a thoughtful treatment. Unfortunately, right now all I can squeeze out is a quick post.

I just finished A Dream Deferred: The Second Betrayal of Black Freedom in America by Shelby Steele. It needs to be the subject of a really good thorough post. I marked enough spots in the book to go back over that I'll almost be rereading the whole thing. That is a post to come.

An Issues, Etc. episode on tolerance (broadcast Friday April 17) that I listened to on Friday pinpointed a lot of the frustrations I've been feeling about the whole concept, and the seeming ease with which the left is able to redefine words. That's another post. Probably tomorrow.

The media keeps pushing the idea that the reason the Republican party is in trouble is because of a "move to the right." Huh? Is this the same Republican party that had an aisle-crossing moderate for a presidential nominee? The Republican Party is in trouble because it is in large part the Democrat Party Lite. The Republican Party is in trouble because for eight years we had a President who seemed incapable of articulating or defending his actions and positions and who helped to grow government and spend money like a drunken Democrat senator.

And I can't even start on the misrepresentation and vitriol that has surrounded the coverage of the tea parties and the attitude of the Democrats about them.

All of these things tie together. They all involve agendas and the power of words and being the one who defines them. They all speak to the tremendous influence of the press. They involve assumptions and political myths. Maybe over the next couple of days I'll manage some coherent posts and tie it all together.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Jane,

I've been watching a lot of Glenn Beck over the internet (I'm a American living outside the country). - I'm with you - I didn't get what Bush was doing. Didn't like the current President's platform (oh, let me count the ways). Everything keeps coming back to: How can an entity who has nothing to make or sell spend themselves out of debt. It will never happen. We can only pray that God will again put his hand on us and hope and pray for a miracle. I'm looking forward to the post that ties it all together.
I'll be back :~)
Cindy

Sandra Ostapowich said...

I'd also recommend reading anything by John McWhorter on the race issue. As the mother of a black son in a very homogeneous town, this is a very important and personal issue for me.