Helen of Troy was the Greek woman whose allure, it was said, "launched a thousand ships." Arianna Huffington is the Greek woman whose invitation, we know, launched a hundred buses.
Even though she's backing Jon Stewart's "Rally to Restore Sanity," and even though I now work for her, I had dismissed the event this Saturday on the Mall as self-indulgent, time-wasting comedy.
Until now.
The reason is that I watched two videos: one, of a thug named Tim Profitt pressing his shoe onto Lauren Valle's skull; the other, of Joy Behar calling Sharron Angle a bitch who's going to hell.
That was enough. I now think the rally is a fateful moment in this political campaign, an indispensable plea for a smidgeon of decency in a season of crazy, vicious assaults from both sides of the aisle.
For support I call in famous Irishmen, one of them 18th century conservative icon Edmund Burke, the other 20th century poet W.B. Yeats.
Burke said, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Yeats wrote in his poem "The Second Coming" that, "the center cannot hold" in an era when "the best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity."
Less than two years after Barack Obama's inauguration offered the country a moment of what I thought was peace, we are at each other's throats with an intensity not seen in decades.
I'm all in favor of arguing. I wrote a book (The Thirteen American Arguments) about how debates are the essence of our being.
But for them to work we need to acknowledge, however grudgingly, that the people we are arguing with are human beings.
For a host of reasons -- some valid, some cynical -- we are in a season in which we refuse to accept the humanity of the people we oppose.
Why? Well, the political parties and their leaders want to hold onto or acquire power. Corporations and unions want to hold onto their economic prerogatives. Ideologues want their views confirmed. Consultants want to make money. The media wants headlines.
Where is the rational discussion of the country's future? Where is the earnestness, the specificity or the disinterested (though not UNinterested) patriotism in the name of all of America?
Probably not at Jon Stewart's rally. But at least he's headed in the right direction.
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Hopefully the focus will be on fun, amazement and wonderment – these were goals of royal jesters which were necessitated after a thousand years of European diplomacy, intrigue, and occasional friendship. The tradition was discontinued by Cromwell and others who thought laughter was foolish. But laughter is a good remedy for the evils of intrigue and diplomacy.
When a person speaks it is polite to listen and smile irrespective of their words or lies, it is not evil to be polite, but it is evil to allow known deception to continue without comment. When Abu Ghraib was blamed on a few bad apples, the appropriate response was hysterical laughter; and when Indonesian President (General) Yudhoyono says the torture seen in the videos recently smuggled from Papua is the work of a few bad apples, the appropriate response is hysterical laughter.
People who can laugh generally have a better appreciation of reality.
On one hand what is happening holds great potential for this country and by extension, the known universe. It is easy to recognize the pure insanity of peoples behavior, in this time of stenching hatefulness. But better in the open light of day then below the surface. Each day it becomes more clear people of intelligence, perhaps even vision, become involved citizens and vote. There are truly so many ignoramuses, racist, hollier then thou's, and just plain stupid persons out there that will vote against their own best interest. To be our "brothers keeper" we need to outnumber these "lost souls" at the voting booth and try to show them the light.
confusion abounds in our time hempster, your just seeing the tip of the iceberg and if we live long enough we will be startled by what happens as the rising and the setting of the Sun continues and we do not know how long that will continue to happen!?! smoke more cannabis;
Unfortunately he has been demonized.
Unfortunately the national dialogue has been distracted from basic logical emphasis and progress, all the way over to the petty, childish, bratty end of the spectrum. The worst, basest part of too many brains has been turned on like a diarrhea spigot and is flowing freely, soiling & spoiling & smelling up & ruining the greatest form of modern CIVILIZED government. It is gross, it is disgusting.
So although I agree with you for the most part, Mr. Fineman, I have to ask how long should rational people take this crap before we come out swinging? I have had this ridiculousness up to my eyeballs and can't stomach anymore.
I have never been more proud to be a liberal progressive American, or to be drawn to intelligence and competence and excellence. And no more apologies, especially to people who act like uncivilized morons.
All I heard was "WE ARE IN CHARGE NOW!" ..
... and, for the record, this call for a return to sanity is something that should be shouted outside of your borders as well ... We could use a little of it north of the 49th parallel, for instance ...
Especially for the Young People, because he OLD ONES have truly lost their minds.
Look at how much time they spend giving Palin, an Air Head, the attention she gets. Palin, now think she is Presidential Material.
I wish they would spend that much time informing the public with the TRUTH.
Joy Behar is a political commentator with a national following who is unlikely to be fired no matter how far she drags the political discourse down. Rather, the more she does it, the greater her reward will be. I'll admit the first 'bitch' might have been excused as satire, or something; but the repetition of that, and of 'evil', and of 'going to hell', the Hitler comparison .. don't you think it all might have been just a little OTT? Don't you rail against Glenn Beck whenever he says half as much about somebody on the left? Or alternatively (since you never did say which category you fit into) don't you just love Glenn Beck and his beautifully crafted daily onslaughts?
I'm right in the middle of a Dead Guy Ale. Next up is a Pipiline Porter then a Wild Bills Pumpkin Ale.
So I don't have problem with drinking. But nobody's paying me. You've gotta make up your mind.
Drink or Blog. You can't do both.
"...much less than we had even become accustomed too." What of any of the things I've listed did you have more of with Republicans in charge? And what exactly, and be specific, did Republicans give you that you are now going without or have less of?