Goodbye, Cruel World

The world would be a better place if the American right wing had never existed. Thousands of Americans and Iraqis would still be alive, tens of thousands or Iraqis would still be living in their own homes. The American economy would not have hopped from bubble to bubble if the right wing had not put all of their faith in deregulation, and American jobs would not have been sent abroad. Our tax dollars would not have flowed upward into the coffers of the rich, and the war machine would not comprise such a large part of our economy. We would have retained the respect of other nations, and not aroused the absolute hatred of those we have attempted to bomb into submission. We would get along better with one another if the right wing had not used tribal hatreds to arouse their base against black people, immigrants, liberals, and the well-educated. Our infrastructure, health care, and schools would be better if the billions spent on futile wars had been spent on domestic needs. The planet would be a better place if our addiction to oil had been broken 25 years ago.

But the issue goes deeper even that these practical matters. We would, in fact, be happier people if the right wing had not terrorized us with their horror-filled systems of belief. The Friedmanites are bad enough -- in their world, there are only winners and losers. Everyone deserves what they get, and if a child who gets melamine in his milk is a victim of "creative destruction", well, too bad, because some rich person is getting a little bit more money. In the capitalist world, you are not just supposed to starve, you are supposed to deserve starving -- insult added to injury, humiliation added pain. Of course, as Naomi Klein has shown, the "free market" is never free at all, it is fixed, by dictators and armies and oligarchs. But the thrust of the propaganda stands. We may call this the "Phil Gramm Position".

As bad as this is, far worse has been the effect of religious fundamentalism on the individual spirit and the national mood. By now, we all know some child (or former child) who has been terrorized by "the Rapture" -- who has come home after school to an empty house, only to panic because he or she is convinced that everyone else has been "raptured up." The left behind one has to reckon with the idea that not only is everyone he or she loves gone, he or she has done something wrong according to Jesus, and failed to deserve salvation. I call this child abuse. The religious right has been determined to enforce the unhappiness of others, no doubt so that that unhappiness will match their own. After all, they want to make sure that gay people understand that no matter how much they pay in taxes, they are second class citizens. They also want to make sure that every woman in the world understands that her interests are secondary to those of any embryo, any man, even, indeed, any sperm cell. This would be the "James Dobson Position".

The God of the right wing, and of the Bible, is a pretty arbitrary guy. He lays down the rules, but you can get those boils or those locusts even if you didn't knowingly do anything wrong, in fact, even if you didn't do anything wrong at all. Your personal God could punish you for something someone else did, as in the Bible he frequently punishes the enemies of Israel, men, women, children, dogs, cats, goats, etc., just for being the enemies of Israel. I love how right wing preachers pray away hurricanes, sending them to places like Bermuda. If your God is arbitrary, then of course you are always anxious and depressed -- your adrenaline is always pumping. And you are never motivated to understand how the world works. But locusts and boils and hurricanes have causes -- physical, medical, and ecological. Society can avoid locusts and boils and even mitigate the effects of hurricanes if it understands cause and effect, but if your God is an arbitrary authoritarian, and your father was an arbitrary authoritarian, then you never truly understand cause and effect in the world we live in. As we all know, no religion has ever successfully answered the problems raised by the issue of an omnipotent God. The best they offer is to forbid questioning, and to punish those who do. Because the right wing experiences the world as cruel and arbitrary, they have no inhibitions about enhancing that cruelty -- as in "Hurricane Katrina", as in "Iraq War", and in "Abu Ghraib".

This is the world we have been living in for the past thirty years.

In a week, we have a chance to leave this world behind. If we look at our two candidates, the differences between them are stark. John McCain, who was raised by and accepts the authoritarian model, is evidently never at peace. He is hot-headed, erratic, and has been remarkably cruel. He claims to have principles, but his principles change every time he loses his cool. The more he is pushed, the more it becomes evident that he lives by his own selfish desires -- for money, for power, for women. He's is a classic avoider, who can't even answer the simplest question -- if something "unpleasant" comes up, he changes the subject. Barack Obama rarely changes the subject, because he is fully capable of looking at an issue and considering it. He seems to have been reared in a non-authoritarian household, by a loving mother and loving grandparents. He thinks that the world is a rational place that can be understood and modified. His own family seems happy and loving. Right wingers think he is shallow, but he isn't shallow -- he's well-adjusted. And we've had two whole years to poke him and prod him and discover this. Obama has grown through campaigning because he has learned from it. McCain gets ever smaller and more weird as he campaigns because he doesn't understand what is happening to him. When we choose between these two men, we are choosing between two worlds -- the world of ignorance, fear, manipulation, and cruelty, and the world of rational investigation, weighing of options, and planning. This world is a world where sexual preference is not such a big deal, salvation is not an eternal mystery, and life goes on. It's a world where bad things happen, but there is no malign Godly intention behind them. It is world that understands the temptations of human nature and attempts to deal with them rationally and systematically. Some of these attempts will fail, but on balance, not as many as have failed in the last twenty-five years.

Most of my friends see the coming election as the most important we have known. The right wing has damaged our country, our livelihoods, our national honor, and our planet, but not yet fatally. If McCain gets elected, that could change.

Comments

[AlphaDoc]

A terrific post, Ms. Smiley. Thanks.

[Itchybiscuit]

Speaking from outside the USA, I couldn't agree more. I watch every political discussion programme I can find with regard to British and European politics and I can safely say that, from what I've seen, an awful lot of people over here are heartily sick of the 'shoot from the hip' politics of fear and division that has sprouted in the States. Watching Barack Obama has been a breath of fresh air after 8 years of the 'chimp' in the White House. I, for one, look forward to seeing the better side of America in the years to come - we all know that you're not as advertised by the Bush Administration. Hopefully the American future will be one of handing out bread rather than bombs.

Best wishes for Nov 4th,
Itchy.

[Pupadup4oBama]

itchy - thank you!
Of course the neocons would say - why does YOUR opinion matter - you're not American. But, they have no problem invading other countries that have never harmed us or have never threatened us.
They don't realize that we are ALL a part of this world/earth/planet and we ALL need to take care of IT and each other.

Again, thank you for your support.

[exhale09]

The most telling and insulting thing about John McCain is that he chose Sara Palin , and says he is proud of that choice.

He has asked me to without question, place my children and my grandchildrens future Security into the hands of a woman he himself had hardly vetted. He expects us to not even ask her questions or have the chance to get to know her, before we vote for her. He excuses her inability to answer questions coherently.

His own campaign believed they had to dress her up and make a show candidate out of her to pass her off on us, hoping we would over look her lack of substance and be beguilded by just her winks, and talent for mockery.

If Sara Palin were a man, with her lack of unproven short lived credentials, and most importantly, her lack of knowledge, McCain would have never considered her. That's the truth, and that's the sexest pathetic motivation of McCain's own campaign.

John McCain should be ashamed of himself for expecting us to swallow the notion that Sara Palin has the ability to be the President of our country, especially at this time. She doesn't yet, even understand what a Vice President does !

I think too much of my family and my country to even consider this as a serious choice, and I actually believe he has begun to regret his own decision, now that he has gotten to know her himself.

[Alethia]

Thank you, Jane Smiley, for the affirmation that it is love, and not fear, that must guide spirituality, no matter what religion or philosophy or politics one adheres to.

I wish our America well in the transformation that the election of Barack Obama holds promise of providing.­..A transformation that will, among other things, put Americans more in touch with people of other cultures, religions and ethos from within the country and from around the globe.

May the transformation of America take us to a new and rarified existence.­..

[deepfreezevideo]

I think I want to go hang myself.
I thought I was a moderate conservative, but I would never wish melamine on some milk drinking munchkin or starvation on a poor person.
I think government is there to do the heavy lifting that benefits mankind across the board.
I think that our nation needs to invest in our future.
I think our children deserve every chance they can get, and if a few tax dollars will help I am more than happy to pay.
But I don't see anything wrong with law abiding citizens who want to own a firearm.
I don't see anything wrong with a kid saying a silent prayer in school.
I don't see anything wrong with removing abortion as a means of "birth control".
I am realistic enough to know there will always be abortions, whether they are legal or not.
I believe in a strong military but I am against an interventionist foreign policy.
I don't think it should matter to the Army if you're straight, as long as you can shoot straight.
I believe in leading the world by example.
I believe in immigrants like my parents, who came in the front door, signed the
guestbook, learned English and learned to love America.

Anyway, I am placing my trust in Obama.
Not because I agree with everything he stands for, but because I know he is a better leader, and a smart and decent man who loves his country.

What am I really?

[Mahi Joe]

You are what we all are, a mere mortal with real concerns and compassion for others but mostly one who is confused by the realities we all face today. I do not think that sticking a political party affliation label on anyone truly defines who that person is. Our beliefs and deeds, not party affliation is what defines us as a person. I think if more of us did a little bit more soul searching like you did we would better understand not only ourselves but have a better perspective on what needs to be accomplished to make us a better nation.

[billysviez]

thanks Jane and as for you Deepfreeze, i call you an American who cares deeply about your Country. We must change or We will cease to excist as The United States of America.

[Mahi Joe]

Wow! Excellent article. Ms. Smiley you have put in words what no media has ever attempted to report. Excellent analysis of what is truly the difference between the two candidates. I am at best a dubious christian and have been sickened by seeing what some self proclaimed religious leaders have said and done in the name of christianity. Serving the good of all people according to christian values does NOT have a pollitical party and the use of religion to distort the facts and perpetuate lies, bigotry and greed is nothing short of despicable.

If these pseudo-religious zealots took the time to understand their own words and deeds they would clearly see they have broken most, if not all, the Commandments they use to condemn the real rightous.

[WritusMaximus]

Yup, we need rational, thinking, level-headed prez AND like-minded Congress. See how much damage/dis­aster/pain ideologues have visited upon the good U.S. of A.---thank­s, G.W. Bush and the go-along members of Congress from both parties! I hope Obama is is not an ideologue, because even a dem ideologue can also cause harm in times of recession/economic hardship.

[Paradym]

Hallelujah!!! Brilliant and spot on!

I think I got an intellectual chubby from reading this. :)

[HuffGeist]

This is perhaps the most succinct, pull no punches post I have enjoyed here yet! Wonderfully done article! Just reading it gives one hope for change! I just felt better after reading this! Bravo! Excellent job, Ms. Smiley!!!
(This is my first post here, although I have been an avid reader for a while now. I just felt inspired to drop a quick, positive note in appreciation for such a well written article! Thank you!)

[bagelmaven]

This is the greatest, smartest most cogent WONDERFUL article I have EVER read. I wish I had written it myself. she is SPOT on and EXACTLY 100% Jane Smiley you are a terrific writer but more than that you are an EXCELLENT analyzer of contemporary events!!!!

[Grellet]

Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me ... with us. Let us finally cease hating the whole world because of 9/11. The Sermon on the Mount, with its message of love of enemies, kindness and forbearance, is the heart of Christian belief, not the Book of Revelation.

[irishgawdess]

Thank you *so* much!

[Dap]

Dearest Ms. Smiley,

Thank you for you Jane. An outstanding orofound and eloquently expressed essay/post. Once again I dind myself in the exact sane stream of consciousness. Agape always, dapper

[BarackstarObama]

Yes, in 6 days, the modern repub. party, started by Goldwater and Reagan, will cease to exist. LOL

Obama/Biden 08

[deepfreezevideo]

Ummmmm....­I don't know about Reagan, but I don't think Goldwater was much into Milton Friedman.
In fact, by today's standards he would almost be a moderate Dem.
The Republicans were trying their level best to shut him up by the time the Reagan era came to a close because they complained he was turning "too liberal" for their tastes.

[kemstone]

goodbye, cruel world
we're leaving you tuesday
goodbye, goodbye, goodbye

goodbye, all you fear-mongers
there's nothing you can say
to make us change our minds
goodbye