Sunday, October 17, 2010

Names in the Mud

It's the political season and the mud is flying.  What bothers me more this year is that it feels like it never stops anymore.  Once upon a time I believe the name calling and mud slinging let up by Thanksgiving.  Alas, no more.  Where does this come from?  One place is the increase in entertainment as news/news as entertainment.  Entertainers like Bill O'Reilly who delight their faithful by making absurd comments that anyone with more than a second grade education would dismiss as ridiculous slanders an entire religion and two women from The View storm off the set.  That would be bad enough, but then to have people shouting about it, he's insensitive, they're too sensitive, I think we're missing the point.  To put it in perspective, you don't generally hear too much debate about whatever the current champion in professional wrestling has to say when he shouts at his opponent.  O'Reilly vs. Goldberg on The View is just another version of the WWF.
I'm disturbed by the talk of enemies, of us and them.  A friend recently made this comment when the discussion turned to why it was that we still celebrated Columbus Day when even Spain no longer has any holiday for the explorer.  He said "Well, as a white Christian male with no liberal guilt, I guess I'm the enemy"  Where does that come from?  Why would someone feel like an enemy? If you have opinion, share it, talk, debate, leave the name calling back on the playground.  What bothers me most about this attitude is that it shuts off debate and sharing ideas.  Enemies don't talk, they just stand on opposite sides of the trenches and shoot, at worst, or glare, at best.
And what guilt? What does it mean to have "no guilt"?  Does it mean that you've exempted yourself from thinking or feeling?  Does it mean that you can do whatever you want? I don't have any guilt either.  Insight, thinking, and learning I think are better prusuits.  Guilt, I think it something you have to claim for yourself.

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