Dear Mr. President,
Call me crazy, but I suspect that most Americans would pay a few cents more for food if it decreases the likelihood that that food doesn't have e. coli, salmonella, or any number of potentially deadly food-borne contaminants. Personally, I'm willing to pay quite a bit more for food that (besides being generally non-toxic) is also produced with as little harm to living things and to the environment as possible. (I know, I know, that's just mind-blowingly leftist of me to say.) So when congress passed the Food Safety Act today (and you applauded them for it) I figured that this would cause little excitement from the right. Turns out I'm not getting any less naive with age, because Glenn Beck called this "criminal" and suggested that "the perfect storm" is upon us and it's time to "close the bunker door."
I have to say, as much as I appreciate Mr. Beck for giving Jon Stewart something funny to do most nights, I'm really underwhelmed by his sustained hysteria. Food safety? REALLY, Mr. Beck? REALLY? The problem, of course, is that no matter how little credibility I may believe Mr. Beck has, people do take him seriously. Lots of people. People I can't dismiss out of hand because some of them are surely related to me, and all of them probably have loved ones who think they are rational enough human beings. And when Mr. Beck uses words like "criminal" and implies that a relatively modest expansion of government oversight for massive national industries that people trust with their health, (and the health of their children,) is tantamount to a natural disaster, well, people who take him seriously are going to get upset.
Mr. Beck's language implies physical, immediate danger. Storms don't think or reason; they destroy. Storms wreak senseless havoc. Instead of engaging in honest discussion about the role of government in agriculture and food production, Mr. Beck wants his audience to panic, to react with fear and instinct and emotion. Because escaping a storm isn't about reasonable discourse it's about survival; it justifies all kinds of conduct that would not otherwise be acceptable.
I think one of the fundamental divides in this country is between those of us who are willing to turn something as benign as a food safety bill (or really any political disagreement) into a harbinger of the apocalypse, and those of us who are committed to more reasonable, saner discussion of the issues. I think that you fall into the latter category, which is why I respect you and, unfortunately, also probably why you "lose" many of the contrived news-cycle battles with the ever-hysterical right. I'm glad that you don't sink to that level, and I like to think that winning re-election won't require it of you.
Then again, I've already demonstrated a really unhealthy amount of naive good faith in people, so maybe you should break out the end days language and start invoking life-or-death stakes for every legislative battle you face. The sky is falling. The sky is falling. The perfect storm is upon us.
Or something.
Respectfully yours,
Kelsey
Showing posts with label Glenn Beck. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Glenn Beck. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Friday, November 5, 2010
Day 309-Conflicted interests
Dear Mr. President,
I have mixed feelings about Keith Olbermann. On one hand, I recognize that he posses a unique combination of honestly liberal values and the courage to express them with pride. However he is prone to the kind of overly-sensationalized borderline hysteria that, I suppose, comes with having your own TV show and constantly trying to compete with FOX for viewers. I am uncomfortable being too critical of a reliably liberal voice in an increasingly conservative media environment, but I think, at his worst, Olbermann was nowhere near as crazy as Glenn Beck on his most rational days. That he has been suspended over personal political donations to candidates he used his show to support is ridiculous. I just cannot believe that $2400 had a more significant impact on the candidates' success, Olbermann's objectivity, or MSNBC's credibility than on Countdown's very public and very uncontroversial promotion of these candidates and their party every single night.
So, apparently, the tea-soaked trifecta of Bachmann, Beck and Limbaugh (among others) are perpetuating the demonstrably false rumor that your trip to India will cost $200 million per day (more than the war effort in Afghanistan- $190 million/day.) This would be funny if the implication wasn't so disgusting. The very idea that quibbling over the price tag of Presidential Protection is acceptable discourse appalls me, especially in the case of Michele Bachmann, as she actually holds public office. I know your trip is not going to cost $2 billion and require 34 warships. I know this. I just want to say, even if it did, I'd still be OK with it. The point is that this outrage and obvious lie was repeated in the right-wing media and then by actual elected officials. How is that not more damaging to the credibility of Beck, Limbaugh and the networks they represent than the personal donations of Keith Olbermann to candidates he publicly endorsed?
And, for all of his faults and missteps, Olbermann was quick to admit mistakes and issue corrections. (Reflection after Jon Stewart's Rally to restore Sanity caused him to suspend one of his show's most famous and inflammatory segments, for example.) Unlike the irresponsibly close relationship between pundits and politicians on the right, Olbermann's words were rarely, if ever, parroted by elected Democrats. (Sadly, many Democrats also lacked much of the courage he showed in speaking out against Islamophobia, homophobia and racism.) After such a tough election cycle I am deeply saddened by the loss of a political ally on the national stage.
I hope that your trip to India is safe and productive, no matter how much it costs. I'm sorry that this controversy may take attention away from the trip's important purpose. I hope that, even without the reliably, unapologetically liberal voice of Mr. Olbermann, you and other Democrats remember that being a liberal, even in the era of FOX News, is nothing to be ashamed of.
Respectfully yours,
Kelsey
Hey all, check out what Rachel Maddow had to say about this.
I have mixed feelings about Keith Olbermann. On one hand, I recognize that he posses a unique combination of honestly liberal values and the courage to express them with pride. However he is prone to the kind of overly-sensationalized borderline hysteria that, I suppose, comes with having your own TV show and constantly trying to compete with FOX for viewers. I am uncomfortable being too critical of a reliably liberal voice in an increasingly conservative media environment, but I think, at his worst, Olbermann was nowhere near as crazy as Glenn Beck on his most rational days. That he has been suspended over personal political donations to candidates he used his show to support is ridiculous. I just cannot believe that $2400 had a more significant impact on the candidates' success, Olbermann's objectivity, or MSNBC's credibility than on Countdown's very public and very uncontroversial promotion of these candidates and their party every single night.
So, apparently, the tea-soaked trifecta of Bachmann, Beck and Limbaugh (among others) are perpetuating the demonstrably false rumor that your trip to India will cost $200 million per day (more than the war effort in Afghanistan- $190 million/day.) This would be funny if the implication wasn't so disgusting. The very idea that quibbling over the price tag of Presidential Protection is acceptable discourse appalls me, especially in the case of Michele Bachmann, as she actually holds public office. I know your trip is not going to cost $2 billion and require 34 warships. I know this. I just want to say, even if it did, I'd still be OK with it. The point is that this outrage and obvious lie was repeated in the right-wing media and then by actual elected officials. How is that not more damaging to the credibility of Beck, Limbaugh and the networks they represent than the personal donations of Keith Olbermann to candidates he publicly endorsed?
And, for all of his faults and missteps, Olbermann was quick to admit mistakes and issue corrections. (Reflection after Jon Stewart's Rally to restore Sanity caused him to suspend one of his show's most famous and inflammatory segments, for example.) Unlike the irresponsibly close relationship between pundits and politicians on the right, Olbermann's words were rarely, if ever, parroted by elected Democrats. (Sadly, many Democrats also lacked much of the courage he showed in speaking out against Islamophobia, homophobia and racism.) After such a tough election cycle I am deeply saddened by the loss of a political ally on the national stage.
I hope that your trip to India is safe and productive, no matter how much it costs. I'm sorry that this controversy may take attention away from the trip's important purpose. I hope that, even without the reliably, unapologetically liberal voice of Mr. Olbermann, you and other Democrats remember that being a liberal, even in the era of FOX News, is nothing to be ashamed of.
Respectfully yours,
Kelsey
Hey all, check out what Rachel Maddow had to say about this.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Day 262- Carrot sticks
Dear Mr. President,
Glenn Beck is continuing to hone the skill that made him popular- telling people what they want to hear. Today he has decided to attack the First Lady for the Let's Move campaign, which he inexplicably sees as a threat to his french fries. Beck makes people feel good about their bad choices. Don't let the government tell you what to eat! Don't let them take your freedom fries! He's the ultimate enabler. I have no problem with Beck eating french fries until his arteries turn entirely to trans fat. I'm sure the First Lady doesn't, either. Attempting to combat the undeniable epidemic of obesity and weight-related diseases by improving the way children in this country learn about healthy lifestyle choices is admirable, and exactly no threat to Beck's, or any one's access to french fries. The conversation is uncomfortable; many people probably feel guilty about the choices they make when it comes to food and exercise. I'm sure many of these people would rather be told that they are fine and that no one should be allowed to talk about better choices they could make, as Beck does.
What Beck is doing is pathetic and ultimately perpetuates the problem of complacency, but it is nothing compared to what the government does. Our government has provided $300 billion in federal subsidies of the commodity crops corn and soy, which have made exactly the kind of processed food we should be avoiding cheaper and more accessible than ever. While the First Lady campaigns tirelessly to encourage healthier eating, your federal budget continues to undercut her efforts. All of the positive role models in the sports world can't have half the impact of altering the economic reality that processed, nutritionally bankrupt food-like-substances are cheap and widely available. Poverty is an undeniable factor in this epidemic, as well, and must be addressed in a more comprehensive way before we can expect to see any real improvement.
Taxing soda and snack food is an often-suggested way to reduce consumption. I think that's a great plan, but I know enough junk-food addicts who would fiercely oppose such a tax that I can understand why you might not want to undertake such a step in an election year. Ending subsidies of corn and soy, however, would slowly raise the cost of processing these foods, raising their price (and saving huge amounts of money for taxpayers) without directly taxing consumption.
The First Lady is having a difficult conversation with the country. Telling people that they haven't been doing right by their children is never easy, but it is a truth that must be told. Many will turn to the false comfort of people like Beck who will assure them that their way of life is sacred, untouchable. But unless policies that support the First Lady's efforts are put into place, our health and the health of our planet will continue to suffer the effects of heavily subsidized, cheap, insubstantial calories. This seems like an obvious example of Democrats saying the right thing and being completely unable to back it up with substantial policy changes. Is it any coincidence that the states with the highest obesity and poverty levels also tend to be so-called red states? Maybe it's a stretch, but I think that people generally want to be healthier and more economically stable than they want to be told comforting lies. In the absence of politicians with the courage to offer these things, however, i can see why they'd at least choose the lies that make them feel good over empty promises.
Respectfully yours,
Kelsey
Glenn Beck is continuing to hone the skill that made him popular- telling people what they want to hear. Today he has decided to attack the First Lady for the Let's Move campaign, which he inexplicably sees as a threat to his french fries. Beck makes people feel good about their bad choices. Don't let the government tell you what to eat! Don't let them take your freedom fries! He's the ultimate enabler. I have no problem with Beck eating french fries until his arteries turn entirely to trans fat. I'm sure the First Lady doesn't, either. Attempting to combat the undeniable epidemic of obesity and weight-related diseases by improving the way children in this country learn about healthy lifestyle choices is admirable, and exactly no threat to Beck's, or any one's access to french fries. The conversation is uncomfortable; many people probably feel guilty about the choices they make when it comes to food and exercise. I'm sure many of these people would rather be told that they are fine and that no one should be allowed to talk about better choices they could make, as Beck does.
What Beck is doing is pathetic and ultimately perpetuates the problem of complacency, but it is nothing compared to what the government does. Our government has provided $300 billion in federal subsidies of the commodity crops corn and soy, which have made exactly the kind of processed food we should be avoiding cheaper and more accessible than ever. While the First Lady campaigns tirelessly to encourage healthier eating, your federal budget continues to undercut her efforts. All of the positive role models in the sports world can't have half the impact of altering the economic reality that processed, nutritionally bankrupt food-like-substances are cheap and widely available. Poverty is an undeniable factor in this epidemic, as well, and must be addressed in a more comprehensive way before we can expect to see any real improvement.
Taxing soda and snack food is an often-suggested way to reduce consumption. I think that's a great plan, but I know enough junk-food addicts who would fiercely oppose such a tax that I can understand why you might not want to undertake such a step in an election year. Ending subsidies of corn and soy, however, would slowly raise the cost of processing these foods, raising their price (and saving huge amounts of money for taxpayers) without directly taxing consumption.
The First Lady is having a difficult conversation with the country. Telling people that they haven't been doing right by their children is never easy, but it is a truth that must be told. Many will turn to the false comfort of people like Beck who will assure them that their way of life is sacred, untouchable. But unless policies that support the First Lady's efforts are put into place, our health and the health of our planet will continue to suffer the effects of heavily subsidized, cheap, insubstantial calories. This seems like an obvious example of Democrats saying the right thing and being completely unable to back it up with substantial policy changes. Is it any coincidence that the states with the highest obesity and poverty levels also tend to be so-called red states? Maybe it's a stretch, but I think that people generally want to be healthier and more economically stable than they want to be told comforting lies. In the absence of politicians with the courage to offer these things, however, i can see why they'd at least choose the lies that make them feel good over empty promises.
Respectfully yours,
Kelsey
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Day 240- Keeping it in perspective
Dear Mr. President,
Tonight the onset of a minor sore throat has me slightly panicked. It is almost certainly just a cold. I'll drink tea and plenty of fluids and be fine in a few days. The thought that keeps lingering in the back of my mind, however, is about the enormous medical debt my sister once had after a case of strep throat. At the time she was uninsured and it took her over a year to pay off the considerable ER bills. I looked in to what it would cost to be added on to my mother's policy, or to buy my own insurance through my school. Either plan would leave me with a co-pay that I (more than likely) couldn't afford, and the premiums would be more than half of what I pay in rent each month. I know the arguments for having insurance; I want to have insurance. But I also like buying groceries. What I mean to say is I could really go for some socialized medicine right about now.
I seem to be losing some perspective on the actual size of my problems lately. I should be glad that all I have is a sore throat, and that I'm healthy enough to work, and able to go to school. These should be good enough for me, right now. It could be worse, after all, I could be a meat-eater.
Speaking of losing all perspective, it seems that our country has been "wandering in darkness." It was really unlikely that I would find much to agree with Glenn Beck about today, but his religious tones surprised me. All of his talk about returning America to God and restoring our honor just didn't make any sense. Am I, as a secular American, laboring under the false illusion that this country has never had any shortage of religious devotion? Or is Beck, as a Christian, deluded in his idea that America has become too secular? I think the problem is that, so long as our standards for "too religious" or "too secular" are "more religious/secular than me" we will always see ourselves as a persecuted class. Anyway, Beck's speech today seemed harmless enough; if I think that his timing was tasteless and his message off-base, well, that's probably the nicest response I've had to anything he's ever said.
Lately I've been talking to a friend quite a bit about our mutual feeling that we've regressed. Bad habits and old problems seem to be creeping back in to our behavior, while the progress we'd made toward life goals is slipping away. This feeling of falling backwards was beginning to get overwhelming. Regaining my perspective on this, accepting that growth isn't linear or neat or increasing at a predictable rate has helped me calm down and remember that a few bad days don't mean that it's ok to give up. I think I see the whole Tea Party movement as a big regression for our country, back to the mentality that elected and re-elected President Bush. It may be all I can do to comfort myself with the thought that it, too, is a temporary setback, the inevitable ebb of our progress away from those times. A few bad days (or news cycles, or elections) don't mean that it's ok to give up. For now, I'm going to try to sleep away whatever is ailing me and avoid any WebMD-induced panic.
Respectfully yours,
Kelsey
Tonight the onset of a minor sore throat has me slightly panicked. It is almost certainly just a cold. I'll drink tea and plenty of fluids and be fine in a few days. The thought that keeps lingering in the back of my mind, however, is about the enormous medical debt my sister once had after a case of strep throat. At the time she was uninsured and it took her over a year to pay off the considerable ER bills. I looked in to what it would cost to be added on to my mother's policy, or to buy my own insurance through my school. Either plan would leave me with a co-pay that I (more than likely) couldn't afford, and the premiums would be more than half of what I pay in rent each month. I know the arguments for having insurance; I want to have insurance. But I also like buying groceries. What I mean to say is I could really go for some socialized medicine right about now.
I seem to be losing some perspective on the actual size of my problems lately. I should be glad that all I have is a sore throat, and that I'm healthy enough to work, and able to go to school. These should be good enough for me, right now. It could be worse, after all, I could be a meat-eater.
Speaking of losing all perspective, it seems that our country has been "wandering in darkness." It was really unlikely that I would find much to agree with Glenn Beck about today, but his religious tones surprised me. All of his talk about returning America to God and restoring our honor just didn't make any sense. Am I, as a secular American, laboring under the false illusion that this country has never had any shortage of religious devotion? Or is Beck, as a Christian, deluded in his idea that America has become too secular? I think the problem is that, so long as our standards for "too religious" or "too secular" are "more religious/secular than me" we will always see ourselves as a persecuted class. Anyway, Beck's speech today seemed harmless enough; if I think that his timing was tasteless and his message off-base, well, that's probably the nicest response I've had to anything he's ever said.
Lately I've been talking to a friend quite a bit about our mutual feeling that we've regressed. Bad habits and old problems seem to be creeping back in to our behavior, while the progress we'd made toward life goals is slipping away. This feeling of falling backwards was beginning to get overwhelming. Regaining my perspective on this, accepting that growth isn't linear or neat or increasing at a predictable rate has helped me calm down and remember that a few bad days don't mean that it's ok to give up. I think I see the whole Tea Party movement as a big regression for our country, back to the mentality that elected and re-elected President Bush. It may be all I can do to comfort myself with the thought that it, too, is a temporary setback, the inevitable ebb of our progress away from those times. A few bad days (or news cycles, or elections) don't mean that it's ok to give up. For now, I'm going to try to sleep away whatever is ailing me and avoid any WebMD-induced panic.
Respectfully yours,
Kelsey
Friday, August 27, 2010
Day 239- Comfort reading and baiting Glenn Beck fans
Dear Mr. President,
My friend and coworker wrote a short piece on the reliable pleasure of reading Kurt Vonnegut for our bookstore's blog. Comfort reading, returning to a familiar author for the needed reminder of why I read, is something I often find myself in need of. His post recalled my own affection for Vonnegut, and my sadness at his passing. Vonnegut's writing shaped the way that many of my generation approached the world; his humanism and his compassion are certainly things that I strive to emulate in my own life. As Jon Stewart told him once, he made adolescence bearable. Thinking about him today I couldn't help but wonder how he would feel about our country as it is now. How disappointed he might be with us, and how much easier and more absurd the horrible things would all seem if he were still here to comment on them.
If comfort reading is how I escape temporary frustrations with the written word, than I certainly spent my morning occupied with its political equivalent. Sometimes, when the political world gets too frustrating, too disgusting or too bleak, I turn to the familiar comfort and reliable entertainment of baiting Glenn Beck fans. It isn't a nice thing to do, I suppose, and probably not enough of an intellectual exercise to even make it good practice for real debate, but I feel like I'm allowed a certain amount of pleasure on what is definitely one of the toughest days I've had in a while. And so, when confronted with the question "how is Glenn Beck a racist?" by one of his groupies, I felt compelled to answer.
I think what comforts me about arguing with Beck's ilk is that it offers a clear opportunity to articulate my opinions and positions to a clear opponent. Beck's divisive, bigoted and ignorant rants are exactly the sort of thing I stand in opposition to. They are an affront to my values, a poison to our political discourse and one of the last havens for the idea that Real America is the birthright of the white, english-speaking, Judeo-Christian middle class. And, despite all of this, I still believe Beck has every right to say the hateful and stupid things that he says (even, unfortunately, in the historical shadow of much better men.) This feeling is a comforting reminder that I have not lost all perspective for the sake of my partisan beliefs. That I still see the struggle between Right and Left in ideological and not apocalyptic terms. In short, as petty as it may seem, I am merely reassuring myself that for all the comfort of a clearly identified opponent, I have not yet sunk to his level. That Mr. Vonnegut taught me well, and his lessons have not been drown out by my impassioned, emotional reactions.
So much of my time discussing politics feels like war. Two (or more) sides stubbornly entrenched and unwilling to even consider their opposition to be human. Willfully entering a fight like this, just to remind myself that it can be fun, keeps me from sinking into the combative mentality too deeply. Maybe that's unforgivably smug and self-satisfied. I think, so long as Mr. Beck enjoys the right to keep spewing his nonsense, I will enjoy my right to challenge those who are buying into it.
I hope that tomorrow doesn't devolve into something really awful, that Mr. Beck and his supporters remember the great men who stood in that place before them and act accordingly. If not, well, as Mr. Vonnegut said, so it goes.
Respectfully yours,
Kelsey
My friend and coworker wrote a short piece on the reliable pleasure of reading Kurt Vonnegut for our bookstore's blog. Comfort reading, returning to a familiar author for the needed reminder of why I read, is something I often find myself in need of. His post recalled my own affection for Vonnegut, and my sadness at his passing. Vonnegut's writing shaped the way that many of my generation approached the world; his humanism and his compassion are certainly things that I strive to emulate in my own life. As Jon Stewart told him once, he made adolescence bearable. Thinking about him today I couldn't help but wonder how he would feel about our country as it is now. How disappointed he might be with us, and how much easier and more absurd the horrible things would all seem if he were still here to comment on them.
If comfort reading is how I escape temporary frustrations with the written word, than I certainly spent my morning occupied with its political equivalent. Sometimes, when the political world gets too frustrating, too disgusting or too bleak, I turn to the familiar comfort and reliable entertainment of baiting Glenn Beck fans. It isn't a nice thing to do, I suppose, and probably not enough of an intellectual exercise to even make it good practice for real debate, but I feel like I'm allowed a certain amount of pleasure on what is definitely one of the toughest days I've had in a while. And so, when confronted with the question "how is Glenn Beck a racist?" by one of his groupies, I felt compelled to answer.
I think what comforts me about arguing with Beck's ilk is that it offers a clear opportunity to articulate my opinions and positions to a clear opponent. Beck's divisive, bigoted and ignorant rants are exactly the sort of thing I stand in opposition to. They are an affront to my values, a poison to our political discourse and one of the last havens for the idea that Real America is the birthright of the white, english-speaking, Judeo-Christian middle class. And, despite all of this, I still believe Beck has every right to say the hateful and stupid things that he says (even, unfortunately, in the historical shadow of much better men.) This feeling is a comforting reminder that I have not lost all perspective for the sake of my partisan beliefs. That I still see the struggle between Right and Left in ideological and not apocalyptic terms. In short, as petty as it may seem, I am merely reassuring myself that for all the comfort of a clearly identified opponent, I have not yet sunk to his level. That Mr. Vonnegut taught me well, and his lessons have not been drown out by my impassioned, emotional reactions.
So much of my time discussing politics feels like war. Two (or more) sides stubbornly entrenched and unwilling to even consider their opposition to be human. Willfully entering a fight like this, just to remind myself that it can be fun, keeps me from sinking into the combative mentality too deeply. Maybe that's unforgivably smug and self-satisfied. I think, so long as Mr. Beck enjoys the right to keep spewing his nonsense, I will enjoy my right to challenge those who are buying into it.
I hope that tomorrow doesn't devolve into something really awful, that Mr. Beck and his supporters remember the great men who stood in that place before them and act accordingly. If not, well, as Mr. Vonnegut said, so it goes.
Respectfully yours,
Kelsey
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Day 219- The coming nuclear holocaust
Without a doubt the best thing I've ever seen Rick Larsen do:
Oh Rick, I take back (almost) every thing I said about your spinelessness in 2006. Now if only you could take back your vote on the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act.
Dear Mr. President,
Just last night two friends and I were debating the respective cases for Kim Jong Il or President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad being the best crazy dictator. Today I feel pretty guilty for not even mentioning Fidel Castro, but even when accusing you of leading the world toward nuclear holocaust, he sounds considerably more reasonable than the leaders of either North Korea or Iran. Castro warns that it is up to Cuba and other nations to convince the US not to use the bomb.
The sentiments in this statement are hopeful and even encouraging. While I may cling to my faith that you are not in fact trying to start a global nuclear war, I'm glad to know that Castro at least has the optimism to believe that you can be talked out of it. That your better angels might be reasoned with, even by nations of less geo-political power. Considering that Glenn Beck recently compared America under your administration to the Planet of the Apes, I think that Castro is actually sounding more reasonable than much of the FOX news staff.
For the first time since we dropped the bomb on Hiroshima, the US is participating in the memorial service. To me, this is a moving symbol of the healing that has occurred since the war's end; a sign, even, of your administration's commitment to a future without nuclear weapons. I didn't realize this might be controversial. FOX posed this issue to readers on its website:
Possible answers to this question are:
The poll is not scientific by any stretch, but 85% of almost 25,000 responses were "No -- America has nothing to apologize for, and this is completely inappropriate." This actually frightens me more than Iran, North Korea and Cuba combined. Our inability to apologize for the terrible things we have done, even decades later, when it doesn't hurt any one or cost us anything, astounds me. The war with Japan was complicated and horrific for both sides- I would never make the argument that I know, for sure, that President Truman made the wrong call. Using the atomic bomb may have ended the war and ultimately saved lives. But it was still an awful, world-altering thing to do. The terrible and lingering civilian toll of that decision is still worth apologizing for. Who does an apology harm? After 65 years, can't we just be satisfied that we won? I don't understand the mentality that says victory at war excuses, justifies or exempts us from apology for the means by which we achieved that victory.
So Fidel Castro may have misjudged your own hunger for war, but I am truly afraid he has not misjudged the American people's. Far more ridiculous than hating Paul the psychic octopus or dressing like Elvis or even an old man desperately clinging to the illusion of his own significance, our own iron-clad belief in the righteousness of America's conduct is the most dangerous delusion of all. We have made mistakes. We will make more. People will die, and suffer needlessly because of this. It is the cost of being a global power, and if we cannot summon the humanity to empathize and apologize and admit our own culpability, we don't deserve this kind of power any more than Castro. Thankfully, Mr. President, I think that you are a calmer American leader than the world is used to, and I am grateful that we are represented to the world more reasonably than many on the right deserve.
Respectfully yours,
Kelsey
Oh Rick, I take back (almost) every thing I said about your spinelessness in 2006. Now if only you could take back your vote on the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act.
Dear Mr. President,
Just last night two friends and I were debating the respective cases for Kim Jong Il or President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad being the best crazy dictator. Today I feel pretty guilty for not even mentioning Fidel Castro, but even when accusing you of leading the world toward nuclear holocaust, he sounds considerably more reasonable than the leaders of either North Korea or Iran. Castro warns that it is up to Cuba and other nations to convince the US not to use the bomb.
Asked by one parliamentarian if Obama would be capable of starting a nuclear war, Castro replied, "No, not if we persuade him not to." (from Jpost)
The sentiments in this statement are hopeful and even encouraging. While I may cling to my faith that you are not in fact trying to start a global nuclear war, I'm glad to know that Castro at least has the optimism to believe that you can be talked out of it. That your better angels might be reasoned with, even by nations of less geo-political power. Considering that Glenn Beck recently compared America under your administration to the Planet of the Apes, I think that Castro is actually sounding more reasonable than much of the FOX news staff.
For the first time since we dropped the bomb on Hiroshima, the US is participating in the memorial service. To me, this is a moving symbol of the healing that has occurred since the war's end; a sign, even, of your administration's commitment to a future without nuclear weapons. I didn't realize this might be controversial. FOX posed this issue to readers on its website:
The U.S., for the first time, is sending an official delegation to Friday's Hiroshima anniversary ceremonies in Japan. There is concern that this change in longstanding policy could be interpreted as an apology. Do you think the U.S. should send this delegation?
Possible answers to this question are:
Yes -- It's been 65 years, and it's time to heal old wounds.
No -- America has nothing to apologize for, and this is completely inappropriate.
Not sure, but I'm curious, why now?
Other (post a comment)
The poll is not scientific by any stretch, but 85% of almost 25,000 responses were "No -- America has nothing to apologize for, and this is completely inappropriate." This actually frightens me more than Iran, North Korea and Cuba combined. Our inability to apologize for the terrible things we have done, even decades later, when it doesn't hurt any one or cost us anything, astounds me. The war with Japan was complicated and horrific for both sides- I would never make the argument that I know, for sure, that President Truman made the wrong call. Using the atomic bomb may have ended the war and ultimately saved lives. But it was still an awful, world-altering thing to do. The terrible and lingering civilian toll of that decision is still worth apologizing for. Who does an apology harm? After 65 years, can't we just be satisfied that we won? I don't understand the mentality that says victory at war excuses, justifies or exempts us from apology for the means by which we achieved that victory.
So Fidel Castro may have misjudged your own hunger for war, but I am truly afraid he has not misjudged the American people's. Far more ridiculous than hating Paul the psychic octopus or dressing like Elvis or even an old man desperately clinging to the illusion of his own significance, our own iron-clad belief in the righteousness of America's conduct is the most dangerous delusion of all. We have made mistakes. We will make more. People will die, and suffer needlessly because of this. It is the cost of being a global power, and if we cannot summon the humanity to empathize and apologize and admit our own culpability, we don't deserve this kind of power any more than Castro. Thankfully, Mr. President, I think that you are a calmer American leader than the world is used to, and I am grateful that we are represented to the world more reasonably than many on the right deserve.
Respectfully yours,
Kelsey
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Day 217- Talking the talk
Dear Mr. President,
Glenn Beck thinks you're like Lucifer. I really hope some one in the press office shows you the clip, because you had to spend your birthday away from your family and so I think you're entitled to some diversion. Also, you've given us another Supreme Court Justice, so you've earned a good laugh at the expense of your most absurd critics. And, while his years of public service make him deserving of more respect than a man like Mr. Beck, Newt Gingrich is adding his voice to the chorus of hysteria. If he and Sarah Palin both challenge you in 2012 it might be the funniest Republican primary in history.
I'm not sure how you're supposed to fight back against people like this. You can't stoop to their level; calling Glenn Beck the Devil is giving him way too much credit. Ignoring it might be the high road, but I wonder how effective it will be, considering the size of FOX's audience and the number of people who take Beck seriously. Does considering him a threat elevate him too much? Certainly the media narrative (for which he may not be wholly responsible for, but certainly plays his role,) has contributed to sentiments of many that your administration has not accomplished anything, or, worse, that you've taken our country down the road of socialism.
I suppose the high road is really the only one available. It may not make the administration popular, and saying absurd, inflammatory things will always get Glenn Beck ratings, (and, sadly, more than a few Republican votes,) but it would be hard to be proud of the things you accomplish if you had to act like these men in order to accomplish them. So congratulations on the Supreme Court Justice, and congratulations for keeping your cool. Most of all, congratulations for keeping these sad, clownish little men so very angry at you. I'm very proud to have a President like you.
Respectfully yours,
Kelsey
Glenn Beck thinks you're like Lucifer. I really hope some one in the press office shows you the clip, because you had to spend your birthday away from your family and so I think you're entitled to some diversion. Also, you've given us another Supreme Court Justice, so you've earned a good laugh at the expense of your most absurd critics. And, while his years of public service make him deserving of more respect than a man like Mr. Beck, Newt Gingrich is adding his voice to the chorus of hysteria. If he and Sarah Palin both challenge you in 2012 it might be the funniest Republican primary in history.
I'm not sure how you're supposed to fight back against people like this. You can't stoop to their level; calling Glenn Beck the Devil is giving him way too much credit. Ignoring it might be the high road, but I wonder how effective it will be, considering the size of FOX's audience and the number of people who take Beck seriously. Does considering him a threat elevate him too much? Certainly the media narrative (for which he may not be wholly responsible for, but certainly plays his role,) has contributed to sentiments of many that your administration has not accomplished anything, or, worse, that you've taken our country down the road of socialism.
I suppose the high road is really the only one available. It may not make the administration popular, and saying absurd, inflammatory things will always get Glenn Beck ratings, (and, sadly, more than a few Republican votes,) but it would be hard to be proud of the things you accomplish if you had to act like these men in order to accomplish them. So congratulations on the Supreme Court Justice, and congratulations for keeping your cool. Most of all, congratulations for keeping these sad, clownish little men so very angry at you. I'm very proud to have a President like you.
Respectfully yours,
Kelsey
Monday, June 14, 2010
Day 165- World Cup!
Dear Mr. President,
Glenn Beck hates the world cup. Actually, Glenn Beck has himself convinced that all of America (or whatever the collective pronoun he speaks with refers to,) hates the world cup. I don't think it's that much of a stretch to see the racist, or at least xenophobic, implications in his words; Glenn Beck hating something he doesn't understand, however, is hardly news. Not that any thinking person needs to have this contradicted, but in my own experience, arguably just as American as Beck's, soccer is just as quintessential as apple pie.
I remember the day I started playing soccer. It was in second grade, during recess. It was one of those rare, gorgeous days, and I managed to convince the boys to let me play with them in order to even out the teams. I made one (entirely accidental, but, apparently, incredible) save, and they decided i was one of them. From then on we played every day, one class against another. We played for two years, until I moved to a new elementary school, and my parents signed me up for an all-girls league. At our first team meeting, we discussed that our proposed name, the pink panthers, was already taken by another team. It was put to a vote and, by a large majority, we decided to call ourselves the pink flamingos, instead, disappointing more than a few parents by prioritizing pink jerseys above a ferocious mascot. Six years (and several mascots later) we were an odd mix of high school girls; some popular, some unknown, some geeks, but we all put the game first. Girls who bullied me at school were my sisters in arms on the field. Some of us were poor, some were rich, some were middle class; we came from many different kinds of families and represented a diverse collection of ethnicities. We cheered the suddenly famous women's world cup team on as they penalty-kicked their way to a stunning and dramatic victory. I used to practice juggling in the backyard of my mother's house, fantasizing about playing in front of a crowded stadium. Our parents haggled over carpools and halftime snacks, and, while we donned shin-guards and climbed into their mini vans, our mothers became a new demographic of female voters dubbed "soccer moms". Soccer didn't change my life; it was an integral part of my life. I don't know who I'd be without it, the self-confidence it inspired, the emphasis on fitness and teamwork and sportsmanship surely helped me become the person I am today.
Anyway, I never played soccer after high school. I don't regret this, exactly, I was never good enough to play as more than just a hobby, but I still love the game. I love the way enthusiasm for soccer games infects its fans, young and old, American or international, in exactly the same way. I played soccer with little boys in villages in Palestine, when we had no more than a few words of shared language. I cheered along with Dutch and German fans while we watched games on a tiny hostel TV screen. Soccer might not feed or clothe or shelter any one, but it brings the world together. I would imagine that this is exactly why Glenn Beck, and his like-minded contemporaries, hate it so much. You're a sports fan, Mr. President, and so I have no doubt that you appreciate the excitement of the world cup, and the symbol of progress that hosting such an event is for South Africa, and so I hope that, in between all of the millions of important things you have to do this month, you're able to enjoy a few games.
Respectfully yours,
Kelsey
Glenn Beck hates the world cup. Actually, Glenn Beck has himself convinced that all of America (or whatever the collective pronoun he speaks with refers to,) hates the world cup. I don't think it's that much of a stretch to see the racist, or at least xenophobic, implications in his words; Glenn Beck hating something he doesn't understand, however, is hardly news. Not that any thinking person needs to have this contradicted, but in my own experience, arguably just as American as Beck's, soccer is just as quintessential as apple pie.
I remember the day I started playing soccer. It was in second grade, during recess. It was one of those rare, gorgeous days, and I managed to convince the boys to let me play with them in order to even out the teams. I made one (entirely accidental, but, apparently, incredible) save, and they decided i was one of them. From then on we played every day, one class against another. We played for two years, until I moved to a new elementary school, and my parents signed me up for an all-girls league. At our first team meeting, we discussed that our proposed name, the pink panthers, was already taken by another team. It was put to a vote and, by a large majority, we decided to call ourselves the pink flamingos, instead, disappointing more than a few parents by prioritizing pink jerseys above a ferocious mascot. Six years (and several mascots later) we were an odd mix of high school girls; some popular, some unknown, some geeks, but we all put the game first. Girls who bullied me at school were my sisters in arms on the field. Some of us were poor, some were rich, some were middle class; we came from many different kinds of families and represented a diverse collection of ethnicities. We cheered the suddenly famous women's world cup team on as they penalty-kicked their way to a stunning and dramatic victory. I used to practice juggling in the backyard of my mother's house, fantasizing about playing in front of a crowded stadium. Our parents haggled over carpools and halftime snacks, and, while we donned shin-guards and climbed into their mini vans, our mothers became a new demographic of female voters dubbed "soccer moms". Soccer didn't change my life; it was an integral part of my life. I don't know who I'd be without it, the self-confidence it inspired, the emphasis on fitness and teamwork and sportsmanship surely helped me become the person I am today.
Anyway, I never played soccer after high school. I don't regret this, exactly, I was never good enough to play as more than just a hobby, but I still love the game. I love the way enthusiasm for soccer games infects its fans, young and old, American or international, in exactly the same way. I played soccer with little boys in villages in Palestine, when we had no more than a few words of shared language. I cheered along with Dutch and German fans while we watched games on a tiny hostel TV screen. Soccer might not feed or clothe or shelter any one, but it brings the world together. I would imagine that this is exactly why Glenn Beck, and his like-minded contemporaries, hate it so much. You're a sports fan, Mr. President, and so I have no doubt that you appreciate the excitement of the world cup, and the symbol of progress that hosting such an event is for South Africa, and so I hope that, in between all of the millions of important things you have to do this month, you're able to enjoy a few games.
Respectfully yours,
Kelsey
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Day 104- Death, taxes, and hypocrisy
Dear Mr. President,
I confess, I paid no federal income taxes this year. This seems to be upsetting to a number of people on TV, and Glenn Beck seems to think this means I ought to be drafted into military service. I don't know that I'd make a particularly good soldier, to be honest. I'm happy to contribute to the work of running our government and the costs of social services, infrastructure projects, and national defense, but, in the spirit of full disclosure, I thought I'd let you know what else I didn't do this year.
For starters, I didn't receive a bonus while leading a company that lost money or accepted tax payer money as a bail out. I didn't lay off any employees, cut any one's wages, or slash their benefits. I didn't cheat on my taxes by misrepresenting my income or eligibility for tax credits; I didn't hide my profits in offshore subsidiaries. I didn't bribe legislators into writing loopholes in the tax code to allow me to pay less. I didn't make huge amounts of money creating a financial crisis that devastated the economy. I didn't manipulate consumers with credit card offers or sell them mortgages they couldn't afford; I didn't present a false picture of my financial health in order to dupe my shareholders. I didn't take money from gullible people who trusted me and ruin their retirement or life savings. I didn't start any wars, I didn't commit a single murder, I didn't violate any one's human rights.
My state doesn't have an income tax, so I pay almost 10% in sales tax on everything I buy. I do take public transportation or walk because I can't afford a car. I share a two-bedroom apartment with 3 other girls because we can't afford higher rent. I pay medicare and social security taxes, even though both may be bankrupt by the time I qualify for them. I support local business, local artists, and local farmers, and I help decrease the amount of pesticides and herbicides running off into waterways because I buy organic. I contribute to my company's charitable fund, as well as other charities. I recycle. I try to avoid breaking the law whenever possible. I take on more student debt each year, as tuition (and class sizes) go up. I work for a living, and I support myself as best I can.
I'm not perfect; there is a lot more I can do for my community, and for the world. But I try to increase the good that I do and decrease the bad, as much as possible. If that's not enough for Fox News or Drudge or Glenn Beck, well, I guess I'm just going to have to find a way to live with their disdain.
Respectfully yours,
Kelsey
I confess, I paid no federal income taxes this year. This seems to be upsetting to a number of people on TV, and Glenn Beck seems to think this means I ought to be drafted into military service. I don't know that I'd make a particularly good soldier, to be honest. I'm happy to contribute to the work of running our government and the costs of social services, infrastructure projects, and national defense, but, in the spirit of full disclosure, I thought I'd let you know what else I didn't do this year.
For starters, I didn't receive a bonus while leading a company that lost money or accepted tax payer money as a bail out. I didn't lay off any employees, cut any one's wages, or slash their benefits. I didn't cheat on my taxes by misrepresenting my income or eligibility for tax credits; I didn't hide my profits in offshore subsidiaries. I didn't bribe legislators into writing loopholes in the tax code to allow me to pay less. I didn't make huge amounts of money creating a financial crisis that devastated the economy. I didn't manipulate consumers with credit card offers or sell them mortgages they couldn't afford; I didn't present a false picture of my financial health in order to dupe my shareholders. I didn't take money from gullible people who trusted me and ruin their retirement or life savings. I didn't start any wars, I didn't commit a single murder, I didn't violate any one's human rights.
My state doesn't have an income tax, so I pay almost 10% in sales tax on everything I buy. I do take public transportation or walk because I can't afford a car. I share a two-bedroom apartment with 3 other girls because we can't afford higher rent. I pay medicare and social security taxes, even though both may be bankrupt by the time I qualify for them. I support local business, local artists, and local farmers, and I help decrease the amount of pesticides and herbicides running off into waterways because I buy organic. I contribute to my company's charitable fund, as well as other charities. I recycle. I try to avoid breaking the law whenever possible. I take on more student debt each year, as tuition (and class sizes) go up. I work for a living, and I support myself as best I can.
I'm not perfect; there is a lot more I can do for my community, and for the world. But I try to increase the good that I do and decrease the bad, as much as possible. If that's not enough for Fox News or Drudge or Glenn Beck, well, I guess I'm just going to have to find a way to live with their disdain.
Respectfully yours,
Kelsey
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Day 97- Haiku
This inspired me
for today's letter. Go on,
count the syllables.
A Haiku Letter:
Dear President Obama,
It's a slow news day.
Coup in Kyrgyzstan.
Diplomats smoking on planes.
Flooding in Brazil.
Threats on the Speaker,
economy still struggling,
internal unrest.
Never a slow day,
in the situation room,
it's always morning.
Glenn Beck's Tea Party,
Limbaugh's expatriation,
McCain's heels dug in.
How do you manage?
When do you get time to breathe?
Keep your famous cool?
Between enemies;
both foreign and domestic,
constant apathy,
innate corruption,
systematic inertia,
year-round campaigning;
you must get tired.
Even as we elected
Hope, not energy.
Me, so far removed,
just worrying my way from
paycheck to paycheck,
can't begin to say
what, exactly, is best for
me, or our country.
I write you each day,
to question and to complain
express hope, or faith.
I'm not sure that I
ever say what I try to;
that I still have hope
hope that we can change
hope in more than the campaign,
in our government.
for all the danger,
of our troubled world today
I rest easily.
knowing that you will
answer the 3 a.m. calls
while I am sleeping.
For you, there is no
such thing as a slow news day.
Respectfully yours,
Kelsey
for today's letter. Go on,
count the syllables.
A Haiku Letter:
Dear President Obama,
It's a slow news day.
Coup in Kyrgyzstan.
Diplomats smoking on planes.
Flooding in Brazil.
Threats on the Speaker,
economy still struggling,
internal unrest.
Never a slow day,
in the situation room,
it's always morning.
Glenn Beck's Tea Party,
Limbaugh's expatriation,
McCain's heels dug in.
How do you manage?
When do you get time to breathe?
Keep your famous cool?
Between enemies;
both foreign and domestic,
constant apathy,
innate corruption,
systematic inertia,
year-round campaigning;
you must get tired.
Even as we elected
Hope, not energy.
Me, so far removed,
just worrying my way from
paycheck to paycheck,
can't begin to say
what, exactly, is best for
me, or our country.
I write you each day,
to question and to complain
express hope, or faith.
I'm not sure that I
ever say what I try to;
that I still have hope
hope that we can change
hope in more than the campaign,
in our government.
for all the danger,
of our troubled world today
I rest easily.
knowing that you will
answer the 3 a.m. calls
while I am sleeping.
For you, there is no
such thing as a slow news day.
Respectfully yours,
Kelsey
Friday, February 5, 2010
Day 36-"The thinnest kid at fat camp"
Dear Mr. President,
I watched Jon Stewart on the O'Reilly factor today. I really hate venturing into FOX news territory, even if it is to watch Mr. Stewart. I'm glad that, under your administration, a spade has been called a spade, and we no longer have to play along with the idea that FOX is somehow an objective news organization. I'm sure that offends a great number of FOX's viewers, but I have little patience for any one who can take Glenn Beck seriously. The man is a cartoon.
FOX news is one of the larger problems your administration faces. In my opinion, having the most popular "news" outlet working 24 hours a day to oppose you and your agenda, is almost as bad as having no majorities in the legislative branch. And since Congressional Democrats seem determined to make both a reality, I hope you're up for a challenging 3rd year. Once again, this is a failure of the American people. Too many of us are content to have news shouted at us, to absorb only what comes at us the loudest, the fastest and the easiest to digest. Too few are willing to seek out information, to verify claims even when we agree with them, to educate ourselves instead of allowing ourselves to be indoctrinated. And this applies to many on the left, as well. I have no illusions about the nobility of those who agree with me- many are just as willing to brush aside the complications to the narrative that they embrace.
Why is it that we crave simplicity? The world is complicated! Morally, socially, economically, spiritually complicated. We cannot be dumbed down, simplified to the lowest common denominator and then expect to be governed accordingly. Why resist the complexity of reality? The morally ambiguous, the simultaneous acceptance of contradictory ideas and their constant struggle which we all know, on our most basic level, in our heart of hearts, is the only way to make sense out of it all. Our natural desire to be comfortable and protected even as we are independent, our founding principles, our religious faiths- nothing about America, or humanity, is simple.
I don't understand the desire to have everything fit perfectly into the way I see the world. I can't pretend that all liberals are good, or that all conservative are evil. As passionate as I am about the peace process in Palestine, I can't pretend I'm not horrified by the cartoons of Hamas, or insensitive to the need for Israelis to feel secure. Everything is a balancing act. Presenting the world to us in black and white, or red and blue, is something we should all be resisting with all of our might. But, for reasons surpassing my understanding, Fox wins the ratings games. James Patterson tops the best seller list. Sarah Palin may be the GOP's nominee for the 2012 presidential race. All around me, people reject the complexity of making decisions for themselves based on their own labors of discovery, to surrender their judgment to Oprah or Dr. Phil or Glenn Beck.
Anyway, Mr. President, I know Jon Stewart can be tough on you, but I don't think you'd respect him if he wasn't. He's not your man, any more than you are his, but I think both of you share an enthusiasm for the idiosyncratic, that makes me feel as though, at least in the fight against FOX, we're all on the same team.
Respectfully yours,
Kelsey
I watched Jon Stewart on the O'Reilly factor today. I really hate venturing into FOX news territory, even if it is to watch Mr. Stewart. I'm glad that, under your administration, a spade has been called a spade, and we no longer have to play along with the idea that FOX is somehow an objective news organization. I'm sure that offends a great number of FOX's viewers, but I have little patience for any one who can take Glenn Beck seriously. The man is a cartoon.
FOX news is one of the larger problems your administration faces. In my opinion, having the most popular "news" outlet working 24 hours a day to oppose you and your agenda, is almost as bad as having no majorities in the legislative branch. And since Congressional Democrats seem determined to make both a reality, I hope you're up for a challenging 3rd year. Once again, this is a failure of the American people. Too many of us are content to have news shouted at us, to absorb only what comes at us the loudest, the fastest and the easiest to digest. Too few are willing to seek out information, to verify claims even when we agree with them, to educate ourselves instead of allowing ourselves to be indoctrinated. And this applies to many on the left, as well. I have no illusions about the nobility of those who agree with me- many are just as willing to brush aside the complications to the narrative that they embrace.
Why is it that we crave simplicity? The world is complicated! Morally, socially, economically, spiritually complicated. We cannot be dumbed down, simplified to the lowest common denominator and then expect to be governed accordingly. Why resist the complexity of reality? The morally ambiguous, the simultaneous acceptance of contradictory ideas and their constant struggle which we all know, on our most basic level, in our heart of hearts, is the only way to make sense out of it all. Our natural desire to be comfortable and protected even as we are independent, our founding principles, our religious faiths- nothing about America, or humanity, is simple.
I don't understand the desire to have everything fit perfectly into the way I see the world. I can't pretend that all liberals are good, or that all conservative are evil. As passionate as I am about the peace process in Palestine, I can't pretend I'm not horrified by the cartoons of Hamas, or insensitive to the need for Israelis to feel secure. Everything is a balancing act. Presenting the world to us in black and white, or red and blue, is something we should all be resisting with all of our might. But, for reasons surpassing my understanding, Fox wins the ratings games. James Patterson tops the best seller list. Sarah Palin may be the GOP's nominee for the 2012 presidential race. All around me, people reject the complexity of making decisions for themselves based on their own labors of discovery, to surrender their judgment to Oprah or Dr. Phil or Glenn Beck.
Anyway, Mr. President, I know Jon Stewart can be tough on you, but I don't think you'd respect him if he wasn't. He's not your man, any more than you are his, but I think both of you share an enthusiasm for the idiosyncratic, that makes me feel as though, at least in the fight against FOX, we're all on the same team.
Respectfully yours,
Kelsey
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