Fool's Errand

Okay, I need to get busy with a LOT of thoughts, but I'm trying real hard to let the stuff percolate, so that it comes out properly brewed. That, and time has been pretty mad recently. However, I find myself with a little extra time, and a few links I want to add to the sidebar, as well as sharing in the "daily" area. For those of my friends and interlocutors who are questioning a few of the assumptions on the left, notably that guiding idea that a good portion of the reason for the success of Bush in managing to secure a second term is directly attributable to the evangelical vote, let me just say, acknowledged. I did, in fact, read a CNN story that claimed Bush had enjoyed only a 2% increase amongst those saying they went to church every week--from 59% to 61%. I guess, in my own search for reasons why this man won (because it is truly beyond me why he won), I'm searching for practical measures by which to address what I consider to be a horrible wrong perpetuated on a system I truly do hold dear. Fault me on my leftist leanings if you must, but understand that my reservations regarding this administration have everything to do with the original, rationalistic, largely deistic and empirically based principles upon which I see that system to be founded. That, and some genuinely challenging issues this system faces in, like it or no, an increasingly globalized environment.

So. Bright spots. Ashcroft goes. Mixed blessing, because this is one of the members that I would reserve my greatest invective for, but I'm not yet convinced Bush is going to use the many appointments--some of them potentially very long-term--to reach out to that part of his constituency that leans left. We'll see. I'll just say, were he to do so, the 'healing' Kerry called for might be somewhat expedited. Also, many, many friends have been directing me to gems here and there on the web. These are solace for the left, so if you can't stomach it, you've been warned. First off, Robin, who maintains a very smart blog dedicating itself to matters philosophical, specifically around questions of technology and the cognitive sciences, and who posts some righteous links over there, including William Gibson's blog and Greg Egan's website. Two sci-fi writers who rock--especially Egan. Robin posts a link to a website containing a piece entitled "Fuck the South," far from reasoned, except that it does provide some interesting data regarding some of the "moral" questions raised by the recent campaign. Well, the title says it all regarding likely objections.

There is, additionally, an editorial over at the Washington Post (registration is required, relatively painless) entitled "Am I Blue? I apologize for everything I believe in. May I go now?" that I thought worth the read. This one I actually encourage our right-leaning friends to read, in order to perhaps nurture some understanding when your leftie friends don't just lay down for the tanks. Finally, a friend from over at Poem.org sends me this gallery of leftie nincompoops who apparently feel bad enough about the election to want to issue a public apology for it.

As for myself, I have decided, for the time being, to follow my usually absurdist instincts, and to place the blame squarely where I think it belongs: on politicians. Thus, for the forseeable future, I am officially advocating that all voters stop voting for politicians. My own choice, for 2008, would have been Leonard Cohen, only he is, of course, Canadian. Yet one more reason to move. So, at present, I'm starting to lean heavily toward Uma Thurman, simply because I've decided I might as well vote with my dick for all the difference it makes. Now it's up to both parties to persuade me otherwise.

On a less bright note, my good friend in meatspace, Alfonso, sends me several links to this developing story, which may, perhaps, express my real concerns regarding current American foreign policy. The genie's been out of the bottle for a while, now, folks. By what standards do we (and that pronoun needs to be understood as uttered by an American, to Americans) decide who gets to rub the lamp? Tricky footing, this, and it's likely to get trickier.

Finally, a couple of updates on the sidebar, and a new profile pic, both of which I'll be updating as soon as I've finished this post. The links include Dandee's Live Journal and an update under the name Paul Sonntag. Paul is a very able writer, someone I know from my hometown and who has shared ideas with me in a variety of venues (I still have a stack of letters from a correspondence long ago, tucked away in my ever-growing files), and to be honest, my caustic wit, where it exists at all, doesn't hold a candle to his. He also trends left...you've been warned. Do go over and drop a comment in the mailbox, however. It's a new blog, and I'm looking forward to watching it develop. Finally, the pic: Halloween night, with me as Randy Pan the Goat Man with a bevy of Gorgon beauties. It's amazing what you can do with a bald head, a goatee, and a couple of latex horns. The night before, I went as B. L. Zebub, same horns, only wearing a suit, with a red shirt. I did manage to secure one signature, BTW, and intend to collect.

Okay, me out for now. Getting over the nastiest political hangover I've ever had the displeasure to incur in my entire short life. Now, I just gotta start putting what I feel into words. I will say this: it has been snowing in Munich recently, and yesterday, on the way to pick my daughter up from school, I saw a mother and a child on the sidewalk, the mother crouched over to fasten the child's coat, and the child, eyes in rapt pleasure, lightly stroking the snowflakes in her mother's hair. And I thought, that's what this life shit is all about. Not these god-damned bombs, and not these god-damned ideologies.

Is it any wonder I should feel a certain level of nausea in the wake of what just happened in America? Really?

Also, thanks all for the comments. They are being digested, and I appreciate the thoughts behind all that has been contributed here on this page. We are all blessed to know each other...whether we feel like saying so or not.

Peace, y'all.