I often find myself peering over the top of my blackberry and announcing to Jane the latest in a string of far-right antics (Cordoba House controvery, the referendum in Arizona, or the latest from Clarence Thomas and his wife.) I am often spoiling for a good long rant or at least and impassioned discussion about how wrong-headed such-and-such thing is or how it reveals the xenophobia and American exceptionalism woven into our political discourse.
It is pretty rare that Jane and I disagree on this type of thing, but the flavor of our response differs. She boils it down to its essentials. "We live in a country of assholes," she says and keeps doing whatever she is doing.
I'd like to think that isn't true. But lately of course, it appears that it might just be this straightforward.
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Jane might be right. It's a cynical view indeed, but probably too close to the truth for comfort. I struggle with the fact that there are people with whom I fundamentally disagree and neither of us are likely to change. But the contingent that really bothers me are the folks who don't care, don't pay attention and don't have a clue about any of it.
There are lots and lots of really good people in the world, but I fear that there are more that don't care about other people and probably more significantly don't care all that much for themselves.
Or as it seems these days, they are just too vulnerable to xenophobia and cheap political posturing messages like "taxation = socialism" or "sharia law is coming to oklahoma."
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