08.21.09
The best opportunity we’ve had in decades
Zogby Interactive has TCM’s approval number at 45 percent. In and of itself, this is a beautiful and glorious development. It doesn’t guarantee an ushering-in of any kind of Western rennaisance or new Golden Age of Freedom, however. It does create a vacuum that we – and I hope it’s clear to BN readers how I’m using “we” here – can view as an opportunity.
Americans are disaffected. They’ve had their sense of possibility, of their sense of truly unifying identity, even their sense of stability and basic continuity, blown apart by the very man whose publicity machine had touted him as the watershed, guardian and embodiment of all things good. The big question is whether this disillusionment will lead to nihilism or a reawakening of the uniquely American vision.
I’m not the first to say to the conservative movement, “Knock it off with the internecine squabbles,” but it’s important for it to continue to be said. To it I would also add, “Check your worldview for any kinky preoccupations.” We all know that conservatism does have schools within it that have elements that are difficult to reconcile. The paleos are isolationist. The neos don’t like truths to be stated too bluntly. The libertarians see little or no room for discussions of morality in our national conversation.
Think deeply about what made America exceptional. What accounts for our energy, our inventiveness, our generosity, the depth of our character?
We can see from recent poll numbers that recognition of the God-given freedom at the core of who we are is lying dormant, but the statists haven’t killed it off.
It’s our time again. It isn’t being handed to us, however. It’s entirely possible for another figure of the same poisonous odor as TCM to step into the vacuum, much as Germany shook off National Socialism only to allow its eastern half to have Soviet-style socialism imposed on it almost immediately.
Think deeply about freedom, common sense, decency, dignity, what history tells us about human nature. And consult God on a moment-by-moment basis. And don’t fall for anything or anyone that doesn’t pass your smell test. Ever again.
Mr. Dings said,
August 22, 2009 at 9:13 am
I googled “kinky preoccupations” in an effort to determine whether I had any. And there was this link to this thread of the bloggie, #29 of 30 and the first link not identical to the previous 28 referencing a review of an “artistic” work by Depeche Mode. Result 34 of about 44,300 for kinky preoccupations yields this: “Here is the god of the OT, who had kinky preoccupations for foreskins and in the same breath (NT) will send you to hell for not believing in his dead son …exchristian.net/letters/…/challenge-to-any-fundementalist.htm” This commentator will get back with you after completion of his research, so he can attempt to first cast out the beam out of his own eye; and then shall see clearly to cast out the mote out of his brother’s eye. I know, I know, don’t call you brother….
Bentnotesmanhisself said,
August 22, 2009 at 11:21 am
Just make sure you’re driven in this search by a devotion to freedom.
Bentnotesmanhisself said,
August 22, 2009 at 11:25 am
Myself, when I wrote that, I was thinking of stuff like clinging to one particular way of reformng the tax code at the expense of other equally sensible ideas getting an airing, or being so obsessively single-issue that good leaders and candidates get overlooked, or skirting the edges of conspiracy theory, like the birthers.