Hello Marc, I've been a subscriber for a while, but I' getting sick and tired of so many gloomer doomer articles in the liberal blogosphere. Calling Michael Moore a Bloviator is a bridge too far for me. What really irks me most is that so many liberal writers glory in pot shots at their elders-- or anyone. I've followed Moore since before he completed ROGER AND ME in 1989. He is a harder worker than most leftie bloggers, and has sustained that for many years. I've been politically minded since I was ten years old in 1960-- when I handed out bumper stickers for John F. Kennedy. I have liked your work, but like many other modern liberals, I'm god-damn sick of the whining about how the end of the world is just around the corner. They complain that this is the worst time in history, because the right wing is in ascendency, and nothing can be done about it. But, wait, I've been around since 1950, when things were really terrible. Black people then couldn't go to white schools. Have you seen the new ELVIS movie? Were you forced to recite Christian prayers in public school? Were you kicked out of high school because your hair fell an inch over your ears? Did you live in a town with terrible air quality and poisoned rivers? Did you have friends who died in small wrecks because they didn't have seatbelts? Did you fear you'd be drafted and have a plan to sneak into Canada if you were?
I'm concerned that people today are being terrorized by all the media hype that we're in the end times. We faced the same issues-- and WORSE, but instead of endless gloom and doom essays, we found solutions to dealing with the fascists, who were much worse than today. So I'd much prefer to hear suggestions for solutions. Yes, bloviating with solutions, is much better than calling the whaambulance at the first slight. We learned as young rebels that mainstream America didn't give a good god damn about our complaints, wants and needs. We had to make do on our own, keep our heads down, and deal with it-- from the Weather People to Bob Dylan, to sit-ins. Don't complain about our situation, complain about how complacent so many are today. It's a new world, and I fought for good, enough already. If liberals can't get out and kick ass, they'll deserve all the shit that gets left in their path. So please stop complaining, and suggest some clever solutions (writing more gloom and doom articles may not cut it).
Thanks for your thoughtful comment. We differ on Moore, so be it. Looks we are the same ago give or take. Yes, I suffered the indignities of the 50s and 60s. I also went to jail several times in the 60s for anti war activity and was banned from finishing college. Also worked in Chile as Allende's translator and was given protection by the UN to leave the country. Have come to face to face with death squads in both Argentina and El Salvador. -- so I am not a remote political hobbyist/blogger. I have organized on the ground politically and have worked in education as a prof of journalism at USC. You sure u want to accuse me of being an aloof observer? Yes, we need solutions. On many occasions I have offered some. Many. But that is NOT my job. My job is to probe reality and to make it clear to others so THEY can come up with solutions. The situation we are in IS serious. It IS gloomy. It IS precarious. Sorry to push reality in your face but it is very difficult to come up with solutions without the hard nosed full recognition of the problem.
I live in Appalachia in a mostly red state with a useless church at every crossroad and probably 2 or 3 in between. I've been living in this kind of real world most of my life. You're not pushing reality in my face. I'm steadily removing the gloom and doomers from my connections. I wish you the best fortune with growing your fan list.
Hello Marc, I've been a subscriber for a while, but I' getting sick and tired of so many gloomer doomer articles in the liberal blogosphere. Calling Michael Moore a Bloviator is a bridge too far for me. What really irks me most is that so many liberal writers glory in pot shots at their elders-- or anyone. I've followed Moore since before he completed ROGER AND ME in 1989. He is a harder worker than most leftie bloggers, and has sustained that for many years. I've been politically minded since I was ten years old in 1960-- when I handed out bumper stickers for John F. Kennedy. I have liked your work, but like many other modern liberals, I'm god-damn sick of the whining about how the end of the world is just around the corner. They complain that this is the worst time in history, because the right wing is in ascendency, and nothing can be done about it. But, wait, I've been around since 1950, when things were really terrible. Black people then couldn't go to white schools. Have you seen the new ELVIS movie? Were you forced to recite Christian prayers in public school? Were you kicked out of high school because your hair fell an inch over your ears? Did you live in a town with terrible air quality and poisoned rivers? Did you have friends who died in small wrecks because they didn't have seatbelts? Did you fear you'd be drafted and have a plan to sneak into Canada if you were?
I'm concerned that people today are being terrorized by all the media hype that we're in the end times. We faced the same issues-- and WORSE, but instead of endless gloom and doom essays, we found solutions to dealing with the fascists, who were much worse than today. So I'd much prefer to hear suggestions for solutions. Yes, bloviating with solutions, is much better than calling the whaambulance at the first slight. We learned as young rebels that mainstream America didn't give a good god damn about our complaints, wants and needs. We had to make do on our own, keep our heads down, and deal with it-- from the Weather People to Bob Dylan, to sit-ins. Don't complain about our situation, complain about how complacent so many are today. It's a new world, and I fought for good, enough already. If liberals can't get out and kick ass, they'll deserve all the shit that gets left in their path. So please stop complaining, and suggest some clever solutions (writing more gloom and doom articles may not cut it).
Thanks for your thoughtful comment. We differ on Moore, so be it. Looks we are the same ago give or take. Yes, I suffered the indignities of the 50s and 60s. I also went to jail several times in the 60s for anti war activity and was banned from finishing college. Also worked in Chile as Allende's translator and was given protection by the UN to leave the country. Have come to face to face with death squads in both Argentina and El Salvador. -- so I am not a remote political hobbyist/blogger. I have organized on the ground politically and have worked in education as a prof of journalism at USC. You sure u want to accuse me of being an aloof observer? Yes, we need solutions. On many occasions I have offered some. Many. But that is NOT my job. My job is to probe reality and to make it clear to others so THEY can come up with solutions. The situation we are in IS serious. It IS gloomy. It IS precarious. Sorry to push reality in your face but it is very difficult to come up with solutions without the hard nosed full recognition of the problem.
I live in Appalachia in a mostly red state with a useless church at every crossroad and probably 2 or 3 in between. I've been living in this kind of real world most of my life. You're not pushing reality in my face. I'm steadily removing the gloom and doomers from my connections. I wish you the best fortune with growing your fan list.