The Politics of Humanity
Yesterday, I marked my 53rd year on the planet. During my time in this mortal coil, I’ve observed that the art of politics has devolved from at least a pretense of statesmanship, to little more than a game of one-upmanship. Who scores the most points with the voters and the press? Can […]
Yesterday, I marked my 53rd year on the planet. During my time in this mortal coil, I’ve observed that the art of politics has devolved from at least a pretense of statesmanship, to little more than a game of one-upmanship. Who scores the most points with the voters and the press? Can perceptions be managed in the least damaging way possible? What about whipping the base into a foaming lather (whether the “base” we’re talking about is Democratic or Republican)?
One of the most disturbing aspects of modern day politics is the personalization of attacks and loss of humanity by the practitioners in the game. Whether it’s Rush Limbaugh mocking Michael J. Fox’s Parkinson’s convulsions, or other GOP mouthpieces cynically suggesting that John Edwards is using his wife’s illness as a ploy to capture headlines, it’s enough to make a person say, “Enough!”.
There are few of us who haven’t been touched in some manner by the ravages of cancer. The cynical suggestion that anyone would use the disease to further their own personal agendas is nothing less than abhorrent. But that’s how people like Rush work - the end game of partisan personal attacks, and influencing a decreasingly compliant base of dittoheads, justifies the means.
I am no fan of the Bush regime’s Minister of Truth, Tony Snow, but he displayed a bit of grace after the Edwards’ announcement on Thursday. As a cancer survivor, he knows the deal. Indeed, he’s heading back into surgery on Monday to have an abdominal growth removed, and will be out of action for a few weeks. Perhaps that’s why he can empathize:
Asked about his message to cancer survivors, Snow said: “The biggest problem you have sometimes with cancer is flat-out fear. When you see Elizabeth Edwards saying, ‘I’m going to embrace life and I’m going to move forward,’ that is a wonderful thing.”
I particularly like Joe Gandelman’s take at The Moderate Voice:
But, Rush, on this Sunday perhaps it’s worth remembering:
The mili-second after each of us leaves this earthly scene, we’ll no longer be Republicans or Democrats or independents. Just souls.
And it’s unlikely God will say: “Ditto.”
Indeed.
Ms Edwards called Snow after he made his announcement about his heath. She called to give him encouragement. Wonder if he called her the day before after she made her announcement?
Mr. Blair, thank you for introducing that seemingly lost concept known as “humanity”. I appreciate your opening sentence relaying your being upon this planet 53 years. I’ve just passed the 65th, with deep appreciations. This day I walked in the woods at an altitude of some 3000 feet, at times enjoying a view of possibly a hundred miles to the east, the south and some 40 miles to the west where the land does end and the Pacific ocean commences. I encountered an Owl, several Red Tail Hawks, a Turkey Volcher, several dozen Red Head WoodPeckers, and no rattlers…… All the aforementioned “criters”, are indeed some 60 million years successful at what they do and how they do that. Humanity is yet young. Often times one must indeed become sick and or broken to comprehend the first and foremost in life one must have one’s health, both physical and mental.
When I get to see the Owl it is only for an instant. No sound from it as it wings from one perch tree to the other in need to be totally out of the humans sight. I then began to ponder that when I was born in “42, WWII was the human enterprise of the hour, and at this time 65 years later the Middle East is the human enterprise of the hour. Humanity is in need to comprehend that it is it’s heartfeltness considerations and practices that will bring it into a trijectory towards Being that is as developed as the Owl.
“The mili-second after each of us leaves this earthly scene, we’ll no longer be Republicans or Democrats or independents. Just souls.” Similarly just after life leaves our individual selfs there is no body weight difference. The point to ponder here: life is weightless, that very unique set of factors which comprise the life force is without weight. Whether it be the Owl, you or me. All this then takes place upon a lone, unique ball (blue) in Cosmos. Humanity is yet young,
The question: Livingry or Killingry. For life or against it. To take it and brake it or to foster it, develop it, nurture it…….our times, this Now, there are so many aspects of the very serious nature of humanity in expressing it’s youngness. Dangerous stuff that!
Peace. SO?