Going to stick with the Vonnegut theme. In the very dark irony, "Mother Night", the main character leaves us with the following quote, which in essense could be the summation of the theme for the entire story, "We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful of what we pretend to be."
For those of you unfamiliar with the story, the main character in the story is an american living in Germany before WWII. He is recruited by the american armed services to act as a spy. He is told to become part of the nazi propaganda machine and do radio shows for them. During the shows he is to pass secrets vital to the americans in code. The main character agrees to do this in part because he is a coward and this allows him to help the american war effort and in part because it allows him to appear to be a nazi and therefore not offend his nazi wife and in-laws.
In becoming a propagandist, the american's plan, he is widely successful as an american spy and greatly aids the american war effort, but; alas, he is widely successful for the nazi's as well and his show is largely responsible for gaining the german people's compliance with the Hollicost. At the war's end, his service to america is recognized and he is not charged with any crimes but he is hunted down by the newly created Israel and put on trial for crimes against the jews, hence the quote.
Think about this. What are we encouraged to be? How are we encouraged to give silent compliance to actions we have to know are morally outrageous? How many times do we fail to voice our opinion because we fear that we will be ostracized for it? How often do we allow phony "historical" or "nationalistic" analogies coax us from doing or saying what we believe is right? Do you use "too busy" or "too big" to prevent your involvement? Do you believe the news? Do you deign to experts and athorities?
As americans, we have become a people of quiet collaberation. It's easy and we wipe our conscious clear with a "not me"/"I didn't do it" mentality. But, the very fact that we participate in agroup consciousness that does nothing but wait for 4 years to pass makes us an accomplice. A good friend of mine passes of responsibility by saying, "We don't live in one of those red states." To which I say "Who fucking cares!?!"
The fact is that all of us are part and participants in a culture that allowed such ignorance and malipulativenes to be considered for election and than like a battered woman went back to the batterer a second time. If we are not actively and vocally pursuing a different mind set, not just in ourselves, not just in our freinds/family, but with each and every person we converse with everyday, we will be given just another extension of this same thought process in 2008 and in the future.
It is often said that two topics to avoid are politics and religion. WHY?
In europe people talk these topics all the time. We are encouraged not to because we have a history of rebellion and if a people converse on these topics and come to a commonality and learn respect of one another's opinions and find areas where they agree and areas where they can meet in mutual compramise then the government/religion cannot control that people. So I say argue away. Do it in bars, in clubs, in gossip circles, in bed, on the phone with telemarketers, everywhere anyone you speak with. The revolution can and must begin with each and everyone of us and not a shot need be fired; JUST THINK AND SPEAK!!!!!!!!
DP
