GREAT CAESAR'S GHOST!!!!

Me has asked the shade of my old friend Mark Aurelius what was a very goodan

wise Emperor to speak for me on this here thooughts and feelings what I

done has about the last few weeks in the Nation and on the CCC and such

places and like that there...him much better at expressing my thoughts for me.

Him says the follering (me thank you Mark)

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RED NECK CRED

What is happening? I am pretty disgusted with the hatred, rancor and threats of violent outbreak that have come from 'the right' over the Health Care Reform Bill of 2010. When I look at the dialogue on the forums I have held back from comment, because I have no desire to talk with or be attacked by people who are so angry they feel they want to act violently (or see violence).

The thing I see most often from people who are angry when they comment are charges of 'elitism' against the people who supported change. I sort of understand, to the extent they are saying that people are 'educated fools', or snobs or 'know it alls'. But that sort of claim seems so wrongheaded to me. Because, while there is a lot I do not know...one thing I DO know is myself and how that charge does not suit me. Quite the opposite in fact.

On the other hand, I do have views and things I believe in. And, of course, I also believe these views are the best ones to have...why else would you hold them? Surely those people who accuse me of elitism, themselves believe their views are 'best'. I assume they would not hold

a view they did not think was best. But it usually is the right that calls the left 'elitist'. Well, I

hope I can be elite someday...if that means I am the best I can be.

But what does calling a person "elitist" prove about the quality of their ideas? Nothing, as

far as I can tell. It seems like a shorthand way of saying the person has ideas that you think

are snobby. But it's all so crazy because the name caller thinks their OWN ideas are best!

Maybe it would all be better if we didn't call each other names. (but wait..am I being elitist

and condescending by presuming to instruct others?)

It was funny to see posters throwing down their 'redneck cred'. "I'm from the hills of Kentucky"

"I'm from Shively". Well, Goliath has redneck cred out the wazoo! But then again...doesn't

EVERYBODY who lives in Kentucky or Indiana? I, personally, have not met many royalty OR

aristocracy in Charlestown or Jeff. However, Even though Goliath is a redneck...he is also

descended from highborn Philistines... he is redneck AND elite.

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WHAT ARE WE FIGHTING OVER?

It is very hard for me to understand the point of view of a person who doesn't merely disagree

with a person of a different political view....but reviles them. Who wants to belittle them and see

them ruined. I hear in much of the rhetoric a longing for some sort of apocalyptic showdown.

Where government and society fail entirely and its a "Mad Max" world where every person is

'on their own'.

I wonder, if Sarah Palin was my president, what would she say to me?

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WE MEET IN MADRID

Unfortunately, I have to deal with some people whom I do not like. You might even say they

are my enemy. When I indulge in hatred for such a person I sometimes check myself by

imagining the following scene. You can play this thought experiment too....

Imagine you are in a faraway city, say Madrid. You do not speak the language and you don't

know your way around. You come out of your hotel one day and amazingly, there in the

street in front of you is your worst enemy from your day to day life. He/She is in TROUBLE.

(Here you can imagine any sort of trouble you wish...they are broke....they had an accident......

somebody is taking advantage of them because they are a foreigner etc.,) Would you help

them?

I know the answer for myself...I certainly would help my enemy in Madrid. How strange it

is to think (and to live) in the same town here in the USA and feel I don't want to help him.

Why do I feel that way? Why would I not hesitate to help in another world?

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THEY SAID I LOVED OBAMA

One thing that makes me turn, swiftly, away from dialogues on the internet with people is when

they immediately assume I love Obama. In fact, I don't recall any of them ever asked me

what I thought about Obama. Maybe its a good time to say, "I do not LOVE Obama". I think

Obama may turn out great or he may turn out to be a flop. But, the truth is that I haven't been

too impressed with how he has handled his job so far. I can't see that his position on war is

significantly different from what we've had before. I am numb with the continuing wars. I don't buy Obama's reasons for continuing to expand in Afghanistan. I am not disillusioned though because I never believed the 'dream' that somehow Obama would bring Utopia. His handling of

HCR has been pitiful. Back in the summer when he should have been organizing the initiative

(as he finally managed to do these past few weeks) he got distracted over the wrongful arrest

of a Harvard professor. What the Hell? He expanded the war in Afghanistan (the same month

he 'won' the Nobel Peace Prize). He continued the bail outs started by Bush. The Bankers

publicly humiliated him. He has squandered presidential prestige by spending it in campaigns

for Democrats who LOSE. (Or for campaigns for Olympics that FAIL). So am I impressed

or in love? No. But I do wish him success. I want him to do better. I think he will. I hope for

the USA that he will.

I also hope that if I live long enough to see another Republican president, he or she will

do well for the USA.

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