Friendly fire killed Pat Tillman. Why did it take over a month for the Army to admit it?
"The results of this investigation in no way diminish the bravery and sacrifice displayed by Cpl. Tillman," said Lt. Gen. Philip R. Kensinger Jr., commander of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, who made the surprising announcement in Fort Bragg, N.C.
Vigorous, but irrelevant. I don't think anyone was questioning the bravery of Corporal Tillman, the former NFL starter who gave up celebrity and fortune to become a Ranger. He was brave and idealistic and his sacrifice was irrevocably real.
It's Army's conduct many people should and will question, both in creating a situation were super-skilled Rangers could kill each other with friendly fire, and their delay in revealing the true circumstances of a tragedy. Again. I won't even go into the policy ramifications of diverting priorities (not to mention earmarked millions) from Afghanistan to Iraq. I cringe when I read that line in Sports Illustrated, "Tillman, and the thin detail of Rangers and Afghani fighters in his patrol..."
Over the past five weeks, the U.S. military has received tremendous positive and free publicity, courtesy of the news and entertainment media, as well as the NFL. Don't the actual events leading to Tillman's death demand the opposite - that the military deserves blame? And wouldn't our military have the ethical burden not to benefit from a tragedy it caused, by coming clean as soon as possible?
Or perhaps we should file military ethics under "O", along with military intelligence. Americans, civilian and uniformed alike, deserve better.
The Original Scone Blog (plus some food for thought)
Monday, May 31, 2004
Friday, May 14, 2004
An unjust cause and the trigger effect
"Theophrastus, in his comparison of bad acts - such a comparison as one would make in accordance with the common notions of mankind - says, like a true philosopher, that the offenses which are committed through desire are more blamable than those which are committed through anger. For he who is excited by anger seems to turn away from reason with a certain pain and unconscious contraction; but he who offends through desire, being overpowered with pleasure, seems to be in a manner more intemperate in his offences. Rightly then, and in a way worthy of philosophy, he said that the offense which is committed with pleasure is more blamable than that which is committed with pain; and on the whole the one is more like a person who has been first wronged and through pain is compelled to be angry; but the other is moved by his own impulse to do wrong, being carried toward doing something by desire."
- Meditations, Marcus Aurelius
So many words, intelligent and otherwise, are being written about the torture of prisoners in Iraq. Likewise regarding the execution of Nicholas Berg. I have only the following to say: The second evil does not mitigate the first. On the contrary, the second evil must be added to the evil of the first. Keep in mind that:
1) Had we not tortured the prisoners in Abu Ghraib, Nick Berg would still be alive.
2) Had we shared peacemaking and governing duties with the United Nations, Nick Berg would still be alive.
3) Executioner Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is not Iraqi. He was born in Jordan. The Iraqis are innocent people in both situations. Their conduct is not in question.
But here are some questions.
What kind of people are we, and to what depths will we go to achieve our ends? Are we a nation of laws, or not? Do we resolve disputes like civilized people, or not? These questions are doubly important since the powers that be have framed the Iraq War and "war on terror" in terms the superiority of our ideas and culture. If our ideology is what we say it is (Enlightenment, democracy, pluralism, marketplace of ideas) then neither war nor peace can be won by force. But they can be lost through cruelty.
- Meditations, Marcus Aurelius
So many words, intelligent and otherwise, are being written about the torture of prisoners in Iraq. Likewise regarding the execution of Nicholas Berg. I have only the following to say: The second evil does not mitigate the first. On the contrary, the second evil must be added to the evil of the first. Keep in mind that:
1) Had we not tortured the prisoners in Abu Ghraib, Nick Berg would still be alive.
2) Had we shared peacemaking and governing duties with the United Nations, Nick Berg would still be alive.
3) Executioner Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is not Iraqi. He was born in Jordan. The Iraqis are innocent people in both situations. Their conduct is not in question.
But here are some questions.
What kind of people are we, and to what depths will we go to achieve our ends? Are we a nation of laws, or not? Do we resolve disputes like civilized people, or not? These questions are doubly important since the powers that be have framed the Iraq War and "war on terror" in terms the superiority of our ideas and culture. If our ideology is what we say it is (Enlightenment, democracy, pluralism, marketplace of ideas) then neither war nor peace can be won by force. But they can be lost through cruelty.
Saturday, May 01, 2004
A city upon a hill
"...for wee must Consider that wee shall be as a Citty upon a Hill, the eies of all people are uppon us..." - John Winthrop, 1630
On Wednesday, I got to hear George Mitchell discuss "America's Role in the World" at UCI. It's a welcome topic, as the people actually leading America today have so few intelligent, or even intelligible, things to say about it.
Mitchell is a former Senate majority leader and chair of the successful peace negotiations in Northern Ireland. So he's a natural authority on the subject of America's role in the world, the substance of which I have roughly transcribed below. During his lecture, he struck me as a kinder and gentler Winthrop, the Puritan who led the Massachusetts Bay Colony with a visionary but iron hand. Mitchell believes America is the best and greatest, but he also recognizes that being a great nation has nothing to do with being a great power. We are a great power, but power should serve our ideals, always.
If people around the world perceive that our greatness is merely the result of our power, and if our power serves interests counter to our ideals, then we're in trouble and we will lose the world. As well we should. He didn't go so far as to draw that conclusion, but maybe that's the optimist in him. Or the pessimist in me.
Over 100 Americans, and many more Iraqis, have died since I last wrote. That makes me so sad. Perhaps, if enough people keep speaking out...
"America's Role in the World" by George J. Mitchell
Most nations aspire to what we call American values:the primacy of individual liberty, equal justice under law, and opportunity for each member of society. However, our policies are opposed by many: specific actions against others, indifference to their plight, and resentment at our place in the world.
I have visited every country in Europe. I asked every European leader that I met with: now that the Soviet Union doesn’t exist, and Russia has withdrawn to its national borders, what should be America's place in their country? They want American forces on their soil. Why? Most want to be on the side of the strong. Power is perceived to be the exclusive basis of American authority. Power is essential for many reasons. But power must serve our ideals.
The United States was a great nation long before it was a great military and economic power. Its greatness began with the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution, especially the Bill of Rights - the most eloquent and concise document of individual liberty in the world.
People expect our actions to match our stated ideals. There is a widespread perception that this is not true. Regarding war, peace, and terror, we need friends, allies, and international support. Throughout history, the dominant power has overextended itself. Power is most effective when used sparingly and with restraint, but when used, decisively. No challenge is more daunting than terrorism and the prospect of a wider war in the Middle East.
[Mitchell summarized his work on the Northern Ireland Commission, which he chaired.] Three objectives: ending violence, halt the destruction, and return to meaningful negotiations. Commission offered to continue services. Disappointed when this administration did not show interest. Report incorporated into the “Roadmap”. Disappointment when the current administration did not implement their “Roadmap”. We must keep trying until there is peace.
The Palestinians must end incitement of violence, and prosecute those who commit terrorism. The Israelis must order the return of military to their borders, and freeze settlements. But they harbor a “double fantasy” - some Palestinians and many in the Arab world want the removal of the Israeli state. Some Israelis, including some in cabinet, want the physical removal of Palestinian people -every man, woman, and child. The Israelis have a state, need security. Palestinians want a state, that is viable and geographically contiguous.
Violence. Palestinian violence is reprehensible, unacceptable, and politically counterproductive. Nonviolence. There must be available to Palestinians a nonviolent path to their political goals - a state - which a majority on both sides still support. The culture of peace has been totally destroyed over the past few years. Mutual mistrust is total. A majority of Palestinians support the terrorists. A majority of Israelis support “whatever” force.
From my experience in Northern Ireland: there is no such thing as a conflict that cannot be ended.
Iraq. The borders of Iraq were drawn by the British after World War I. A British civil servant drew the lines on a map that created Iraq and Jordan. They were concerned with their immediate political situation, not the history of the region or the desires of its people. They created a territory that never existed before - with the Kurdish in the north, and Sunnis in the South. This land had been separate regions in the Ottoman Empire for 400 years.
The military plan was well planned and executed. The political phase was not. Failing to act as leader of broad international coalition was “so unwise” and so shortsighted. Bush now recognizes that error, and is practically begging the UN to share political responsibility over Iraq. The total disarmament of the Iraq security forces was also unwise. Transfer of limited power will be important, they (Iraqis) must be able to choose for themselves. That’s what self-determination means.
The war on terror cannot be waged solely by military means. This war also requires effective intelligence, coordinated police work, and checks by financial institutions - all of which require international cooperation. George Bush gave a great speech after September 11. When he announced the first arrests, he named the seven cities where they occurred - Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Madrid, etc - only one was in the U.S.
Is World Peace An Impossible Dream? A college student once asked. If by "world peace" one means a complete absence of conflict between and within nations, then yes. World population from 1 AD to 1800 AD increased by 1 billion. Since then has increased by 5 billion. Consequently, more struggle for land, water, natural resources, power. Technology of killing has increased brutality of war. And war drives technology more than anything else. Today's technology allows fewer people, with less skill and resources, to kill more people than ever.
Yet, more freedom, more knowledge, more prosperity, can be the world's future. For example, the Constitution: its authors were constrained by their society and time. They allowed the vote only to adult white men who owned property. Compare to this moment. To expand the definition of what freedom means (i.e., to whom it applies). A dominant power can use its authority to end war, famine, injustice. That is our destiny.
A final anecdote: as a federal judge, my favorite task was to preside over the naturalization ceremony for immigrants, and making them American. My mother was an immigrant, she didn't speak English when she came. My father was the orphan son of immigrants. They were poor, but here they were able to give their children the education they never had. My family's experience reflects the openness of American society. After the ceremony, I would talk with the new citizens, asked them what they thought. Favorite quote, from one Asian man, who said in halting English: here in America, everybody has a chance.
On Wednesday, I got to hear George Mitchell discuss "America's Role in the World" at UCI. It's a welcome topic, as the people actually leading America today have so few intelligent, or even intelligible, things to say about it.
Mitchell is a former Senate majority leader and chair of the successful peace negotiations in Northern Ireland. So he's a natural authority on the subject of America's role in the world, the substance of which I have roughly transcribed below. During his lecture, he struck me as a kinder and gentler Winthrop, the Puritan who led the Massachusetts Bay Colony with a visionary but iron hand. Mitchell believes America is the best and greatest, but he also recognizes that being a great nation has nothing to do with being a great power. We are a great power, but power should serve our ideals, always.
If people around the world perceive that our greatness is merely the result of our power, and if our power serves interests counter to our ideals, then we're in trouble and we will lose the world. As well we should. He didn't go so far as to draw that conclusion, but maybe that's the optimist in him. Or the pessimist in me.
Over 100 Americans, and many more Iraqis, have died since I last wrote. That makes me so sad. Perhaps, if enough people keep speaking out...
"America's Role in the World" by George J. Mitchell
Most nations aspire to what we call American values:the primacy of individual liberty, equal justice under law, and opportunity for each member of society. However, our policies are opposed by many: specific actions against others, indifference to their plight, and resentment at our place in the world.
I have visited every country in Europe. I asked every European leader that I met with: now that the Soviet Union doesn’t exist, and Russia has withdrawn to its national borders, what should be America's place in their country? They want American forces on their soil. Why? Most want to be on the side of the strong. Power is perceived to be the exclusive basis of American authority. Power is essential for many reasons. But power must serve our ideals.
The United States was a great nation long before it was a great military and economic power. Its greatness began with the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution, especially the Bill of Rights - the most eloquent and concise document of individual liberty in the world.
People expect our actions to match our stated ideals. There is a widespread perception that this is not true. Regarding war, peace, and terror, we need friends, allies, and international support. Throughout history, the dominant power has overextended itself. Power is most effective when used sparingly and with restraint, but when used, decisively. No challenge is more daunting than terrorism and the prospect of a wider war in the Middle East.
[Mitchell summarized his work on the Northern Ireland Commission, which he chaired.] Three objectives: ending violence, halt the destruction, and return to meaningful negotiations. Commission offered to continue services. Disappointed when this administration did not show interest. Report incorporated into the “Roadmap”. Disappointment when the current administration did not implement their “Roadmap”. We must keep trying until there is peace.
The Palestinians must end incitement of violence, and prosecute those who commit terrorism. The Israelis must order the return of military to their borders, and freeze settlements. But they harbor a “double fantasy” - some Palestinians and many in the Arab world want the removal of the Israeli state. Some Israelis, including some in cabinet, want the physical removal of Palestinian people -every man, woman, and child. The Israelis have a state, need security. Palestinians want a state, that is viable and geographically contiguous.
Violence. Palestinian violence is reprehensible, unacceptable, and politically counterproductive. Nonviolence. There must be available to Palestinians a nonviolent path to their political goals - a state - which a majority on both sides still support. The culture of peace has been totally destroyed over the past few years. Mutual mistrust is total. A majority of Palestinians support the terrorists. A majority of Israelis support “whatever” force.
From my experience in Northern Ireland: there is no such thing as a conflict that cannot be ended.
Iraq. The borders of Iraq were drawn by the British after World War I. A British civil servant drew the lines on a map that created Iraq and Jordan. They were concerned with their immediate political situation, not the history of the region or the desires of its people. They created a territory that never existed before - with the Kurdish in the north, and Sunnis in the South. This land had been separate regions in the Ottoman Empire for 400 years.
The military plan was well planned and executed. The political phase was not. Failing to act as leader of broad international coalition was “so unwise” and so shortsighted. Bush now recognizes that error, and is practically begging the UN to share political responsibility over Iraq. The total disarmament of the Iraq security forces was also unwise. Transfer of limited power will be important, they (Iraqis) must be able to choose for themselves. That’s what self-determination means.
The war on terror cannot be waged solely by military means. This war also requires effective intelligence, coordinated police work, and checks by financial institutions - all of which require international cooperation. George Bush gave a great speech after September 11. When he announced the first arrests, he named the seven cities where they occurred - Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Madrid, etc - only one was in the U.S.
Is World Peace An Impossible Dream? A college student once asked. If by "world peace" one means a complete absence of conflict between and within nations, then yes. World population from 1 AD to 1800 AD increased by 1 billion. Since then has increased by 5 billion. Consequently, more struggle for land, water, natural resources, power. Technology of killing has increased brutality of war. And war drives technology more than anything else. Today's technology allows fewer people, with less skill and resources, to kill more people than ever.
Yet, more freedom, more knowledge, more prosperity, can be the world's future. For example, the Constitution: its authors were constrained by their society and time. They allowed the vote only to adult white men who owned property. Compare to this moment. To expand the definition of what freedom means (i.e., to whom it applies). A dominant power can use its authority to end war, famine, injustice. That is our destiny.
A final anecdote: as a federal judge, my favorite task was to preside over the naturalization ceremony for immigrants, and making them American. My mother was an immigrant, she didn't speak English when she came. My father was the orphan son of immigrants. They were poor, but here they were able to give their children the education they never had. My family's experience reflects the openness of American society. After the ceremony, I would talk with the new citizens, asked them what they thought. Favorite quote, from one Asian man, who said in halting English: here in America, everybody has a chance.
Wednesday, March 17, 2004
Notes on a Spanish tragedy
200 people have died in the attack on commuter trains in Madrid last Thursday. Over 1400 were wounded. Before we delve into politics, let's think about what those numbers mean.
Spain has a population of 40 million. The United States is home to over 290 million, or over seven Americans for every Spaniard.
To appreciate the impact of these attacks, on the people who lost loved ones, or know others who did, multiply the dead and wouned by seven or eight... This tragedy for Spain approaches what 9/11 meant for us. Let's respect that. And however you feel, let's respect the decisions the Spanish people have made, just as we asked the world in our time of grief and outrage.
Now, back to the news. This update is about a day and a half late. Job hunting and resume sending tends to interfere with this enterprise. It was on Monday afternoon, while I sat in the car near a downtown Santa Ana law office, that I heard the election results on NPR:
Reiterating a campaign promise, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, the leader of Spain's Socialist Party and new prime minister-elect, pledges to pull his country's 1,300 troops out of Iraq if the United Nations does not take control by June 30.
Zapatero's Socialists won an upset victory in Spain's general elections Sunday. Turning out in unexpectedly high numbers, Spaniards voted to remove Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar's ruling party from power. Analysts say the results reflect anger over last week's deadly terrorist attacks in Madrid, which many blame on Aznar's support for the U.S.-led war in Iraq.
The voter backlash was also fueled by the widespread perception that Aznar's government had tried to exploit the attacks for political gain by blaming the Basque separatist group ETA. On the eve of the vote, a groundswell of anger and demands for full disclosure forced Aznar's government to reveal the arrests of three Moroccans and two Indians.
Earlier, the NY Times reported that President Bush called to congraulate the new prime minister, and "reiterated our solidarity with the Spanish people."
Reiterate? How do you reiterate something that you didn't, um, iterate?? 80 to 90 percent of Spain OPPOSED sending their troops to Iraq. Bush NEVER expressed solidarity with the Spanish people. I guess unilateralism means never having to say you're in solidarity...
With Spain's strong economy, Aznar and his party seemed headed to victory a week ago, despite widespread dislike for his arrogant, authoritarian manner. His arrogance led him to drag Spain into Bush's War - the war on Iraq, not the war on terror. That drew his country into the terrorist line of fire. Aznar could have shown the courage of the soldiers he sent and simply faced the music. He should have said: yes, it was al-Qaeda, they're targeting us now, but let's stand together. Instead, Aznar chose to exploit a national tragedy for political gain by blaming Basque separatists, a tactic which outraged most of the independent voters. His government cried "ETA!", while they CONCEALED the fact that they were arresting members of al-Qaeda! It even ordered the state-owned TV station to avoid covering the widespread protests against the ruling party, and aired a documentary on ETA instead. The party founded and led by Franco supporters was now raising his spectre. So the voters punished them, and now Spain is finally heeding the will of its people. This election was not a blow to democracy. It was a blow to authoritarianism.
Hmm. Arrogance. Lying. Exploiting a national tragedy to punish domestic enemies. Does Aznar remind you of anyone? Anyone?
Blair had his "sexed-up" dossier, Bush had Niger and the missing WMDs, and now Aznar has had his comeuppance. A few months ago, a very smart friend of mine asked me: What was wrong in deposing a bad man like Hussein? The answer, I think, lies in the corruption of our own character. The more dangerous we make our enemies to be, the more desperate we become, and the more willing we are to bend the rules and violate our principles. And those who rise to power in times of paranoia are the least scrupulous kind of people. Democracies may or may not be able to force change in other regimes. And reasonable people may disagree on whether we ought to do so. But we should always adhere to our professed values, because the legimitmacy of all our actions, at home and abroad, depend on it.
What makes this turn of events absurd is, after anthrax and Saddam, the chickenhawks finally can tie something evil to al-Qaeda and not have to lie about it...and they lie about it! Maybe the title to Al Franken's book wasn't overkill after all.
Finally, let's be clear on one thing. There was no cowering, no retreating from al-Qaeda here. While Spain's involvement in Iraq may have led to the attacks, the attacks themselves did not drive voters into the arms of the Socialists. Anyone who conscientiously followed the news from day to day saw that the government's response - which avoided taking on the real terrorists - angered the public which saw it, correctly or otherwise, as duplicitous and appallingly cynical. Just read the NPR report, or better yet, listen to the audio, especially the comments by the Christian Science Monitor journalist. While writing tonight, I haven't heard any other analysis. But I am now looking up what Josh Marshall has been saying - basically, the same thing. Only he does it all in a few sentences.
Of course, I am hardly clairvoyant and often, not even timely. I know a few things about contemporary Spain, but I certainly am not an expert. What lent me a modicum of insight was my experience as an American over the past two and a half years, as a witness to our government's willingness - nay, eagerness - to demonize anti-war protestors, critics of globalization, environmental groups, skeptical nations, even the teacher's union, with words like "terrorist" or "traitor". Such loose talk can trivialize the real demons, the unequivocal terrorism that truly threatens the free world. And it makes those in any potential coalition a little less willing to follow where America wants to lead.
Spain has a population of 40 million. The United States is home to over 290 million, or over seven Americans for every Spaniard.
To appreciate the impact of these attacks, on the people who lost loved ones, or know others who did, multiply the dead and wouned by seven or eight... This tragedy for Spain approaches what 9/11 meant for us. Let's respect that. And however you feel, let's respect the decisions the Spanish people have made, just as we asked the world in our time of grief and outrage.
Now, back to the news. This update is about a day and a half late. Job hunting and resume sending tends to interfere with this enterprise. It was on Monday afternoon, while I sat in the car near a downtown Santa Ana law office, that I heard the election results on NPR:
Reiterating a campaign promise, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, the leader of Spain's Socialist Party and new prime minister-elect, pledges to pull his country's 1,300 troops out of Iraq if the United Nations does not take control by June 30.
Zapatero's Socialists won an upset victory in Spain's general elections Sunday. Turning out in unexpectedly high numbers, Spaniards voted to remove Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar's ruling party from power. Analysts say the results reflect anger over last week's deadly terrorist attacks in Madrid, which many blame on Aznar's support for the U.S.-led war in Iraq.
The voter backlash was also fueled by the widespread perception that Aznar's government had tried to exploit the attacks for political gain by blaming the Basque separatist group ETA. On the eve of the vote, a groundswell of anger and demands for full disclosure forced Aznar's government to reveal the arrests of three Moroccans and two Indians.
Earlier, the NY Times reported that President Bush called to congraulate the new prime minister, and "reiterated our solidarity with the Spanish people."
Reiterate? How do you reiterate something that you didn't, um, iterate?? 80 to 90 percent of Spain OPPOSED sending their troops to Iraq. Bush NEVER expressed solidarity with the Spanish people. I guess unilateralism means never having to say you're in solidarity...
With Spain's strong economy, Aznar and his party seemed headed to victory a week ago, despite widespread dislike for his arrogant, authoritarian manner. His arrogance led him to drag Spain into Bush's War - the war on Iraq, not the war on terror. That drew his country into the terrorist line of fire. Aznar could have shown the courage of the soldiers he sent and simply faced the music. He should have said: yes, it was al-Qaeda, they're targeting us now, but let's stand together. Instead, Aznar chose to exploit a national tragedy for political gain by blaming Basque separatists, a tactic which outraged most of the independent voters. His government cried "ETA!", while they CONCEALED the fact that they were arresting members of al-Qaeda! It even ordered the state-owned TV station to avoid covering the widespread protests against the ruling party, and aired a documentary on ETA instead. The party founded and led by Franco supporters was now raising his spectre. So the voters punished them, and now Spain is finally heeding the will of its people. This election was not a blow to democracy. It was a blow to authoritarianism.
Hmm. Arrogance. Lying. Exploiting a national tragedy to punish domestic enemies. Does Aznar remind you of anyone? Anyone?
Blair had his "sexed-up" dossier, Bush had Niger and the missing WMDs, and now Aznar has had his comeuppance. A few months ago, a very smart friend of mine asked me: What was wrong in deposing a bad man like Hussein? The answer, I think, lies in the corruption of our own character. The more dangerous we make our enemies to be, the more desperate we become, and the more willing we are to bend the rules and violate our principles. And those who rise to power in times of paranoia are the least scrupulous kind of people. Democracies may or may not be able to force change in other regimes. And reasonable people may disagree on whether we ought to do so. But we should always adhere to our professed values, because the legimitmacy of all our actions, at home and abroad, depend on it.
What makes this turn of events absurd is, after anthrax and Saddam, the chickenhawks finally can tie something evil to al-Qaeda and not have to lie about it...and they lie about it! Maybe the title to Al Franken's book wasn't overkill after all.
Finally, let's be clear on one thing. There was no cowering, no retreating from al-Qaeda here. While Spain's involvement in Iraq may have led to the attacks, the attacks themselves did not drive voters into the arms of the Socialists. Anyone who conscientiously followed the news from day to day saw that the government's response - which avoided taking on the real terrorists - angered the public which saw it, correctly or otherwise, as duplicitous and appallingly cynical. Just read the NPR report, or better yet, listen to the audio, especially the comments by the Christian Science Monitor journalist. While writing tonight, I haven't heard any other analysis. But I am now looking up what Josh Marshall has been saying - basically, the same thing. Only he does it all in a few sentences.
Of course, I am hardly clairvoyant and often, not even timely. I know a few things about contemporary Spain, but I certainly am not an expert. What lent me a modicum of insight was my experience as an American over the past two and a half years, as a witness to our government's willingness - nay, eagerness - to demonize anti-war protestors, critics of globalization, environmental groups, skeptical nations, even the teacher's union, with words like "terrorist" or "traitor". Such loose talk can trivialize the real demons, the unequivocal terrorism that truly threatens the free world. And it makes those in any potential coalition a little less willing to follow where America wants to lead.
Sunday, March 14, 2004
So many words unspoken
When she quietly entered through the curtain last night, after two bands and almost two hours, almost no one in the crowd noticed. My sister asked, "Is that her?" Low slung jeans, bright ski cap, a cherubic face in the shadows. It was Mary Lou Lord, alright.
Seven years had gone by since my college girlfriend introduced me to her music. Ironically, we had broken up by then. But the chemistry of our musical tastes continued. Back in college, I was into "classic" rock, and then folk. During 1995 & 1996 I was listening to a lot of Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Zeppelin, Neil Young, as well as newer folks like Pete Droge and Sarah McLachlan. Rachel was into "indie" rock, 10,000 Maniacs, Guided by Voices, Helium, the Cranes, Mazzy Star, Lemonheads, and later Belle and Sebastian and Sleater-Kinney. Our musical worlds were not far apart, and in effect doubled through playing each other CDs and later, sending mix tapes.
So along comes this Boston-based singer who hung out in Seattle with Kurt Cobain, a folkie girl on Kill Rock Stars with a punk ethic. Which is pretty much the folk ethic - authentic, anti-materialist, do it yourself, independent, keep it simple stupid. Her first song I ever heard was "Some Jingle Jangle Morning":
"Song about a sunbeam, song about a girl
Her voice still rings and echoes in my mind
So many words unspoken, so many worlds apart
Your memory is all you left behind..."
I saw her twice in 1998, in San Francisco. The first time, she opened for Whiskeytown. The other time, the Raging Teens and Slim Dunlap from the Replacements opened for her. She covered Dylan, she covered Pete Droge, I never heard someone of such impeccable musical taste. For a singer, she was also 100% fan, and a huge fan and friend of Elliott Smith. That was the night of the Academy Awards, and Elliott performed "Miss Misery" from Good Will Hunting in front of half of America. That was 1998.
And now it's 2004. Elliott Smith is dead. Whiskeytown frontman Ryan Adams is the biggest and most brilliant thing in alt-country, big enough to spawn a backlash. One of the girls in opening act Sister South (think acoustic and pretty Dixie Chicks) wore a T-shirt that said, "Ryan Adams Sucks". I later found out that Ryan Adams himself puts out the shirts. Talk about beyond irony.
And Mary Lou Lord? Rehab, motherhood, still busking on the street... She just keeps on trucking, neither burning out nor fading away.
When she came out, I hoped that six years ago would tessllate into yesterday. Instead, I felt the full weight of six years had passed, a lot of water under the bridge. My interest in music waned and has recovered just recently. Other things took priority: teaching, law school, the real world. I only heard about the concert through Vicky, whom I had introduced to the novelty hit "His Indie World":
"I don't think I fit in to his indie world,
Guided by Voices and Velocity Girl
Eric's Trip and Rocketship, Rancid, Rocket From the Crypt
Bikini Kill and Built to Spill, it's plain to see that I don't fit..."
I remember the weirdly compelling music wafting from the dorms of my fellow frosh: Alice in Chains, Suede, Primus, Jane's Addiction. The same folks later tuned into Matchbox 20 and Asian pop. We like to yak about musicial integrity. What about the listener's musical integrity?
So many words unspoken, so many worlds apart... It's not just her tuneful ear, or her intimate voice, or the life she's chosen - a life dedicated to music - not just her music, but the music of the troubadour giants on whose shoulders she sings.
It's the noisy six-year silence to which I can relate only too well. I like to read more than I like to write. I'm also better at the former. The components that make me a writer (appreciation of language, respect for insight, a love of words) make me a bigger fan. When I read Jonathon Kozol's first-hand account of inner-city schools, Louise Gluck's poem on friendship between a believer and an unbeliever, or Natalia Ginzburg's meditation on real virtues, I want to give a shout out to their vision. But I also lose the desire to share mine with its similar but duller perspective.
One way to clear my inferiority complex would be not to read anything by professional writers. Ignorance is bliss, right? Because poor writing or thinking agitates me as much as its superior counterpart leaves me in thrall. I get depressed when I read Michael Kinsley claim in Time that "Greed is good" for the economy (then why aren't people investing in WorldCom or Martha Stewart Omnimedia?) or NPR's Rob Gifford compare Roh Moo-hyun and Chun Doo-hwan as if they were fellow presidents tainted by similar scandals (Roh violated a parliamentary technicality, while Chun overthrew the government and imprisoned his political opponents). Actually it's the inability to respond with equal measure. People who think their weblogs are doing something are fooling themselves. But if you write or shout or sing out of love, or hate, or a need to purge your soul, then yeah, bring it on.
Mary Lou Lord @ Club Spaceland, March 13, 2004
First impressions: I thought she seemed a bit nervous and/or tipsy. Or maybe just plain tired. (Turns out she and the band Gingersol have been playing every day for nineteen consecutive days! I didn't know.) She told the crowd she has spasmodic dysphonia, a neurological disorder she described as writer's cramp for the voice. She apologized for her condition. So the first few songs - Western Union Desperate, His N.D. World (the Americana version, and a request on her second song), He'd Be A Diamond - she sang the low notes instead of the high ones. Sometime she sprechstimme-d in a sweet growl - think Renee Zellweger. More than once she remarked, "I’m getting too old for this shit..."
And then she shut out her worries, the chatty El Lay barflies, the cheapo guitar, and let her music take over her voice.
It started to happen with a cover of "1952 Vincent Black Lightning", by the great Richard Thompson. Her voice was still clipped but she never faltered in singing of a love between a British gangster, a girl, and the title motorcyle. The intricate melody drew me to notice her proficient guitar-playing too.
After ten or so songs, she brought on the previous band, Gingersol, to back her electric set. She sang "Stars Burn Out" (dedicated no doubt to her friend-muses Kurt, Elliott, et al), 43, and then "Aim Low". Despite the tricky sound system and the drowning power of her band, the indie soul of her last great song (2000) shone brightly. It's like Mount Kilimanjaro, a musical peak standing by itself. Why not more? Maybe it's as the song says: "You can't lose if you don't take part." Sigh.
Despite making the "Real Life Rock Top 10" (with a bullet!) of Greil Marcus, the art critic and fellow alum (class of '63 I think), I can 't find the full lyrics anywhere on the web. I found the line above on a Brazilian's blog, listed as her "Frase do momento" for February 23rd. That day, she was listening to "Aim Low", had just watched "Peixe Grande" ("Fish Great" says the universal translator), and ate Sesame Chicken. Sounds like an American girl to me.
Speaking of American girls, the song reminds me of a few:
"I never asked you if you'd like to go dancing
It saved hearing that you might decline
I never told you that I wanted to be with you
I aimed low when you walked on by."
She followed with "Lights Are Changing", which like the previous three, were written by or co-written with Nick Saloman of the famously obscure Bevis Frond. As an interpreter, she is always confident and loose. The opening chords are familiar, she quipped, and sang "I was born in a small town". Then she repeated it to the tune of "There she goes", before starting the song in earnest. The band was sharp, especially drummer John Florance, whose mighty drum rolls even caused the band once to turn their heads.
The only full-band song she sang of her own was "Some Jingle Jangle Morning". But she has made the others her own, while ironically, her song alludes to Nirvana, Guns and Roses, and Bob Dylan (and their songs that allude to drugs). Nonetheless, the lyrics are intensely personal and defy easy interpretation. For me it conveys a feeling of love and realization of loss - realizing a part of your life is irretrievably gone. It may be an old lover, or the Northwest scene, or the person you were way back when. I can identify with the song now in ways unknown when I first heard it.
Lord went solo acoustic again, and played "Sayonara" which I had never heard before. She followed with "I Figured You Out", "Camden Town Rain" and "Birthday Boy" - probably the three songs of hers I listen to most. Elliott Smith wrote "I Figured You Out", but never recorded it - he once said at a concert that "I thought it sounded like the Eagles and I thought it sucked. So here, check it out, see what you think." As she finished, she added, "And no, it doesn't sound like the Eagles."
By the latter two songs, I noticed she had regained her range, probably during the electric set. Her voice soared without losing a whisper of intimacy. Along with "Some Jingle Jangle Morning, "Camden Town Rain" is among the finest songs she has written. They also place the bulk of her most memorable work in the early 1990s. I suppose there's nothing wrong with that. Right, Pearl Jam?
I wonder if the handful of fans who she recognized had followed her for a decade. They were slightly older than me, so it's possible. She even dedicated "Birthday Boy" to Daniel, by personalizing four familiar lines.
Before we left Club Spaceland, I stopped to say hi. I heard her say to a fan that her new album was "pretty good" with a half-satisfied look on her face. I told her I'd last seen her in SF, at Bottom of the Hill. It was Academy Awards night. Rachel came out to see you. "Oh, Rachel," she said. Yes, she remembered the show. She had somebody tell her when Elliott would be performing on TV.
She is only a troubadour, soul sister of Dylan, before Dylan changed the rules, and she has survived the angst. Look: she has just walked onto the plaform, smiling at the subway riders, strumming a guitar. She's got the heart to back it up.
Seven years had gone by since my college girlfriend introduced me to her music. Ironically, we had broken up by then. But the chemistry of our musical tastes continued. Back in college, I was into "classic" rock, and then folk. During 1995 & 1996 I was listening to a lot of Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Zeppelin, Neil Young, as well as newer folks like Pete Droge and Sarah McLachlan. Rachel was into "indie" rock, 10,000 Maniacs, Guided by Voices, Helium, the Cranes, Mazzy Star, Lemonheads, and later Belle and Sebastian and Sleater-Kinney. Our musical worlds were not far apart, and in effect doubled through playing each other CDs and later, sending mix tapes.
So along comes this Boston-based singer who hung out in Seattle with Kurt Cobain, a folkie girl on Kill Rock Stars with a punk ethic. Which is pretty much the folk ethic - authentic, anti-materialist, do it yourself, independent, keep it simple stupid. Her first song I ever heard was "Some Jingle Jangle Morning":
"Song about a sunbeam, song about a girl
Her voice still rings and echoes in my mind
So many words unspoken, so many worlds apart
Your memory is all you left behind..."
I saw her twice in 1998, in San Francisco. The first time, she opened for Whiskeytown. The other time, the Raging Teens and Slim Dunlap from the Replacements opened for her. She covered Dylan, she covered Pete Droge, I never heard someone of such impeccable musical taste. For a singer, she was also 100% fan, and a huge fan and friend of Elliott Smith. That was the night of the Academy Awards, and Elliott performed "Miss Misery" from Good Will Hunting in front of half of America. That was 1998.
And now it's 2004. Elliott Smith is dead. Whiskeytown frontman Ryan Adams is the biggest and most brilliant thing in alt-country, big enough to spawn a backlash. One of the girls in opening act Sister South (think acoustic and pretty Dixie Chicks) wore a T-shirt that said, "Ryan Adams Sucks". I later found out that Ryan Adams himself puts out the shirts. Talk about beyond irony.
And Mary Lou Lord? Rehab, motherhood, still busking on the street... She just keeps on trucking, neither burning out nor fading away.
When she came out, I hoped that six years ago would tessllate into yesterday. Instead, I felt the full weight of six years had passed, a lot of water under the bridge. My interest in music waned and has recovered just recently. Other things took priority: teaching, law school, the real world. I only heard about the concert through Vicky, whom I had introduced to the novelty hit "His Indie World":
"I don't think I fit in to his indie world,
Guided by Voices and Velocity Girl
Eric's Trip and Rocketship, Rancid, Rocket From the Crypt
Bikini Kill and Built to Spill, it's plain to see that I don't fit..."
I remember the weirdly compelling music wafting from the dorms of my fellow frosh: Alice in Chains, Suede, Primus, Jane's Addiction. The same folks later tuned into Matchbox 20 and Asian pop. We like to yak about musicial integrity. What about the listener's musical integrity?
So many words unspoken, so many worlds apart... It's not just her tuneful ear, or her intimate voice, or the life she's chosen - a life dedicated to music - not just her music, but the music of the troubadour giants on whose shoulders she sings.
It's the noisy six-year silence to which I can relate only too well. I like to read more than I like to write. I'm also better at the former. The components that make me a writer (appreciation of language, respect for insight, a love of words) make me a bigger fan. When I read Jonathon Kozol's first-hand account of inner-city schools, Louise Gluck's poem on friendship between a believer and an unbeliever, or Natalia Ginzburg's meditation on real virtues, I want to give a shout out to their vision. But I also lose the desire to share mine with its similar but duller perspective.
One way to clear my inferiority complex would be not to read anything by professional writers. Ignorance is bliss, right? Because poor writing or thinking agitates me as much as its superior counterpart leaves me in thrall. I get depressed when I read Michael Kinsley claim in Time that "Greed is good" for the economy (then why aren't people investing in WorldCom or Martha Stewart Omnimedia?) or NPR's Rob Gifford compare Roh Moo-hyun and Chun Doo-hwan as if they were fellow presidents tainted by similar scandals (Roh violated a parliamentary technicality, while Chun overthrew the government and imprisoned his political opponents). Actually it's the inability to respond with equal measure. People who think their weblogs are doing something are fooling themselves. But if you write or shout or sing out of love, or hate, or a need to purge your soul, then yeah, bring it on.
Mary Lou Lord @ Club Spaceland, March 13, 2004
First impressions: I thought she seemed a bit nervous and/or tipsy. Or maybe just plain tired. (Turns out she and the band Gingersol have been playing every day for nineteen consecutive days! I didn't know.) She told the crowd she has spasmodic dysphonia, a neurological disorder she described as writer's cramp for the voice. She apologized for her condition. So the first few songs - Western Union Desperate, His N.D. World (the Americana version, and a request on her second song), He'd Be A Diamond - she sang the low notes instead of the high ones. Sometime she sprechstimme-d in a sweet growl - think Renee Zellweger. More than once she remarked, "I’m getting too old for this shit..."
And then she shut out her worries, the chatty El Lay barflies, the cheapo guitar, and let her music take over her voice.
It started to happen with a cover of "1952 Vincent Black Lightning", by the great Richard Thompson. Her voice was still clipped but she never faltered in singing of a love between a British gangster, a girl, and the title motorcyle. The intricate melody drew me to notice her proficient guitar-playing too.
After ten or so songs, she brought on the previous band, Gingersol, to back her electric set. She sang "Stars Burn Out" (dedicated no doubt to her friend-muses Kurt, Elliott, et al), 43, and then "Aim Low". Despite the tricky sound system and the drowning power of her band, the indie soul of her last great song (2000) shone brightly. It's like Mount Kilimanjaro, a musical peak standing by itself. Why not more? Maybe it's as the song says: "You can't lose if you don't take part." Sigh.
Despite making the "Real Life Rock Top 10" (with a bullet!) of Greil Marcus, the art critic and fellow alum (class of '63 I think), I can 't find the full lyrics anywhere on the web. I found the line above on a Brazilian's blog, listed as her "Frase do momento" for February 23rd. That day, she was listening to "Aim Low", had just watched "Peixe Grande" ("Fish Great" says the universal translator), and ate Sesame Chicken. Sounds like an American girl to me.
Speaking of American girls, the song reminds me of a few:
"I never asked you if you'd like to go dancing
It saved hearing that you might decline
I never told you that I wanted to be with you
I aimed low when you walked on by."
She followed with "Lights Are Changing", which like the previous three, were written by or co-written with Nick Saloman of the famously obscure Bevis Frond. As an interpreter, she is always confident and loose. The opening chords are familiar, she quipped, and sang "I was born in a small town". Then she repeated it to the tune of "There she goes", before starting the song in earnest. The band was sharp, especially drummer John Florance, whose mighty drum rolls even caused the band once to turn their heads.
The only full-band song she sang of her own was "Some Jingle Jangle Morning". But she has made the others her own, while ironically, her song alludes to Nirvana, Guns and Roses, and Bob Dylan (and their songs that allude to drugs). Nonetheless, the lyrics are intensely personal and defy easy interpretation. For me it conveys a feeling of love and realization of loss - realizing a part of your life is irretrievably gone. It may be an old lover, or the Northwest scene, or the person you were way back when. I can identify with the song now in ways unknown when I first heard it.
Lord went solo acoustic again, and played "Sayonara" which I had never heard before. She followed with "I Figured You Out", "Camden Town Rain" and "Birthday Boy" - probably the three songs of hers I listen to most. Elliott Smith wrote "I Figured You Out", but never recorded it - he once said at a concert that "I thought it sounded like the Eagles and I thought it sucked. So here, check it out, see what you think." As she finished, she added, "And no, it doesn't sound like the Eagles."
By the latter two songs, I noticed she had regained her range, probably during the electric set. Her voice soared without losing a whisper of intimacy. Along with "Some Jingle Jangle Morning, "Camden Town Rain" is among the finest songs she has written. They also place the bulk of her most memorable work in the early 1990s. I suppose there's nothing wrong with that. Right, Pearl Jam?
I wonder if the handful of fans who she recognized had followed her for a decade. They were slightly older than me, so it's possible. She even dedicated "Birthday Boy" to Daniel, by personalizing four familiar lines.
Before we left Club Spaceland, I stopped to say hi. I heard her say to a fan that her new album was "pretty good" with a half-satisfied look on her face. I told her I'd last seen her in SF, at Bottom of the Hill. It was Academy Awards night. Rachel came out to see you. "Oh, Rachel," she said. Yes, she remembered the show. She had somebody tell her when Elliott would be performing on TV.
She is only a troubadour, soul sister of Dylan, before Dylan changed the rules, and she has survived the angst. Look: she has just walked onto the plaform, smiling at the subway riders, strumming a guitar. She's got the heart to back it up.
Saturday, February 14, 2004
The square within a square
Yesterday afternoon, I drove my trusty 1984 Honda Accord to Heritage Plaza, about a mile away in North Irvine. One of the better malls around town, Heritage is probably the largest in Irvine. Yet it sports a rather low-key, beige-colored, wood frame appearance. Nothing too kitschy or loud. The look hasn't changed much over the past two decades, though of course stores come and go. On the main "strip" is Ralph's, Savon Drugs, ACE Hardware, and Lamppost Pizza, plus a variety of stationary and jewelry stores, hair salons, and small restaurants. Jutting out at the strip's end is a complex of offices, doctors, chiropractors, and such. North of the main strip is a smaller quad which in the past decade has filled with the ethnic stores. I had lunch at Wendy's, withdrew some cash from BofA, got a haircut from one of the many salons, picked up contact solution at Savon Drugs, bought two inner tubes at Jax Bicycle, and a few grocery items at Super Irvine.
Super Irvine is the Persian market in the "ethnic" square, or maybe I should say Persian square. Five of the stores now bear Arabic script, while Chinese and Korean appear on three others. The largest building houses the Caspian restaurant. In the mid-1980s it held Pavilion, then Irvine's only Chinese restaurant. I remember the waiter brought our rice in individual bowls. How weird, I thought! Anyways, the Chinese businesses have moved on to other squares. But I shop at Super Irvine sometimes, because it's close, they have good pita bread, and I can honor the Southern California grocery workers strike.
The current issue Food and Wine had some neat Mediterranean recipes, and I wanted to make Citrus-Scented Lamb Stew, a Feta, Tomato, and Red Onion Salad, and perhaps some Spinach Pastries. Not only does Super Irvine have lamb but it's also hahal. That means the animal is slaughtered by a believer who recites the Muslim prayer, and the meat is kept free of contamination from "other" products, and the process is certified by a religious authority. Of course, certain meat products are always haram (not halal), like pork or blood - as with kosher laws.
I bought some lamb shoulder, carrots, an onion, ground cinnamon, bread, dried pineapple, and pomegranate juice. I forgot the feta cheese, which I'll pick up this afternoon. Vicky's coming back from LA today, so it's a good day to get back in the spirit of cooking.
The square within a square exudes a welcome atmosphere. Most folks seem quite secular and stylish (in a 80s sort of way). After all, my Persian neighbors were fleeing a theocracy when they came here. And the few headscarves mixed with bottle blondes speaks of cultural pluralism. Like Chinese Americans, they've become part of the natural fabric of far suburbia: engineers and doctors, soccer and science fairs, lawns and nice sedans. Irvine's "live and let live" lifestyle fits natives and immigrants just fine. language schools for the kids, cultural festivals for the families, and sports competitions for the teens.
So I was surprised to read that controversy erupted just a stone's throw from my house, all because of a soccer tournament thrown by the Muslim Football League in Irvine. Some players selected team names like "Mujahedeen" and "Intifadas". Last month's news, but the League continues to organize tournaments.
You wonder if these critics are the same people who laugh when Native American groups complain about the Washington Redskins or Cleveland Indians. Is warrior imagery fine if "we" exploit a racial minority, but not if members of the minority promote their identity?
After the brouhaha, the teams who had chosen politically-charged names changed them, except for the "Intifadas", a word that has a broader meaning than the one most Americans know. That seemed to satisfy the protestors, except for a middle-aged blond woman waving an American flag. I saw her picture in the January 5th Orange County Register. Her name was Shelley Rubin. She was the wife of a terrorist.
Of course, the Register failed to note this little detail. They just described her as the widow of Irv Rubin.
Rubin was arrested two years ago for plotting to bomb a mosque in Culver City, as well as the office of Congressman Darrell Issa. Issa, a Republican best known for launching the recall election, is of Lebanese descent. While awaiting trial on the charges of conspiracy and terrorism, Rubin committed suicide in jail. Last week, his associate Earl Krugel pleaded guilty to the charges.
Make no mistake, Irv Rubin was an American terrorist. For Shelley Rubin to protest the football tournament while waving an American flag is the epitome of chutzpah. But it's her right to wrap herself in the red white and blue, because free expression - especially political expression - is what our country stands for. Too bad Shelley Rubin doesn't understand that free expression is not hers alone.
Super Irvine is the Persian market in the "ethnic" square, or maybe I should say Persian square. Five of the stores now bear Arabic script, while Chinese and Korean appear on three others. The largest building houses the Caspian restaurant. In the mid-1980s it held Pavilion, then Irvine's only Chinese restaurant. I remember the waiter brought our rice in individual bowls. How weird, I thought! Anyways, the Chinese businesses have moved on to other squares. But I shop at Super Irvine sometimes, because it's close, they have good pita bread, and I can honor the Southern California grocery workers strike.
The current issue Food and Wine had some neat Mediterranean recipes, and I wanted to make Citrus-Scented Lamb Stew, a Feta, Tomato, and Red Onion Salad, and perhaps some Spinach Pastries. Not only does Super Irvine have lamb but it's also hahal. That means the animal is slaughtered by a believer who recites the Muslim prayer, and the meat is kept free of contamination from "other" products, and the process is certified by a religious authority. Of course, certain meat products are always haram (not halal), like pork or blood - as with kosher laws.
I bought some lamb shoulder, carrots, an onion, ground cinnamon, bread, dried pineapple, and pomegranate juice. I forgot the feta cheese, which I'll pick up this afternoon. Vicky's coming back from LA today, so it's a good day to get back in the spirit of cooking.
The square within a square exudes a welcome atmosphere. Most folks seem quite secular and stylish (in a 80s sort of way). After all, my Persian neighbors were fleeing a theocracy when they came here. And the few headscarves mixed with bottle blondes speaks of cultural pluralism. Like Chinese Americans, they've become part of the natural fabric of far suburbia: engineers and doctors, soccer and science fairs, lawns and nice sedans. Irvine's "live and let live" lifestyle fits natives and immigrants just fine. language schools for the kids, cultural festivals for the families, and sports competitions for the teens.
So I was surprised to read that controversy erupted just a stone's throw from my house, all because of a soccer tournament thrown by the Muslim Football League in Irvine. Some players selected team names like "Mujahedeen" and "Intifadas". Last month's news, but the League continues to organize tournaments.
You wonder if these critics are the same people who laugh when Native American groups complain about the Washington Redskins or Cleveland Indians. Is warrior imagery fine if "we" exploit a racial minority, but not if members of the minority promote their identity?
After the brouhaha, the teams who had chosen politically-charged names changed them, except for the "Intifadas", a word that has a broader meaning than the one most Americans know. That seemed to satisfy the protestors, except for a middle-aged blond woman waving an American flag. I saw her picture in the January 5th Orange County Register. Her name was Shelley Rubin. She was the wife of a terrorist.
Of course, the Register failed to note this little detail. They just described her as the widow of Irv Rubin.
Rubin was arrested two years ago for plotting to bomb a mosque in Culver City, as well as the office of Congressman Darrell Issa. Issa, a Republican best known for launching the recall election, is of Lebanese descent. While awaiting trial on the charges of conspiracy and terrorism, Rubin committed suicide in jail. Last week, his associate Earl Krugel pleaded guilty to the charges.
Make no mistake, Irv Rubin was an American terrorist. For Shelley Rubin to protest the football tournament while waving an American flag is the epitome of chutzpah. But it's her right to wrap herself in the red white and blue, because free expression - especially political expression - is what our country stands for. Too bad Shelley Rubin doesn't understand that free expression is not hers alone.
Friday, February 13, 2004
I woke up today to find that "The future's Orange County". Heralding this prediction was no self-promoting local rag whose name I won't mention, but rather the Guardian UK. Nearly three million people, yet no public hospitals or law schools to serve them. Billions on toll roads, not one cent for affordable housing. Countless gated "neighborhoods", but no downtown. Yes, if privatization, segregation, and alienation figure in our national destiny, then OC is the future.
But fortunately, the Guardian was not talking about OC, but "The OC", a show about which I have many good things to say. Is the drama flamboyant and hyperbolic? Sure. But if only the exaggerations are true, as Adorno once said of psychoanalysis, then much rings true about the OC. Especially the greed, insecurity, insincerity, hypocrisy - well I could go on. And I will.
But there's a lot behind the "Orange Curtain" to incite those sins. Beauty. Wealth. Sunshine. Space. Promise. My family moved here almost 28 years ago, and it's been the landscape for our American Dream. I've seen it change too much not to miss what "progress" and "planning" have destroyed, and not to cherish what is still left, and not to praise what it still could be. For better or worse, Orange County is my community. It does not belong to the John Birch Society, or Donald Bren, or the despotic homeowner's associations, or to the ironically named freedom.com. They don't own it, as long as we tell our experience and share our vision of how things ought to be.
OC belongs to all of us - to strive, to speak, to fight, and to resist.
But fortunately, the Guardian was not talking about OC, but "The OC", a show about which I have many good things to say. Is the drama flamboyant and hyperbolic? Sure. But if only the exaggerations are true, as Adorno once said of psychoanalysis, then much rings true about the OC. Especially the greed, insecurity, insincerity, hypocrisy - well I could go on. And I will.
But there's a lot behind the "Orange Curtain" to incite those sins. Beauty. Wealth. Sunshine. Space. Promise. My family moved here almost 28 years ago, and it's been the landscape for our American Dream. I've seen it change too much not to miss what "progress" and "planning" have destroyed, and not to cherish what is still left, and not to praise what it still could be. For better or worse, Orange County is my community. It does not belong to the John Birch Society, or Donald Bren, or the despotic homeowner's associations, or to the ironically named freedom.com. They don't own it, as long as we tell our experience and share our vision of how things ought to be.
OC belongs to all of us - to strive, to speak, to fight, and to resist.
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