Dear American friends
Oct. 4th, 2005 02:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jawnbcI've been meaning to write for some time, but it's never been a good time to set these words down. And that's important, because I'm afraid that some of you won't like what I have to say--so saying it right is doubly important. And it boils down to this: enough with the whining about Bush and the Republicans.
Please. Instead, do something about it. Something that involves more than bleating. Something active.
Since 2000 most of US-based friends have been wailing and railing about this guy and his ilk. And for the most part I don't disagree with your concerns: he's more theocratic, artistocratic and dogmatic than I thinks suits his high office. And while the circumstances under which he was elected back then were more than a little suspect (in FL especially), the cold stark reality is that neither the Republicans nor the Democrats campaign for a majority of US votes in a presidential election. Instead they try to garner enough Electoral College votes: Gore was wailing about Alaska and Bush didn't cry about Rhode Island--they were both busy with Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania. And in 2004, though there wasn' the high drama of "dangling chads", the results seem to be no less satisfactory, even though both parties (again) campaigned to win the White House, not a majority level of support from all Americans. Bush, however, did win both: enough Electoral College and a majority of the popular vote. In fact, he got more votes (raw votes or percentage-wise) than Clinton did. You might not have wanted him, but clearly most of your fellow citizens--those willing to vote--did.
Since then...more and more it seems...a lot of you have used your blogs (and email) to express your frustrations, fears, pains. And that's not merely OK, that's a good thing--to a point. My concern is that the degree of outrage I see here doesn't correspond to the degree of outrage I see in the press, nor the degree of action taken by Americans to effect substantive change.
To some extent I mean political action: organizing, campaigning, even standing for office to make things different. And for those with a distaste for party politics--understandable in a 2-party, centre-right versus right-wing political system--there are all sorts of other organizations doing political organizing. And if you're concerned about ideology, pick an issue. Talk to your friends. Organize to take action yourselves; there's nothing to stop any group of concerned citizens from working together in a democracy, save time and resources. Very few of my friends here live in abject poverty; most find the time to have rich and full personal lives. Consider taking 5 or 10 hours of your month and dedicating to change.
But even if the the whole "political" thing leaves a bitter taste in your mouth, there are many other ways to help out. A lot of really good programmes sponsored by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have had their funding cut since 2000. In particular, programmes regarding sexual and reproductive health, antipoverty, HIV/AIDS and public education have been decimated--if not in raw dollars available, via "donor constraints" that require certain narrow ideological perspectives be the focus (or sole message) of said programmes. As an example, some states--like Minnesota--have been able to make do without federal funding for their sexual health programmes in high schools--but many haven't. One way for them to deliver such vital assistance is through volunteers--in many cases, sustained, long-term voluntary commitments by skilled and knowledgeable persons could return these programmes to some level of viability. Sadly, it's just not happening.
So I encourage you--no, I implore you--the next time you feel like letting rip against the Way Things Are in the US, find a way to take action to make Things the Way They Should Be. And tell us about it--what you're doing, who it helps, how others could help as well. You can make a difference. Some of you already are. And the reality is that in other parts of the world, often in places where our assumptions about democracy just don't hold true, others are doing in much more dangerous and challenging circumstances.
I generally loathe platitudes, but one of my favourites is and old "Quaker" saying: when you pray, move your feet. And if you don't pray, move 'em anyway.
Please. Instead, do something about it. Something that involves more than bleating. Something active.
Since 2000 most of US-based friends have been wailing and railing about this guy and his ilk. And for the most part I don't disagree with your concerns: he's more theocratic, artistocratic and dogmatic than I thinks suits his high office. And while the circumstances under which he was elected back then were more than a little suspect (in FL especially), the cold stark reality is that neither the Republicans nor the Democrats campaign for a majority of US votes in a presidential election. Instead they try to garner enough Electoral College votes: Gore was wailing about Alaska and Bush didn't cry about Rhode Island--they were both busy with Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania. And in 2004, though there wasn' the high drama of "dangling chads", the results seem to be no less satisfactory, even though both parties (again) campaigned to win the White House, not a majority level of support from all Americans. Bush, however, did win both: enough Electoral College and a majority of the popular vote. In fact, he got more votes (raw votes or percentage-wise) than Clinton did. You might not have wanted him, but clearly most of your fellow citizens--those willing to vote--did.
Since then...more and more it seems...a lot of you have used your blogs (and email) to express your frustrations, fears, pains. And that's not merely OK, that's a good thing--to a point. My concern is that the degree of outrage I see here doesn't correspond to the degree of outrage I see in the press, nor the degree of action taken by Americans to effect substantive change.
To some extent I mean political action: organizing, campaigning, even standing for office to make things different. And for those with a distaste for party politics--understandable in a 2-party, centre-right versus right-wing political system--there are all sorts of other organizations doing political organizing. And if you're concerned about ideology, pick an issue. Talk to your friends. Organize to take action yourselves; there's nothing to stop any group of concerned citizens from working together in a democracy, save time and resources. Very few of my friends here live in abject poverty; most find the time to have rich and full personal lives. Consider taking 5 or 10 hours of your month and dedicating to change.
But even if the the whole "political" thing leaves a bitter taste in your mouth, there are many other ways to help out. A lot of really good programmes sponsored by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have had their funding cut since 2000. In particular, programmes regarding sexual and reproductive health, antipoverty, HIV/AIDS and public education have been decimated--if not in raw dollars available, via "donor constraints" that require certain narrow ideological perspectives be the focus (or sole message) of said programmes. As an example, some states--like Minnesota--have been able to make do without federal funding for their sexual health programmes in high schools--but many haven't. One way for them to deliver such vital assistance is through volunteers--in many cases, sustained, long-term voluntary commitments by skilled and knowledgeable persons could return these programmes to some level of viability. Sadly, it's just not happening.
So I encourage you--no, I implore you--the next time you feel like letting rip against the Way Things Are in the US, find a way to take action to make Things the Way They Should Be. And tell us about it--what you're doing, who it helps, how others could help as well. You can make a difference. Some of you already are. And the reality is that in other parts of the world, often in places where our assumptions about democracy just don't hold true, others are doing in much more dangerous and challenging circumstances.
I generally loathe platitudes, but one of my favourites is and old "Quaker" saying: when you pray, move your feet. And if you don't pray, move 'em anyway.
