I have been inspired by my siblings lately to put my thoughts in coherent order. On the one hand is Juli, whose opinions are well-researched and surprisingly diverse. On the other hand is Jarrod, who is navigating by instinct which is not a bad thing. Instincts are good to have for they act in our own perceived needs for self-preservation and also color our outlook on the world. Politics are interesting in that they seem to bring our passions and convictions to the surface, and I for one am grateful to use this blog as a forum to teach each other.
Perhaps you are wondering what the title of this blog means. It is from the novel East of Eden by John Steinbeck, a book that contemplates the ramifications that our personal actions make. Read it, by the way, if you never have. Though the Grapes of Wrath is more popular, I believe this book has more to say about the human spirit, which brings us back to the word above, Timshel. In the book it means "Thou Mayest." This is what Jarrod wrote in my comment space (and please, this is not meant as an offense to me, but merely acted as a catalyst).
"If Obama is the one that inspires you and holds your best interests in mind than you seriously should consider different interests. He associates with known terrorists, he has defended a group that has participated in voter fraud, his pastor and "mentor" for more than 20 years has called America the U.S of KKK A. His wife has said that she has never been proud of America until now."
I could argue contrarily about this in a million different ways, but I won't because I believe ultimately in Timshel, or "Thou Mayest." In the novel, Lee, the Chinese servant and sage, and Samuel Hamilton, the man who never ceases to be curious and question the reasons for life are arguing about different translations of the bible. Instead of "Thou Shalt," which of course means "you must," the Hebrew word is Timshel. "Thou Mayest." It is much more powerful, and it goes back to the notion of free agency, or free will. This word is extremely powerful. It leaves our choice to do good or evil up to us. It allows us the leeway to explore both the dark and enlightened corners of our souls.
In a political season highlighted by misinformation, media saturation and candidate overexposure, I am going to exercise Timshel and allow people I disagree with to do that, too. We believe, we love, we hate for reasons that will never be explicable to someone other than us, and perhaps not even then.
So Timshel, friends, and exercise your free will, because that is our univeral gift.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Why I feel sorry for John McCain
From dictionary.com I pasted the following definition:
hu·man·ist
The reasons I feel sorry for John McCain are mostly related to definition #1. After watching the debate tonight, I feel that John McCain has lost his dignity. Granted, it was slipping out of his grasp weeks ago, and he likely has Karl Rove-like minions prying it from his fists. I feel that John McCain is an honorable man, one who has served his country amazingly and was put through five years of what could only be worse than hell. I feel, however, that his time in the Hanoi Hilton changed him. Formed him. Drives him. My BA in acting has taught me a few things about how humans operate, and we all know the meaning of text vs. subtext. The text is, of course, the words that you say. The subtext of course, is what drives the meaning of the words. When someone asks you if you're okay and you say in that short, exasperated or forlorn way "Nothing," then we know that something is wrong. We all do it, every day. McCain really, really wants you to like him. He said as much in his concluding statement this evening. Of course, I am paraphrasing, but "my friends, I'm from a long line of McCain's who have served this country and I've been here a long time and I want to do it some more," is not enough to make me consider his policies. In fact, it is the very thing that made me sad for him. Here was the subtext for me (and this is the great thing about art, because all of it is subjective. We likely saw some very different debates tonight simply because we saw them through different eyes): I was shot down in Vietnam and spent five years as a POW. I have earned my way, through my military, familial, and financial connections. I have been a Maverick because I never really thought that I would actually get nominated for president, and now that I am, I have to do what the Republican architects tell me to do. I have sold my authenticity in the hopes that you'll buy me.
The fact of the matter is, at one point in my existence, albeit many years ago, I actually admired John McCain, rabble-rouser from AZ. Back when the Straight Talk Express seemed like a political beacon, before he was being groomed for the presidency. It's like someone has smothered him. The grimace, the calculated laugh through clenched teeth, the skin cancer surgery scars running longwise down his face; all of this concerns me. Sarah Palin, should John McCain win and pass away in office, would be the U.S.'s greatest mistake and go down as our greatest folly, even surpassing Dick Cheney and Rummy.
Now to be fair, I feel sorry for Hillary Clinton, too. She and McCain are in the same boat. Both have been in politics for decades, with long careers, many successes and failures, more experience than Bushie 2, Obama, and Palin combined. Hillary REALLY wanted you to like her, too. She is the not-so-pretty girl who wants to be the prom queen. Oh, and guess who is? That's right...my favorite, Sarah Palin. The classic story of the girl who really deserves it being bested by the skinny girl with better hair. By the way, The New York Times the other day posted side by side statistics of presidential races and those who won or lost based upon, of all things, their height. Something like 8 of 10 times the taller candidate won. So I suppose we could posit the same theory for women, since women generally value beauty the way men value height. Sarah wins (even though she really does need new hair).
I would like to give my parents great credit for not requiring us to lean one way or another politically. Dad is saying, election after election, "I don't like either one of them." But here's the difference for me this year, a difference that was highlighted by the lackluster performances of John Kerry and Al Gore: Barack Obama inspires me. His words make me think about volunteering, about teaching, about doing my part for my community. When John McCain talks, I find myself staring rudely at his gesticulating arms. All I can think about is how that poor guy will never be able to raise his arms above his shoulders because he broke both his arms being shot down and they never healed properly. That's why I know that his wounds, his isolation in prison are the things that drive him. I don't want a man mired in the nightmare of his past laying the groundwork for my future.
hu·man·ist
| 1. | a person having a strong interest in or concern for human welfare, values, and dignity. |
| 2. | a person devoted to or versed in the humanities. |
| 3. | a student of human nature or affairs. |
| 4. | a classical scholar. |
| 5. | (sometimes initial capital letter) any one of the scholars of the Renaissance who pursued and disseminated the study and understanding of the cultures of ancient Rome and Greece, and emphasized secular, individualistic, and critical thought. |
| 6. | (sometimes initial capital letter) a person who follows a form of scientific or philosophical humanism. |
The reasons I feel sorry for John McCain are mostly related to definition #1. After watching the debate tonight, I feel that John McCain has lost his dignity. Granted, it was slipping out of his grasp weeks ago, and he likely has Karl Rove-like minions prying it from his fists. I feel that John McCain is an honorable man, one who has served his country amazingly and was put through five years of what could only be worse than hell. I feel, however, that his time in the Hanoi Hilton changed him. Formed him. Drives him. My BA in acting has taught me a few things about how humans operate, and we all know the meaning of text vs. subtext. The text is, of course, the words that you say. The subtext of course, is what drives the meaning of the words. When someone asks you if you're okay and you say in that short, exasperated or forlorn way "Nothing," then we know that something is wrong. We all do it, every day. McCain really, really wants you to like him. He said as much in his concluding statement this evening. Of course, I am paraphrasing, but "my friends, I'm from a long line of McCain's who have served this country and I've been here a long time and I want to do it some more," is not enough to make me consider his policies. In fact, it is the very thing that made me sad for him. Here was the subtext for me (and this is the great thing about art, because all of it is subjective. We likely saw some very different debates tonight simply because we saw them through different eyes): I was shot down in Vietnam and spent five years as a POW. I have earned my way, through my military, familial, and financial connections. I have been a Maverick because I never really thought that I would actually get nominated for president, and now that I am, I have to do what the Republican architects tell me to do. I have sold my authenticity in the hopes that you'll buy me.
The fact of the matter is, at one point in my existence, albeit many years ago, I actually admired John McCain, rabble-rouser from AZ. Back when the Straight Talk Express seemed like a political beacon, before he was being groomed for the presidency. It's like someone has smothered him. The grimace, the calculated laugh through clenched teeth, the skin cancer surgery scars running longwise down his face; all of this concerns me. Sarah Palin, should John McCain win and pass away in office, would be the U.S.'s greatest mistake and go down as our greatest folly, even surpassing Dick Cheney and Rummy.
Now to be fair, I feel sorry for Hillary Clinton, too. She and McCain are in the same boat. Both have been in politics for decades, with long careers, many successes and failures, more experience than Bushie 2, Obama, and Palin combined. Hillary REALLY wanted you to like her, too. She is the not-so-pretty girl who wants to be the prom queen. Oh, and guess who is? That's right...my favorite, Sarah Palin. The classic story of the girl who really deserves it being bested by the skinny girl with better hair. By the way, The New York Times the other day posted side by side statistics of presidential races and those who won or lost based upon, of all things, their height. Something like 8 of 10 times the taller candidate won. So I suppose we could posit the same theory for women, since women generally value beauty the way men value height. Sarah wins (even though she really does need new hair).
I would like to give my parents great credit for not requiring us to lean one way or another politically. Dad is saying, election after election, "I don't like either one of them." But here's the difference for me this year, a difference that was highlighted by the lackluster performances of John Kerry and Al Gore: Barack Obama inspires me. His words make me think about volunteering, about teaching, about doing my part for my community. When John McCain talks, I find myself staring rudely at his gesticulating arms. All I can think about is how that poor guy will never be able to raise his arms above his shoulders because he broke both his arms being shot down and they never healed properly. That's why I know that his wounds, his isolation in prison are the things that drive him. I don't want a man mired in the nightmare of his past laying the groundwork for my future.
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