With only 55 days left until the election, and since the dust from the conventions is starting to settle, it’s time to talk about the election, because I can’t influence it—living in Utah. Continue reading
"John Adams" book review
I just finished John Adams by David McCullough. What a fine rendering of a great, courageous, intelligent man! To begin with, the book is very well written and readable; McCullough does a great job of making a compelling story out of facts, quotes and dates.
But the treasure he uncovers for the readers is incredible. A little-known, one-term president squished between Washington and Jefferson comes to life as a giant of his time, at least equal to his presidential bookends. Continue reading
Posted in Movie/Book Reviews, Politics
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George Orwell's "Notes on Nationalism"
I recently read the essay “Notes On Nationalism” by George Orwell. Below are some of the more relevant passages, illuminating because of their applicability 60+ years later.
Orwell gives the name “nationalism” to an attitude or approach that he describes. It is beyond pride in one’s country or patriotism. It is a pathology that I thought was a rather recent invention. But judging from the statements below, it was abounding in his time also. He wrote this during WWII. And I think much of it correlates to a situation of war, because I see many of the attitudes he criticizes as having increased since September 11, 2001. Continue reading
Posted in Politics, Society
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Great Balls of Fire
Ninth grade is not the easiest time in the average boy’s life. I say this just in case there is any above-average boy out there for whom ninth grade was spectacular. Suddenly, everything goes on your permanent record and your transcript, your voice is cracking, your skin is erupting, your body’s doing whatever it wants and never in the right proportion. I literally remember at 13 years old saying to myself, “this life thing is getting hard, but it’s got to get easier”—sucker! Continue reading
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American Messianism
In his book The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements, Eric Hoffer gives various reasons why people join mass movements. Most have to do with the believer’s desire that the movement absorb and absolve his unworthiness into a higher cause. As James said, “he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall . . . hide a multitude of sins” (James 5:20). Continue reading
"Over-Zealous to Inherit"
In the book of Mosiah in the Book of Mormon, a man named Zeniff wanted to reclaim the “land of [his people’s] fathers’ first inheritance,” at his time occupied by an enemy people. Looking back on his decision years later after he had led his people into a trap that locked them into a backbreaking tributary situation under their enemies, he wrote, “I [was] over-zealous to inherit the land of our fathers.” His people, the Nephites, had records from prophets saying that the land would be consecrated unto them, and so I’m sure Zeniff felt confident that the Lord was on his side in his endeavor. But he was not working under instructions of the Lord, and the timing for the inheritance was not right. Continue reading
Posted in Religion, Society
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Mission accomplished – to Bush’s chagrin
A while back a man was sent on a mission to Iraq. After some maritime delays, he arrived and accomplished his mission, to his own consternation. See, he didn’t want to see his mission accomplished—he wanted to happen what had been guaranteed to happen if he failed. The Iraqi city was Ninevah (near modern-day Mosul), and the man was Jonah. Continue reading
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Building an empire
On March 5, 1770 a British sentry guarding the Customs House in Boston was being harassed by a group of boys and men. The taunting group quickly grew more numerous and more aggressive. The guard was reinforced by eight more soldiers and their captain. The Bostonians began throwing things, and suddenly the British opened fire, killing five Bostonians. The incident was quickly dubbed the Boston Massacre.
Thirty-four year old lawyer John Adams was asked to defend the soldiers, as no one else would take the case. Knowing it would be a very unpopular thing to do, but caring more that justice be served, he mounted a defense that resulted in six acquittals and two convictions of manslaughter, punished with a branding on the thumb. One of the great lines to come from the dialogue of his defense was, “Soldiers quartered in a populous town will always occasion two mobs where they prevent one. They are wretched conservators of the peace.” Continue reading
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The Sunni Awakening in Iraq
The Bush Administration is touting the success in Iraq of the Sunni Awakening, a program through which the local Sunnis are being encouraged to abandon support of al-Qaeda in favor of money and arms from the U.S. These groups are outside the purview of the Iraqi Army or Police forces, usually led by local warlords or community leaders.
So, essentially we have an oppressive Shiite majority and a threatened Sunni minority stirring up trouble. We originally helped the Shiites overthrow their government and now, not pleased with the outcome (sectarian violence and social strife), we’re arming and funding the Sunnis in an attempt to counterbalance the situation. Honestly, has the Administration never read a history book? Continue reading
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Deficiencies and Slights
A co-worker pointed out to me the following quote from Joe Klein of TIME magazine: “. . . [the Democratic Party has] a problem that has hurt [it] since the Vietnam era, a fixation on the (often spectacular) deficiencies of superpower governance while slighting this nation’s incredible strengths.” This struck me, and it made some pieces fall into place that have been floating around in my head of late.
What Klein is criticizing the Democratic Party for is pointing out the country’s problems, while failing to recognize its greatness. Besides the fact that I think he’s slightly wrong, he does expose a rather large flaw in modern conservative thinking. Continue reading
Posted in Politics
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