The American Spectator : Do Not Underestimate Her

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Do Not Underestimate Her

7.7.09 @ 6:01AM

Defending the Alaskan Maverick's decision to resign. Political division in America. Zelaya's move towards dictatorship. Plus more.

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The great psychoanalyst/philosopher Erich Fromm wrote extensively about the break down of society. He wrote, in part, the Industrial Revolution had several deep impacting unintended consequences. These including people having more free time to contemplate their place in the universe, which extended existential thinking from a base of a few intellectuals to almost commonplace discussion (not an unmitigated good, but a positive progression all the same) and a disconnect between the creator and what is created (i.e., workers replaced craftsmen; factories produced goods but no one man crafted the product.) These combination of factors, contemplating man's place in the universe and disenfranchisement from the creative process, forced man to face “the existential vacuum” of being: we are born with nothing and we die with nothing. Fromm stated man’s answer to this terrifying dilemma was to create attachment to something, with the highest form of attachment being a bond of love.

Fromm was quite clear that creating this attachment was essential to life, and that these attachments could be positive (marriage and connection to God) or highly negative (group think, prejudice and genocide). Fromm elaborated his thesis in Man for Himself, which explored false attachment to government (via fascism/Nazism). In his masterpiece, The Art of Loving, he wrote eloquently about non-productive attachment via consumerism, sexuality (sadomasochism), cult of personality (false messiahs, anyone?) and self-absorption, the narcissism witnessed in today’s mass consumed celebrities (e.g., Paris Hilton and Michael Jackson) and slavish devotion to Face Book, My Space, Twitter and many other sites.

America is, once again, at the crossroads, facing multiple challenges. Many Americans choose to blindly follow The One. Some choose to bury their heads; others devote themselves to nothing greater than their egos. Too many choose to run from these challenges, preferring the government to take care of things. This way lies madness.

If we continue make choices that reflect short term interests and selfishness (yes, including Republican stalwart, Governor Sanford) over enlightened self-interests, our blessed country will face a crisis much greater than any existential vacuum. Yet not all is despairs. America has always been a country of optimism. If history is prologue, then our optimism will not be in vain: some will rise to challenges that we face today and point the direction to sanity. The challenge is to endure the continuing crisis until a true leader arises. Again, history gives us reason to be patient.
-- I.M. Kessel

DICTATOR FOR LIFE
Re: Jay D. Homnick's He's Zelaya and a Cheat:

Thanks as always, Mr. Homnick, for your analysis.

Here's an interesting confluence of coincidences for you.

Hugo Chavez tried twice before he got his constitution's term limits removed so he could become Presidente for Life. Our Proto-Dictator goes all soft and cuddly with him with not a word about the role of a constitution in a democracy.

Zaleya tries to use extra-constitutional smoke and mirrors to have his constitution's term limits removed so he could become Presidente for Life. Our Proto-Dictator leaps to his defense in the name of "democracy" while ignoring the fact that the constitution is the keystone of democracy.

Recent stories indicate that our Proto-Dictator's people are already working on how to get the 22^nd Amendment of our Constitution repealed -- or how to get around it, if recent history accurately reflects their attitude toward the Constitution -- so he can become President for Life..

Obama has no choice but to sanctify Chavez and Zaleya because he will need to justify his own elevation to life status.

Democracy, it seems, no longer has anything to do with the will of the people and, tragically, even less to do with constitutions.

That way tyranny lies.
--A. C. Santore

READER MAILING
Re: Dick Grogan's letter (under "No Comments") in Reader Mail's California Nightmarin':

I would like to bring to your attention that the comments section at TAS is not the same as Reader Mail. The Reader Mail section is far more important. Case in point is in today's first comment in comments section by a man who used the name "Paul Mills" in comments section underneath the article about Zelaya. [That comment has been deleted --Ed.] While I am not a blogger, as many are, I can still recognize the difference in a site where someone takes a great deal of time to measure meaningful words that might be meaningful read by many others, as opposed to a section where filthy language is followed by near worthless comments. This section could not even pass the muster of the multitude of reasoned thinkers who sit and copiously measure thoughts and words that appear in the next issue of the magazine, under Reader Mail.

There are so many who look forward to reading the carefully written thoughts of folks from Minnesota, Virginia, Texas, and California. I think of the names and personalities I have come to look for immediately when I open your daily column. Certainly, you as the magazine's editor can sweep away these writers by classifying them in as meaningless chatter and subjugate them to a "comments" section. But, I would suggest you will by missing some of the best writers I have ever read. Where do you place a Diane Smith and Ira Kessel and Michael Tomlinson, Jay Molyneaux, Ken Shreve, and so many others from whom I learned from? We live in soundbite times. What we need is to sit up and listen to reasoned thinking that will give us courage to meet the morrow.

It isn't just the same when you read a hastily written piece in Comments. On Thursday there was even a comment written in Japanese. I wonder how many TAS readers understood that? So, I ask you not to discontinue the Reader Mail portion of TAS. It has great value for us as we draw encouragement in these dark times.
-- Beverly Gunn
Texas

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Letter to the Editor View all comments (16) | Leave a comment

anonymous| 7.7.09 @ 6:32AM

I fear that Mr. Martell has nailed it, thoroughly.
And while all too many of the "social" conservative bunch gnash their collective teeth on their Mickey-mouse complaints, the Marxists march on. Yeah, I think it's a tad too late to reverse the course -- the really bad guys have won.

A.Men| 7.7.09 @ 8:21AM

I take Sarah Palin at her word.

Obama says the OPPOSITE of what he thinks. Obama's actions show his true intent.

Sarah Palin's words and actions match. A rare politician, such as Sarah Palin, is a leader.

Big J| 7.7.09 @ 8:35AM

Excellent post, Zierak.

Very impressive.

IMKessel| 7.7.09 @ 10:51AM

Ms. Gunn.

Another thoughtful and thought filled post.

You are definitely one of the names for which I look when I open the Reader's Response column.

the-gunslinger| 7.7.09 @ 12:43PM

The elites of all stripes are so devious, dissembling and disingenuous that it simply never occurred to them that Palin says what she means, and means what she says.

She is so far beyond their ken, they react like cavemen—terrified of what they don't understand. And their only response is: "Kill it!"

David Govett| 7.7.09 @ 2:09PM

Being attacked by the Left has become a badge of honor. Soon, the Left will have to support candidates to hurt their chances.

Warren Jewell| 7.7.09 @ 4:48PM

On Reader Mailing: with B.G. of Texas - in her list of fine and regular contributors, the lady forgot Bev Gunn, who as her family hub and all around level-headed lady is one reason I go to the AmSpec online correspondence before any articles. So much refreshment of liberty's exhilaration, right from the hearts in America's heartland.

Keep the thoughtful, thought-provoking section, please. And, thank you.

somnolence| 7.7.09 @ 6:04PM

Since many in the GOP punditry seem hell-bent on assisting the liberal Demo camp in trashing Sarah, the RNC will not get one dime from me. I did send the McCain campaign money last year, but only because of Sarah. Hell, I can walk away from the GOP just like its hierarchy has walked away from me.

Mark| 7.7.09 @ 7:08PM

God bless Beverely Gunn!

Alan Brooks| 7.7.09 @ 9:29PM

the Divine Sarah does have a future, a great one. And despite what Angel (if she is any sort of an anget) writes, it isn't sexism that motivates my opinions on Sarah, it is cynicism-- I am no optimist.
Three years to the Convention. In the meantime, next year is when a Gingrich-type takes over the House. Then it is space colonization and immortality (the next In Thing). Then from 2011 through 2012 the same chirpy exhortation to invest in the future, leading to the Gingrich- type savior running as Palin's running mate so the ticket can lose. Palin is okay, her running mate will be a compromise.

the upshot is Obama will be re-elected, but not by a landslide, because the GOP ticket will be better this time around. But you can't beat a black incumbent as astute as Obama. And you wont.

Angel| 7.8.09 @ 3:07AM

Alan, "Hope springs eternal in the human breast;
Man never is, but always to be blest;
The soul uneasy and confin'd from home,
Rests and expatiates in a life to come." Alexander Pope

Cynicism is a cruel master--you deserve better. You can't give up, Alan, and I believe your Obama prediction is baloney anyway.

Pecos Pete| 7.10.09 @ 7:09AM

Compliments to Mrs. Gunn! Reader mail is the first link I read.

I do wish Mrs. Gunn had added New Mexico to her list of states.

Max| 7.11.09 @ 12:29PM

If conservatives and bible based christians can not come up with anyone better the the naive pentecostal nar type palin, there is no more hope for Christians/conservatives in the USA. Don't you understand that Palin is the definition of why people mock Christian types? Don't feed into that by letting Palin and such types be your leaders. Have some respect for God and honor and stop bowing down to the wicked and candy coating what conservatism/christian morality is. There is a genocide going on and a violent attack upon all that once was America, and you can't pick naive airhead women to lead you out of it especially ones that are the joke of every athiest who is frothing with violence against all christians. We are on the verge of a civil war, if you stay you must fight, otherwise join the exodus out of all western genocide funding and sodomite enforcing nations while you still have time to escape before being imprisoned, abused and raped in their satanic prisons.

Max| 7.11.09 @ 12:29PM

Max| 7.11.09 @ 12:30PM

Ziv Zulander| 7.12.09 @ 11:41PM

Max, Shut up, and go crawl back into your hole. How is that for a Christian response. One thing I do know, is that people like you will never tell me what my Christianity is supposed to be, ever, again. Got it? So, please, by all means, drag this country into hell. Then, we'll show you just how UGLY Christianity can be. We did it once in the Dark Ages, wanna go for round 2?