An Unusual Bonus Friday Post
Where I Stand, Just in Case You Don't Know
Hi Everyone,
A few weeks ago, that feel like months ago, I wrote that I was going to try to keep politics out of Story Club.
I’m going to stand by that.
But we have, in my view, in these last few weeks, left the realm of politics and moved into the realm of bad governance, heartlessness, illegality, and the flouting of the Constitution.
I know that you all get your news elsewhere, and are more than on top of recent developments, so I won’t go into all the gory details, here or in the future. This is, after all, not a news site, not a “my-political-opinions” site. Because who needs that?
But in the name of the frankness and collegiality we’ve built here, I have some things I want to say before we carry on with, you know, the literature.
In light of the illegality and the bullying and the flouting of so many time-honored conventions and practices (that have, for all of our lives, yours and mine, made this a pretty wonderful place to live and that maybe, just maybe, all of us have been taking for granted), maybe we can all try to put the overt rank partisanship aside and contemplate what’s really happening here, in the cold light of love-for-country.
To the Republican leadership, or those among you who can still hear an opposing voice: what would the younger you, who ostensibly got into politics to do good, think of the things that are happening now?
What would Lincoln think?
To those of you who are, like me, feeling sick about the state of things, and who still hold dear, in your hearts, the idea of a country that feels proud to be able to support the less fortunate all over the world, that knows that strength is loving more and extending the cloak of our largesse and kindness over a wider swath of people, that is confident enough to, when contemplating a change, do the hard work of analysis and pursue those changes in a measured way, as a form of respect for those on the other side – please know that I share your concerns, and I’m with you.
My personal plan, humble as it may be, is to speak up, joke, make noise, point out any and all idiocy, appeal to our people’s better natures, stay firm-but-kind when they seem intent on manifesting the other stuff; be alert and aware, keep my sense of humor, call b.s., when I hear it. Above all, I’m going to try to keep intact, in my mind, the America that my heroes, literary and otherwise, have dreamed about and believed in and fought for.
I love you all here at Story Club dearly and wasn’t liking the feeling of falseness that had come over me as I minced around avoiding this topic. As I’ve said before, this is the only immediate sort of writing I do; everything else takes forever. But I didn’t want my seeming silence on this to indicate a lack of urgent concern, a concern that I think we should all, regardless of our political affiliation, be feeling, these strange, fraught days.
Sunday, we’ll get back to “ The Death of Ivan Ilyich,” which, of course, being about the briefness of our life and the mad dash we are all in, to prioritize love and presence over absence and mechanistic coldness, has nothing to do with the current moment.
Warmly,
George
(SELF-REFERENTIAL) QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“I hereby proclaim, as my first Presidential Act, my innovative Border Area Improvement Initiative, said Phil. “Who is on board? Who will sign this Certificate to Total Approval, sanctioning my Initiative?”
“What does it say, sir?” said Melvin.
“What do you care what it says, Melvin?” said Larry. “Don’t you trust Phil?”
“Of course I trust Phil!” said Larry. “I trust Phil like twice as much as you trust Phil?”
“Then why are you resisting singing the Certificate of Total Approval?” said Larry.
“Give me that thing,” said Melvin. “I’ll sign it right now, without even reading it.”
“I’ll sign it without even looking at it,” said Phil.
“I’ll sign it with my eyes closed,” said Leon the Border Guard.
“I’ll sign it with my eyes closed, facing away from it,” said Melvin.
So Larry and Melvin and Leon and the Special Friends and the Advisors lined up facing backwards, eyes closed, and signed the Certificate of Total Approval.
(From The Brief and Frightening Reign of Phil, by Me, 2005)
From this Canadian who wishes to remain one, and who wishes you to retain your checks and balances, thank you.
Thank you, George. I’m a high school teacher in a red town in a purple state. I’ve been at this long enough to not be as nervous as new teachers are, but still. It’s hard for me to imagine the milk toast
curriculum that would not feel political just now.
I’m reading Beowulf with seniors- talking leadership, boastfulness, humility, confidence.
My juniors are in the midst of research papers about global problems like famine, water access, maternal and child health. One day last week the website for USAID disappeared down the memory hole- and yes, we read 1984 earlier this year.
I’d really rather not conclude my career by getting fired but I have to answer as honestly as I can.