Letters to the Editor
-
Two important quotes:
From the five-year-old son: I want to hug America!
From kickstarts: A true patriot would have stood up and clapped, alone if necessary, for the Vietnam Veteran.
These two quotes encapsulate my feelings on this story.
The first one to demonstrate the level of understanding of the five-year-old, and how the author is probably overreacting to the whole situation at this point.
The second one demonstrates the apparent hollowness of the writer's convictions. She states that she didn't want to cause difficulties for her son, but she also states that she and her husband were ostracized by extension. Why not be ostracized bravely and honestly?
I cannot sympathize with someone who has this particular background, and puts herself into this situation, and then acts disappointed or surprized.
-
cake yum yum!
What happened to the other 120 kids who went to that school?
The author's kid will go on to a private/magnet high school and a good liberal arts college. Meanwhile, the kids unfortunate enough to actually live in Narrowsburg will get dumped somewhere else and who knows what will happen to them. They might even (gasp!) join the army! Of course, that's boring and the real issue is how tacky it is when young Junior sings "God Bless the USA."
Reminds me of the French aristocrats who wanted to live in a country paradise, then got mad when the peasants weren't as pretty (and as silent) as the ones in paintings.
-
teach kids the underlying values
I know many liberals who want to raise little liberals. Some try the anti-Bush talk or pro-democrat talk with their kids. At least one of these kids is already rebelling against the intended indoctrination.
I am trying to show my kids with words and *deeds* the underlying values of my politics:
Some people are different and that’s OK.
It’s best to avoid fighting, and if we must fight, we use words. We try to compromise.
Wealth is not proof of moral superiority.
You are not your stuff. Stuff is just stuff.
We are a part of a community.
Questions are good. So is honest and respectful discussion.
Everyone gets to make their *own* life choices. Kids get to pick from pre-selected, parent-approved choices.
People that have all they need (and some of what they want) are lucky and are also obligated to help those who don’t have all they need.
My kids are still too young to say if this will have the desired result. But they seem pretty sweet and sensitive so far, and I think it’s a better path than telling a 6 year old about the Iraq war.
-
What On Earth?
Reading these letters reminds me of reading "What's the Matter with Kansas?" in which the author describes the persecution mentality of red-staters, and their demonization of liberal elitists.
There are strange overreactions here to the author's mentioning her Paris sojourn and political beliefs, DESPITE the fact that she doesn't bash the community she's moved to and now "has a stake in." If anything she goes out of her way to paint a surprisingly positive picture of an environment she didn't expect to take a liking to, and contrasts it unfavorably with the Manhattan environment.
"Liberal elitism! Liberal elitism!" goes the chant. Why? Because she evoked a contrast between her own beliefs and those of the community that was conditioning her kid with prayer pamphlets and words of the day like alliance, military, etc? What about that?
Typical were responses such as "giving clothes to poor black people is lovely- but what did that add to the story?" Well, what it added characterization and setting, in the manner of any well-written piece, as well as highlighting the political themes which were the main focus of the story, no? The REAL question is: what's behind such reactions?
It's a fish-out-of-water piece, and a sympathetic one at that. Not to mention very well-written; the descriptive passages were lovely. To hear people slam it as a piece of trash is ridiculous, and as usual, says more about them than about the piece.
-
Who is the author really concerned about?
Is it her son, or herself?
The anonymous complaint through the ACLU, the thought that everyone in the community knew it was them, the disapproving glances from the principal, the silent concern that they were being singled out by the crowd after the vet made his statment...
Is this really all driven by concern that her son would be ostracized?
Even worse, what if her son made a comment that was patriotic and somehow in support of America at a birthday party or in a salon (no pun intended) of some of the enlightened and "right-thinking" (pun intended) people in their current social circles? Tres terrible, they would be a family with no community at all!!!
Live what you preach in your own home before taking it on the road.
-
Wow....
This is a joke, right? I mean, this article is supposed to be a parody of the right's worst stereotypes of an East Coast liberal, isn't it? Please, please tell me that this someone didn't write this thing in earnest.
There's something that's missing from this article, something that would have made me sympathize with the author a tiny little bit: a discussion of the people of Narrowsburg as actual people, not sterotypes. How well did she really get to know her neighbors and the other parents? A funny thing happens when you get to know other people who don't share your exact political or social outlook: you realize that they're just people, the same as you, and that they can be amazing human beings, regardless of political or religious affiliation.
Did the author ever really know this town that she's so quick to disparage, or were its citizens just a faceless sea of undifferentiated red to her? Was the author at all involved in her community, or was her charitable focus saved for trips into the city? I see nothing here than indicates that the author was truly invested in the town she chose to live in, and that's a shame.
Shame on the author for stereotyping an entire town this way. Shame on her for teaching her child by example that patriotism and religion are the playground of the right. Does she react the same way to liberals who aren't bothered by their kids saying the Pledge, or to liberals who are of strong religious faith? What a wonderful message she's teaching her son.
Someone who is so breathtakingly narrow-minded has no place on the left. This type of close-minded arrogance is no different (and no better) than the arrogance of religious fundamentalists who hold that their way is the only path to righteousness. Honestly, I'm embarrassed for this woman, and I'm cringing at the thought that any right-wingers will read this article and nod their heads, their worst fears about liberals confirmed.
I myself am part of a tiny little dot of blue surrounded by a sea of red, and this article made me ashamed that the author shares my politics. I feel blessed to have known so many wonderful, brilliant people, both red and blue, and I feel sorry for the author that she seems to have denied herself the company of half the country out of a misplaced intellectual bias.