rant on Christopher Hitchens

Slate.com has an editorial by Christopher Hitchens on why Gore should run, and basically why America and the Democrats suck. You can read it here, and really should if you want to get the most out of my rant.

Here's my rant, which was originally a reply to the email Cindy sent me with the Slate piece:

Who is this guy? I think I read a review of his book in the New Yorker. It was not favorable, I think, and if this article is indicative of his writing and reasoning, then I can understand why. Does he really wonder what the connection between global warming and peace is? Does he actually think that societies who are starving because of drought will just quietly die and let those of us with favorable rain survive? Has he forgotten that Nixon wasn't actually all bad and in fact looked pretty good at the time he was elected, and that people do have at least a smidgeon of respect for Carter now, when they have none for Bush? And if Gore decides not to run, that does not necessarily mean that he doesn't have what it takes and never did, nor that we all wasted our time and effort trying to get him elected 8 years ago. He may think that this society will never elect anyone worth electing, and that he can do more in the private sector. Plus, people were calling Hillary "Hillary" years ago - mostly Republicans, who used it as an epithet, but it's not new. And while I can understand feeling bitter against the most powerful country in the world, I hope that I would also recognize that to be an illogical reaction to its power. He resented the fact that American voters could influence European lives, but ignores the fact that if Europe were stronger, that wouldn't be true. He didn't mention America screwing up European lives (though he missed a good argument by ignoring Middle Eastern, Central and South American, and African lives), and if his omission means that he thinks that America didn't screw up their lives, then what is he so resentful about? It sounds like he and the Europe that he claims to represent have a big chip on their shoulder, like the puny kid who is bitter because he is not the star quarterback. While it may be understandable, it's not reasonable. What an idiot. It makes me proud to be in any country that he is attacking, which was probably not his point.

That was my rant. I think he's an idiot. Not a complete idiot, because his book is right in that religion has caused a lot of problems. And my pride in being an American will probably fade by tomorrow morning, but then again, I have Season 2 of the West Wing here (and a cold), and that show helps. I thought the line about how the president "likes surrounding himself with smart people who disagree with him" was very sharp - what a nice contrast to the current president.

not quite Sunday

It is Saturday night, and (1) I am at home, (2) I am happy with that, and (3) I am listening to an auction going on at the Children's Museum (aka Kiddie Mu) 100 yards from my apartment. I think it is a weird place to have an auction, but possibly it benefits Kiddie Mu. I also think that it is annoying that I have to listen to it in my apartment. I guess I could close my window, but it's summer and I live on an upper floor and I don't close my window.

I tried watching "Apacolypto" earlier (Mel Gibson, so I was kind of turned off from the start). A friend loaned it to me. She thought it looked authentically Mayan, for a movie. I think the actors don't look particularly Mayan, although they appear to be speaking in a real non-English language. The hero and heroine were quickly identifiable by their big eyes. I stopped watching in the middle of the Attack on the Happy Villagers scene. I don't think I can finish it. I know I don't want to. PBS has a Willie Nelson concert (or maybe more than just Willie Nelson) instead of something good (no offense, Willie, but I wanted British sitcoms), but of course they (PBS) are fundraising as they always are. If it's not a stupid concert it's Antique's Road Show. Boring-boring-boring-I'm-not-giving-them-any-money-this-is-why-people-mock-them. The only other thing on is sports. So I must update my blog.

My choir recorded music for an album of movie trailer music today. It was fun, and we are all exhausted. It's like doing two concerts in one day without preparing for it physically or vocally. My vocal cords are all stretched and ready for the season now, though. And the SCC has a nice sum of money in its coffers, which will probably be gone very soon. Last Saturday the treasurer informed us that there was no way that we can break even on a concert, even if we sell out. It's just impossible. The least amount of money we lost on a concert last year was $3300. The worst was something like $50,000. Par for the course of performing arts organizations, apparently. Scary. So I increased my monthly donation by a buck. Now they will have a whole extra $12 per year, which should make a big dent in the debt. I might have considered giving more, but a buck increase was what they suggested, and suited me fine. You can hear some of the music we will be performing at our next concert here (Jenny will like it). And here. And here. We won't have the candles or the funky cloaks and there will be many more of us, but it's basically the same thing. Except that we have really very little idea of how to pronounce Irish Gaelic, and we generally don't look so good.

Hey, the auction is over. That's nice. Now they are frantically cleaning up and trying to get everybody the things they bought so they leave with happy thoughts toward Kiddie Mu, or whoever it is for. Yay.