North to the Future
Reading about the recent spike in gun sales in the Times today, I realized that it has less to do with Obama's actual policy and more to do with certain narratives that circulate among those with big imaginations but little power... "country boy will survive" types. I'm sympathetic to a point, and while standing in line for a burger* at the way-too-popular Shake Shack in Madison Square, I found myself transfixed by a statue of William Seward, Lincoln's Secretary of State and purchaser of the Great State of Alaska. That got me a dreaming...
Manifest Destiny was the great pressure relief valve for the 19th century. If you didn't like things back east, well shit, go west young man. Whole religions (see the Mormons) headed west for some space and breathing room to create God's great plan. California boomed with gold, Billy the Kid went from the slums of Hell Kitchen to Lincoln County, cattle and cowboys were king down Southwest. A man could stretch his wings and fly. This ability to roam surely made America one of the least neurotic places on Earth. I'm not saying we were any more sane, but the American experience was more Twain than Poe, thankfully so. Unfortunately, we plum ran out of room, or did we?
Go look at a map of Alaska. Bigger than a pregnant Texas, it hosts less than a million souls. Weather? Hell, it's getting warmer by the day. Plenty of oil,
Manifest Destiny was the great pressure relief valve for the 19th century. If you didn't like things back east, well shit, go west young man. Whole religions (see the Mormons) headed west for some space and breathing room to create God's great plan. California boomed with gold, Billy the Kid went from the slums of Hell Kitchen to Lincoln County, cattle and cowboys were king down Southwest. A man could stretch his wings and fly. This ability to roam surely made America one of the least neurotic places on Earth. I'm not saying we were any more sane, but the American experience was more Twain than Poe, thankfully so. Unfortunately, we plum ran out of room, or did we?
Go look at a map of Alaska. Bigger than a pregnant Texas, it hosts less than a million souls. Weather? Hell, it's getting warmer by the day. Plenty of oil,
protein on the hoof and forests to drill, shoot and cut. How about a peace offering? Yes, we should hand over Alaska to anyone who just can't stand the stink of the Lower 48 anymore. Give 'em forty acres and some gruel to get through that first winter. They could assemble the great thinkers from the Libertarian right (Ron Paul, Penn & Teller,
Yosemite Sam) to write a new Constitution. Or just cut and paste what they like about the old one... maybe clear up a thing or two. Of course the End Times folks might want a say but I'm sure they all could work it out. If not, at least they'll be able to settle their differences the old fashioned way, courtesy of Smith & Wesson. Don't make us choose sides now...
Mr. Seward caught a lot of shit for buying Alaska, and he got her cheap. He died of his wounds after being stabbed while entombed in a body cast from a previous attempt on his life, courtesy of the same crew that included James Wilkes Booth. Like Lincoln, this man suffered for our sins and I'm sure he would be pleased to know that his prescient purchase was being utilized to preserve the Union, imperfect as she is. Who knows, maybe they can teach the rest of us a thing or two up there,
Mr. Seward caught a lot of shit for buying Alaska, and he got her cheap. He died of his wounds after being stabbed while entombed in a body cast from a previous attempt on his life, courtesy of the same crew that included James Wilkes Booth. Like Lincoln, this man suffered for our sins and I'm sure he would be pleased to know that his prescient purchase was being utilized to preserve the Union, imperfect as she is. Who knows, maybe they can teach the rest of us a thing or two up there,
like how to squeeze an oil company for the benefit of the citizenry. They also don't seem to mind convicted felons, which is nice, since I've felt that pain. No, Acorn didn't help me restore my voting rights but I sure could have used their help. Terrible, isn't it?
As for me, I'm staying put. I used to live in Sweden and it ain't half bad, although the television did go off at midnight. I do think that if Alaska secedes chock full of our crazy brothers-in-law, that we should balance it out somehow. Let's see, maybe we can find the exact opposite to Alaska: a geographically small and tropical region, with a large and friendly population, where there is a tradition of escaping to, not from, the United States? Why of course, Puerto Rico, bienvenidos a la fiesta!
*Man cannot live on arugula alone, although piled high on a hot crispy pizza fresh from a wood burning oven, it is the perfectly complete meal.
As for me, I'm staying put. I used to live in Sweden and it ain't half bad, although the television did go off at midnight. I do think that if Alaska secedes chock full of our crazy brothers-in-law, that we should balance it out somehow. Let's see, maybe we can find the exact opposite to Alaska: a geographically small and tropical region, with a large and friendly population, where there is a tradition of escaping to, not from, the United States? Why of course, Puerto Rico, bienvenidos a la fiesta!
*Man cannot live on arugula alone, although piled high on a hot crispy pizza fresh from a wood burning oven, it is the perfectly complete meal.
REACTIONSAscending | Descending
Friday, 07 November 2008
Or we could sell it to highest bidder and pay down the National debt. It's got to be worth at least 700 billion.
Friday, 07 November 2008
I've thought about some of your points before, Dan (Stuart). And I've often thought of where I could go to "live free or die", you know? Where is the last frontier? In fact, I think the whole Western genre in movies and literature is about "going West" to get away from The Man who wants to keep you down.
You should see (if you haven't) the short-lived Sci-fi TV series Firefly -- basically a classic western is space. I've talked to my daughters about how we could live here on earth the same way the crew of the spaceship Serenity live, going from job to job, some more honest than others, making just enough to get by and stay free from the semi-totalitarian interplanetary government The Alliance.
I'm a little at sea right now. Obama is President and happy days are here again. I've spent the last eight years of my life feeling like a stranger in my own land, developing a sense of alienation and underdog-hood that was already in play from my basic "me against the world" mentality. Where do I go now? How do I function?
Fortunately, though I am a liberal Democrat (for now), many liberals bring with them an overbearing theme of their own, their own brand of censorship of free thought...you know, the whole thought police thing -- the liberal wing of 1984, I guess. So I'm sure I will have some grist for my bitter little mill.
I think I will go back and read some Nietzsche again.
You should see (if you haven't) the short-lived Sci-fi TV series Firefly -- basically a classic western is space. I've talked to my daughters about how we could live here on earth the same way the crew of the spaceship Serenity live, going from job to job, some more honest than others, making just enough to get by and stay free from the semi-totalitarian interplanetary government The Alliance.
I'm a little at sea right now. Obama is President and happy days are here again. I've spent the last eight years of my life feeling like a stranger in my own land, developing a sense of alienation and underdog-hood that was already in play from my basic "me against the world" mentality. Where do I go now? How do I function?
Fortunately, though I am a liberal Democrat (for now), many liberals bring with them an overbearing theme of their own, their own brand of censorship of free thought...you know, the whole thought police thing -- the liberal wing of 1984, I guess. So I'm sure I will have some grist for my bitter little mill.
I think I will go back and read some Nietzsche again.
Sunday, 09 November 2008
Good to see you back Dan, As to mine and other people's over active imaginations. Look no further than Obama's stated post election Urban Policy Page: http://change.gov/agenda/urbanpolicy/
Oops! another here today gone tomorrow Obama weblink. Look I'm giving this guy a shot to win me over. I know I'm paranoid, so I'm even cutting him extra slack to compensate. But I will not forget Obama is a guy that lies like a rug.
When elected to the Senate in 2004 he insisted on numerous occasions that he had no intention of running for President, he was emphatic about it. Same thing with public financing. Reality trumps rhetoric brother.
“If you’ve got a gun in your house, I’m not taking it..even if I want to take them away, I don’t have the votes in Congress. This can’t be the reason not to vote for me. Can everyone hear me in the back? I see a couple of sportsmen back there. I’m not going to take away your guns.’’
Liars. They just don't know when to just shut up.
Oops! another here today gone tomorrow Obama weblink. Look I'm giving this guy a shot to win me over. I know I'm paranoid, so I'm even cutting him extra slack to compensate. But I will not forget Obama is a guy that lies like a rug.
When elected to the Senate in 2004 he insisted on numerous occasions that he had no intention of running for President, he was emphatic about it. Same thing with public financing. Reality trumps rhetoric brother.
“If you’ve got a gun in your house, I’m not taking it..even if I want to take them away, I don’t have the votes in Congress. This can’t be the reason not to vote for me. Can everyone hear me in the back? I see a couple of sportsmen back there. I’m not going to take away your guns.’’
Liars. They just don't know when to just shut up.
Sunday, 09 November 2008
"Look I'm giving this guy a shot to win me over. ".... big of you, the nation is holding its breath.
"Liars. They just don't know when to just shut up."... oh I agree, worse than socialists and terrorists combined!
"Liars. They just don't know when to just shut up."... oh I agree, worse than socialists and terrorists combined!
Sunday, 09 November 2008
reno, sounds like your hunting for something not to like....personally, i am glad he didn't waste any public money running (we have better uses for our funds these days), wish i could get the mccain/palin money back (seems he double dipped in the primaries if i remember correctly).
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