[Dialogue] "One never know, do one?"

[jim rippey]

What a curious, extended dialogue we've had about "paganism", dualistic thinking, et al.... some of it quite interesting and some of it, forgive me, a lot  like "how many angels can dance on the head of a pin?"

If anyone remembers, this all started when I posted "Dubya's Christianity" on June 28.  I posted EXCERPTS, direct quotes from "Keeping it Simple, Stupid," by Stephen Pizzo.  The full story is at  http://www.alternet.org/story/23183/  and I found much of it interesting.  I hoped that some colleagues might react to various parts of it:  How valid are Pizzo's thoughts?  Does this really explain much of what we see happening?  

How about this thought?  George W. is an excellent demagogue and his fundamentalist followers have undue influence on far too much of our public policy.  That includes everything from some pharmacists refusing to fill contraceptive prescriptions to Congress cutting funds for public schools, NPR, police.  We have elaborate security at airports but virtually none re: huge containers arriving in our seaports.  Then there is our dangerously growing national debt while multiple voices encourage people to spend, spend, spend as they go deeper into debt personally.  Meanwhile Americans and Iraqis (and Londoners) are dying in increasing numbers, yet Dubya is convinced he is doing God's work.  
    
Much of what troubles me is that today's demagoguery is more skillful and scientific than ever before.  There are focus groups conducted by very clever, amoral manipulators of public opinion. They buttress and augment Bush's demagoguery.  Meanwhile his war-hungry advisers are still determined and they have been planning their takeover for eight or ten years.  

Nevertheless, Bush is over extended.  Public opinion is shifting against him some.  But the faithful are still cheering him on.  What we need is to find equally skillful ways to counteract his demagoguery and encourage thougtful dissent.  I hoped the Pizzo article might stimulate something of that sort.  Where are all the colleagues who expressed deep concerns prior to last November's election?"  With apologies to Fats Waller, "One never know, do one?"

However, I am quite aware of the admonition that "the despair expressed about the Religious Right, the Pope etc. are finally not very helpful.  Local people are on the march and will not be stopped.... We must keep our eyes on the contradictions, and these large entities are not it."  

..... Well, I find I am still quite troubled by those thoughts.  Maybe I just don't belong on Dialogue.
  
Jim Rippey in Bellevue, NE.