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rome wasn't burnt in a day
Nov. 3rd, 2004 09:45 amSo I voted yesterday. Not that it really mattered, apparently. (Although I was pleased that my native state of Pennsylvania went bleu.)
Teh Wife & I both had the day off. We voted right away in the morning. It was beautiful out--warmish, blue sky, leaves swirling around, trees at their colorful peak. I felt...cautiously optmistic. A lot of websites had been predicting a Kerry win (inlcuding the Zogby poll).
We had brunch and shortly thereafter went into Manhattan to a couple art galleries. The first one was a Barbara Kruger exhibit. Interestingly, many of her works there were older pieces, and it was sad to see that the political pieces she did back in the 80s are as painfully relevant now as then. I was struck by one in the shape of a flag. In the small corner of blue, where the stars usually are, was the following quote: "Look for the moment when pride becomes contempt."
Have we reached that moment? Half the country feels contempt for the other half (and vice versa), and a slim majority of the electorate feels contempt for a world that views us with increasing alarm and dismay.
Have I reached that moment? I've always believed that the reason I am so critical of the U.S. is that I do love this country; I have always recognized the fact that I'm fortunate to live in a place where I've experienced a certain amount of rights, privileges, and freedoms. (Unfortunately, being white plays a part in that. But so does being gay.) And I love the mix of cultures and people that I see in this city.
But in the face of this overwhelming, appalling ignorance, I don't know how proud I can be anymore.
We are history's fools.
Teh Wife & I both had the day off. We voted right away in the morning. It was beautiful out--warmish, blue sky, leaves swirling around, trees at their colorful peak. I felt...cautiously optmistic. A lot of websites had been predicting a Kerry win (inlcuding the Zogby poll).
We had brunch and shortly thereafter went into Manhattan to a couple art galleries. The first one was a Barbara Kruger exhibit. Interestingly, many of her works there were older pieces, and it was sad to see that the political pieces she did back in the 80s are as painfully relevant now as then. I was struck by one in the shape of a flag. In the small corner of blue, where the stars usually are, was the following quote: "Look for the moment when pride becomes contempt."
Have we reached that moment? Half the country feels contempt for the other half (and vice versa), and a slim majority of the electorate feels contempt for a world that views us with increasing alarm and dismay.
Have I reached that moment? I've always believed that the reason I am so critical of the U.S. is that I do love this country; I have always recognized the fact that I'm fortunate to live in a place where I've experienced a certain amount of rights, privileges, and freedoms. (Unfortunately, being white plays a part in that. But so does being gay.) And I love the mix of cultures and people that I see in this city.
But in the face of this overwhelming, appalling ignorance, I don't know how proud I can be anymore.
We are history's fools.
