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A R C H I V E S
Thanks
for
visiting.
December 4, 2000
"Don't
let us get too close to politicians. Lying is our business, and we know
it when we see it."
—— PATRICK STEWART
A note before the certification . . .
. . . I
had breakfast downtown this morning with a group of friends, which I try
to do on a regular basis (sadly, one of my only Epicurean pastimes, other
than my journal-keeping). Most of them are Democrats, some of them decidedly
liberal. It was interesting to listen to the conversations pertaining
to the election cliffhanger. Growing impatience. Mild ridicule directed
at what the Vice President is trying to do. A desire for finality.
.
. . I
can see the light at the end of the tunnel (through the chad hole?), and
I think it's close to being over.
Regardless of what the Gore campaign does this weekend after Florida's
Secretary of State certifies for the Texas governor, I think the momentum
is moving toward a Bush presidency, even though the media keeps declaring
that the Republicans are "losing" the PR contest.
.
. . This
deadlock has stripped all the jubilation out of the historical event.
It will take an extraordinary effort for the new administration to earn
its own sense of legitimacy in the public consciousness. In fact, the
country did not really make a decision. It was, in essence, a tie. But
somebody has to be the chief executive, and Gore has shown himself to
be an undesirable leader in how manipulative he is willing to be in order
to secure the result in his favor. Is he trying to "steal" it?
I suppose I'll be forced to conclude that if he doesn't give it up soon.
A
note before the concession . . .
. . . As
I write this, Judge Sauls has yet to rule, but I can no longer allow myself
to be so absorbed in these daily fluctuations. There are important things
undone, ideas preparing to germinate, and a cycle to complete. My primary
reason for becoming politically active this year has been fulfilled—
my Congressman is returning to office.
.
. .Campaigns
raise unrealistic expectations. Most of our nation's problems can never
be resolved at the political level. Politicians are always the last to
"get it." For the most part, the crisis phase is over, and we
face a "mopping up" as the year's end approaches. The columnist
Will encapsulated it best when he said, "Gore is running on fumes,"
but Noonan is undoubtedly the observer most consistently in sync with
my persuasions. There are some hopeful signs that at least half of the
country has immunized itself against a vulnerability to propaganda that
originates from the Clinton-Gore axis. It only remains to watch the axis
itself fracture and disperse into the familiar self-serving factions.
.
. .The
inability of Bush to win decisively only proves that Clinton was the predominant
Sophist of his era and that his apprentice, Gore (and now, surprisingly,
Leiberman) was only capable of pulling off a draw in the contest of controlling
the public consciousness. Arguably, all the rest is technicality. It could
have gone either way. Debating all the variables will be an exercise surely
to continue for years to come.
.
. .Perhaps
most of the significant questions will be lost in the battle over minutiae.
Why was the Vice President not able to parlay apparent peace and prosperity
into a handy win? Why was the Governor not able to leverage Clinton-Gore
fatigue into a clear mandate? Where is the astonishment or outrage when
blatant lies or transparent misrepresentation are put forth as truth?
Where is the humiliation and contrition when perpetrators are exposed?
It's as if we have all become so accustomed to spin-meisters and disinformation
that we no longer regard facts or reason with any greater credibility.
Each is just another arrow from the quiver of alternatives in the war
of interminable argumentation.
.
. .The
emphasis on the 50-50 split between the left-leaners and the right-leaners
ignores the 50-50 split between the participants and the apathetic. And
what of the vast "indecisive center" who wear their fickle superficiality
as a badge of distinction? And how would a potential downturn in the economy
shuffle the entire deck with a vengeance?
December 3, 1999
One year ago . . .
.
. . I
do have a fondness for "found objects" and items that I glean
from all the "scrap" that catches my eye. Who knows where it
will all lead? I would hope that it leads to something fruitful, perhaps
even somewhat original (is that possible?), and that I would look back
on these explorations with amusement.
December 5, 1996
Four years ago . . .
.
. . Tomorrow
will be the 25th anniversary of this journal. It's hard to believe! Amazing
that I hung on to the book. More amazing that I
managed to record so many words. Some of them may be significant, but
it's impossible to judge at this point... My next book should include
much more drawing. Discipline is required for a decent sketchbook until
the habit pattern takes over. Instead of feeling sad this month you should
be happy and excited about the new year. Why not be optimistic? You might
as well look forward to it, right? 1996 was a fairly lousy year and it's
just got to get better. So have a positive attitude and be patient. The
surprises are coming. The impending unknown is good because it is the
reality of the universe. Savor the now because the future does not exist.
And when it does, it will be nothing like you thought anyway.
December
8, 1995
Five years ago . . .
.
. . At
my Rotary Club meeting today I found the World War II recollections of
my fellow Club members very moving. I'm reminded of that closing line
from the William Holden movie, (The Bridges at Toko Ri), "Where do
we get such men?"
December 4, 1988
Twelve years ago . . .
.
. . Yesterday,
on the 3rd of December,
we signed a contract to buy the TOWN HOUSE at 324 West Broadway in Danville,
Kentucky. We didn't get to Georgetown until 3 am because I had to complete
my students' final reviews at Wright State, and Dana's brother Bill was
on a layover in transit to Toronto for a symposium. We got to Danville
about 9:20 and only had 40 minutes to look the place over before the auction
began at 10 am. The bidding was tortuous and will always be etched in
memory.
December
1, 1972
Twenty-eight years ago . . .
.
. . Why
do I want to study the martial arts? I wish to develop my mind to the
fullest, to develop full control of my mental state, but I don't think
I can do this until I first have the satisfaction of knowing I have full
control of my body. I want to have the confidence that I can handle myself
in any physical situation. Once I gain the physical prowess I seek, I
can thus reach a harmony of mind and body that I think is necessary for
the development of a philosophy of life.
December 6, 1971 (my first entry)
Twenty-nine years ago . . .
.
. . I
finally decided to put this book to good use by starting a record of personal
thoughts and anecdotes. I tried this once before a few years back, but
it didn't last very long. I was too lazy to keep it up. But this time
I hope to continue my entries as long as I can. I got the idea from Henry
Dorfman, a boarder here at the Pike House who has kept a diary like this
for over two years now. He says it is really cool to be able to look back
over the years and see how you have changed. When I read this a few years
from now I hope I can say that I've changed for the better.
.
. . When
you start a book like this it is hard to divorce from your mind the idea
that someday someone other than yourself will read it, even though ideally
you should write as though you know no one ever will. Even this last sentence
shows that I sort of feel that way. I should have written instead, "As
I start a book it is hard for me to divorce from my mind the idea that
someday someone other than myself will read it, even though ideally I
should write as though I know no one ever will." I'll try to write
more in this style, but it's going to be hard.
.
. . To
start out I may as well give a quick summary of my circumstances right
now. I'm living in Cincinnati, Ohio at the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity house
and I'm in my second year of studies at the University of Cincinnati as
a graphic design major in the — WAIT A SECOND! — I don't think
there's any reason for me to write this kind of stuff. This is the kind
of stuff I won't forget. This book should be reserved for the kind of
things that I might forget if I don't write them down. But then I shouldn't
limit myself. As long as I have the time I should write down anything
I feel like recording, from my thoughts with a girl, to what I ate for
supper. It's just that I don't want this book to become just a meaningless
collection of facts and data, but more so an outlet for true inner feelings.
T O P
