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“I see much here to remind me of my former condition, and I confess I should be ashamed to lift my voice against American slavery, but that I know the cause of humanity is one the world over.”
--Frederick Douglass; Ireland; 1843.
Usually, I try to post an Irish history essay on this forum for St. Patrick's Day. This is not only a day late, but will be a bit different than usual …..which is perhaps only fitting, as we are in unusual times. I am a bit hesitant, in part because I am still in a weakened, reduced “post-surgery” state, and I recognize that I will have difficulty in connecting the ideas that are flowing through my mind into anything particularly meaningful.
Usually, when “spring is in the air” here in the northeast, I enjoy walking out to my pond in the middle of the night. Since a long walk was not an option last night, I instead settled on sitting at the picnic table on our patio, gazing at the beauty of the stars. And, as I habitually mutter to myself in such circumstance, I heard myself saying, “billions and billions of stars.”
I had read through DU:GD before stepping out, in part to see if a person who posted a negative response to my most recent OP there had commented on my response to him. He had interpreted my OP as an attempt to discourage serious debate – to even censor – on this forum. I had responded by using Malcolm X as an example of how people can debate, but still be civil. There had been no response. But there are billions of stars.
I remembered once hearing Carl Sagan say that he believed that “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” was the most important American book published. Then, I remembered reading the above Douglass quote, in Sagan's 1996 book, “The Demon-Haunted World.” Sagan had pointed out that Douglas had an evolving consciousness: he had toured Ireland before the Great Starvation, and recognized the oppression; he had been an outspoken opponent of the US policies of violence and theft against Native Americans; and he “was the only man of any ethnic group to stand in support” of Elizabeth Cady Stanton at the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention.
Last month, I had read another book that quoted Sagan. Timothy Ferris's “The Science of Liberty” (2010) notes, “ 'Science is far from a perfect instrument of knowledge,' wrote the astronomer Carl Sagan. 'It is just the best we have. In this respect, as in many others, it's like democracy.'” (pages 103-104)
Ferris also quotes theoretical physicist Lee Smolin: “Science is a kind of open laboratory for a democracy. It's a way to experiment with the ideals of our democratic societies. For example, in science, you must accept that you live in a community that makes the ultimate judgment as to the worth of your work. But at the same time, everybody's judgment is his or her own. The ethics of the community require that you argue for what you believe and that you try as hard as you can to get results to test your hunches, but you have to be honest in reporting the results, whatever they are. You have the freedom and independence to do whatever you want,so long as in the end you accept the judgment of the community. Good science comes from the collision of contradictory ideas, from conflict, from people trying to do better than their teachers did, and I think here we have a model for what a democratic society is about. There's a great strength in our democratic way of life, and science is at the root of it.”
This nation's “Founding Fathers,” as imperfect as they definitely were, viewed the form of government they were creating as a great experiment. In the time since, there has been some greatness, much good, much bad, and some absolutely terrible chapters. As a consequence of all that has gone on in this curious laboratory – good, bad, and indifferent – we find ourselves in the current conditions that people on this forum discuss, debate, and argue about. And this forum is, of course, a Petri dish on a table in the larger laboratory of American society.
The culture growing in this dish is not the same as what was found here when I joined in 2003. It couldn't possibly be, for no living organism remains exactly the same. Indeed, if nothing else, there is a difference (at least in theory) between having the Bush-Cheney administration and a republican Congress, than having an Obama-Biden administration and a democratic Congress.
In my own opinion, for what it is worth, there are many more moderate democrats participating here, compared to “the good old days.” I have no problem with that (at least in theory). What I am concerned with is the rudeness and hostility that is frequently found in the debates on the merits of various opinions concerning approaches to the science of politics. I am a Frederick Douglass Democrat. A Malcolm X Democrat. I do not confuse my opinions, nor my set of values in which those opinions are firmly rooted, as representative of the majority of democrats today ….and certainly not the majority of Americans today. Yet that neither diminishes nor expands the value of my opinions. I'm satisfied to have an opportunity to offer them, and have them compared to what others – especially those who are more moderate or conservative – are offering.
In terms of the health care debate: I do not have the perfect answer, but I had invested my efforts in the 2008 elections in large part with the belief that there would be significant changes that would benefit those people I know as family, friends, and neighbors. None of those people has expressed anything more positive than disappointment with the democrats in Congress. Some believe that President Obama lacks the leadership skills necessary to get results when facing the entrenched opposition to reform. Others question if he was sincere in trying.
I spoke recently with an aunt and uncle; they both experienced the Great Depression. He fought in Korea. They had the opportunity to go from poverty to “middle class” through hard work. Both are what I consider FDR Democrats. They are intelligent, well-educated people. And they both identify Dennis Kucinich as the person in Washington that they trust the most. Thus, it amazes me when I read some of the ugly things I read on this forum about Kucinich, and the insulting comments directed towards those who admire him.
It's important that those of us who have values that produce “leftist” beliefs and positions continue to participate in this great experiment. Not just in this Petri dish called the Democratic Underground, but throughout the entire laboratory. Some others may express contempt for our opinions, or discount the value of our contributions (until they need our support). But that's okay. We need to keep our eyes on the prize, and focus on what is important. And that is my St. Patrick's Day message for 2010.
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