Consciousness-Raising is Making a Comeback

[SoDesuKa]

Consciousness raising used to be a big deal back in the 1960's. The idea took a hit in the intervening years, but back then you couldn't get anything done politically until you first raised consciousness. Demonstrations were said to raise consciousness, as were teach-ins and sit-ins and hippie-style be-ins.

It's back! Every Obama press conference does untold amounts of good in terms of consciousness-raising. It looks to me like the Republicans don't want to take the Black guy seriously because, they think, they don't have to. But I'm with Lawrence O'Donnell on this one . . . they're wrong about that. They have to take him seriously because he's the president, and it totally galls them to have to face up to it.

Something is happening here and you don't know what it is, do you, Mr. Jones? Big changes have taken place in America, and it doesn't make a difference if the Republicans sulk about it. That's 1960's style consciousness raising in a nutshell. Political change which was bitterly resisted is happening anyhow. And no, I don't think this is just wishful thinking.



Ah you've been with the professors and they've all liked your looks
With great lawyers you have discussed lepers and crooks
You've been through all of F. Scott Fitzgerald's books
You're very well read, it's well known

[Syrinx]

1. What is this political change you speak of?

Public attitudes regarding gay people, and their rights, have improved by leaps and bounds during the last fifteen or twenty years, granted. And that's a good thing.

But more broadly speaking, it seems that everything else just keeps getting worse and worse.

What am I missing?

[SoDesuKa]

2. Fox News Is a Sign of Resistance

The right wing has had to turn up the volume to drown out the sound of actual, real changes. However, I'm not disappointed that Obama's more conservative than progressives think he needs to be. Obama knows the rules are different for him. For example, when he became impatient with Eric Cantor the other day, Cantor dutifully responded with a dog whistle attack.

Fortunately, Obama does not give up what he's had to fight for. Whenever his political adversaries think they've got his measure, it turns out they don't. Frankly, I think Obama's a brilliant politician, and we'll see that more clearly as we note his accomplishments over the years. Remember that he took over from Bush, who did everything possible to trash government in general and the office of the president in particular.




Bush Trashed the Office of the President