The Poet's Eye
commentary
by Lightning Rod
the Poets' Eye is skeptical
without being cynical, innocent
without being naive and
critical without being
judgmental
Oh, Democracy!
for release on 08-02-04
The Poet's
Eye has been on vacation this week at the beach, watching the waves and
everywhere people are basking and pedaling and swimming and skating.
Two things that this writer assiduously avoids are sunshine and exercise,
so the perfect diversion for my vacation at the beach was the Democratic
National Convention.
I'm old enough to remember when party conventions were actually for the
purpose of deciding something.
My first convention of memory was the '52 Republican Convention. I was
four years old. I remember feeling inconvenienced because my Howdy Doody
and cartoon shows were being preempted. Yet still I remember the fuzzy,
black and white coverage of the event. It seemed much like a prize fight
to me, with smoke hanging in the air and the audience sweating.
By the 1960 conventions I was becoming politically aware. I remember the
rough and tumble and the general unruliness. It was thrilling to me. They
seemed to be actually fighting over who the candidates would be and also
for the party platforms. You had the idea that something was actually
being decided there.
Of course that type of convention is a thing of the past. Because of the
rise of the primary system, the nominee is already chosen before the convention.
The candidates pretty much determine what their platforms will be, so
there is little debate on that. The conventions have devolved into sort
of a political Woodstock. Well, almost.
Instead of flopping on sleeping bags in a soggy cow pasture, the delegates
to this rock concert stay in luxury Boston hotels and are feted at the
buffets of corporate America.
The conventions have gone much as our democracy has gone, from a robust
and unruly confusion from which, somehow, miraculously, order emerges,
to a slick, packaged production where there are no surprises. To be sure,
this is marvelous entertainment, but it has very little to do with the
nuts and bolts of the political process.
Some Observations:
1. The Dems are making nice with respect to direct Bush bashing. Even
though the mood of the delegates seems to be galvanized most by their
common anti-Bushness, the managers of the convention (and it was definitely
managed, like an Academy Awards ceremony) were wise and tasteful and shrewd
enough not to pander to this obvious anti-Bush sentiment. They know that
their base would vote for a screwdriver before they would vote for George
Bush.
2. The Democratic convention represented the Disneyfication of our political
system. Politics these days seems to require the willing suspension of
disbelief. The conventions truly represent Fantasyland. The Poet's Eye
can't wait to see what the Republicans come up with.
3. The chainlink cages that were erected to accommodate any unruly demonstrators
in Boston were noticeably empty. Protests seemed to be limited to a few
peaceful fringe groups. The Poet's Eye can't imagine seeing such tranquility
at the Republican convention unless they hold it on a cruise ship.
4. Until the fourth night of the Democratic convention, and his introduction
by Max Cleland, no mention was made of John Kerry's role as a war protester.
They played up the war hero angle instead. In this writer's estimation,
Kerry's career as a war protester is a greater reason for respect.
I don't suppose that it is any mystery why the Dems seek to highlight
and contrast the service records of the two presidential candidates. Both
were from patrician backgrounds and when faced with the possibility of
military service, one enlisted and served well and proudly, while the
other used his family connections to avoid service. All other factors
aside, which one would you choose to be commander-in-chief of our armed
forces?
But Kerry further distinguished himself by returning from Vietnam and
courageously battling what he had come to understand as an unjust and
unnecessary war. The Poet's Eye sees that Kerry's good conscience protests
against the war are more reason to vote for him than his three purple
hearts given the fact that we are now again in an unjust and unnecessary
war.
The Poet's Eye watches the folks here at Virginia Beach flock to the shore
to cook themselves in ultraviolet rays reflected and intensified by the
sand and salt and surf. I wonder about their wisdom. This is a resort
that caters to the family tourist trade and the transients here fairly
well represent middle America. They are working people on vacation. I
look out at them roasting in the sun. Is this a wise choice, given what
we know about the effects of sun exposure with respect to skin cancer?
Probably not.
These same people are the ones that will decide who will govern us for
the next four years. The Poet's Eye watches them from the shade and asks
this question: Can they make a wise decision in this presidential race?
Sure they can. Now if we can just get the votes counted honestly.
BE
composed—be at ease with me—I am Walt Whitman, liberal and lusty
as Nature;
Not till the sun excludes you, do I exclude you;
Not till the waters refuse to glisten for you, and the leaves to rustle
for you, do my words refuse to glisten and rustle for you.
My girl, I appoint with you an appointment—and I charge you that
you make preparation to be worthy to meet me,
And I charge you that you be patient and perfect till I come.
Till then, I salute you with a significant look, that you do not forget
me.
--Walt Whitman, To A Common Prostitute.
Lightning
Rod
World Headquarters
Studio
Eight.tv
Showcase for
Writers, Artists,
Musicians & More
Studio Eight Forums
Discuss the Arts
& Comment on
The Poet's Eye
Freedom
Hall
say anything
doreenperi.com
Art, poetry, music
•
to
comment on this article
email Lightning Rod here