Sunday Musings – September 5, 2021
Revisiting the kettle and the pot
Recently, a memory of some of the colorful language of a former Vice President of the United States made a cameo appearance in my brain. In 1969 there were millions of us who were righteously demonstrating against the involvement of our country in a war in Vietnam. In October of that year there was a peace march numbering millions who passionately gathered in the nation’s capital. Many perceived the demonstrators as unpatriotic, self-righteous and ignorant of history. The then Vice President, Spiro Agnew, is quoted as calling individuals representing the media who seemed to support the demonstrators as “nattering nabobs of negativism”. In a speech at a political fund raiser in New Orleans on October 19, 1969, he is quoted as saying:
“Education is being redefined at the demand of the uneducated to suit the ideas of the uneducated. The student now goes to college to proclaim, rather than to learn. The lessons of the past are ignored and obliterated, and a contemporary antagonism know as ‘The Generation Gap.’ A spirit of national masochism prevails, encouraged by an effete core of impudent snobs who characterize themselves as intellectuals.” (Thisdayinquotes.com)
Many of us who were involved in the anti-war movement at that time were amused and often proudly co-opted the label of “effete core of impudent snobs”.
Lately I have been thinking a lot about the difficulty of following the advice of the 12 step programs such as Alcoholic Anonymous to practice these principles in all one’s affairs (part of step 12). Whether it is my commitment to not use plastics, to listen to media which is not supportive by companies or organizations who do not adequately pay and otherwise treat their employees with dignity, or refrain from purchasing products which violate the values I am attempting to follow in my life, I find I often conveniently move many items from wants to need. For example, I tell myself I will not listen to radio programs whose sponsors violate my idea of what is just, but I made exceptions for certain programs on NPR because I “must get my news somewhere”. Yet, at the same time, I want to self-righteously hold tight to my moral duty to criticize those companies or others who are openly supportive of such companies. In other words, I often risk being the emperor who nakedly marches along as if he is dressed. I can be quick to embrace the spirit of Spiro Agnew as I own that I am one of the “effete core of impudent snobs”.
Many of us look back on the internal dynamics of the anti-war movement with a vision of which we were incapable in 1969. Often, in 1969 we males assumed leadership even if it was obvious many of the women would have been more effective. We males were often too busy to do the scut work of typing, distributing flyers, and arranging for basic nutritional and even toilet needs of the millions of demonstrators. We heterosexual, white males conveniently “fell” into leadership positions even if we were demonstrating against the oppression of the brown people of Vietnam and Cambodia.
In other words, we often earned the labels for which we righteously distained Vice President Agnew. Sadly, he was correct in predicting that “Most of these young people who depend on the ideology of ‘the moment' for moral and mental substance will in time . . return to the enduring values, just as every generation before them as done.” While it is true that many of us are more aware and desirous of letting go of our racism, sexism and other isms of oppression we often hold fast to very institutions which ensure their vibrant health. If we are brave enough to be honest, we no longer hold fast to the illusion that there is an us and them but support institutions which guarantee an us and them.
I am not suggesting that it is easy for this human to forego finger pointing at the misdeeds of others while extolling one’s own virtues. Neither am I suggesting that it is comfortable to refuse a cup of exquisite coffee which has not been certified as free trade. Although I would like to say that I only support political agendas which are devoid of negative messages, I find myself railing against “the oppressive, self-serving, political agendas of those who would restrict access to the poles, limit abortions to the rich, or support the one percent under the guise of a free economy being good for all.”
Thus, to the spirit of Spiro Agnew, I must own my sin of self-righteousness while disagreeing that the past is to be admired or envied. It is not a matter of “Making America great”. It is not a matter of acting as if we are America instead of one of the Americas. It is not a matter of returning to a justification of the institutional practices which ensue an us and them. It is not a matter of acting as if the health of the planet and the universes is independent of the health of humans or vice versa. It is a matter of owning that we can and do often adopt the transparent costume which we like to think of as opaque, the costume of effete corps of impudent snobs. It is a matter of practicing what we preach as we explore whether us humans are constitutionally capable of what I would like to call compassionate honesty while holding fast to the faith we can create more just and loving relationships which join together rather than push apart.
Written September 5, 2021
Jimmy F Pickett
Coachpickett.org
Revisiting the kettle and the pot
Recently, a memory of some of the colorful language of a former Vice President of the United States made a cameo appearance in my brain. In 1969 there were millions of us who were righteously demonstrating against the involvement of our country in a war in Vietnam. In October of that year there was a peace march numbering millions who passionately gathered in the nation’s capital. Many perceived the demonstrators as unpatriotic, self-righteous and ignorant of history. The then Vice President, Spiro Agnew, is quoted as calling individuals representing the media who seemed to support the demonstrators as “nattering nabobs of negativism”. In a speech at a political fund raiser in New Orleans on October 19, 1969, he is quoted as saying:
“Education is being redefined at the demand of the uneducated to suit the ideas of the uneducated. The student now goes to college to proclaim, rather than to learn. The lessons of the past are ignored and obliterated, and a contemporary antagonism know as ‘The Generation Gap.’ A spirit of national masochism prevails, encouraged by an effete core of impudent snobs who characterize themselves as intellectuals.” (Thisdayinquotes.com)
Many of us who were involved in the anti-war movement at that time were amused and often proudly co-opted the label of “effete core of impudent snobs”.
Lately I have been thinking a lot about the difficulty of following the advice of the 12 step programs such as Alcoholic Anonymous to practice these principles in all one’s affairs (part of step 12). Whether it is my commitment to not use plastics, to listen to media which is not supportive by companies or organizations who do not adequately pay and otherwise treat their employees with dignity, or refrain from purchasing products which violate the values I am attempting to follow in my life, I find I often conveniently move many items from wants to need. For example, I tell myself I will not listen to radio programs whose sponsors violate my idea of what is just, but I made exceptions for certain programs on NPR because I “must get my news somewhere”. Yet, at the same time, I want to self-righteously hold tight to my moral duty to criticize those companies or others who are openly supportive of such companies. In other words, I often risk being the emperor who nakedly marches along as if he is dressed. I can be quick to embrace the spirit of Spiro Agnew as I own that I am one of the “effete core of impudent snobs”.
Many of us look back on the internal dynamics of the anti-war movement with a vision of which we were incapable in 1969. Often, in 1969 we males assumed leadership even if it was obvious many of the women would have been more effective. We males were often too busy to do the scut work of typing, distributing flyers, and arranging for basic nutritional and even toilet needs of the millions of demonstrators. We heterosexual, white males conveniently “fell” into leadership positions even if we were demonstrating against the oppression of the brown people of Vietnam and Cambodia.
In other words, we often earned the labels for which we righteously distained Vice President Agnew. Sadly, he was correct in predicting that “Most of these young people who depend on the ideology of ‘the moment' for moral and mental substance will in time . . return to the enduring values, just as every generation before them as done.” While it is true that many of us are more aware and desirous of letting go of our racism, sexism and other isms of oppression we often hold fast to very institutions which ensure their vibrant health. If we are brave enough to be honest, we no longer hold fast to the illusion that there is an us and them but support institutions which guarantee an us and them.
I am not suggesting that it is easy for this human to forego finger pointing at the misdeeds of others while extolling one’s own virtues. Neither am I suggesting that it is comfortable to refuse a cup of exquisite coffee which has not been certified as free trade. Although I would like to say that I only support political agendas which are devoid of negative messages, I find myself railing against “the oppressive, self-serving, political agendas of those who would restrict access to the poles, limit abortions to the rich, or support the one percent under the guise of a free economy being good for all.”
Thus, to the spirit of Spiro Agnew, I must own my sin of self-righteousness while disagreeing that the past is to be admired or envied. It is not a matter of “Making America great”. It is not a matter of acting as if we are America instead of one of the Americas. It is not a matter of returning to a justification of the institutional practices which ensue an us and them. It is not a matter of acting as if the health of the planet and the universes is independent of the health of humans or vice versa. It is a matter of owning that we can and do often adopt the transparent costume which we like to think of as opaque, the costume of effete corps of impudent snobs. It is a matter of practicing what we preach as we explore whether us humans are constitutionally capable of what I would like to call compassionate honesty while holding fast to the faith we can create more just and loving relationships which join together rather than push apart.
Written September 5, 2021
Jimmy F Pickett
Coachpickett.org
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