From: owner-fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org (fegmaniax-digest) To: fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org Subject: fegmaniax-digest V11 #189 Reply-To: fegmaniax@smoe.org Sender: owner-fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk fegmaniax-digest Tuesday, June 11 2002 Volume 11 : Number 189 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: let there be guitars... [Jeffrey with 2 Fs Jeffrey ] Note from British Columbia [barbara soutar ] I Am Not Sam ["Mike Wells" ] canada question no rh ["melissa" ] Re: they eat a lot of porridge ["Jason R. Thornton" ] Re: evil commie preverts [Tom Clark ] Re: they eat a lot of porridge [dmw ] Re: I Am Not Sam ["Jason R. Thornton" ] Re: evil commie preverts [Jeffrey with 2 Fs Jeffrey ] Re: observations ["Maximilian Lang" ] Re: observations [Jeffrey with 2 Fs Jeffrey ] RE: observations ["Brian Huddell" ] Re: observations [Terrence Marks ] Nextdoorland ["Michael Wells" ] from my matador newsletter to you ["*twofangs.rand*" ] Re: Anti-PC Arguments [steve ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2002 13:58:31 -0500 (CDT) From: Jeffrey with 2 Fs Jeffrey Subject: Re: let there be guitars... > > Any advice from other parental fegs on kid guitar stuff? Is there any site > > on the internet where a dyslexic, inept middle age woman can learn to play > > -more- than "No Expectation"? If you can manage, I strongly recommend learning to play the guitar yourself. That is, learn to tune it, learn how the chords are played, learn what chords sound good following one another to your ears, etc. Learn, then, to figure out how to play, say, "Dust in the Wind" by listening to it and knowing how to get your fingers to make those noises. I say this because that way, you're training your ears, and learning the instrument itself, rather than just learning how to play chords. Of course, it may simply be your goal to regale your friends, neighbors, and family with your wicked version of "Smoke on the Water" - nothing wrong with that. Or maybe your sense of pitch isn't up to the task - not everyone's a musician, of course. But if you want to learn to *play* guitar, that's what I'd recommend. Other than the basics (tuning the strings to the standard notes), try to figure out the rest yourself. And then go on and invent weird chords that no one else has ever played. (It also may be at some point that you want to check out the habits you've developed with someone who's a better player than you, just to see if you've developed any bad habits that you'd be better off breaking. And again, all of this depends on how seriously you're taking this whole thing.) - --Jeff J e f f r e y N o r m a n The Architectural Dance Society www.uwm.edu/~jenor/ADS.html ::SCENE 2: ::Aunt Fritzi applies lipstick in the mirror. In the next room, Sluggo ::removes his ever-present cap and blows his nose in a red handkerchief. ::Nancy enters the room and accuses Sluggo of stealing the donuts that ::Aunt Fritzi made for her. Sluggo looks at the clock, which reads 8:54, ::and says he'd better hurry or he'll be late for his trombone lesson. np: Brendan Benson _Lapalco_ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2002 12:29:19 -0700 From: "Natalie Jane" Subject: they eat a lot of porridge >I saw Elf Power last Thursday, and they closed with a killer version >of >Bowie's "Five Years." Hopefully, that'll make the new version of >Come On. > They didn't play any Hitchcock, though. I've seen Elf Power three times now, and the last two times I shouted for "Listening to the Higsons." But all I got was abuse from Bryan Helium. *sniff* Elf Power played here last week, but I decided to skip them. It was a Sunday night, I was still really sick, and Bryan Helium has left the band, so I wouldn't be able to ogle his mighty sideburns. Anyone heard Elf Power's new album yet? I didn't think much of the last one ("Winter is Coming"). (re. Dan Bern) >(a) I have occasionally cared what he was saying >and (b) his Dylan-wannabe thing is ten times more musically exciting >than >these other goobers I'm thinking of. Yeah, but that's not saying much. n. _________________________________________________________________ Join the worlds largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2002 12:39:04 -0700 From: barbara soutar Subject: Note from British Columbia Re: ouch canada, blaim the french.... ....the boat trip from port angeles, wa to vancouver island was pretty neat but the trip from sydney to tswassen was much better. victoria is like some sorta sin city were all the bad kids go and vancouver isn't much better. those big cities just remind me more of why i hate big cities. drugs are everywhere, especially smack and crystal. we stayed at a backpacker's hostel on vancouver island and walked around victoria that first night. it was interesting but every third or fourth person we saw said 'uptown', or so i thought. it was actually 'up down' or speed smack. the shit is everywhere. i had a couple grams of some really good smoke and some homemade nepalese temple balls and got busted by Canadian customs for smuggling. I live in Victoria and have never had people say "uptown" or "updown" to me, but then again I don't look particularly cool and hardly ever wander downtown at night. There are LOTS of drugs here and I've done the occasional B.C. bud which is getting almost hallucinogenic these days. It's barely illegal. We do have a big problem with people overdosing on heroin which is something I never saw when I lived in similar-sized cities in Ontario, it's a very different culture out here. The ferry rides are one of the best parts about life here, not to mention snow-capped mountains and fresh air. Subject: YipYipYip.... ....Any advice from other parental fegs on kid guitar stuff? Is there any site on the internet where a dyslexic, inept middle age woman can learn to play - - -more- than "No Expectation"? Sorry to hear about your sick in-law and nursing duties. Am familiar with the experience of having a brain tumour as I had a benign one removed a couple of years ago... I lived in a peculiar musical land of my own for a few months so I can identify with your mother-in-law. My little episode ended happily though. How old is your girl? I'm starting to suggest guitar playing to mine, who is 13. She doesn't seem enthused so maybe it's still seen as being a "boy thing". Learning it myself had also briefly occurred to me, though I've never tried it before. Barbara Soutar Victoria, B.C. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2002 14:47:26 -0500 From: "Mike Wells" Subject: I Am Not Sam Speaking of Rufus Wainwright, as Natalie was, I have to mention my frustration at his take on "Across the Universe" being allowed to spoil what is an otherwise rather enjoyable soundtrack to the movie "I Am Sam." What the hell were they thinking? Why not use Robyn and Grant's version (ala the KCRW session), a truly supple and wonderful read...as opposed to the harsh piece of crapola Rufus is foisting on us? Or anyone else's version instead? Sheesh... Thanks, I feel better now. Michael "where did Ben Folds' five go, anyway?" Wells ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2002 20:12:49 -0000 From: "melissa" Subject: canada question no rh since the subject of canada did come up on the list already... it seems highly unlikely but i was wondering if anyone had been to the Om festival in Ontario or was planning to go this year. i'd love to read a feg review. Melissa ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2002 13:11:43 -0700 From: "Jason R. Thornton" Subject: Re: they eat a lot of porridge At 12:29 PM 6/10/2002 -0700, Natalie Jane wrote: >I've seen Elf Power three times now, and the last two times I shouted for >"Listening to the Higsons." But all I got was abuse from Bryan Helium. Every time I've seen Elf Power, they've begged the audience for a place to sleep. I don't know why these vagabonds are giving you crap for making a simple song request. >Elf Power played here last week, but I decided to skip them. It was a >Sunday night, I was still really sick, and Bryan Helium has left the band, >so I wouldn't be able to ogle his mighty sideburns. You missed out on ogling the new bass player's mighty fro. I'm currently working on a conglomerate of the two hairstyles - mighty fro with mighty sideburns. Haven't really achieved mightiness with either element yet, though. >Anyone heard Elf Power's new album yet? I didn't think much of the last >one ("Winter is Coming"). I like it more than Winter Is Coming but perhaps less than Dream In Sound or Red King. It's catchier and more upbeat than Winter Is Coming at least. I didn't really have a negative reaction to Winter like you did, though. And I saw the Pet Shop Boys last Tuesday, and really enjoyed it, so you may want to take my musical opinions with a spoonful of salt. I forgot to mention that Rookie Card, the local opening band at the Elf Power/Masters of the Hemisphere show at the Casbah, played a "rocked out" version of Don Henley's "Boys of Summer," substituting half the lyrics with the words from "Hotel California." Very amusing. - --Jason "fucking godless pencil dick pinkos" Thornton "Only the few know the sweetness of the twisted apples." - Sherwood Anderson ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2002 13:07:32 -0700 From: Tom Clark Subject: Re: evil commie preverts on 6/10/02 5:42 AM, James Dignan at grutness@surf4nix.com wrote: > probably a dumb question, since it will no doubt introduce more rhetoric of > various forms to the list but - exactly why was America so afraid of > Communism? Well, I'm no expert, but I think that it might have something to do with the fact that you can't sell Coca Cola and Chryslers in a closed economy. - -tc ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2002 16:42:26 -0400 (EDT) From: dmw Subject: Re: they eat a lot of porridge On Mon, 10 Jun 2002, Natalie Jane wrote: > so I wouldn't be able to ogle his mighty sideburns. Anyone heard Elf > Power's new album yet? I didn't think much of the last one ("Winter is > Coming"). hmm. i like it a lot, but then, i thought "winter" crushed everything else i'd heard by them. fwiw, i thought both had stronger songwriting, better production, and were played with more authority and less fey wobliness. this despite lyrics about castles and whatever. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2002 14:44:13 -0700 From: "Jason R. Thornton" Subject: Re: I Am Not Sam At 02:47 PM 6/10/2002 -0500, Mike Wells wrote: >Speaking of Rufus Wainwright, as Natalie was, I have to mention my frustration >at his take on "Across the Universe" being allowed to spoil what is an >otherwise rather enjoyable soundtrack to the movie "I Am Sam." What the hell >were they thinking? Why not use Robyn and Grant's version (ala the KCRW >session), a truly supple and wonderful read...as opposed to the harsh piece of >crapola Rufus is foisting on us? I'm probably in the minority here, but I really enjoy Rufus' take on the song. Most everything else on I Am Sam album struck me as dull and uninspired, in fact. And, I sort of like the Eddie Vedder version of "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away," which got a lot of airplay on a local radio station, at least in comparison to everything else, perhaps because his voice is such so un-Beatles-like and growly - but it still sounds right with this tune. Ben Folds' lovely version of "Golden Slumbers" grabbed me as well. A lot of the album is nice and listenable, but timid and uninteresting at the same time. The strength of the songs themselves carries the album much more so than the power of most of the performances. Even the Nick Cave one doesn't do much for me. If anything, the Rufus song seems out of place just because it so surpasses the rest of the album in quality. I don't really find his version "harsh." If anything, this album could use a little harshness, or something less tame and safe. Cyndi Lauper's version of "Strawberry Fields" from the Lennon TV special would have had a little more impact. >Or anyone else's version instead? Have you heard Bowie's version on "Young Americans"? You may want to reconsider your use of the phrase "anyone else's." ;-) I did like Fiona Apple's version, too, for the record. I haven't heard Hitchcock's version, so I'm not really going to comment on the appropriateness of that. Some Beatles songs I have heard Robyn cover that I think would have been more interesting than most everything else on this record: A Day in the Life, Hey Bulldog and It's Only a Northern Song. I would like to hear the Neil Finn song that made some of the "import" copies of the album, though. Jason "I can't define un-American but I know it when we kick its ass" Thornton "Only the few know the sweetness of the twisted apples." - Sherwood Anderson ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2002 16:49:32 -0500 (CDT) From: Jeffrey with 2 Fs Jeffrey Subject: Re: evil commie preverts On Mon, 10 Jun 2002, Christopher Gross wrote: > Now, my short answer would be that the US was afraid of communism > because it was afraid of established communist *systems* (eg, the USSR), > due to their very real record of doing evil stuff. It was secondarily > afraid of communist *movements* (eg, the FSLN), because they sought to > establish communist systems, and communist *ideology* because its > believers often tried to establish communist movements and systems. And > it was, err, tertiarally (?) afraid of communist *ideals*, and socialism > of all types, because they were seen as linked with communist > ideologies/movements/systems -- sometimes a mistaken impression, > sometimes not. So the fear of communism came from mainly from the > communist coup d'etats, expropriations and labor camps end of the > communist spectrum, not the dreamy ideals of cooperation, peace and > plenty. First, thank to Chris for a nice summary of the situation. Without minimizing the reality or impact of those coups d'etat ("coups d'etats"? I lack my French dictionary, along w/my Snooty Character Guidebook) - and I know usually such a phrase does just that - I think something less rational and more visceral is at work. After all, we fought a war against the fascists, and their excesses are at least as comparable...yet, if various species of left-wingers can be lined up along a spectrum from Sen. Slightly Left O'Middle to Uncle Joe Stalin, and the same is done with right-wingers, far more smearing and general disdain is directed at nearly any point along the left end of that spectrum than at the corresponding point along the right. (All of this is within the US - apologies to the rest of the world reading this...) I suspect atheism/Judaism/ethnicity of leftists historically has something to do with this - and strident, violent anti-leftism far predates the '50s: my house is less than two miles from a site at which workers fighting for an eight-hour day were slaughtered in the 1890s. (And treatment by the powers-that-be of workers in the 19th and early 20th centuries is hardly more polite than Leninist treatment of its dissidents.) Incidents like that, of course, might suggest that, as much as Leninist ideology's dreams of world-dominance (and more than dreams, in some places) made it justifiably an enemy, it was not the only political ideology determined to remake the world in its image, by force if necessary, by right in its belief. A few words and phrases: Manifest Destiny, "the end of history" (Francis Fukuyama), IMF/World Bank. Though not as direct and obvious in violence (usually), it's more or less official Reagan/Bush/BushII ideology that the American version of "free market" ideology is the only way to go - and pity your little nation's petty notions of autonomy and self-determination if not. This is not equivalence-making - but to describe the one without noting the other gives a distorted picture. One last note: to proclaim these views is not to be "anti-American": I see nothing in any of this nation's founding documents about such corporate/economic imperialism, and in fact, the power of huge corporations like the Dutch East India Company was one reason such large corporate entities were frowned upon, and legally reined in, by the early Republic. Recall that corporations were originally chartered by individual states, and such chartering regulations had teeth. Off the top of my head I can't recall the legal decision that granted corporations legal status as "individuals" in the late 19c - but despite the long history of corporate power in the US over individuals and even governments, there is also a strong and ongoing thread of recognition that such excessive power does *not* tend to the best interests of the vast majority of citizens. As if anyone had thought Chris was the only one on this list prone to bloviation... - --Jeff J e f f r e y N o r m a n The Architectural Dance Society www.uwm.edu/~jenor/ADS.html ::Why should we value the work ethic ::when employers care so little about the pay ethic? __Barbara Ehrenreich__ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2002 17:58:56 -0400 From: "Maximilian Lang" Subject: Re: observations >From: "Natalie Jane" >6. I put on a couple of Beatles songs (from "Rubber Soul") to entertain my >sister, and I'm amazed at how spare and empty they sound - as if all the >band members were standing yards away from each other. This is one reason(the main one)why the mono mixes of the Beatles records are considered superior to the stereo mixes by many collectors. Max _________________________________________________________________ Join the worlds largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2002 17:17:56 -0500 (CDT) From: Jeffrey with 2 Fs Jeffrey Subject: Re: observations On Mon, 10 Jun 2002, Maximilian Lang wrote: > >From: "Natalie Jane" > >6. I put on a couple of Beatles songs (from "Rubber Soul") to entertain my > >sister, and I'm amazed at how spare and empty they sound - as if all the > >band members were standing yards away from each other. > > This is one reason(the main one)why the mono mixes of the Beatles records > are considered superior to the stereo mixes by many collectors. Hmmm... I'm not quite sure what you (Natalie) mean here. I'm trying to imagine "Tomorrow Never Knows" sounding "spare and empty" - and coming up a bit dry. Two questions: were the levels on the tape roughly equal from track to track? Because if the Beatles track was considerably lower volume, it would certainly sound sparer in comparison to its surroundings (one reason I'm kinda meticulous, in making mix tapes/CDs, about levels). Also (less a question than an obsevation): one person's "spare and empty" might be another's "sharp and uncluttered" (as in that sort of dry '70s guitar sound you hear on mainstream harder rock records of the era - sorry, I can't think of a specific example right now). So I'm not sure about that statement (from M. Lang this time) that what Natalie describes is the main reason mono mixes are considered superior. But yeah, a mono mix would de-emphasize that spaciousness, so...a matter of taste, obviously. (I've always heard the "mono mixes are better" re Beatles records argued as an authenticity issue: Martin did the mono mixes, often with Beatles present, whereas the stereo mixes were generally done later (sometimes *years* later), more quickly, and w/o direct Beatle involvement. Me, i don't care about that: if it sounds good to me, it sounds good to me. Also: lots of inarguably canonical Beatle recordings had no Sacred Presence gracing their creation.) - --Jeff J e f f r e y N o r m a n The Architectural Dance Society www.uwm.edu/~jenor/ADS.html ::I've been praying a lot lately - it's because I no longer have a TV:: __Mark Eitzel__ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2002 17:56:51 -0500 From: "Brian Huddell" Subject: RE: observations > > >6. I put on a couple of Beatles songs (from "Rubber > Soul") to entertain my > > >sister, and I'm amazed at how spare and empty they sound - > as if all the > > >band members were standing yards away from each other. > > > > This is one reason(the main one)why the mono mixes of the > Beatles records > > are considered superior to the stereo mixes by many collectors. > > Hmmm... I'm not quite sure what you (Natalie) mean here. I'm trying to > imagine "Tomorrow Never Knows" sounding "spare and empty" - > and coming up > a bit dry. Yeah, but Natalie mentioned "Rubber Soul" in particular, which has these garish 100% pans throughout. All instruments hard right and all vocals and solos hard left (or vice-versa, I don't have a copy handy). Sounds perfect on AM radio but it can be really distracting on a stereo (not to mention headphones). Maybe that's the effect she's describing. +brian in New Orleans ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2002 19:12:30 -0400 From: Terrence Marks Subject: Re: observations Natalie Jane wrote: > 1. Belle & Sebastian really aren't so bad, though the Elephant 6 mailing > list was never able to ascertain what an "Arab strap" is. I figured it was something to do with the Scottish band of the same name. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=Bdxkcikxjbb89 Of course I may be entirely wrong. Semi-relatedly, I got a mix tape a while back from someone here. It contained some rather interesting selections by Michael Marra, who I'm unable to find any information about. Since there's at least one person on this list who's heard of him, I figure this'd be the place to ask. PS. Got your tape! Thanks, gNat! - -- Terrence Marks http://www.unlikeminerva.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2002 19:00:11 -0500 From: "Michael Wells" Subject: Nextdoorland Terrance observed: > I figured it was something to do with the Scottish band of the same > name. > http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=Bdxkcikxjbb89 and Matador bandmates of ye olde SB's... Speaking of which, any more news on 'Nextdoorland' (sp?)? The radio interviews said a Sept. 24th, release, right? A tour path like last year would be sweet; maybe drive out East and follow them back during early October, prime color time across the North. Michael "you can't beat Autumn in Detroit - or can you?" Wells ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2002 20:21:16 -0400 From: "*twofangs.rand*" Subject: from my matador newsletter to you Hey ... check out what I got in the mail! ............................................................................... *The Soft Boys - new album, new Hitchcock double CD* September will see the release of the a new, as yet untitled Soft Boys album on Matador, recorded this past winter and spring with Pat Collier. Just out in the UK is Robyn Hitchcock's 'Robyn Sings' (Editions PAF!), a double CD collection of Bob Dylan covers. Robyn has dates forthcoming in Canada, Scandinavia and the UK and you can read all about it at The Museum Of Robyn Hitchcock. .................................................................................................... Does this mean Robyn's *not* touring the U.S.? Wow - I feel so privileged - (instead of envious) - for once ;-} fading back into yesterday before tomorrow comes, Randi Toronto, Ontario, Canada *what scares you most will set you free* ~ Robyn Hitchcock *the longer you hide ... the more you deny* ~ Neil Finn *by endurance we conquer* ~ Sir Ernest Shackleton p.s. for those belle & sebastian fans: I also read cellist & singer isobel campbell left the tour mid-way through. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 Jun 2002 12:48:15 +1200 From: grutness@surf4nix.com (James Dignan) Subject: ...at a whale-weigh station! >5. Dan Bern is indistinguishable from the thousands of boringly "quirky" >folkies who pass through Ann Arbor on a regular basis like migrating whales. Hell, those whales must be tough to pass through Ann Arbor! Do they jump up the Niagara Falls like overized salmon and then hitch from the western shore of Erie, or do they buy season tickets and go by railroad from Cape Cod? James ps- thanks for all the lucid and non foaming-at-the-mouth answers to my question. James Dignan, Dunedin, New Zealand. =-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-= .-=-.-=-.-=-.- .-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-. -.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-= You talk to me as if from a distance =-.-=-. And I reply with impressions chosen from another time -=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=- (Brian Eno - "By this River") ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2002 22:26:50 -0400 From: " FS Thomas" Subject: Anti-PC Arguments Interesting stuff. - ------------------------------------------------------- - --------------- National Review Online Impromptus (excerpt) Jay Nordlinger, NR's Managing Editor June 10, 2002 8:45 a.m. The politics of parading; soccer and the metric system; when PC is dangerous; etc. . . . Like many others, I read with sinking heart about Johnell Bryant, the Department of Agriculture official to whom the 9/11 terrorist Mohamed Atta applied for a loan - he wanted to buy a crop-duster, for purposes that need not now be guessed. According to the New York Times, "[Ms. Bryant] told Atta that he could not have a loan of $650,000 to buy a twin-engine, six-passenger plane, which he wanted to equip with a very large tank. He then became agitated . . . and asked [Bryant] what was to keep him from slitting her throat and stealing money from the safe behind the desk in her Florida office." But Johnell Bryant didn't kick Atta out of her office or call the police. She jollied him. And "later in their meeting, . . . [Atta] told her he wanted to buy an aerial picture of Washington that hung in her office. He pulled out a wad of cash and threw money on her desk, even after she said she would not sell it. He asked about the White House and Pentagon, and she pointed them out." He praised al Qaeda to her, and also its leader, Osama bin Laden. According to Bryant, Atta "mentioned that this man would someday be known as the world's greatest leader." The terrorist went on to ask about various American cities, and specifically mentioned that the football stadium used by the Dallas Cowboys had "a hole in the roof." He also wondered whether "he would be able to visit various landmarks in Washington, since he was not a citizen. 'I told him that there wouldn't be a problem with that, that there is security inside of most of the buildings,' . . . but it would be like that in airports." Today, Bryant says, "Should I have picked up the telephone and called someone? . . . I don't know how I could possibly expect myself to have recognized what the man was. And yet sometimes I haven't forgiven myself." Now, I'm not a psychiatrist, and journalism - even of the casual sort - - isn't psychiatry. But, like you, I've lived in America for a while, and have observed a thing or two. One of them is: Political correctness rides high. In many areas, and in many categories of life, it is our master and bane. And we have been taught - conditioned - not to "discriminate." (Indeed, Bryant says that, after she denied Atta the loan, "he started accusing me of discriminating against him." Of course. Must have made her feel bad - threat to slit her throat and all.) So conditioned, paralyzed, and terrorized are we by PC that we may hesitate to suspect a violent, unsubtle Arab man of terrorist connections, even when he is all but screaming at us, "I'm a terrorist, looking for ways to damage the U.S., you stupid fool!" What would have happened if Bryant had reported this? What would her superiors have said? Would she have been thanked and commended? Would she have been shipped off to sensitivity training? What would the New York Times and 60 Minutes have said? That Bryant was a conscientious citizen and public official, doing her duty to her fellow Americans? Or that this country had hatred, and "fear of the other," in its blood? That we were racist, ethnocentric, xenophobic, hegemonist, patriarchalist (would that have applied?), and all those other words that we have learned in recent years? This sort of hesitancy - this sort of self-muzzling and self-doubting and false shame - has long been an albatross around our necks. It has impeded progress in our race relations, most spectacularly. Sensible discussion of crime is almost impossible. I know for a fact that, at at least one big-city newspaper, reporters and editors are discouraged from reporting straight on crime and law enforcement, lest "the black community" (strange, and telling, phrase) be upset. Needless to say, these reporters and editors can't speak out, or they'd risk everything. I am no shrink, but I hazard this guess about Johnell Bryant: that some part of her was inhibited by our acculturation in PC. Will this acculturation - this system of fear and accusation - be lessened in the wake of 9/11? Will honesty and openness be encouraged? In some, surely. Generally? One wonders. . . . - ------------------------------------------------------- - --------------- ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 Jun 2002 00:13:03 -0500 From: steve Subject: Re: Anti-PC Arguments On Monday, June 10, 2002, at 09:26 PM, FS Thomas wrote: > Interesting stuff. > > --------------- > --------------- > > National Review Online Sorry, these two are mutually exclusive. - - Steve __________ It's something new to see crises  especially a crisis as shocking as the terrorist attack  consistently addressed with legislation that does almost nothing to address the actual problem, and is almost entirely aimed at advancing a pre-existing agenda. - Paul Krugman, on Republican strategy ------------------------------ End of fegmaniax-digest V11 #189 ********************************