While it's always sad to lose a voice - consider this:
He may end up being more popular as a dead author than as a live one. I'd not heard of him, but will read his work now that you brought it to my attention.
I'd never heard of this man but liked him as soon as I heard him speaking the truth. We have some similar class systems in Canada that endure. Due to the nature of our political system however, for better or for worse (currently for worse), voices such as his would not be heard very loudly. During the last ten years in my country, the armed forces, thanks to the conservatives, have adopted an American style "gogit'em" approach. Ten years ago, you would never have seen the "fight with the Canadian Armed Forces" print and tv ads, they were non-exisitent. Today,if I travel down the road about 15 minutes from my middle class circle of fools to Oshawa, Ontario, I can find something Joe Bageant would likely have something to say about. A recruitment office. This office is not in my neighbourhood. It's in one of the most destitute urban neighbourhoods in Ontario. With a population to support it. Sure, we'll pay for your education (that you'll never get), off to Arghanistan. The office is near the 401 highway, a stretch recently renamed the "Highway of Heroes" where the cops and firemen and Habitant Rednecks gather when the dead soldiers roll by in trucks. Some people have found their calling in life by wearing cowboy hats and displaying bumper stickers that read "If you don't stand behind our troops feel free to stand in front of them". Idiots, I don't think that's what my father's uncle Roland had in mind when as a member of the first Canadian tank division he had to hit the beach at Normandy and drive over still alive but injured soldiers. 15 years ago we were a nation of peacekeepers, not neutral as members of the UN, but peacekeepers nonetheless. Today we are on the offense, in more ways than one. Sometimes I've wondered if George Bush and the Homeland Security violation of Human Rights was more to get at the underbelly of American discontent (ie. Oklahoma City) than a fight against terrorism. They need "those people" on side and not plotting to finally get theirs out of the grasp of Washington, or Ottawa, and the middle class. Better they are waving a flag and standing in front of a bullet than aiming one at the powers that be. I guess that was what Bageant was talking about.
2 comments:
While it's always sad to lose a voice - consider this:
He may end up being more popular as a dead author than as a live one. I'd not heard of him, but will read his work now that you brought it to my attention.
Thanks - and condolences.
Still learning,
Chuck on Fleming.
I'd never heard of this man but liked him as soon as I heard him speaking the truth. We have some similar class systems in Canada that endure. Due to the nature of our political system however, for better or for worse (currently for worse), voices such as his would not be heard very loudly. During the last ten years in my country, the armed forces, thanks to the conservatives, have adopted an American style "gogit'em" approach. Ten years ago, you would never have seen the "fight with the Canadian Armed Forces" print and tv ads, they were non-exisitent. Today,if I travel down the road about 15 minutes from my middle class circle of fools to Oshawa, Ontario, I can find something Joe Bageant would likely have something to say about. A recruitment office. This office is not in my neighbourhood. It's in one of the most destitute urban neighbourhoods in Ontario. With a population to support it. Sure, we'll pay for your education (that you'll never get), off to Arghanistan. The office is near the 401 highway, a stretch recently renamed the "Highway of Heroes" where the cops and firemen and Habitant Rednecks gather when the dead soldiers roll by in trucks. Some people have found their calling in life by wearing cowboy hats and displaying bumper stickers that read "If you don't stand behind our troops feel free to stand in front of them". Idiots, I don't think that's what my father's uncle Roland had in mind when as a member of the first Canadian tank division he had to hit the beach at Normandy and drive over still alive but injured soldiers. 15 years ago we were a nation of peacekeepers, not neutral as members of the UN, but peacekeepers nonetheless. Today we are on the offense, in more ways than one. Sometimes I've wondered if George Bush and the Homeland Security violation of Human Rights was more to get at the underbelly of American discontent (ie. Oklahoma City) than a fight against terrorism. They need "those people" on side and not plotting to finally get theirs out of the grasp of Washington, or Ottawa, and the middle class. Better they are waving a flag and standing in front of a bullet than aiming one at the powers that be. I guess that was what Bageant was talking about.
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