more on Cheer up, guys

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Bob Alberti <alberti () sanction net>
Date: November 4, 2004 10:58:55 PM EST
To: dave () farber net, watha () monitortan com
Subject: RE: [IP] Cheer up, guys
Reply-To: alberti () sanction net

Dear Hiawatha Bray,

The fact that you can not fathom our despair or that of our neighbors
overseas illustrates part, but just a part, of what's wrong with this
country.

We progressives are not depressed because we lost an ELECTION, we are
depressed because we seem to be losing the American Dream.  I realize 
that
from YOUR point of view the American Dream has been secured, but from 
our
point of view the American Dream has been perverted and you have been 
sold a
bill of goods. You may not all be "dumb," but you sure seem to be
deliberately blind to some things.

Get over it?  Suck it up?  Yes, I suppose we should, and I suppose we 
will.
But for how long?  I will try to avoid the litany of complaints that
progressives have with this Administration - I'm sure you've heard them 
all
before and have ready rebuttals at hand.  Suffice to say that 
progressives
of all stripes are concerned that by the time we "suck up" four more 
years
of this Administration, it will so damage this nation that repairs may 
be
impossible. Some wounds heal, some leave permanent scars, others kill.

Progressives believe that this Administration is vandalizing this 
nation,
and that the 59 million people who voted for President Bush are in 
denial
about that for various reasons ranging from fear of terrorism to a 
desire to
respect the office of the President during war.

My friend James Lileks, one of your conservative bloggers, likes to 
point
out the rights that we retain as evidence that our rights are not being
eroded.  By his logic, one shouldn't worry about the boot until it is
actually planted in one's face.  Telling us to 'suck it up' seems like a
similar argument: yes, conservatism will inevitably wane, but will it 
take
the American dream with it? Those of us concerned with civil liberties, 
the
environment, public education, public discourse, freedom of speech and
faith, and the rights of oppressed groups fear that what eventually 
replaces
waning conservatism may not be waxing liberalism, but simple fascism.

So I'll tell you what - I'll try "sucking it up" if you'll try, just 
try, to
look critically at this Administration and at the things it's doing that
harm our nation.  And if you can't do that - if you can't find any 
validity
in any of the litany of complaints levelled against the Bush 
Administration
by your progressive brethren - then you might want to ask yourself if 
you're
seeing clearly.  Because if 59 million of you can't be dumb, than 
neither
can 55 million of us.

Bob Alberti, CISSP, President                        Sanction, Inc.
Phone: (612) 486-5000 ext 211                         PO Box 583453
http://www.sanction.net                         Mpls, MN 55458-3453

"They SAY that your network is secure, but how can you be certain?"


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-ip () v2 listbox com [mailto:owner-ip () v2 listbox com]On Behalf
Of David Farber
Sent: Thursday, November 04, 2004 3:29 PM
To: ip () v2 listbox com
Subject: [IP] Cheer up, guys




Begin forwarded message:

From: Hiawatha Bray <watha () monitortan com>
Date: November 4, 2004 3:57:30 PM EST
To: dave () farber net, ip () v2 listbox com
Subject: Cheer up, guys

As a Bush supporter, I'm feeling pretty good right now, so maybe I can't
quite appreciate some of the bitter commentary I'm reading here.

But I say this sincerely as a fellow American--cut it out.

Passing around that stupid Daily Mirror front page is like continuing to
swig from a bottle clearly marked POISON.  There's no comfort to be had
in
telling yourselves that the majority of your fellow citizens are idiots.
You may think there is, but you're wrong.

We all have to live in this country together.  I know it hurts to lose;
I've
had the same feeling after other elections.  But there's no way I'll
ever
believe that those who don't share my politics are bad people or stupid
people.  Not only because it's false, but also because believing such a
falsehood does me far more harm than it'll ever do to my foes.

So suck it up, you guys.  You lost, and that means that you and your
friends
did something wrong.  You didn't get your message across or you need to
change your position on some issues.  Whatever.  In any case, it's about
YOU.  Not the 59 million who didn't agree with you.  You've got to do
something different.  Focus on that and you've got a chance.

One more thing:  I know some victorious Republicans are gloating.
Ignore
them.  Their day will come, as it does for all of us.

So relax.  Rent a video.  Go to a movie.  Play with your kids.  This too
will pass away.

Hiawatha Bray
Boston Globe



From: Ole Jacobsen <ole () cisco com>
Date: November 4, 2004 3:01:05 PM EST
To: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Subject: Re: [IP] Woke up this mornin', got the election blues
Reply-To: Ole Jacobsen <ole () cisco com>


Check out the UK's Daily Mirror:

http://www.mirror.co.uk/frontpages/

The frontpage for today: "How can 59,054,087 people be so DUMB?

You can get a high-res version (PDF) from newseum, but you need to do
so TODAY.

Ole


Ole J. Jacobsen
Editor and Publisher,  The Internet Protocol Journal
Academic Research and Technology Initiatives, Cisco Systems
Tel: +1 408-527-8972   GSM: +1 415-370-4628
E-mail: ole () cisco com  URL: http://www.cisco.com/ipj



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