I was going to write this, but then...

Last night I listened to the Democratic  presidential debate live via radio.  I was going to write about what a complete travesty it was, with stupid, inane questions pandering to the lowest common denominator of society - a penchant for gossip, mud-slinging and name-calling. Issues of substance such as torture, Iraq, China, Tibet and the economy largely were ignored. I was going to write that the moderators did a terrible job and ask what has happened to ABC News? No doubt the late Peter Jennings wouldn't have asked such lightweight questions - he would have focused on the substantive issues that affect us all.

I was going to write that it's hard to single out the most ridiculous question, as the majority were so idiotic. But the one asking Sen. Barack Obama if he respected the American flag was probably the dumbest and most inflammatory. Sen. Obama patiently responded and - unlike the moderators - kept trying to turn the subject back to real issues, saying Americans didn't want to waste time talking about manufactured ones.

I was going to write that people who think those who don't wrap themselves in the American flag, wear flag lapel pins - just in case you forget you're an American - and believe that wearing such a pin equates being patriotic -  deserve the government they get. And that those people probably should be reading books and blogs and newspapers and learning about the issues, rather than questioning someone else's patriotism.  Because wearing a flag pin has zip nada NOTHING to do with patriotism!

I was going to write that patriotism does not require wearing a silly cheap plastic flag pin bought from Wal-Mart and made in China. I don't care if you drape your front lawn in flags and wear a flag pin every waking moment, if you aren't doing something to establish a dialogue and change the downwards spiral in America, you're part of the problem.

Patriotism is questioning what's happening in our country. Patriotism is being a soldier trying to stay alive amidst terrible conditions in a war fought under false pretenses. Patriotism involves the families who struggle to pay bills while their husband or wife is in Iraq or returning soldiers who have serious injuries, yet must fight to get the proper medical care they need.  Patriotism is those who fight for the underdog and try to protect the Constitution and our civil liberties. Patriotism is shining attention on critical issues affecting us all, such as global warming and human rights. Patriotism is helping insure a better future for our children and their children, by keeping informed and involved with issues that impact our lives. Patriotism is thinking for ourselves. It is not accepting blindly what someone else tells us to do - that's fascism.

I was going to write, please spare us any further presidential debates if they are going to insult the viewers and listeners' intelligence. Why can't the media raise substantive issues that really matter, rather than lazily catering to fabricated nonsense? I was going to ask are we really such an entertainment-lite culture that we have forgotten how to think for ourselves and question our leaders and potential future president?

All this I was going to write... then I saw the Hafiz poem Out of the Mouths of a Thousand Birds, a simple, yet powerful reminder of what's important in the grand scheme of things:

Listen
Listen more carefully to what is around you
Right now.

...There is an astonishing vastness
of movement and Life

Emanating sound and light
from my folded hands

And my even quieter simple being and heart.

My dear
Is it true that your mind
is sometimes like a battering
Ram

Running all through the city,
Shouting so madly inside and out

About the ten thousand things
That do not matter?

...Oh listen
Listen more carefully
to what is inside of you right now.

In my world
All that remains is the wondrous call to
Dance and prayer

Rising up like a thousand suns
out of the mouth of a
Single bird.

Pensive oil and mixed media on panel by Randall LaGro. Photo courtesy of Blue Rain Gallery, Taos and Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Comments

[Jeanie]

I couldn't agree with you more...

[Lynne Rutter]

Tara, thanks for that sensitive and lovely poem. It's so much more fulfilling to read that.

can we laugh this off? it is ludicrous, but only partly funny.
This "debate" was nothing but "a 60 minute master class in questions that elevate out of context remarks and trivial, insipid miscues into subjects of national discourse... which is MY job."
- John Stewart

[awareness]

I LOVE how you've written this piece Tara! Go get 'em!

The msm panders completely to the unread redneck...it's beyond the pale.

Why would ANYONE want to run for a political seat anywhere on this whacked out planet when they have to contend with such nonsense?

It is the over the top patriotism which is perceived outside the borders of the United States that makes the rest of the world roll their eyes.

Acquinas stated......"inordinate self-love is the cause of every sin ... the root of pride is found to consist in man not being, in some way, subject to God and His rule."

It makes me wonder where the line is.........when a healthy sense of pride turns into a weird sense of vanity inducing entitlement?

The poem is one of the most lovely poems I have read in a long time.......it sure puts the absurdity in perspective.

[Casey]

Tara, thank you for this post. I'm actually very hopeful today, because of the widespread outrage that has followed that debate. Maybe the American public is tired of being underestimated by the talking heads. If people start expressing their anger, they may even start voting in their own interest, economic or otherwise.

[rochambeau]

Dear Tara,
Thank your for sharing your thoughts and the poem too. You know what I think. Plastic patriotism reminds me of plastic religious stuff. Actions speak louder than words. In fact as an adult, I've become suspicious of those that have to overtly brand themselves. I wonder what they are hiding.

The media serves up what information they want to feed their masses (and we know who owns the media) that's why I don't like to watch it too much. A person can get mentally fat and unhealthy watching too much of it with out asking the the right questions, like the ones you pose above.
Again,thank you for bring up topics that matter when all around people are being spoon fed junk food for the mind.

xox
Constance

[tangobaby]

I just saw this on a friend's blog and it's a petition from moveon.org protesting the ridiculous performance by the debate moderators. You may be interested in posting this too:

http://pol.moveon.org/enoughdistractions/?r_by=-9166385-41vDBQ&rc=paste

[rochambeau]

Will be back, can't read now!!
xox

Constance

[Becca]

Tara, your words and this poem have affected me more deeply than most anything I've read of late.

Thirty years ago my father in law (who was a very right wing conservative and with whom I violently disagreed on most everthing) was warning me about the way the media was "dumbing down" America. Being very young at the time, I pooh-poohed the notion. But now I see the truth in his idea. By pandering to the lowest common denominator, by exploiting every event for its highest media factor, the media does a great disservice to the American people.

And the poem - well, there are no words for its beauty.

Thanks for sharing this.

[Judy in KY]

Tara, thank you for verbalizing the deep disappointment that so many of us feel about the absurdity of politics in the U.S. Thank you also for the lovely words that help to direct our thoughts to better things.

[Judy in KY]

Tara, thank you for verbalizing the deep disappointment that so many of us feel about the absurdity of politics in the U.S. Thank you also for the lovely words that help to direct our thoughts to better things.

[Merisi]

Peter Jennings.
So many memories of this great human being.
My most cherished one is how he carried us through those long horrible hours of September 11, 2001. He was the one pillar of strength and comfort on that day.

[My Melange]

Tara,

I watched that circus of a debate. George Snuffleupagus and Chuckie Cheese should be ashamed of themselves. Most journalists must be ashamed. America is sick of this National Enquirer gossip fodder that is used in these debates. Really, we WANT them to talk about the issues and it took 50 minutes before one substanitive question was even asked. That flag stuff was ridiculous. All of these questions to Obama had already been asked and answered. Meanwhile, the shrew HRC stood there with her usual snide smirk on her face and she was helping turn the knife and loving every minute of it!!

The whole thing seemed like a set-up. ABC is Disney owned...and Georgie used to work for the Clinton Administration...and apparently Disney gave money to the HRC campaign. Hmmmm...

I think all Americans should be fed-up and I for one will no longer watch ABC for anything so called news worthy!

Thanks for the poem. It says it all!

[amber]

"I was going to ask are we really such an entertainment-lite culture that we have forgotten how to think for ourselves and question our leaders and potential future president?"--

...Yes. Yes, I think we are. Very sad to say it, but there it is. I have been shocked-- SHOCKED!-- at some of the things I have heard people say lately that shows how little they pay attention. Read? Umm, no. Not unless it is People, or some rag. I think they must get their news from Entertainment Tonight, and MAYBE The Daily Show if they are trying at all.

I could not even finish that "debate". I feel like checking out of the whole thing sometimes. I feel like that Ram in the poem, driving myself crazy about things that seem to matter SO LITTLE to so many people.

*sigh* I don't need everyone to agree with me. I just want people to THINK a little. I want people to CARE. I am so sick of all the petty crap, Obama is so right.

;)

[Gillian]

Tara
What a great thought provoking post as usual. And that poet, where did you find him (or her?)
Such beautiful words.
xo

[kris]

I feel lost. How do people remain hopeful about the US? I saw a news blurb about Denzel Washington defending the republican ideas and read the associated comments from young people. It is sad to see what the word liberal has come to represent. I read one comment that said libraries should not be funded because only elitists go to such places. Imagine having to defend libraries. I despair.

[Tammy]

I had high hopes for this last debate but I was bored. HRC seemed her perky fake self but Barack seemed as frustrated as I was. I hope that people don't go by that debate in their decision process.

That poem hit the mark!

I'm thinking of you in London. XXOO

[Val]

Boy! I definitely was meant to visit your blog today and read that wonderful poem I called my poor husband early this morning (he stays with family during the week to cut down on the costs of commuting) and vented pretty much the same thing. I watched about 20 minutes max of the debate last night and was absolutely appalled. That question about the flag pin just about gave me a stroke.

I'm going to put that poem up on my wall and read it first thing every morning. Thanks so much for posting it, it was just what I needed!

[Brian]

http://hummingbunny.wordpress.com/2008/04/17/ignorance/

Because Tara, many people prefer to live in ignorance.

[Becky]

What a beautiful poem. Exactly what we need to calm us in all this idiocy. I feel your same frustrations. Thank you for putting them in writing, and then offering the poem as a balm. Your blog is so good for me!

[Colette]

Spot on!
and you've tackled a subject that has long perplexed me.
Patriotism, flag-style, cheapens the whole concept.

xoxo

[tangobaby]

Tara,

If I can only read one blog a day, it's going to be yours...

I don't know if there was ever a time when the media and politics were not completely controlled by the interests of advertisers and corporate interests. The media only exists to reflect the desires of its supporters, which is reflected in the lack of journalism that is allowed to be offered to the American public. Peter Jennings was probably the last of his breed, except for maybe Tom Lehrer.

As Americans, we have to expect that the mainstream media does not exist to inform or educate us AT ALL. Or to be impartial. Just like how our very own government is not interested in the will of the people, neither are the news sources that propagate the lowest common denominator of information in the public interest.

George Orwell was a prophet.

[studio wellspring]

wow tara, i couldn't agree more. i watched almost the entire debate last night & i was so disappointed in the questions as well. that one about wearing an american flag pin was so absrud! i was amazed how often hilary kept jabbing at barack's previous awkward word choices in his speech in san francisco {calling him elitist and out of touch} over & over again thru-out the debate, like she just couldn't let it go. and then when the moderators seemed to try to give barack the chance to fling some jabs back at hilary by bringing up the fact that she was caught Lying about her experiences in bosnia {isn't lying much worse than seemingly poor choice in wording?} barack simply let it go by saying something like "hilary & i are being recorded almost every minute of every day and we're bound to get things mixed up once in a while", and then he moved on immediately. he totally rose above her tactics and proved once again to me why he is a much better candidate.

[stephanie]

Tara,
My first thoughts were your words were so perfect and suscinct and right on target, then I read the poem...and you're right, it says it all....beautifully.

x...x

[sherry]

I always love your words..your thoughts..your brilliant mind which connects directly to your heart.

And the piece you chose to share really made me listen so that I could hear.

xo

[Lisa & Alfie at The Pickled Hutch]

I listened and ranted as well to last nights debate. Would love to give the average american more credit but then I keep hearing stuff like last night.....
Lisa & Alfie