http://www.swans.com/ June 7, 2004 -- In this issue:
Note from the Editor: Found in the e-mail box on this sunny Sunday
morning: "How does it feel to be in the ash bin of history? We won.
Your thinking lost. Good riddance. On to killing terrorists; there aren't many communists left to kill. -- Rest in peace, Gipper." Perhaps
sensing that he had not made his point clear enough, this person sent a
second e-mail: "Oh, I left out something; I am so glad that both
terrorists and communists have one thing in common, they always kill
the 'intellectuals' who buy ink by the barrel, like yourself, before they get to us simple minded ideologues. Here's hoping that, if you get your way, you will go to a 'reeducation' camp before I do. Idiot." Well,
always glad to contribute to someone's quality of life...but, irony apart, what a fitting introduction to this new edition for, coincidently, almost the entire content addresses the consequences of the actions taken by people whose thinking and deeds that individual epitomizes. What "we won" is properly described in Milo Clark's analysis of the imploding trends that confront us all. Perhaps, as Mr. Bush declared, "a shinning city awaits [Ronald Reagan]," but what the Gipper and his ilk left in their wake looks more like a cornucopia of dimmed lights and growing immiseration worldwide.
But let's not single out Mr. Reagan -- he represented and advanced
class interests that were pursued long before and since him, in perfect
bipartisanship; class interests whose results are ever more apparent in
the fabric of our society and evident to many observers. As the 81-
year old Kurt Vonnegut recently said, "...I know now that there is not
a chance in hell of America's becoming humane and reasonable.
Because power corrupts us, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
[Our leaders] are chimpanzees who get crazy drunk on power."
("Cold Turkey," In These Times, May 12, 2004.) Read Richard
Macintosh, Phil Rockstroh (with another wrenching graphic by Angela
Tyler-Rockstroh), or John Steppling's review of the last issue, for
examples of our chimpanzees' legacy. What a "Win!"You may wish to look into our poetry section but be cautioned, this
time emotions fly real high in that corner... (You've been warned: do
not complain!) Emotions also make Manuel García muse on what it
means to him to be American -- and yes, thank you Ella Fitzgerald,
Eugene V. Debs, Toni Morrison, and many others, for reminding us of
the America we cherish. It's a very different America from that of Mr.
Bush, whose agenda and ethics Peter Singer dissects in his latest
book, "The President of Good & Evil," reviewed by Jan Baughman.
Plenty of letters; one that is particularly interesting on the anti-Nader crowd, and if you wish to understand the price of gas take a detour and visit Phil Greenspan.
You may or may not agree with some of the views that we present, but, thinking of that person's comments above, we at least are neither predators nor killers...
As always, please form your OWN opinion, and let your friends (and foes) know about Swans.
*****
Here are the links to all the pieces:
http://www.swans.com/library/art10/mgc129.html Supply-Demand . . . . Implosion - by Milo Clark
http://www.swans.com/library/art10/procks28.html Commodified Hell And The Poetry Of Dark Providence - by Phil Rockstroh - With a Graphic by Angela Tyler-Rockstroh
http://www.swans.com/library/art10/mgarci15.html What Does It Mean To Be American? - by Manuel Garcia, Jr.
http://www.swans.com/library/art10/rmac22.html Rot - by Richard Macintosh
http://www.swans.com/library/art10/gsmith19.html Unlawful Orders - Poem by Gerard Donnelly Smith
http://www.swans.com/library/art10/ga179.html Stay The Course - Poem by Gilles d'Aymery
http://www.swans.com/library/art10/pgreen43.html Latest Epidemic: Gas Pain Syndrome! - by Philip Greenspan
http://www.swans.com/library/art10/jeb132.html Peter Singer's "The President of Good & Evil" - Book Review by Jan Baughman
http://www.swans.com/library/art10/letter43.htm Letters to the Editor
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Thank you for reading Swans.
Gilles d'Aymery -- Swans
"Hungry man, rush for the book: It is a weapon." B. Brecht
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