Monday Burn Millay

I can relate to conflicting desires. But Americans' protection of the English Language while simultaneously hating it, just bites. I can't decide if I am irritated more at the English Only movement or the anti-intellectual stupidness (duh) of those who say Obama is nothing but pretty words.

"If you don't want a man unhappy politically, don't give him two sides to a question to worry him; give him one. Better yet, give him none."

George Bush, with his fifth grade English ability and his encouragement in the face of catastrophy to go shopping, is destructive. He's a fireman with no books hidden in his ceiling vent.

“So, when houses were finally fireproofed completely, all over the world, there was no longer need for fireman for the old purposes. They were given the new job as custodians of our peace of mind, the focus of our understandable and rightful dread of being inferior; official censors, judges and executors. That’s you and me!”

Two terms of Bush has dumbed us down. We don't want them fancy words, we don't want to learn no foreign languages, we want action. We want war! We want continual war! We want to feel superior! Goddamn it, we want sleeping pills!

Well... maybe not. Maybe two terms of Bush has given us more appreciation for language. I, for one, am not in the least conflicted about my desire to experience language that is creative and life changing. At best, language is art, and why wouldn't we want to live our lives as if we were making art? Why wouldn't we want to enrich ourselves through learning languages, finding the right word, and beyond that, through acts of kindness and friendship and mercy and love? Why wouldn't we want to keep growing, getting smarter, appreciating those who can teach us things? Why wouldn't we appreciate the pretty words of Obama? The movement to elect him is a manifestation of our desire to be better.

"Stuff your eyes with wonder ... live as if you'd drop dead in ten seconds. See the world. It's more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories. Ask no guarantees, ask for no security, there never was such an animal. And if there were, it would be related to the great sloth which hangs upside down in a tree all day every day, sleeping its life away. To hell with that ... shake the tree and knock the great sloth down on his ass."

(Quotes and Title)