So, Tom Tomorrow receives… let’s just call it a letter of complaint (warning, contains strong levels of hotheaded profanity). He posts it. I don’t know if that’s a kosher thing to do or not, but he does it, and the guy writes back.
Focus for a minute on the second letter, where the individual who had previously shown himself to be quite hotheaded shows enough guts to come back, thank Tom for posting the letter to the site, and to apologize for at least some of his profanity while expressing a complete (and honest) inability to see “where you are coming from.”
What sort of individual does that sort of thing? Answer: an average human being. Actually, slightly above average, since this human being at least sees Tom Tomorrow as another human being worthy of some respect (if not understanding). And I think the letter shows that this average human being, who is likely to vote Republican this November, is not much different from liberals and Democrats out there who have expressed their own outrage and have gotten a little intemperate while doing so.
The forgotten response when one side or another talks about defending their country, or taking their country back, is “it’s my country too”. And, frankly, “it’s my planet too”. Too often we dismiss individuals based on our first impressions, making ourselves look just like the first letter of the two Tom Tomorrow received. The overwhelming majority of those people out there who disagree with us are just as likely as we are to be right and wrong. No matter how badly they behave, they still deserve a modicum of respect. Because we are not too far off from behaving in the same manner and making the same mistakes yourself.
This takes me back to my Centrist’s Manifesto — which reminds me, I promised a commentator an answer and I’ve still got to give it. Soon.
…Now, my respect for the Bush Administration and the law enforcement agencies it presides over would increase a bit if somebody in the hierarchy there could show a bit of leadership and let people know why it’s a dumb idea to classify the American Friends Service Committee a “criminal extremist organization”.
For those who don’t know, the American Friends Service Committee is a Quaker organization. You know the folks: the pacifists that live Jesus Christ’s Sermon on the Mount to the letter and the spirit, and who DON’T go door-to-door to preach the gospel at you? Strangely enough, Nixon was a Quaker, though he clearly did not let his religious beliefs get in the way of his political job.
Let’s just say that I have extreme doubts over the competence of any organization or force or department that tries to label Quakers terrorists.
Link courtesy of Pogge
The Wooden Periodic Table
From Darren Barefoot comes this fascinating link: a wooden periodic table. Basically, this is a fantastic wooden display set up to show the periodic tables of elements, with samples shown, where possible. The link is fully clickable and you’re likely to waste some time looking around, if you are in any way inclined towards physics.
Rosemary and Time is Back Out
I’m back on my feet again. Rosemary and Time is now with another publisher. The waiting game resumes…