America is Not Post-Anything

Primetime Politics ^ | July 17, 2008 | Victor Davis Hanson

[Nony]

In the last 20 years, we were lectured constantly about “post-industrial” America.

Experts proclaimed that the United States had evolved into an “information society” of “high-tech jobs.” The traditional sources of American strength—manufacturing, the production of food and fuel, and the assembling of cars and trucks—were apparently passé. Instead, others less fortunate abroad were to do those more grubby tasks, while Americans, with their BlackBerrys and laptops, funded, organized, lectured and critiqued them.

Illegal aliens might cook our meals or change our children’s diapers to free us up for far more important tasks of litigation, finance and environmental review. The Chinese would make everything from our shoes to our phones. The Japanese would supply us with quality high-end goods like cars and cameras. The Africans, Arabs, Iranians, Russians and Venezuelans would drill oil in nasty, dirty places so we wouldn’t have to.

Even our food—which would be always in season—would increasingly be shipped in from Mexico and South America.

Refined Americans became more concerned over questions of gender, race and class justice in our universities and courtrooms, as if the chief problem were only dividing the American pie equitably, rather than expanding it.

[LonePalm]

Obama does strike me as being the post-turtle candidate.
<

While suturing a cut on the hand of a 75 year old Texas rancher, who‘s hand was caught in a gate while working cattle, the doctor struck up a conversation with the old man. Eventually the topic got around to Obama and his bid to be our President.

The old rancher said, "Well, ya know, Obama is a 'post turtle'."

Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him what a 'post turtle' was.

The old rancher said, "When you're driving down a country road and you come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that's a 'post turtle'."

The old rancher saw a puzzled look on the doctor's face, so he continued to explain. "You know he didn't get up there by himself, he doesn't belong up there, he doesn't know what to do while he is up there, and you just wonder what kind of a dumb ass put him up there."

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

[Transformers]

That’s leftist propaganda.

[Citizen Blade]

Would you trade places with a black man in 1950’s America?

Like I said, there are downsides to every era. The 1950’s was not Leave it to Beaver for everyone.

The movies and TV shows of that era reflect the ideal, but they are not a realistic portrayal of what life was like for most people back then. People are pretty much the same now as they’ve always been, we’re just more open about it in our media.

[Transformers]

You know, that’s the same leftist tripe I heard from my professors at U of H day in and day out.

[Citizen Blade]

You didn’t answer my question.

[Steely Tom]

Would you trade places with a black man in 1950’s America?

I wouldn't trade places with a black man in 99% of the neighborhoods black men live in today.

And those neighborhoods didn't get that way because of white guys from the suburbs.

[Transformers]

That’s like saying would you trade places with a rabbit. It’s
a stupid hypothetical question.

---

I didn’t end up where I am because of some fluke in the cosmos.
I’m part of a LONG CHAIN of people going all the way back to
ancient Europe. Their actions led to my arrival. A part of each
one of them flows through my veins.

---

So your premise is flawed.

I used to feel compassion for various groups and classes of people.
But let’s analyze the ROI of dolling out this compassion.

50+ years of welfare, grants, AA, other freebies and portrayal as nobles in’
the media and what has all that compassion yielded?

Let’s see ...

9/11.

Cities filled with gangstas.

Our tax money paying Section 8 momas to pump out babies like an assembly line.

My kids have to spend an entire week hearing how great a particular civil rights icon is
but only get 1 week on George Washington.

Fear of walking the streets of most major cities.

People like Barrack Obama and Rev. Wright and Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton.

My kids have to hear how freaking awesome some unstable, undemocratic third world
country is but are taught their ancesters are evil and that the answer is SOCIALISM.

My compassion from now will be invested in my kids, family and like minded people.

[Citizen Blade]

I wouldn't trade places with a black man in 99% of the neighborhoods black men live in today.

Fair enough, but the point I was trying to make to the other poster is that if the 1950's were such a paradise, then it seems like it would be a good trade to live in that time, regardless of your racial background.

And those neighborhoods didn't get that way because of white guys from the suburbs.

I blame hippies. Up until the late 60's, all of the demographic indicators for blacks in America were on an upswing. But the whole "Turn on, tune in, drop out" liberal crap of the 60's was a disaster for the black community. Experimenting with drugs and free love and whatever is a lot easier when you have well-off parents to help pick up the pieces. For working-class blacks, there was no such safety net.

Yet one more thing to blame on liberals.

[mojito]

I just might write-in VHD for president. In my leftoid state, an Obama victory is foregone conclusion.

[vpintheak]

Sounds like a typical liberals wet dream in the first part.

[Fishrrman]

“Would you trade places with a black man in 1950’s America?

Like I said, there are downsides to every era. The 1950’s was not Leave it to Beaver for everyone.

The movies and TV shows of that era reflect the ideal, but they are not a realistic portrayal of what life was like for most people back then. People are pretty much the same now as they’ve always been, we’re just more open about it in our media.”

Nonsense. Folks actually _did_ live that way, “back then” - at least most of the Euro-American (aw, heck, come right out and say it, “white”) folk did. Maybe they weren’t “ideal”, but they certainly knew what “the ideal” was _supposed to be_ back then.

You are dangerously naiive to believe that people today espouse the same ideals and principles as people did back then. A large percentage of the population does not.

One needs only to view the television programs of the fifties vis-a-vis the programs of today, to understand how different today’s world is, and how different the mores and morals of 2008 are vs. 1958.

I’d like to go back to 1954, the good and the bad. The demographic makeup of the nation, as well. The immigration policies in effect for that time, too.
(As an aside, one reason the America of 2008 looks so different, is _because_ of changed immigration policies).

- John

[iopscusa]

Good post FrankR. VDH has written a great piece here, IMO. This should be part of McCain’s campaign. We Americans are do’ers not whiners and we are going to do what we must to turn our country back to self sufficency...damn the torpoedos, full steam ahead!

[Tolik]

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[texasmikey]

I don't know about that. Our microwave is out right now and I realize how convenient it is. We live in a small town outside San Antonio but the city is creeping in, already has.

When the power goes out it lets me know what I am missing. I don't watch that much TV anymore, but when I do, I enjoy HD. I hate this computer I'm working on, but it makes me money (what's the joke about “death by powerpoint”?) With a power outage I am dead in the water. I can read a book but ultimately high tech makes me money. As far as doing away with engineering jobs, the H1B visa is taking (took) care of that.

[Patriotic1]

Up until the late 60's, all of the demographic indicators for blacks in America were on an upswing.

I'd like some examples if you would. I've used the "TV shows don't reflect reality" argument with some, but I'd like to incorporate this argument into my discussions.