Labels are easier than thinking

I was reading a letter to the editor in one of our local newspapers yesterday and the headline writer reduced the author's point to "Left Wingers Are to Blame for Everything" or words to that effect. Since my heart is located on the left side of my torso, for among other reasons, I tend to see myself as more often than not coming down on the 'tree-hugger' 'liberal' side of the great divide.

I smile as I type those characterizations because I've read and heard those who are on the opposite sides of the same issues referred to as 'right wingers', 'crypto-fascists' and 'ditto heads'. I actually regard myself as an RP, a 'relentless pragmatist' which means I get whacked a lot by people working on both sides of the street.

I mentioned earlier in the week, here in Norwich, our YMCA looks like it's about to turn out the big lights, Allison, and after over one hundred years, that's a shock. A news story yesterday spoke of a "Y" employee who created a Save the YMCA Facebook page; he claims to have nearly a thousand members. Admittedly, they have no plan on how to prevent the closure (as someone noted to me with disdain yesterday afternoon), but they just got started. Ten days ago they didn't know they'd even need a plan, so I can cut them some slack. Meanwhile, there's a story in yesterday's newspaper about a thirteen million dollar regional "Y" opening north of Norwich in Putnam and the readers' comments about that take the paint off the wall.

My larger point is perhaps a lot of us should try a time out instead of name-calling. We've all read or heard things that President Barack Obama has been called and that those on the opposite side of the aisle from him and his party have been called, but the last time I checked, at the end of the day, this is all the world we have. We don't get to wake up tomorrow morning on a first name basis with everyone in our universe and eat watercress sandwiches with the crusts cut off and have tea parties.

Conversely, we can't all go to a biker bar and eat shot glasses (I knew a person, Gary Huber, a Marine, when I attended Rutgers, who did eat shot glasses; stunning stuff), wash them down with a beer and listen to Motorhead's Eat the Rich all night long. Y'know, I do believe Lemmy does look a lot like Jonathan Swift, especially around the gerunds. And he does seem to have quite a set, if you know what I mean.

Words are helpful--how else would you describe an orange to someone who has never had one? But when you characterize Glenn Beck, Lou Dobbs, Bill O'Reilly or Keith Olbermann by invoking a portion of your (or someone elses') anatomy, feelings get bruised and grudges won't budge. Though, if it makes you feel any better, I happen to agree with you. If you put them all in a sack, and hit the sack with a rake, you'd hit the right one. Especially that guy.
-bill kenny