America, the country from where its mission control in Houston, Texas, sent citizens to the moon and back
has a problem all right.
It’s the superiority/exceptional
belief that may have just come about due to the consequences of being the
society that pulled off the achievements in the paragraph above.
Problem is, no
matter what a particular group of Americans believes, it is, by definition,
superior to what a second or a third of a fourth … group of Americans believes
is exceptional.
So, yeah, Houston,
New York, LA, Pittsburgh … we have a problem.
I got to thinking
about this following a recent trip to my native land, Canada. I’m close to
having lived longer in the USA than I have in Canada; now 31 years to 32 years.
So I come to this argument with an arguably informed point of view.
As a lifelong newspaperman
I pay attention to the press in both countries.
In Canada this
past weekend (July 13-15), I read three papers: the Owen Sound Sun Times, the
Toronto Star and the Globe and Mail (Toronto).
I was struck by a
quality of clear-eyed curiosity and careful, thoughtful reporting, so much so
that I had a devil of a time detecting an agenda.
Not superior, for
sure. In fact, almost apologetic. As in, here are the facts, the objective
intelligence gleaned from the questions asked about the following topics … A,
B, C, D, … etc.
Ontario voters
elected a populist, Trump-like premier in the past election, but the reports I
read seemed respectful of the results to give the impression that those working
to inform others were not adopting a superior attitude, looking to build consensus
for a correct point of view.
Interesting, eh?
Next: Running for Your Life: Bay Ridge Redux
2 comments:
Good write p Larry but, I must say that I am slightly offended by the fact that you guys were up here , in your home town, last weekend, and I was not even informed of your visit. What's with that my friend?
Jim, of course, meant no offense. We're there late Friday night through early Sunday, with family reunion, etc. (As indicated, 13th-15th). Planning a fall visit, though, and will reach out. Hope you are well, L.
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