Why I Am No Longer A Brain-Dead Liberal…
Posted by Erik Rupard on March 20th, 2008
…is the title of an essay published in the Village Voice this week, by the undisputed greatest living playwright, David Mamet. If you, like me, have alternately enjoyed and been sickened by the Hillary/Obama circus of 2008, you need to read this essay, in which an entrenched, lifelong lefty reveals how he came upon the light-bulb realization that he had converted over to the right side (pun intended), while listening to NPR (the “National Palestinian Radio”). He is not the first.
I have mostly stayed away from politics in this blog, especially where Iraq is concerned, as it is impossible for me to currently have a fair view of that topic. But when an icon of the left explains with clarity, cogency, and depth the silliness that inevitably led him away from the histrionics of modern liberalism (”dark forces arrayed to thwart the delivery of benevolence to fragile masses”), I had to take note. Warning: there is a single bad word in this column (the mother of all bad words, so to speak, but one which, I am obliged to confess, may have passed somewhere around the vicinity of my brain in the exact situation Mamet describes).
By the way: there is a new Iraq entry below.
March 20th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
And an essay on Mamet’s essay here, by WSJ columnist Dan Henninger.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120597148974950305.html?mod=loomia&loomia_si=t0:a16:g2:r3:c0.162901
March 20th, 2008 at 6:35 pm
I’m a little embarassed to admit I’ve never heard of the great playwright David mamet, but that was beautifully/eloquently penned. Very good to know Norman Mailer came around eventually too. I’ve always loved “Waiting for Godot,” but possibly for all the wrong reasons. Another small embarrassing thing; I went to see “…Godot” in Toronto with one of my girlfriends years ago.(I think pre- BYU), At intermission, I grabbed my coat and bag and headed right for the exit. I honestly thought the play was over.
Great essay! You enlighten me as always.
Thanks for sharing E.
March 20th, 2008 at 10:09 pm
Just wanted to say hello and let you know that I’m still enjoying your daily ramblings, and thanks to the pics you sent, I can now visualize the setting. In the past, Lorri has, on occassion, mentioned your love affair with your PC, but I was unaware that you had actually named it! At any rate, your can looks compfy and cozy, and you seem to be settled in. Please know that I’m thinking of you, Lorri, and the girls, and you are always in my prayers.
Sherri
March 21st, 2008 at 12:15 pm
I love Mamet, too! You read OSCard’s stuff at http://www.hatrack.com?
i dig it.
Still haven’t sent a package…sorry my friend. We are getting it done, though.