Fear of Politics
All my favorite discussion lists bump into politics occasionally.
It just hapened on an agriculture list and separated into the
following opinion sets:
1. Politics should not be discussed on ag lists.
2. Politics impacts agriculture and needs discussion.
3. Capitalism is the problem.
4. Capitalism is better than the alternatives.
What interests me is why we jump on one viewpoint and often become
emotional and rude. None of the above viewpoints are defensible
in my opinion. They all have an element of truth and they also
can be carried to extreem. For example, spending full time
talking about politics would ruin an ag list. Not mentioning
politics would be ignoring an important factor.
The problem here could be that these topics are complicated and
confusing. Plus, we are frustrated by politics and find the
subject unplesant. All good indicators that we need to continue
discussing politics.
This months Small Farmer's Journal has the usual editorial by
L.R. Miller and he mixes politics with everything else and
concludes:
The time is past for political activism on agricultural
issues. Political activism, on the alternative front,
leads us to crippling alienation, it is time for cultural
activism.
Don't know if that is true, but it is something to think about.
Then he throws out a quote. Try to guess who wrote this:
I see in the near future a crisis that unerves me and
causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. As a
result of the war corporations have been enthroned and an
era of corruption in high places will follow, and the
money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its
reign...
It was written by Abraham Lincoln in 1864. That is how long we
have been trying to curb corporate power and keep free enterprise
plus control of politics in the hands of individuals. The
farmers and agriculture are right in the middle of all this.
We need new ideas and people like J.R. Miller who can talk about
issues. We need farm magazines that pull people together rather
than divide them.
He finishes with some interesting quotes:
If there is any peace it will come through
being, not having -- Henry Miller
The world is not to be put in order, the world
is order encarnate. It is for us to put ourselves
in unison with this order. -- Henry Miller
The point is: An ecopath IS a cultural activity. It is
connected to politics and has an impact. It may be the
most positive act possible because it builds something
rather than destroying or fixing a problem. I think
this is what J. R. Miller was proposing to the farmers.
