alternative hippopotamus

progressive cyberdadaism from our nation’s capital

August 30, 2005

Cintra on Scotty

by kim @ 5:24 pm. Filed under Uncategorized

Sometimes you read someone for the first time and become an instant fan. What’s more, you learn something about the craft of writing. Cintra Wilson in Salon has that kind of effect on me.

I’ll take an excerpt towards the end that I particularly liked:

And then, there was a very strange, Dr. Seuss-y moment, where the Dust Speck spoke, proving unequivocally that there was a whole, inconceivably tiny, foreign world sitting in full view of the American White House. A visiting Japanese journalist was called on. He stood up with his hands folded, formally, respectfully. His English was pretty rough, but his point was clear:

JAPANESE JOURNALIST: Thank you. I was born and raised in Hiroshima, Japan. (Inaudible). And August 6th (the anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima) is coming again …I believe the use of automatic weapons during World War II was cruel and (inaudible), against international law … So in the history of human beings, losers cannot say anything, winners make history as they like.

McCLELLAN: Is there a question?

Yes. Sixty years have passed … I would not necessarily ask, recommend President Bush or someone say someone should apologize, but I believe some statement or comment is needed…

McCLELLAN: I understand. I think I’ll leave the history to historians. I mean, we’re all well aware of the history. But the president is focused on the future, and we do have a great relationship with Japan. The president has a good friend in Prime Minister Koizumi.

This is an example of how freedom leads to peace, because 60 years ago, as you pointed out, and the president often points out, we were enemies. Today we’re working together to advance freedom in places like the broader Middle East, and what we’re doing is laying the foundation of peace for our grandchildren and our — for our children and our grandchildren. And I think that’s important, to remember the past, but to look to the future and how we can continue to build upon the great relationship that we have. And the president is pleased to have a good friend like Prime Minister Koizumi, who understands the importance of that.

It was such a singularly dissatisfying response to what was a very moving question that one corps regular felt horrified enough to have a real, live emotional meltdown outside, ranting, “Talking out the side of his neck! God! I feel unclean!” Others looked on numbly, saying nothing.

I was told that everybody freaks out like this occasionally — it’s an occurrence not unlike acne or parking tickets. The mendacity and disgust hits a fever point and somebody loses it, as quietly and anonymously as possible, and everyone collectively pretends it didn’t happen, out of politeness, because, after all, everybody has those days, and they all have to come back tomorrow.

Note that single pencil stroke of description: He stood up with his hands folded, formally, respectfully. Can’t you picture him? Doesn’t that make the words that follow that much more penetrating?

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hip·po·pot·a·mus n. A notion, perhaps distinct from conventional wisdom, that needs to be verified by reality-based scrutiny.

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