This Little Light of Mine
Over on Dave's Buttoned-Up Mind, a really lovely post recently appeared about "taking the plunge to pay to comment on Ricochet."
For the longest time, I read Ricochet on and off, but never wanted to pay and comment. I thought "I can't keep up with these people. There is so much thought and intelligence behind almost all of their posts (both contributors and current members) that I'll look stupid next to them. Is it really worth $3.47/month when I'm going to be too intimidated to leave a comment?"
[Finally] I decided that I wasn't going to be intimidated anymore. That's the main purpose of this blog.
Sure, my posts may not have the wit of Mark Steyn, or the deep thoughtfulness of Victor Davis Hanson.
But I did have something to contribute. My thoughts are valuable. And people can pay for the privilege of responding to me just like I'm paying to be able to respond to them.
Dave's post reminded me of a question I used to wonder about during the old days, when I was a speechwriter for the Gipper: What made Ronald Reagan suppose he knew what he was doing? He'd grown up in small towns in the midwest, graduating from little Eureka College. What made him so sure of himself? Eventually, I figured it out: Reagan grasped the wonderful accessibility of American public life. In France, you have to know a thousand years of history and attend one of a small number of elite universities before anyone will take your opinions seriously. In this country? If you read the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Gettysburg Address and Lincoln's second inaugural address, well, then, you've got the basics. Government of, by, and for the people means just that--folks like us, reading the founding documents, then measuring events against common sense and our own experiences, and speaking up.
Often enough, I feel intimidated by Mark Steyn and Victor Davis Hanson myself.
But what the heck.
Thanks, Dave. And welcome.
- Comment (36)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (2)
- Pages:
- 1
- 2
- Pages:
- 1
- 2
Comments :
Aug '10
Re: This Little Light of Mine
The best gift ever - being an American. de Tocqueville saw it from the getgo
Jul '10
Re: This Little Light of Mine
Intimidated, Peter?
Piffle. You're one of the best interviewers I've ever seen. Right up there with the sainted Bill Buckley.
Aug '10
Re: This Little Light of Mine
And as the sainted Slim Pickens said, " Ditto ! " excuse the clutter and vine
May '10
Re: This Little Light of Mine
Reminds me of Steyn's columns in 2001 about the "Brutal Afghan Winter" that the "credentialed class" was horriblizing over. Mark had the sense to look for himself at an atlas and discovered it was all nonsense, unless brutal is defined as partly cloudy and 50 degrees. His ensuing taunts were classic.
May '10
Re: This Little Light of Mine
Note to self: try not to be so darned impressive and intimidating. I hate to think of how many potential subscribers Steyn, Hanson, and Hart are scaring off!
Oct '10
Re: This Little Light of Mine
Peter:
Reminds me of what Mark Twain said. "If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything." We can parphrase that as "If you're an involved American citizen, you don't have to remember anything."
Contrast that with your observation that: " In France, you have to know a thousand years of history and attend one of a small number of elite universities before anyone will take your opinions seriously."
We hold these truths to be self-evident...
They are self-evident. We don't have to remember anything.
Oct '10
Re: This Little Light of Mine
Wow.
I am simply floored by this. Thank you so much, Peter.
I was 10 when Reagan was elected, and I didn't start even paying attention to politics until long after Reagan was out of office, but he's always been the lynchpin of my politics. It was a combination of his economic policies and his optimism that no matter what the country was going through, we were going to be all right.
We have some great successors to Reagan out there right now, at least in pundit-land. I'm not sure yet about the world of actual politicians. But there are great people keeping the dream alive.
I'm proud to be part of such an illustrious group.
Jul '10
Re: This Little Light of Mine
Listen, buster, I can drive away more Members in single morning than you can clear out in a month.
Aug '10
Re: This Little Light of Mine
Welcome Dave,
I mostly stay on the porch, let the big dogs hunt. Think twice, read the comments closely, and you will be amazed by the way the conversation winds its way in to your wheelhouse. Once that happens you will know it's time to jump in.
It's fun.
Aug '10
Re: This Little Light of Mine
Avoid tix on Edmund Fitzgerald Lake Cruise with Bob Etheridge . Avoid any walks around the wheelhouse with Kevin Jennings .
Oct '10
Re: This Little Light of Mine
Do you know what's more American than apple pie? It's a simple exclamation: "I know my rights!"
The real genius of our founding documents lies in what they are not. As your invocation of France suggests as well, the late great undead EU constitution is instructive. It aspires to be a comprehensive legal code, a complete compendium of regulations, lumbering and impenetrable to any single individual.
In contrast, the Declaration is elegant and compelling. the Constitution lays out a streamlined framework of governance and a series of plainly stated, inviolable -- and ageless -- principles, not laws, which virtually any interested citizen can, in fact, understand. 2400 page bills, and stacks of judicial rulings, notwithstanding, the Constitution and Declaration remain an affirmation of civic autonomy unequaled in the world.
Jul '10
Re: This Little Light of Mine
Dang, Dave...
You've reminded Robinson of President Reagan thoughts and a post for Ya.
When You become a Guest Contributor and begin doing the podcast just remember Us lil' commenters.
Oct '10
Re: This Little Light of Mine
Jimmy Carter: Dang, Dave...
You've reminded Robinson of President Reagan thoughts and a post for Ya.
When You become a Guest Contributor and begin doing the podcast just remember Us lil' commenters. · Nov 8 at 6:48pm
LOL how can I complain about another Reagan post? Or have I just not been around long enough to regret that?
Of course I'll remember all the little people.
Um, I mean the great unwashed...
I mean...oh, never mind.
Not that we ever have to worry about that anyway.
Sep '10
Re: This Little Light of Mine
@David Roy - remember, its a US green card you really want.
Jun '10
Re: This Little Light of Mine
Okay, okay, enough of all this nice stuff. Can we get back to discussing the Theory of Relativity and Immanuel Kant's "Critique of Pure Reason'? Sheesh...
Oct '10
Re: This Little Light of Mine
I'm from Iowa, so that's something I don't need.
But thanks for thinking of me!
Jul '10
Re: This Little Light of Mine
By the way, when I ponied up my cash here, I was promised a bonus of two ShamWow's and a salad spinner.
I'm still waiting.....
Jul '10
Re: This Little Light of Mine
David Roy
I'm from Iowa, so that's something I don't need.
But thanks for thinking of me! · Nov 8 at 7:46pm
Let me ask you a delicate question, Dave.
At what age do kids in Iowa look around and ask themselves why the heck the good Lord condemned them to life in a flat, boring state that continues to elect Tom Harkin?
Sep '10
Re: This Little Light of Mine
@Kenneth - I assume the rejoinder "you just elected Jerry Brown" is a redundant comeback?
Jul '10
Re: This Little Light of Mine
Bravo!