Confessions of an "Elitist"

QUICK RECAP

Last entry, I introduced my "elitist" tendencies. I come from the Northeast, was educated in the Northeast then moved to the north Midwest.

Then I brought up a part of an argument my future brother-in-law and me had. He said that the government doesn't represent the People while I said that the People voted in the President and Congress while, through the many years, past and current Presidents and Congresses put into place the Supreme Court.

Now what does the above have to do with my "Elitism?"

[IF YOU'VE STARTED READING WHILE I'VE TYPED THIS ENTRY UP, PLEASE EXCUSE ME FOR THE STRANGE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES]

THE CONFESSION: PART 2!!!!

This argument of ours touched upon the "Elitism" originally through my future brother-in-law's argument that I misconstrued. After getting chest deep and nearly drowning in a discussion that spiralled all around in silly directions, I pushed to return to the original question.

The push came more as a "Where did we go off track?" because the problem came from a basic assumption made by me. I assumed that everyone who cared or should care voted, and we should educate people to inspire them to care or to vote right. Wellllll. . .I made a good point about the education part, but I didn't necessarily make a good point about people who cared voted.

See, the future brother-in-law came from the standpoint that plenty of minorities didn't vote, didn't have the consciousness that their vote could make a difference, didn't know how to vote, etc. etc. Not really as significant to the argument but important enough to mention, some kind of rascism and prejudice could enter into the issue in the form of illegitimate Jim Crow laws and attitudes.

Shocking to me after the fact, I didn't even take into account race or social class. Race should not necessarily enter the issue. Nonetheless, race relations, especially between black people and white people have become entrenched in United States culture. In fact, this entrenchment has become so real that it gets in the way of racial equality.

Last week, while reading the introduction to David Korten's book, The Great Turning: From Empire to Earth Community, I found myself confronted with parts of my own life history. This guy, and I, grew up in a predominantly white town.

Korten grew up in a pre-dominantly conservative town. I don't know the level of conservativeness and liberalness in my hometown, especially since I had a pretty liberal, progressive anti-"history is written by old white men" upbringing.

I grew especially jealous of Korten when he started talking about his international travel. My international experiences extend from England to Montreal to Quebec City to Ottawa. In sum, not too much experience with the world outside the United States.

Have to admit, my lack of "quality" international experience comes from fear.

TO BE CONTINUED. . .