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Sunday, January 4, 2004 |
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The Landslide. With Washington insiders yelping out reasons why your campaign can’t win, and with pundits trotting out failed candidacies of the past in order to make facile comparisons, we thought it instructive to dust off the history books and look at a landslide election that might be particularly relevant this year. While a few commentators have dared to compare George W. Bush to Herbert Hoover—the only other modern president to preside over a net loss in jobs—the potential similarities between the 1932 and 2004 election are much deeper than that. This is a year in which your full participation--contributing, writing letters, traveling to Iowa--will truly matter.
Elected in 1928, Herbert Hoover was the third consecutive Republican to win the presidency, capping a three-decade reign in which the GOP won seven of nine presidential elections. Hoover inherited one of the biggest economic booms of American history. But the boom was misleading—despite a skyrocketing stock market, the gap between rich and poor was widening, and when the bubble burst in 1929, Hoover found himself presiding over the country’s worst depression ever. After a decade in which the policies of Presidents Harding and Coolidge heavily favored their cronies in big business, there was no safety net to support a nation suddenly unable to make ends meet.
Hoover’s undoing—and the undoing of the long era of Republican rule—was his inability to respond to the economic needs of millions who had lost jobs and wages. He took a hard ideological stand that the market would fix itself, and that government should not interfere. Though Hoover was widely considered to be a good and decent man, his rigid ideology prevented him from finding solutions to the problems of most Americans.
And thus the stage was set in 1932 when a brash and charming northern governor won the Democratic nomination for president. Franklin Delano Roosevelt promised to use government to unite Americans and to advance social and economic justice. His message resounded across the country, and Roosevelt swept into the White House in a landslide, winning 472 electoral votes to Hoover’s 59.
FDR’s 1932 victory was just the beginning. By energizing the Democratic Party, he launched an era of progress and common purpose. Between 1932 and 1968, Democrats won six of eight presidential elections and often controlled both houses of Congress. During this era, the United States achieved great social progress—the New Deal, Social Security, Medicare, labor legislation, and civil rights laws—and established itself as a powerful moral leader in the world by defeating fascism. After the war, we helped Japan and Europe to rebuild and founded an international order based on the rule of law. It was American resolve, rooted in the rule of law, that laid the groundwork for the implosion of communism and the triumph of freedom.
Since 1968, the Republican Party has won—or otherwise taken—six of nine presidential elections. Now with their control of the House and Senate, they are intent on rolling back decades of progress to the era of Hoover. But history has proven that the American people can unite to reverse this country’s direction. It happened in 1932, and you can make it happen in 2004.
FDR’s 1932 inaugural address is one of the great documents of our democracy. Read it now, or better yet, listen to the actual recording:
http://www.hpol.org/fdr/inaug/
And when you hear talk of the possibility of a landslide in 2004—jump right in. Tell your friends that, yes, it’s possible. First you have to look at history, and secondly, you gotta believe.
Do you believe? Take two actions now:
Join our campaign: http://www.deanforamerica.com/join
Contribute $10: http://deanforamerica.com/contribute
It’s a small amount of money, but when hundreds of thousands act together, it will carry us far.
Then, forward this entry to a friend. Or, copy it into a blank email and forward it to everyone in your address book. Let’s see how many Americans will join the landslide. The pundits’ role is to doubt—but we have the power to believe. [Blog for America]
10:32:40 PM 
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(From JayMcCarthy) The Divine Comedy, Paradiso: Canto I - Canto V
The Divine Comedy: Paradiso: Canto I - Canto V. Canto I, Dante is atop the Earthly Paradise with Beatrice. Beatrice looks to the sun for a moment and while Dante looks at her he is suddenly surrounded by light and flame as they rise from the earth.
Beatrice explains to Dante the "Law of Universal Gravitation." Briefly, it says that all things are attracted to God's Love and God is attracted to the Love of all things. Sin, then, is a weight that holds a soul down while it tries to attain cohabitation with God:
True, as the form fails sometimes to fulfil
The art's intention, if the lumpish clay
Prove unresponsive to the craftsman's skill
Even so the creature that has power to stray
Out of its course, though launched by that strong thrust,
Will swerve at times, and go its wilful way,
(As lightning quits the cloud and strikes the dust),
From its first impetus and upward route
Diverted earthward by some fair false lust, [l. 127]
This serves as a reminder of one of the more important lessons of the Inferno and the Paradiso: The punishment of sinners is a creation of there own rather than one of God. Our pleasure directly corresponds with how close we are to God, and when Sin weighs a soul to the point where future movement is hopeless then no licks of the Divine Light are imparted on their back. The lack of this is turned to fire and horror as the Sin ravages the soul.
The second thing that this sets firmly is the Free Will of Man. Each soul is given "the power to stray," but it also given a "strong thrust" in the direction of God. It is our natural state to seek God (the law of gravitation) but false lusts and the corruption of Love can point us in the wrong direction. This fits in well with my analogy of the search for God to be a travel upon an unknown landscape. God calibrates our compass and history leaves signposts, but the walking is up to the individual.
Canto II, The two rise to the First Heaven where they enter the moon. Dante asks about the markings on the moon and gives a few theories, but Beatrice explains them to be indication of the non-uniformity of God's reflection on creation... even in Heaven.
Even at the First Heaven, Dante is exuberant as he moves closer towards God, but is still filled with anticipation and confusion:
How must our eagerness be multiplied
To see Him in His essence, in whose being
God's nature and our own were unified!
What faith holds here shall there be known by seeing;
Not demonstrated, but self-evident
Like those prime truths that brook no disagreeing. [l. 40]
The first thing to point out is that Dante is excited over the prospect of laying eyes on Christ... the one with the double nature of Man and God. But the more important thing is in the second tercet, Dante foreshadows a later discourse (around Canto XXV-ish) on the nature of Faith. Faith is believing in Heaven, essentially, and Dante indicates that as he travels through the Heavens he will see it for himself and "know" that which "faith holds."
Dante also points out that Faith is not conditional on argumentation or observation, because it is the belief in Love and if you have to ask "Is this Love?" then it most certainly is not. It is "not demonstrated, but self-evident." If it were based on something other than faith and belief then it would obviously NOT be Faith.
On the markings on the moon. Basically, Beatrice explains that the reflection of the Divine Light is not uniform because one of God's creations is unique and special, and thus you should not expect them to be uniform. With a bit of self-referential logic, Beatrice also points out that this does not imply that God does not Love equally, just that it is not received equally. God's Will and Action are one, and God's Will is Justice, so nothing God does is wrong. Therefore, it does not demerit a soul to not reflect God's complete glory. As shall be seen, despite there being a hierarchy in Heaven, each is happy to be in her place.
Canto III, Before Dante appears a group of faces that are incredibly faint and hard to see. They are the souls of those who were inconstant in their vows made on earth. Dante speaks to them and near the end looks upon Beatrice. When he looks at Beatrice he is so struck by her beauty that all thoughts flee his wit.
As the faces appear, Dante is struck by them and the entire experience that he cannot think of what to ask.
But what I saw so carried me away
To gaze on it, that ere I could confess,
I had forgotten what I meant to say. [l. 7]
They, however, introduce themselves and this allows Dante time to regroup himself and ask a question:
Then I to her: "The features I recall
Are changed by something of a wondrous kind -
Some divine likeness mirrored in you all;
This made my recognition lag behind;
Now that they words have helped to make things clear
I bring thy face more readily to mind.
But tell me, you whose happiness is here,
Have you no hankering to go up higher,
To win more insight or a love more dear?" [l. 58]
The spirit replies that the love they have been given as freed them of all desire for anything more. They only desire that which is theirs and completely satisfied with the place they have been given.
This is another application of the reflection of God not being uniform in all things. For those who bask in the Divine Light, it does not matter the source or the intensity because it is infinitely satisfying in any quantity. In addition to being an explanation of the ways of Heaven, this serves as a reminder that happiness on earth can be found in its entirely by the vision of God and understanding of Him.
The way that Dante describes his inability to focus after seeing Beatrice is too adorable and must be quoted.
Toward Beatrice's self I moved me, turning;
But on mine eyes her light at first so blazed,
They could not bear the beauty and the burning;
And I was slow to question, being amazed. [l. 127]
Canto IV, The soul Dante talked to in Canto III told him that she was forcibly prevented from keeping her vows and that is why she was on the sphere of the Moon. This troubles Dante and he asks Beatrice why she is accountable for those unfilled vows if they were broken by force. Dante also wonders what it means, exactly, for the souls to "reside" on the Moon.
Beatrice explains that many things seem as though they have been forced, on the surface, but are in fact done with partnership, however slight.
For if the will won't will, nothing can force it;
But as fire acts by nature, it will act,
Though thousand gales of violence beat across it.
But our least acquiescence signs a pact
With force; so did these souls - for to regain
Their holy house 'twas will, not power, they lacked. [l. 76]
This is a powerful message to those who seek to claim that are not responsible for their actions or the actions of a group they are a part of. This simply means that they did not disagree with the action enough to merit a change of course, or action. They lack the will because their soul does not truly cry out for the adherence to its vows of morals and ethics.
Even in the face of certain death, the righteous soul would rather die than be a accomplice to evil. And those who choose death and pain rather than corruption are those honoured as martyrs.
And of course, this responsible extends beyond the Spiritual and moral world. It should be clear that we are responsible for our governments, our companies, and ourselves whether we like it or not. Allowing evil to happen by abetting it in even the slightest way is to invite the stain of that evil upon yourself.
With regards to whether the souls truly reside on the Moon. Beatrice explains that all the souls in Heaven are actually in the Empyrean, the abode of God, but they appear on the Moon to make the distinction between themselves and other spirits clear to Dante.
This symbolism and allegory that was designed by God to give Dante a vision of Paradise reveals Dante's feelings towards interpretation over literal meanings. Barbara comments:
That which Dante is shown in Paradise is a sign, presented to his senses, so that his intellect may grasp the meaning. [...] When the intellect has done so, as Virgil explained in Purgatory XVIII, love is awakened. Thus it is that Holy Scripture presents man with the knowledge of God by means of images which the sense perceptions can imprint on the imagination; this in its operations leads to intellectual understanding and finally to love. [pg. 87]
This is why the Scripture and words of others can do no more than serve as a guide or signpost towards which God is pointed to. The intellect uses these symbols and signs to orient itself and further seek knowledge of God. It is an internal process, and one can only be aided... not dragged along.
As the Canto closes, Dante asks Beatrice if someone can repay their broken vows by good works but before he can press for an answer he is struck by Beatrice's gaze:
Beatrice looked at me, and lo! her eyes
Grew so divine, with sparkling love alight,
That I was lost in wonder and surprise,
My gaze downcast, my powers all put to flight. [l. 139]
Canto V, Beatrice answers Dante's question regarding the repayment of vow breaking by explaining the nature of vows. After the answer, the two ascend to the second heaven and enter the planet of Mercury. Upon entering Mercury, Dante sees many souls and begins questions that are answered in the next canto.
In the commentary, one of Beatrice's words on Dante's "wandering loves" (ll. 10-12) leads to a discussion on the difference between natural and rational love:
The rational love, endowed with selective powers, can err in its choice; but natural or instinctive love, though it needs guidance, is susceptible neither to praise nor blame. By "wandering loves" Beatrice evidently means the natural, instinctive impulses in man, undirected by reason. [pg. 94-95]
Here is the explanation of why can be sure that Love is not true when it needs to be rationalized over... or rather, why given the questioning nothing can be made certain no matter how much reason. A reasonable man can reason anything and thus reason cannot be trusted when reasoning over Love.
To tie this to thread I'm spinning of Spiritual Authority... when an authority figure other than God as the conscience praises someone for doing good or blames them for doing wrong it is trying to appeal to the rational mind. As illustrated, the rational mind is unreliable and can err. Because of this the quest to God is personal journey that follows the beat of the heart not the burden of the mind.
Beatrice begins her explanation of the nature of vows,
Open thy mind; take in what I explain
And keep it there; because to understand
Is not to know, if thou dost not retain.
Two things are requisite: the deodand,
And the vow's self, to make the sacrifice:
These two essentials all such rites demand.
The latter cannot be in any wise
Discharged, except by the performance; so
'Twas this I meant when I was thus precise; [l. 40]
What Beatrice says is that every vow consists of two parts: The content of the vow (e.g. to no longer drink alcohol) and the partial sacrifice of the soul's free will. When a vow is made it says, "Despite my will to the contrary in the future I will (or will not) do thing X." The sacrifice of free will is the essential component of any vow and that is the piece that cannot be traded in any regard.
The actual contents, however, Beatrice says can be exchanged and there is no harm in doing so provided the sacrifice of will is maintained. I think what is implied here is that if you exchange the contents for something you would not want to do anyways, then no will is still sacrificed and thus the vow is not preserved.
When Dante reaches Mercury, he hears the souls rejoice:
So I saw splendours draw to us in droves,
Full many a thousand, and from each was heard:
"Lo, here is one that shall increase our loves!" [l. 103]
The souls make this comment for two reasons: (a) They know that the purpose of Dante's vision to lead him to salvation and make sure he can remain righteous when he returns to Earth; and, (b) to show that in Heaven when another soul joins in the exultation of God the amount of Love going around increases and all are better off for it.
[makeoutcity.com]
5:31:32 PM
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Amazing Stuff
 Art and Architecture. The life and works of Antonio Gaudi. Thanks to Peter Blake for the link.The Catalan architect Antonio Gaudi has in recent years attracted increasing interest outside of Spain. The purpose of this volume is to make available in English a description of his works and an evaluation of his place in the architecture of his day and of our own. For the specialist there is included what is believed to be a definitive inventory and chronology of his works and a selective bibliography of books and articles on Gaudi and his period. Most of his extant works are illustrated with photographs selected for their architectural qualities. In addition, a number of little-known and recently discovered works by Gaudi will be found among the illustrations. [The Cartoonist]
9:23:25 AM
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© Copyright 2009 Gary Santoro.
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