Pig Wrestling Edition (Jay J & AemJeff)

[kezboard]

However, they describe a dichotomy in how to look at the world, either through a "we're all the same" perspective or a distinctive American, western perspective.

Lyle, frankly, I don't think you know what multiculturalism is. It's the exact opposite of a "we're all the same" perspective. Multiculturalism, for someone like me or you or Anita Dunn, would be recognizing that your perspective is shaped by your position as an American or a Westerner, not that it's the exact same as everyone else's.

Is it unheard of for right-wingers to bring up non-Americans or non-democrats as examples when illustrating some point? I doubt it. I recently read the book The Family and the members of said family are very interested in studying the leadership skills of Hitler, Lenin, and Mao. Every single businessman I saw on an airplane for a while was reading that book about applying Sun Tzu's Art of War to the corporate world. Clausewitz gets quoted all the time. Rommel is always brought up as a master of military strategy. I've heard the tactics of Saul Alinsky brought up by right-wingers multiple times and have never assumed that they're therefore endorsing his politics.

Whatever you think about reading Toni Morrison in sophomore English class or devoting relatively less attention to the various battles of the Civil War in favor of discussions of Cesar Chavez, I don't know what it has to do with Anita Dunn's speech. I highly doubt she brought up Mao in the name of diversity. She could have just as easily brought up, I don't know, Washington crossing the Delaware or anyone else triumphing over overwhelming odds. She probably should have, but in that case I'm sure Glenn Beck would have found some other molehill to make a mountain of.

I don't think anyone spoke at my high school graduation, actually. However, I'd remember it if an Obama official spoke at it.

Fair enough. I guess I just think that you're underestimating how boring graduations usually are or the attention spans of eighteen-year-olds for platitude-filled exhortations. All I was thinking about during my high school graduation was how hot it was in the auditorium, how uncomfortable my polyester gown was, and how dumb I looked in my cap.