Am I Getting It?

It is easy to tut-tut others and imply that I have some inner knowledge about how America works, but that would be painfully obvious that I don't. (For example I just don't get this gun thing at all.) And slowly I'm realizing that I may have been taking America for granted. Raise your hand if you have done this: harshly criticize America in front of an American while expecting an apology, hand shake and/or pat on the back. And when the American walks away fuming you stand there wondering, "What got under his skin?"

With the election of Bush several changes occurred among my American friends. First, they fell silent. Like most of the civilized world Bush and what he represents left people reeling. Suddenly the sure footing we all have grown accustom went all soft and uncertain. This was not because Gore was defeated, but rather the rise of America's alter ego. It was if the GOP drew up a list of thing that would piss everyone off and then made that policy. It had universal appeal. I solidified their base by being petulant and base while awakening in everyone else fears of the The Rise of the Ugly American. During this period criticisms of America were met with sighs and "Yeah, I know". Not much fight back then.

And this was all before 9-11.

Then about 18 months ago another change occurred. The Americans I knew began to adapt to the new realities and find their footing. This was still before Michael Moore's thing. Instead of having the debate taken to them and being defined by others, they started individually began to own the debate and started to respond. It wasn't anything earth shaking and would probably have been missed if it were not for it happening suddenly as if there were an American zeitgeist telling them it's time to get up. More and more I began to receive rebuttals such as, "No that's not the way it is..." or "No, you're wrong..." or something similar. Which is why I suppose I was pleased with the voters in Ohio reacting so strongly to the Guardian's presumption.

So after being told many times that I don't understand, I wonder if I'm getting it? Do I even know what's going on? I like Mr. Mike's comment to the previous post that after watching reruns of SNL election spoofs, he realized that prehaps this is all so much of a tempest in teapot, that America has not gone off the rails. If that is true (and I hope it is), I wonder if Bush represents a kind of political boogyman. I mean, don't you remember over these four years wondering what the next outrage would be. Well, I did and then I just began to check off ideals and values important to me and lo and behold Bush & crew would eventually come around to threaten, pick on or otherwise harrass them. Now if were, say, 65% of that list, I would say that it is a natural result of idealogical differences. But the offence rate is near 100% and that has me suspecting something more sinister: politics. One thing the GOP is not shy of is to kick their opponent while he is down. As the Democratic Party floundered after Gore's defeat the GOP delighted keeping them off balance by tossing them meatless bones to chew on while getting the real stuff done elsewhere.

Now I have reached the point where I want to laugh and claim how shallow it all is, but I can't because what the GOP does still runs counter to my instincts of fair play and good government: two very Canadian traits. I wonder if I watched those SNL reruns that I would even get the jokes.