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Running Iron Report reader John Dutcher scouted up what may be a perfect example of a worldview that RIR stands against.
L.A. Times columnist Virginia Heffernan was knocked sideways by a powerful gust of cognitive dissonance when when she discovered that her Trump-supporting neighbors had done her a kindness.
Oh, heck no. The Trumpites next door to our pandemic getaway, who seem as devoted to the ex-president as you can get without being Q fans, just plowed our driveway without being asked and did a great job.
How am I going to resist demands for unity in the face of this act of aggressive niceness?
Of course, on some level, I realize I owe them thanks — and, man, it really looks like the guy back-dragged the driveway like a pro — but how much thanks?
These neighbors are staunch partisans of blue lives, and there aren’t a lot of anything other than white lives in neighborhood.
She resolved her discomfort the way most folks would — by comparing this act of neighborliness to the social outreach of Hezbollah. Seriously. Read the column. Can’t make this shit up.
Heffernan concludes that:
I also can’t give my neighbors absolution; it’s not mine to give. Free driveway work, as nice as it is, is just not the same currency as justice and truth. To pretend it is would be to lie, and they probably aren’t looking for absolution anyway.
But I can offer a standing invitation to make amends. Not with a snowplow but by recognizing the truth about the Trump administration and, more important, by working for justice for all those whom the administration harmed. Only when we work shoulder to shoulder to repair the damage of the last four years will we even begin to dig out of this storm.
Well…
I’d say we’ll NEVER dig out of this storm if we insist on looking upon every action in a political context. Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard the arguments that the option of NOT looking at everything through political lens is evidence of “privilege.” Like the “privilege” of having a “pandemic getaway,” I suppose. I don’t buy into purity spirals. As a friend says, if you look at the world through shit-colored glasses, everything looks like shit.
At RIR, what you do is what matters. If you are the kind of person who shovels your neighbor’s driveway out of pure neighborliness, I don’t care if you’ve got a “TRUMP 2020” or a “In Our America” sign in your yard.
Less of Ms. Heffernan, please: More of this…
Matthew says
I have to wonder if that self-righteous columnist ever did even a simple kindness to anyone who disagreed with her or for that matter one to someone who did agree with her.
Your right need a context outside of politics if we are ever going to get out of this mess.
Quixotic Mainer says
Jack Donovan wrote a piece a bit ago titled; “They Will Never Leave You Alone”. Sadly the harpy screeching from this sad example of postmodern humanity echoes the same tune.
Jim P. says
I’m sure this same person was standing in the town square in Europe in the 1500’s lamenting that while it was necessary to burn that Protestant heretic it was a shame because she made a nice frittata.
In the absence of religion there will always be religion. People need to feel good about their conscience. For the liberal woke they are good because they worship liberal politics and in return the are given absolution for their affluence. Trump must then inhabit Hell because good must triumph over evil.
How sad it must be to inhabit her head where she’s in constant fear of having her opinions challenged.
Up here in Maine my neighbor might hate my guts but he’ll always pull me out of a snow bank and get frostbit doing it. Because he knows I’ll do the same. We need more of that
OK — that was funny.
Quixotic Mainer says
I would go out on a limb to say we have it better up here than in many places, as a general rule anyway.
Chris Youman says
Funny — Heffernan would probably accuse Jesus of being a terrorist. Uhh, now — about that commercial ? Noble intent, sure, and I don’t argue we need more of that than the former, but given the messenger (and the need to sell Jeeps), I found it a little hard to take seriously. Guess I fell into the trap that your post warned about, but here’s a very, very weatlhy and truly priviledged person claiming to be part of the farming/ranching/working-class but with a lifetime record of supporting policies which hurt the very folks he claims to care about from a far-away land called Jersey. Just not sure about all that. Don’t doubt the Boss’ sincerity, just consider his politics misguided? Hey, he put it all out there for years, so one should expect some scrutiny, right? Found the commercial to be a shameless attempt to manipulate the heartstrings — it just felt a little dishonest to me. Well, that’s my opinion anyway. Maybe I’m cermudgeonly (is that a word?).
I can’t really look at Bruce Springsteen dispassionately because his music has meant so much to me for so long. I’ll just say that there’s not a word in that piece that I can’t get behind.
Jim P. says
I thought the commercial was decent but in my cynicism I could not see that:
A. Jeep/Daimler-Chrysler would ever abandon the woke line if that favored the angry white Midwestern male one iota. .and
B. The NFL would go for such brash Americanism
Unless..In their effort to somehow complete the bait and switch they were able to imply it was safe for Trump supporters to emerge from their spider holes and fully unify with their liberal left betters.
I picture Donald Sutherland smiling to Veronica Cartwright in Invasion of the Body Snatchers right before he points and screeches his observation of a human.
Rick Schwertfeger says
Somehow the “damning because he’s privileged” hits a nerve. Springsteen grew up in blue collar Freehold, New Jersey. His father was a factory worker, cab driver, prison guard among other jobs. And Springsteen earned every damn penny that he now has. He worked his tail off, put his heart and soul into his art and his awesome performances. The guy wrote great music that addresses numerous aspects of American life. He played three to four hour shows, playing to near exhaustion, giving his all to his audiences. His legion of fans love his lyrics, his music, and his performances.
So, is a person damned because he produced art at such a level that it was so valued by others that it brought him deserved riches? Does financial success automatically mean that one can’t remember the struggles of his family, his blue collar town, and those who lived and struggled there? Does financial success automatically mean that a person can’t understand the struggles of others, even folks whose lives have been different that his? The answer to these questions, of course, is “No.”
Chris Youman says
Fair enough, but he’s been out of that world for a long time and has adopted quite elitist views. The new boss is not the old boss, sir. Have you seen the things that he’s said only within the past few months (his radio show on Sirius)? Setting aside threats to move to Australia should the proletariats win another term, when he spoke of an “exorcism” of the capital last October, I don’t think he was talking about the sort of “unity” that the commercial portrayed. Of course, now we know he drinks and drives, so maybe he wasn’t in his right mind back then. 🙂 Bottom line: the commercial was disingenuous. The call for unity was a giant virtue signal from an elite entertainer and a large corporation.
David Wrolson says
What are the odds the harpy has a “Think Globally, Act Locally” bumper sticker on her car?
David Wrolson says
One could pick this apart all day, but I just noticed this
»>“These neighbors are staunch partisans of blue lives, and there aren’t a lot of anything other than white lives in neighborhood.”«<
Neat that she chooses to live in a white neighborhood, but then attacks her neighbors for living in a white neighborhood.
Well, yes. I noticed that, too. The lack of self-awareness is strong in this one.
Cort Horner says
Amen. I’d be very inclined, were I that good Samaritan neighbor and read that tripe in the LAT to go back and carefully replace the snow for her Hezbollian outreach or not. SMDH.
The author, Virginia Heffernan, is not a Liberal.
She is a self-righteous snob, the worst of everything that gives power to those she would excoriate.
A Liberal takes a plate of cookies next door as a thank you. A Liberal appreciates the humanity that lies beyond partisanship. A Liberal asks questions and tries to understand her own cognitive dissonance.
But no. Heffernan receives the favor and does not respond in kind, no different than elites of a different era that she would despise, brushing off the fine plowing with a sniff and a shrug and rationalization that “absolution” is her currency and hard work is their’s, and these are not equal.
She’s right. They’re not. Her currency is devalued at the source. Nobody should care.
It won’t surprise you that I agree with this. The term “liberal” has been debased — regardless of political and policy agreement or disagreement, it’s an honorable political stance. This… is not that.
lane batot says
Is it “liberal” to not even TRY to reach out to any opposition? That’s rather the opposite of the ideals of the basic meaning of being “liberal”, which in no way, shape or form–in it’s original meaning–is something to denigrate or despise. Ditto for being “conservative”. I often get lumped into the negative perceptions of a “liberal” due to certain opinions I hold(ahem!), but doing so limits my accusers of seeing the real me. I’m quite liberal in some views, rather conservative in others! I think most people are, in close examination, a bit of both. One thing I AM NOT, and that is a “Democrat” or a “Republican”. I feel blind Partisanship is foolish in the extreme, but people like it because it’s EASY. Just pick a party and support them no matter what they do! Like rooting for a sports team. I don’t think I’ve ever voted where I didn’t choose candidates from both sides for various things–due to what I KNEW(or thought I knew) about them or their policies—but if most of my picks for President have been Democratic, it’s not because I blindly vote Democratic! Deeply entrenched Partisan prejudiced folk just do not understand this.…In regards to this post specifically, that woman simply missed a chance to reach out, and that’s on her. I can get my hackles up about as quick as anybody, and I’ve experienced some fairly unfortunate feuds with individuals in my day, but with few exceptions(some treacherous humans are just NEVER to be trusted, but those are ones you’ve had very personal conflicts with–not just political disagreements.…), if I ever see the chance to bury-the-hatchet, I usually JUMP on the opportunity, and I have “made up” with some purty bitter enemies that I never could have imagined I would have. But you havta be open to the opportunity, and assuming rather negative things about someone(like a neighbor) that you hardly even know, makes one not worth a plow!