At the end of a litany of anecdotes, Nordlinger writes
Which is interesting, since a musician from a Soviet satellite nation wrote: For me, it is perhaps even worse, because it brings back all the stench of Communist propaganda, which filled my early years. Now the same thing is creeping into everyday American life. Sick, sick, sick. Nordlinger calls for safe zones where we can occasionally escape politics.
- I grew up with the slogan “The personal is political.” It was more common than “A little dab’ll do ya,” in dear old Ann Arbortown. And this is one of the things I turned away from, with nausea. No, the personal is not political — at least not often. A recognition of this fact might be said to be the beginning of conservatism (or true liberalism — as distinct from fascism or communism or any totalitarianism).
- I have an acquaintance who, I know, is a strong Democrat. She is also a rather somber type. Not long after the election, I saw her at a reception, and I said, “How are you?” And full of meaning — almost sarcastic meaning — she said, “Oh, I’m great — just great!” I knew she was alluding to the election.
- And that served as a reminder to me: “Please never depend for your well-being on the election returns.” Politics must never be that important, at least in a liberal democracy. (In a “nonconsensual society,” as Robert Conquest would say, politics is very, very important — because the “election returns” may make the difference between a midnight knock on the door or not.)
I can't help but think this is related intellectually in some way to the inability of certain folk (see here too) to respect safe zones that are sexuality-free.
