~oh, PLEASE~

   

It really is too bad that Robert Ariail is leaving The State.  (The cartoon above can be found here).

~~~~~     

A quote from an article in today's The State:

 “The current economy,” Sanford said, “is a total gut-check of where we are as a civilization.”

~~~~~

Oh please.  Stop the drama.  This quote is from a man who governs a state that ranks the lowest in about every key indicator of what a civilization is all about.  This man needs to cut the grandiose hand-waving crap and govern the state of South Carolina - and represent it's people (and not just his neighbors) the best that he can (which could be what the problem is:  this is all he is capable of doing).

~~~~~   

civ·i·li·za·tion  (sv-l-zshn)

n.

1. An advanced state of intellectual, cultural, and material development in human society, marked by progress in the arts and sciences, the extensive use of record-keeping, including writing, and the appearance of complex political and social institutions.

2. The type of culture and society developed by a particular nation or region or in a particular epoch: Mayan civilization; the civilization of ancient Rome.

3. The act or process of civilizing or reaching a civilized state.

4. Cultural or intellectual refinement; good taste.

5. Modern society with its conveniences: returned to civilization after camping in the mountains.

~~~~~

 

Governor Sanford might want to look at the state of South Carolina, suffering from an unemployment  ranking of 50th in the nation - at 10.4%.  Is he the only one in denial about education statistics, school dropout rates, those living below the poverty level, and elevated clusters of certain diseases, including STDs?  It appears so.

 

~~~~~  

 

So take the dang stimulus money and at least let somebody in the state try to do something good - and would you please quit embarassing our state on the national stage in a transparent effort to promote your own shallow agenda? 

 

~~~~~~

 

Ironically, at a time when the governor of the state that I reside in waxes on about how terrible everything is, I'm sensing positive movement at the grass roots level on many different issues - and I absolutely refuse to accept Sanford's dire view of this country's 'civilization'.

 

I know that I am not a part of Sanford's 'civilization'.

 

~~~~~

 

(And yes, I've lost about half of my retirement savings too...and my job is on the chopping block.  But I'm trying to volunteer more.  I've offered to serve on a local environmental board.  I've always grown 'local'.  I can do more, and I will try - but look around - people are doing things).

 

~~~~~

 

Oh, and it appears that Sanford might be downsizing too... 

Comments

[Janet]

The masses are rising up against the shallow minded. Let's just hope there is someone ready to run and serve the people of the state.

[mr_subjunctive]

I almost think people need a sort of permission that it's okay to do things. A lot of really ridiculous stuff has been said about how much power the President holds as the moral authority of the land, or whatever, but in crises, people want to have something to do to feel useful. This is why it was so disappointing when all GWB could offer us post-9/11 was, "Go shopping." Obama's already done a lot of stuff I'm not thrilled about, but Michelle announcing that they're going to have a garden on the grounds, and grow food, and eat it, makes up for an awful lot.

Now if we could just get the Democrats in Congress to grow a collective backbone of some kind.

[Susan Tomlinson]

You know what gets my goat? None of those who are so vociferous in their criticism of the stimulous package have any alternate plans to offer.

I'm close to losing patience with partisan naysaying for the sake of partisan naysaying...

Really close.