[lit-ideas] Re: Islamism, D. H. Lawrence & The Ground Zero Mosque
- From: Mike Geary <jejunejesuit.geary2@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 4 Aug 2010 21:38:59 -0500
*Lawrence:*:
>>"I'm reminded of D. H. Lawrence who wrote "The minority of whites
intellectualize the Red Man and laud him to the skies."<<
Or perhaps they recognized truths and values within the Indian culture that
were missing in our Western European culture. "laud him to the skies" ? Do
you really need to resort to hyperbole to make your argument?
>>"But this minority of whites is mostly a high-brow minority with a big
grouch against its own whiteness."<<
Perhaps, or perhaps that minority of whites recognized values and truths
within the Indian culture that were missing in Western European cultures or
largely discounted.
>>"He also wrote, 'There'll never be any life in America till you pull the
pin out and admit natural inequality.'">>
Of course there's natural inequality. Only a fool would suggest
otherwise. But what does that have to do with anything? The only
meaningful concept of equality is not one of natural abilities but of each
person's equal right to existence, of equal rights before the law, of equal
access to opportunity.
>>"And at one point in his discussion of Fenimore Cooper's leatherstocking
novels, Lawrence wrote, ". . . the Natty and Chingachgook myth must remain a
myth. It is wish-fulfillment, an evasion of actuality."<<
Of course it is It's myth-making. I read "Last Of the Mohicans" in the
10th grade and I knew what a crock it was even then. But still it was a fun
read. "Trust the tale" !!!!!!!! I think you've come across that quote
before.
>>"As we have said before, the folds of the Great Serpent would have been
heavy, very heavy, too heavy, on any white man. Unless the white man were a
true renegade, hating himself and his own race-spirit, as sometimes
happens."
"He wrote those things between 1917 and 1923. Since then the minority he
refers to has grown. Self-hatred is the in-thing of the "high-brow minority
wit.<<"
To be socially aware and self-aware, socially critical and self-critical has
nothing to do with self-hatred -- it has much to do with intelligence and
critical thinking. I think David Hubert, a child of the working class,
never got over his resentment towards the upper-classes and their privilege
(and I don't blame him). The world loves and rewards the frivolous ones,
whilst punishing those who grind out their lives to the profit and pleasure
of the frivolous. Cosi sia.
LAWRENCE: "Therefore let's erase our American distinctiveness so that we can
prevent our enemy's intrusion. Let us become nothing; so we can make him
nothing as well."
Therefore????? Because you've misread D.H. Lawrence Americans should give
up their distinctiveness -- as if such a thing were possible. Sometimes
you're just silly, Lawrence (both of you).
Mike Geary
Other related posts:
