Background note: Many credit the influence of the philosophy of Leo Strauss for providing the ideological foundations of neoconservative ideology and consequently the Iraq war. I haven't done enough research on the subject to have an opinion. However, I did find the following situation ironic.
Shadia Drury comments:
"[Leo] Strauss fosters the self-righteousness that Smith shares with the neo-conservatives. Strauss called it the 'identity of the good and one's own,' and he thought it was necessary for the health and well-being of political society" (p.66 Political Theory 35-1, emphasis mine).
Sarah Palin, in her acceptance speech, mentions "small towns" six times in the following contexts:
"My mom and dad both worked at the elementary school in our small town."
"A writer observed: 'We grow good people in our small towns, with honesty, sincerity, and dignity.' I know just the kind of people that writer had in mind when he praised Harry Truman. I grew up with those people. They are the ones who do some of the hardest work in America who grow our food, run our factories and fight our wars. They love their country in good times and bad, and they're always proud of America. I had the privilege of living most of my life in a small town."
"I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a 'community organizer,' except that you have actual responsibilities. I might add that in small towns, we don't quite know what to make of a candidate who lavishes praise on working people when they are listening, and then talks about how bitterly they cling to their religion and guns when those people aren't listening."
"It's the journey of an upright and honorable man- the kind of fellow whose name you will find on war memorials in small towns across this country, only he was among those who came home."
Transcript
Do you think this somewhat humorous somewhat disturbing proliferation of the phrase "small town" is evidence of Straussian ideology, neo-con speech writers, politics or all of the above? Does Palin recognize people from the small town as "one's own" and "the good?"
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2 comments:
I find it humorous that jewish man who grew up in an era that saw the rise of the nazi's would foster similiar political beliefs. While not fascism, neo-conservatism is a step away. I'm frightened by Palin, because even if her ticket loses, she's young and the neo-cons are going to hitch to her wagon.
Indeed. This is alarming.
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