Action by the Terminator and Governor Moonbeam for greater good give writer optimistic view
From our weekly issue dated November 21, 2007
I’ve received a few comments during the past few weeks about what Editor Bob calls my “feel good stories.” I appreciate the comments, but one friend asked if I would be allowed to write editorials.
My response was, “Good Lord, no!” (Unless Editor Bob tells me to do so.) If I wrote editorials, it inevitably would upset some of the people all of the time, and I prefer to leave that lifestyle choice to our city council. I already upset plenty of people without resorting to editorials.
Besides, the whole point here is to smile about something. In the past I’ve written articles like this about computerized telephone answering menus, grocery store membership cards, and being fingerprinted at the bank. I opposed them all, but then, they weren’t what you would call hot button issues of the time.
That being said, I am submitting this “feel good” story even though it centers on politics. The situation is so unique to American politics that I just couldn’t let it pass without some acknowledgement.
A while back, California petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency to be allowed to set its own vehicle emission standards. The state government feels the federal standards are too lenient. Several other states have filed similar requests.
OK, maybe a little interesting, but certainly not earth-shaking until one discovers that Gov. Schwarzenegger got tired of awaiting an EPA response. He has filed suit to force a ruling -- and his partner in this legal action is former Gov. Jerry Brown.
Only American politics could create a legal alliance between The Terminator and Governor Moonbeam. If Dell Comics doesn’t jump on this premise it is missing an opportunity. Is this a great country or what? The local equivalent would be to discover that John Bowler and Larry Osborn joined together in some class action lawsuit against BLM.
Now, you’ve got to admit, whatever your feeling on auto emissions (I personally am opposed), that the situation just makes you smile.
Last week another story came to my attention that involves a similar mismatch. A recent book was written by the grand-niece of Henrich Himmler, the man that most believe to be the architect of the Holocaust. In it, she outlines her life growing up in an extremely pro-Nazi environment. She is not serving in the book as an apologist for Nazi atrocities.
I can be fairly certain of that, even not having read the book because the man to whom she is married is Jewish. That’s right, a woman closely related to the creator of “the final solution” has switched her allegiance in a strikingly dramatic way.
These unlikely pairings serve to give me hope. These people have overcome their personal feelings to try and establish a better world. One can actually envision a future wherein petty political and personal loyalties might take a back seat to the overall benefit of society in general.
If the Terminator and Governor Moonbeam can set aside their obvious political differences to achieve what they perceive to be a greater good, then things can improve.
If a close relative of Himmler can do away with prejudices with which she was raised, there is hope.
Now, if we could just get Pat Robertson to swing his considerable Christian Conservative support to a pro-life, pro-gay presidential candidate.
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