You know, this seems like an absolutely spectacular idea:
“Ssssshhhhhhhh.”
Wonderful sound.
And good advice for our country, isn’t it? After all the Sturm und Drang of the past few weeks our country would benefit from an absence of sound. Next week we mark Thanksgiving. Today, in anticipation, and after our fractious election, we could declare National Settle Down Week. National Be Still Week. Or National Give It a Rest Week.
The Great American Ssssshhhhhhhh-Out.
I can’t even articulate how appealing this sounds. You know what? All those problems, worries, injustices, scandals, evil Republicans, evil Democrats, lies, damned lies, and statistics will be there to deal with after Thanksgiving. But maybe just for a week, we could all calm down and find something else to talk about?
I don’t really see our nation’s pundits, talking heads, or bloggers taking this advice. But wouldn’t it be wonderful if the din subsided just enough that we could hear our own prayers of thanksgiving this week?
by 
I’d never heard the term “Sturm und Drang” before, but I *immediately* thought of Durmstrang from Harry Potter.
I highly doubt that’s an accident, and increases my already high opinion of Rowling’s grasp of language and impression.
How about calling it “national stop worrying about election fraud so that crooked officials have time to casually shred records to avoid proof of vote manipulation week”?
Or just to make it short, “national hide the evidence week?”
That’s what was going on in Volusia, FL, Tuesday.
http://www.blackboxvoting.org/
There’s too many important things that need to be talked about. Sorry.
Topher,
Isn’t it cool when you spot something like that, and realize that an author you already respect is even more worthy of respect than you originally thought? I had a similar experience while reading Tom Shippey’s wonderful book about Tolkien (which I highly recommend, BTW).
It’s amazing to see how many of the scenes and characters in the tales of Lewis, Rowling, Tolkien, and others are packed with meanings that we, the readers, often gloss over or overlook.
I was just planning on linking to Noonan’s great column, but you beat me to it. Sounds like a stupendous idea. Besides, I’ve got mountains of evidence to shred, the next war to plan, and “terrorists” to blame for it. I’m swamped.
I need to get some rest. If I haven’t got my health, I haven’t got anything . . .
Why am I reminded of whining children?
How about making it mandatory for some people?
Frankly, I’m just as happy with the tinfoil hat contingency blowing their lid over these non-issues. I’ll put up with the shrillness for a little while longer in a glad exchange for their obsolescence in 2008. (Although I think we’ll have to wait until 2012, since they will run Her Highness for the 2008 Democratic ticket. And if nothing else, she’s as shrill as they get with class warfare… maybe they’ll get it in 2012 when they get spanked again…)
I think we would all do well to remember these wise political words from President Clinton:
“We must go forward, not backward, upward, not forward, and always twirling, twirling, TWIRLING towards freedom.”
Okay, maybe the quote is from Kodos disguised as “Clin-Ton”, but the theory is sound.
Bill, I have no idea who you are, but you are the funniest man on the planet.