Cultural Compassion

And yet, notwithstanding some recent unfavorable articles posted here concerning American culture, there is much to hope for, and much to admire. True, the Grammy Awards practically ignored classical music, and true, slutty sex and surrealistic gratuitous violence dominate American television, but yet...

Much of the world will remember that a little less than a year ago a monster tornado destroyed half the big town of Joplin, Missouri, U.S.A.. The place looked at least as bad, if not worse, than Berlin in the summer of 1945, or Nagasaki in the early autumn of that same year. I kept driving around town with my mouth hanging open in utter disbelief.

Then, a miracle happened. One hundred thousand angels from all over America came to Joplin, picked up all the rubble, and brought enough food and beverage to fatten the natives considerably. You couldn't go anywhere without somebody offering you something to eat, drink, or wear. WE had more toilet paper than we knew what to do with. I kept thinking that everyone in Joplin would have to dig rubble fast, to avoid gaining weight.

A man sitting in his front yard, his former house a pile of rubble behind him, had put up a sign which said "I have water. Bring beer"

Another rubble covered yard with nothing but a foundation intact  had a for sale sign which read :"home for sale, reduced price. open floor plan, plenty of sky lights. inquire within."

Now THAT'S a positive attitude, a winning spirit...laugh at it and overcome it.

Picking up rubble all summer was brutal, nightmarish work, but the people, tens of thousands of them doing the work, were beautiful beyond all measure. Cheerful, warm hearted and friendly, and above all self sacrificing, compassionate, they made the nightmare into somewhat of a dream. It was a great honor to meet and associate with them.

Americans may love mindless entertainment, but in a pinch, they are remarkably generous and compassionate. After all, there is more to a country's "culture" than art and intellectual endeavor. There is heart.  Goethe , as always, was right: "Noble be man, compassionate, and good."

Please scroll down for some less favorable yet faintly familiar assessments of American culture in today's issue of The Truthless Reconciler! Thanks!