We need to stop looking for a savior and staring looking to our local communities for inspiration and learn to inspire ourselves :/ ROLLIE FOR MAYOR OF GUERNVILLE!
This thoughtful column is a good example of why Rollie is my favorite Substack commentator. No one else is close. Rollie, thank you for continuing to write. You rock.
Rollie, I like/love your sentiment but I can’t buy it. I wish I could. The thought that our country could rally around Woody’s ”this land is your land” or something similar is a noble sentiment but common sense says otherwise. First there is a decent size population that is “new” to this country. They come here not for “shared pride in our American continent” but for a better way of life. Their home country is likely still their home country and what they would identify with. Second, there is a decent number of folks who have not prospered in this country for one reason or another, who would take “this land is your land” as a bad joke and insult. Third, the concept of “this land is your land” is (or at least sounds) like a socialistic and communist concept, which isn’t going to fly with many folks.
Let me leave you with this thought. In my past, I work with an extremely conservative guy. Although we never agree on any politics, many of his positions I found appalling, he was a very decent guy, very smart, a good boss, who I admired for his unwavering dedication to make our company a success. His efforts truly helped and benefited all of us. Anyway, one day we got to talking music and John Lennon’s song “Imagine” came up. Now, I’m going out on a limb (but not very far) and say most folks think like me, that one of the most beautiful messages you’ve ever heard. It’s all about imagining a better world, without all those things that divide us: religion, nationality, material possessions. How could anyone think otherwise of such a song? Well, my boss take was it’s a communist song, inspired by their ideals to get rid of all religions and take away our possessions. Uncle.
We need to stop looking for a savior and staring looking to our local communities for inspiration and learn to inspire ourselves :/ ROLLIE FOR MAYOR OF GUERNVILLE!
Your voice is resonating, thank you
This thoughtful column is a good example of why Rollie is my favorite Substack commentator. No one else is close. Rollie, thank you for continuing to write. You rock.
Rollie, I like/love your sentiment but I can’t buy it. I wish I could. The thought that our country could rally around Woody’s ”this land is your land” or something similar is a noble sentiment but common sense says otherwise. First there is a decent size population that is “new” to this country. They come here not for “shared pride in our American continent” but for a better way of life. Their home country is likely still their home country and what they would identify with. Second, there is a decent number of folks who have not prospered in this country for one reason or another, who would take “this land is your land” as a bad joke and insult. Third, the concept of “this land is your land” is (or at least sounds) like a socialistic and communist concept, which isn’t going to fly with many folks.
Let me leave you with this thought. In my past, I work with an extremely conservative guy. Although we never agree on any politics, many of his positions I found appalling, he was a very decent guy, very smart, a good boss, who I admired for his unwavering dedication to make our company a success. His efforts truly helped and benefited all of us. Anyway, one day we got to talking music and John Lennon’s song “Imagine” came up. Now, I’m going out on a limb (but not very far) and say most folks think like me, that one of the most beautiful messages you’ve ever heard. It’s all about imagining a better world, without all those things that divide us: religion, nationality, material possessions. How could anyone think otherwise of such a song? Well, my boss take was it’s a communist song, inspired by their ideals to get rid of all religions and take away our possessions. Uncle.