Thursday, August 09, 2007
The Empire Strikes Back?
Russian planes flying near Guam on Wednesday were heralded as harbingers of a new Cold War. But I wonder if that's not wishful thinking. Wouldn't we all rather have another 40-year stand-off with a known enemy than face, say, China? The C.W. made for great spy novels and space ships, and at least we didn't have to deal, as in the current situation, with religious rhetoric (at least not on the Russians' part) or curtailed civil rights (except for the wee McCarthy episode in the 50s). I'm all for it, unless it accelerates the whole 80s trend in fashion and shoulder pads come back. I'm NOT wearing shoulder pads no matter what the state of global diplomacy. Although, shoulder pads were really in vogue during glasnost and all that -- during the waning years. Maybe I should be more concerned about the poodle skirt . . . Now THAT is a scary thought.
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2 comments:
disagree with you on two points: mccarthy. sorry, michaela, you've bought into the distorted mainstream version of those events.
also, shoulder pads. waaaaay more scary than poodle skirts.
I agree that the trampling of civil rights was not as formalized or widespread in the McCarthy era as it is now. But REALLY Emma, it's only a matter of degree. People were questioned or even imprisoned for past associations. A lot of the laws involved have since been declared unconstitutional.
I may be persuaded to agree with you about the shoulder pads, though.
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