Grab hold of my talons, Gandalf...
Awhile back Andrew Sullivan identified what he described as a relatively new American political category:
There's a new group of people out there who are socially liberal but also foreign policy realists, especially among those who have been awakened to political engagement by September 11. Some of these used to be Scoop Jackson Democrats, but today's breed doesn't buy into the big government liberalism of the 1960s and 1970s either. Some are neocons who don't love the social right. Others are just Generation X and Y, who simply accept the social diversity of modern culture and want to see it defended against theocratic barbarians. These people are not comfortable with the Republicans' flirtation with the religious right, or their prosecution of the drug war or mixing of church and state; and they're not impressed by the Democrats' lack of seriousness in foreign policy or enmeshment with public sector interest groups. They're politically homeless, these people - but were probably key swing voters in the last election.
When I first read this, I, like many others I'd guess, thought to myself: "yes, absolutely-- that describes me perfectly. Well done, Andrew."
And, like many others, I'd guess, I also thought to myself: "there's no way on earth I'm ever going to go around referring to myself as an eagle. I mean, come on..."
Now Sullivan has actually started to use this term as an ordinary word, with no disclaimer, inverted commas, or indeed any explanation. I wonder how this appears to those who didn't happen to read his original post:
Good for liberal Polly Toynbee for seeing what we eagles have long argued...
Who knows: maybe I'll get used to it. "Hawk," in political contexts, no longer makes me think of an actual bird. Not usually, anyway. I really want to be the best eagle that I can be, so I'll keep trying.
Read my beak: God Bless America.
Posted by Dr. Frank at November 19, 2002 10:58 AM | TrackBack