on elitism

I've been reading a friend's blog lately and have realized that rather than post scathing comments which would probably damage our relationship in the long run, I'd come over here and rant to myself, where no one (except A. ;) can hear me.

I am an elitist. And this is why: I've earned it. I have spent the better part of my adult life in classrooms and libraries. I have read hundreds of thousands of pages on topics ranging from astronomy to physics to quantum mechanics to buddhism to postmodernism to marxism to feminism. I have studied the Holocaust, Western European politics, revolutions, nationalism, globalization, social movements, welfare states, and ancient, classical, modern, postmodern and recent political theory. I have talked with better minds than mine about these topics, and I have tested and refined my ideas in the company of others. I have changed or modified my position when presented with better evidence. I have also, it must be said, refused to change my position on certain issues: on the fundamental interconnection between humans and the Earth, on the need for justice, on the need for compassion, on the need for beauty and truth and community. On any given day I spend up to 2 hours reading from a variety of news sources about the state of the world. Unlike Our Glorious Leader, I have travelled outside this country and have an insatiable curiosity about other cultures. I write my representatives. I march. I chant. I rant. And all of these things distinguish me from the much glorified, long lamented, "Average American."

It is possible for me to recognize that I have greater and wider knowledge of the world than 90% of the people in this country and to refrain from being condescending. Indeed, my belief in compassion as part of a life of integrity and justice commands me to do as much. I don't run around, for God's sakes, telling people what dumbshits they are. I don't walk up to any one of my students (or, for that matter, my Republican relatives) and tell them that they don't know what the fuck they're talking about, even when they clearly don't.

I am, I admit, very, very, very angry about this election, and it has shaken my belief in the goodness of Americans to the core (and it was one of my central beliefs, long defended in the face of some other 'liberal elitists' that my friend likes to decry so frequently). Because voting for Bush meant, to me, voting for Abu Gharib. Voting for ongoing, neverending war. Voting to cut young men and women's lives short. Voting to get rid of women's rights and roll back the clock on civil rights. People DIED for those rights, and Bush, Cheney, Scalia et.al. could give exactly one rat's ass (as long as Halliburton gets the profit from the rat's ass). It's a vote for rabid Christianity and the end to the separation of church and state. And it's a final Fuck Off to the entire world, who will not be forgiving us any time soon.

So I am an elitist, and I'm goddamned tired of apologizing for it. Recognizing that I am one of the Fortunate Ones does not mean that I think all Americans should be stripped of their right to vote. I am not claiming moral superiority over these people (honesty moment: well, okay, occasionally) but I am comfortable with asserting that I know more about politics than they do, and am probably more capable of making an informed decision. 70% of the people who voted for Bush believe (as of November 2nd) that we found WMDs in Iraq. Come on, now.