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Opensewer 10 Ithaca Discussion Summary Wednesday,
August 10, 2001, 7:00 PM at the The
Lost Dog Cafe, 106 South Cayuga Street, Ithaca, NY, 14850. By Rose Merendino and Jason Carroll Opensewer 10 opened with a pleasant surprise: A reporter from WEOS in Geneva (an hour north of Ithaca) introduced herself as Jessie, grabbed a seat, and proceeded to interview us about the origins and happenings of Opensewer. Ithaca outstretched its arms further north to welcome Alan from Rochester, who buzzed in having just driven two hours to be at the gathering. A few more Ithaca friends trickled in here and there including John, Annie, Emily the Waitress, Dan, and his girlfriend "Buttercup" visiting from Israel. Opensewer's final guest was Jana, a wandering soul from Toronto in town on solo pursuit of Nabokov's home here, where he wrote Lolita. Though few knew each other, all were welcome and opinions weren't hampered. Oh no, in fact, opinions flew. Blood donations - Somehow, the evening's discussions commenced with safety concerns for blood screening and donations. Some wondered who we were donating blood for: the victims of September 11 or The Red Cross? Alan mentioned with disgust the fact that gay men not infected with any AIDS virus still cannot give blood, even though they've been safe for years. Rose reminded the group that no matter the potential crisis is viewed, giving blood is a good cause regardless of the how, the who and the when. The Red Cross still properly screens blood and, in even normal conditions, last-minute screening and processing precautions are taken, especially in the lab. Displaying of the American flag - Respect versus patriotism--is it possible to fly the flag too much? For crying out loud, bring it in out of the rain if you choose to fly it! And people, you're supposed to light it if you leave it our all night! The epitome of disgust: Did you know that the "Armchair Flag" (literally, a patio chair painted like a flag) can be yours for just $19.99, now available at Kmart? Bush - "This will not stand"; "Line in the sand"; The group wondered, is diplomacy even in his toolbox? Hamas/Palestine: Anti-Israel - There is a 30-year history here. Some pointed out that Israel is not blameless--they condition their youth with hate. Dan, who is from Israel, stated that it is difficult for Americans to understand events in the Mid-East, and how entrenched people are in their views. He also pointed out that peaceful efforts may have difficulty in achieving goals. Is United States to be trusted? - Just a few examples: Nixon, Vietnam, Iran Contra, the current events. A history of questionable acts going on since at least 1959... Colin Powell - At least he's level-headed! Backlash against irony - Is irony dead after September 11? As discussed by the group, only somewhat. Only the usless, dismissive, cynical irony portayed in such Gen-X masterpieces as "Reality Bites" and "Suburbia." There was a mention of Randolph Bourne - a man who promoted intelligent irony during WW I. A few other key points that we shouldn't forget: cynicism is not irony, and satire is the highest level of political commentary. Third World supports First World - The 10% of population / 40% or resources argument surfaced again. A few people wondered, why is the gap between First World and third World so wrong? Also, the stereotype of Americans as being fat, spoiled, materialistic was targeted--we're not all like that! The idea of the nation-state - Is America the best nation-state the world has yet seen? What about Saudi Arabia, where democracy combined with socialism? Does a the world need nation-states? Are they good for the world? Is America too self-critical? - Are we an "embarrassed" nation? The Canadian and Israeli participants of the gathering seemed to think so. American critics, especially the intelligensia, deride the American lifestyle. Why are we so embarrassed about who we are? Is it a guilty conscience? A lot of the world thinks we have nothing to feel bad about. This "embarassed" view, while aware of America's effect on the world, is not aware of itself. Americans need to recognize how their perception of their own actions affects their perception of theirself. A few other out-takes:
Many thanks to Anne-Marie and the crew at Lost Dog Cafe for hosting our evening. Extra bonus points go to host who noticed that damn SUV in the handicapped parking space right in front of the Cafe, and gladly offered to call the police to ticket it! And finally, to our Canadian friend(s), it's Opensewre.com for you!
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