My joining Civitan International has nothing whatever to do with this blog. Civitan’s motto: “builders of good citizenship” and questions of citizenship covered on this blog are purely coincidental. That said, the question of how a good citizen acts does relate to both of them. While birthers like to put on the robes of patriotism, I think birtherism is neither patriotic nor representative of good citizenship.
I believe that quality public discourse is a civic virtue, and that extends to this blog. I am proud of the 3,562 articles published on this site, particularly those articles that educate, inform and correct misinformation. That said, the 2012 presidential election is over and nothing that birthers do really matters any more (unless a rogue birther branches out into criminal acts). Countering birther nonsense is not as valuable, now that nothing is at stake. Consequently, I am spending less time blogging about birthers these days.
I wrote earlier that I had signed up to be a poll manager in my county. I take my oath next Tuesday and I’ll be putting in 14 hours at the polls come election day. Attending my local political party meetings has also been on my agenda. I have been working on Habit for Humanity houses a lot over the last couple of months. I am on the board of the local Civitan Club and do several jobs for my church. I volunteered at the Special Olympics. Indeed I now have to put everything on a calendar to avoid conflicts, I am scheduled so much. All of that is on top of quite a bit of tourism. So these days I’m wearing many hats.
I don’t list all these volunteer activities to say what a fine citizen I am, but to suggest to birthers more productive ways to channel their energies. I have the luxury of being healthy and retired, making my particular choices possible, but others can be good citizens in other ways.
Doc, you lead by example. Well done and thanks for taking an active part in your community and your church.
Just an Obot with a guilty conscience who can never atone for his lies. He will never justify his slanderous acts or those of his God Obama. Two peas in the same pod. Justice will be fast and furious for both.
It is trivially obvious that today’s American Taliban have a warped concept of what “American Values” are and the mistaken idea that America was built on the “rugged individualism” of the daring Pioneer.
It has occurred to me recently that they must have completely missed school during the years that the Pioneer society was discussed. They certainly have no concept of the community getting together for “Barn Raisings” and the like – what helps my neighbor, helps me.
Doc, I applaud your efforts at modern day “Barn Raisings” (Habitat for Humanity) and other community projects which are the ideological extension of the concept; and for your civic duties you have taken up.
I found working the elections both rewarding and fun – I bet you will too.
Edit: It occurs to me that you are actually working up quite a resume. You aren’t considering getting even more involved in elections are you? 😉
“…but others can be good citizens in other ways.”
Such as choosing not to be a birther.
What Doc isn’t telling you though, is that he’s also Santy Claus, and he’s scouting chimney heights in that pic! 😉
Good for you, Dr. Conspiracy. Good work!!
Go, Doc, go!
I was a member of Civitan in Enid, OK, once upon a time. It was a great group.
In another week, I’ll be changing careers again—which makes me marvel at how long this birfer mess has been going on—this time to a logistics position in public education. I can see it leading to greater civic awareness and involvement, at all levels of gov’t.
Seriously, 4th job since 2008. Long 6 years.
Nice one Doc. And you have given Gerbil Report yet another photo to badly photoshop. I’m hoping to see you as a member of the Village People soon 😀
I was secretly hoping that someone would cite some examples of civic virtue from birthers. Surely they can’t be all birther. I guess that was not to be.
Nicely stated Doc. I, too, volunteer and contribute to local causes and good works. It’s my way of giving back to the community for what has given to me and my family.
Well, Doc, they don’t seem to share those. Lots of thoughts there:
1. Birfers are generally all say and no do in regards to birtherism, likely that this tendency extends to other parts of their lives. Happy to complain, but not about to commit to taking action. Action leads to accountability. Yuck!
2. Birferism attracts cynics. Being civically active is not driven by cynicism.
3. Birfers tend to be paranoid, particularly about being identified with their online birfing. Thus, they don’t advertise their offline activities.
4. The few that are active in the community and publicizing that fact, are busy holding signs over overpasses, cluttering court wastebaskets, and harrassing legislators. Thank the gods there are relatively few “civic-minded” birfers!
Lastly, perhaps they prefer not to toot their own horn. They’re out their doing wonderful things, but their core decency won’t allow them to associate their good works with their online birfer persona. Riiiiiiiight.
I’m going to take issue with this one.
Without getting too far into the weeds: there are two kinds of cynicism, classical and modern. Classical cynicism is the philosophy that man need only to live virtuously and in harmony with nature to be happy. Modern cynicism is the belief that individuals are selfish by nature, and is characterized by a distrust of all conventions and institutions. Birfoons are not so much cynical as they are narrow-minded; they don’t mistrust conventions and institutions per se, they just mistrust the ones that conflict with their worldview.
I am both kinds of cynic; as a classical cynic, I reject the pursuit of, and the respect for, wealth, fame and power. All the prominent Birfoons are, to a greater or lesser extent, absolutely beholden to these pursuits. As a modern cynic, I do not believe in the inherent goodness of man, nor of his institutions, and I try to employ a healthy skepticism regarding both. Again, Birfoons exhibit none of this skepticism when it comes to people and institutions with which they already agree.
(I should note regarding my modern cynicism that, while I do not have hope for the future of humanity, in a kind of Pascal’s Wager, I BEHAVE as though I am wrong about that part.)
My father was police commissioner for our small Alabama town for one term. I recall that he didn’t like the job. Every now and then I contemplate the fact that 75% of the seats for the South Carolina House of Representatives are uncontested, including that for my own House district. but I know that my character is not that of a politician, even in the best sense of that word.
Bravo Sir!
In my opinion, everyone who has participated on this blog (as well as at The Fogbow, etc.) in order to deflate birtherism has demonstrated good citizenship. That also goes for our European and Australian friends!
I’m on the town council of my village (elected) so I like to think I too contribute a fair amount to our community. It’s hard to imagine what positive contribution birtherism makes.
old adage: “no one is completely worthless. they can always be used as a bad example.”
When you are wrapped up in fear and anger, as the birthers are, it is hard to see anything else but your obsession. I suspect that the civic virtue they may have once practice has been overwhelmed as they wallow in darkness.
Of course, they claim to believe that their birthing is an act of patriotism. so they probably consider it to be civic virtue.