Thursday, February 10, 2011

So a conservative and a liberal walk into CPAC...

Via Hot Air:

Well, here's something you aren't going to see everyday: Capt. Ed interviewing Richard Dreyfuss at CPAC. Dreyfuss was there to pitch The Dreyfuss Initiative, a non-profit devoted to getting more American civics taught in our schools.

From the website:

We start with no apologies, devoted to the country that declared war on the curse that the world thought eternal:

“You and yours will never rise. You are a serf, you will always be serfs and our heel will always be on your neck.”

Until America said, "Wait a minute. If you can get here, if you are strong and lucky willing to work and can take what life throws at you, you might rise.”

That is the most important political message in the history of civilization. The whole world heard it. That is why they came here, why they come here and why they will always come here.





Dreyfuss rambles a little bit but here is what we thought was the money quote (paraphrased): On shared cultural mythology:

...that somewhere in their family someone fled oppression in the form of caste and class designed by wealth... to America that was announcing a declaration of war on that situation. The only people in the world that have not yet heard about this literal political miracle is our own kids because we don't teach it (to them).

Amen.

4 comments:

W.C. Varones said...

Dreyfuss is a San Diego local. We saw him speak here recently.

He's definitely a lefty (I recall him throwing in some snide comments about Palin or Cheney or some other usual target), but his civics proposal is all good.

Dean said...

W.C., I agree. American civics is not nor should it be a left/right thing.

I hope he's getting a warm reception at CPAC. Getting face time with Hot Air's top dog should help.

Good on Mr. Dreyfuss. I would like to learn more about his outfit.

Brian Brady said...

Richard's an Encinitas guy. I was impressed when I read about the Dreyfuss Initiative and pleased he brought it to Solana Beach. I think we disagree on a lot of things; teaching civics and the Constitution isn't one of them

Dean said...

Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Brian.