"Now defined as art, the totem has lost cult, taboo, and custom."
"Your argument defends an ideology; mine defends the truth."
- Mason Cooley,
American Aphorist, Professor Emeritus of English, Speech, and World Literature
1927 - 2002
Today is the French National Day, La Fete Nationale, their equivalent of our Independence Day on the 4th of July. It is a day I enjoy celebrating, for a variety of reasons, including that I am something of a francophile. It celebrates the storming of the Bastille, a fortress turned jail, that sometimes held political prisoners; it was an important turning point in the beginning of the French Revolution, in 1789.
One of the reasons I am a francophile is I hold a deep appreciation for the Age of Enlightenment, which was centered in France and arising from French intellectuals of the period, before spreading to other parts of Europe. In part it was the political and philosophical contribution of the French during the Age of Enlightenment which contributed so intensively, both directly and indirectly, to the political philosophy of the Founding Fathers of our American Revolution which preceded, and in turn influenced, that French Revolution celebrated on July 14th in modern France.
So it particularly pains me to see those who give empty lip service to the ideals of our Founding Fathers, while demonstrating an appalling ignorance of our history and thoe very principles under revisionist history mislabeled as patriotism. The Age of Enlightenment, aka the Age of Reason, promoted the scientific method, it developed the idea of the Social Contract of government, of the Rights of Man and Self Determination, and Natural Law.
The worst instances of this are personified by the right wing-nut GOP theocrat candidate Michele Bachmann, who most recently asserted that our rights come from God, not from government. Although Nut Gingrich runs a close second with his claims that the 2nd Amendment is a right guaranteed in the Bible. Without getting too deeply into a dissertation of the historic contribution of classical liberalism and classical republicanism to our political system, it would be safe to characterize one of the main components of the political philosophy of this era that human rights were universal, that they occurred everywhere innately in all human beings, and was in direct opposition to the premise of the divine right of kings. It was in essence, a philosophical opposition to the belief political and civil rights were divine in origin, in opposition to religious political oppression generally, and in particular in opposition to inequality of rights among human beings. It postulated that our inalienable rights exist among all human beings, across nations, cultures, and yes, religions.
It is misstated by pseudo-patriots like Michele Bachmann that our Founding Fathers believed we were a specifically Christian nation. We are a secular nation and have been from our earliest origins, regardless of whatever personal spiritual beliefs any individual from that era may have practiced privately; there was no consensus of religious belief among our nations founders, nor was conformity to one required or expected. That we are instead supposed to be a theocratic democracy imposing Christianity has somehow become a fundamental (pun intended) tenet of the GOP.
This ties in to the current presidential candidate campaigns of the GOP for the 2012 election. We have for example, Rick Perry and his pastor who accuses the Statue of Liberty, depicting Libertas, the Roman goddess of freedom, presented by France to the United States in 1886, as some sort of demonic plot against our nation
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Here is what the U.S. Park Service has to say about the Statue of Liberty:
NPS-Statue of Liberty National MonumentStatue Sculptor: Frederic-Auguste BartholdiThe story of the Statue of Liberty is a story of change. The people of France gave the Statue to the people of the United States over one hundred years ago in recognition of a friendship established during the American Revolution. Over the years, the meanings of the Statue have grown until she has become an international icon of freedom and liberty, the most recognizable symbol of democracy in the world. (my emphasis added - DG)
The idea of the Statue originated around 1865 with Edouard de Laboulaye who saw the United States as a country that had proved that democracy was a viable type of government- after all they had just survived a Civil War and abolished slavery. De Laboulaye also saw the gift as a way to reflect his wish for a democracy in France. Artist Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi, who was known for large-scale work, was commissioned to design this sculpture. Nothing happened for some time, but finally (in 1874) Bartholdi came to the United States to look for a location for his monument. He saw Bedloe's Island from his ship as he sailed into the New York Harbor, and realized it would be a perfect location - since here his statue would always have an audience.
"Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World", which is the full title of Bartholdi's work was fashioned in the style of Greco-Roman art.
I support and promote the ideals of science and political and civil liberties personified by the Age of Reason, the Age of Enlightenment. I celebrate the French for their contributions to it, and for their contributions to our American Revolution, including providing the location for the Treaty of Paris which concluded it; and in turn, our many contributions to the modern French democracy.
The statue of Liberty is a wonderful symbol of representative government and of freedom. It is the antithesis of right wing nut theocratic hysteria and conspiracy theories that would deprive us of the freedom of religion and the freedom FROM religion being imposed on us 'for our own good'.
The statue of Liberty is a wonderful symbol of representative government and of freedom. It is the antithesis of right wing nut theocratic hysteria and conspiracy theories that would deprive us of the freedom of religion and the freedom FROM religion being imposed on us 'for our own good'.
How ironic that our long-standing allies, the French, are so often attacked by the right, as is their wonderful gift to our nation and our founding principle personified, the Statue of Liberty.
I will conclude not with a quotation from that extraordinary American and French patriot, the Marquis de Lafayette, but with another advocate for freedom from religion in politics, the Marquis de Sade, the libertine libertarian liberty aristocrat, whom I quoted recently in my post "In Praise of Porn and Freedom", Religions are the cradles of despotism." and "Social order at the expense of liberty is hardly a bargain."
Be it Gingrich, Pawlenty, Bachmann, Santorum, Perry, or any of the large list of other presidential wannabees, the right is a threat to our freedom, not the defenders of it.
Vive la France! Vive Les Etat Unis! Vive la Liberte!
It is amazing how much that the US citizenry have forgotten the contributions of the French people. Without France, the US probably would not exist despite the mythology of armed militias throwing out the "evil British army". Nevermind, that there was a fair amount of loyal North Americans who fought FOR the British.
ReplyDeleteOf course, the most obvious contribution from the French is the Statue of Liberty. The same sculptor contributed fountains to the US Capital as well.
And don't forget General Pershing's who was alleged to have said "Lafayette, we are here" when the US finally made it "over there" toward the end of the 14-18 War.
Bartholdi Park.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that the other thing that people have forgotten is that the US was founded as a secular republic.
Haym Solomon and his crowd would have been staunch tories had they seen what they US has become.
In the wake of Bastille day 2011, here in France, the polemic is focused on the comments of Eva Joly, the presidential candidate of the Green Party for the 2012 election. She commented that the only 2 countries in the European Union which had militaristic displays as part of their national day celebrations were France and Italy.
ReplyDeleteShe thought that there should be a citizens parade of national pride. Indeed, that is one of the observaions that de Toqueville made about America in the early 1800's.
Immediately, the conservative UMP government jumped on the comments as well as the far right Front National as an opportunity to criticize Joly for her lack of true Frenchiosity...She is a naturalized Belgian, OMG! Joly, of course was born Belgian, but she became French and rose up through the French legal system to become one of the most powerful prosecuting anti corruption judges in recent time.
In reality, Joly and the Greens could never hope to win the presidency, but they have become a pragmatic force in the alliance of the Left and now hold many seats in the European Union Parliament.
Here, in the political waves caused by Joly's comment about the traditional military parade, the actual focus is not on what she said...actually many people agree with her, the focus is now on the conservative reaction to her comments.
In fact there are voices asking for Francois Fillon, the prime ministers' resignation because of his public statements.
It seems that the spirit of May 68' is still very much alive here...
It is forbidden to forbid!
Thanks for the Bastille Day Piece! Today, May 18th, I am going to the Mairie in my little village to finally receive my permanent residency card. It took a long time, but it's worth it...
I also have linked to this blog in my links on thebrainpolice! I have to visit here more often!
Welcome microdot!
ReplyDeleteIt is a sad, but consistent issue that conservatives seem to need to wrap themselves in weaponry, pound their chests with pride, and call everyone else unpatriotic. The irony being that liberty, from st. Simone to Robepierre, was always the province of liberals, academics and those who embrace differences as reflecting the best, not the worst parts of the human condition.
Apparently, homogeneity is the prerequisite for understanding French ideals, rather than intellectual capacity, at least, for those who only use Liberty to advance their intolerant causes.
I've encountered microdot on other blogs, including his own; living in France, he is uniquel suited to observe those qualities about Americans........and the idiosyncrasies of the French, too, both tolerant and intolerant, LOL!
ReplyDelete