Independence

I have three posts about the debate in Iraq about withdrawal of American troops, wealth inequities, and middle school teaching and management that I've started but not finished because I'm trying to get schoolwork done. I'll post them as soon as I have some free time to finish them.

In the meantime, I want to say something about my experiences here at Eisenhower and at KU.

This period of my life has taught me one thing more than anything else:

I no longer trust any one group, ideological, class-based, which side of the tracks they are on, or otherwise, inherently for any reason at all, anymore. I look at individuals much more closely, these days.

And in the future, my sole and most important criteria for how I want to work, where I want to work, who I want to work with is who will respect my freedom and independence most. Knowing that this may not happen in any group of people in my lifetime, I want as much independence from all groups of people, as much as is possible.

I now and always have plenty to learn to make me better at whatever I do and to have that kind of independence. But I no longer want to ever be dependent on any group of people as long as I live. I don't trust groups, generally, anymore, unless they respect my freedom and independence. And I don't care what they call themselves or what cause they are alligned with anymore.

When I think about it, this makes it worth it to have my life turned upside-down the way it has been in the last 5-6 years (since Brandi and I broke up and since I left grad school).

Because I do not want to spend my life with anyone who can't respect my independence and conscience more seriously than that.

Contrary to Caleb Carr's assertion in the first What If? series that America would have been better served under British rule, outlawing slavery earlier in its history and avoiding a bloody war in the process, the American Revolution was not, primarily, about slavery or taxation or representation or preserving fortunes.

The American Revolution was about independence. It was about freedom and democracy. And the liberal values and institutions that freedom and democracy made possible to flourish were more important than any other issue that American faced.

That is my feeling for my own life. My efforts, right now, are not, primarily, about ideology or politics or any particular issue. They are, primarily, about independence and the liberal values from which all other decent things bloom.

And I don't give a shit, anymore, about any particular group who I may affilliate with, anymore, except insofar as they respect those liberal values and independence and freedom. I don't trust anyone to look after me better than me ever again.

Love,
Ben