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07/01/2004 Archived Entry: "One Reason for Optimism"

Mark Fiore's "Sort Of"; Tom Toles' "Iraqi Sovereignty"; Chan Lowe http://www.ucomics.com/chanlowe/2004/06/29/ "Handover Successful"}}; Drew Sheneman's "Twin Cells"; and, to follow up on yesterday's discussion of Cheney's F-word usage, here's Jeff Danziger's "A Vigilant FCC".

The concluding observation of yesterday's McBlog -- in which I offered, in full, Sunni Maravillosa's reasons for courting burn-out and being discouraged (perhaps into silence) by the current fast-erosion of liberty - was."To everyone on the edge of burn-out...hang in there! It is still the good fight and there are many reasons for optimism." A long-timer reader wrote in response, "I just read your McBlog, and Sunni's email. At the end you say, "It is still the good fight and there are many reasons for optimism. Name one, please. I challenge you to write in McBlog any REALLY, TRULY optimistic reasons to think that it might get better in the *forseeable* future." I will honor that request. (I apologize for the brevity with which I do so?but July 1st is Canada Day, equivalent to July the 4th in the States; Brad and I are slated to do volunteer work as ham radio operators providing communication at a local celebration this afternoon.)

I could offer many reasons. I could also offer a more theoretical explanation - that is, more general reason -- for some optimism: towit, the Rothbardian view of history as a continuing and continuous struggle between Liberty and Power, with no decisive victory ever declared. Rather like the struggle between Good and Evil. In this more theoretical case I would argue that there is reason to believe that a tipping point has been reached in many areas where Power has been recently prevailing, and I think the pendulum will be swinging somewhat back to rest over the next years. But this explanation would not be responsive to the "in the foreseeable future" condition placed on the question.

So, here goes. Just one the area in which I see an immediate and significant change for the good throughout society is in the proliferation of grassroots movements; to be specific and offer one cause of optimism -- education movements. In that category, I place homeschooling that is exploding and offers a very heartening counter-balance to the propaganda mills that public schools have become. The marked improvement is not merely in grade schools but can be seen in academia as well. There is a turning tide and the iron grip of political correctness on campuses is ebbing. Organizations like FIRE and CIR are to be roundly applauded for their unbelievably persistence efforts to strip away "speech codes" and other draconian PC measures. But over and over again you are seeing state courts ruling against affirmative action in academia; Florida and other states have banned the practice in admissions. So?very briefly, in answer to the challenge of naming just one area. That's my answer.

No time to proofread, I'm afraid.

Best to all,
mac