From: msp@ohstpy.mps.ohio-state.edu (Michael S. Pettersen)
Newsgroups: soc.motss
Subject: Colorado Blues
Date: 5 Nov 92 13:58:31 EST

This thing in Colorado is really upsetting.  It's one thing 
to repeal a civil rights law, though that's annoying enough; we've
lived without civil rights before.  But to have it written into the
state constitution that we can't have our civil rights protected by
law, that's really frightening.  And what's worse is that the people
who hate will be encouraged to try the same thing in other states now.

It's a real pity. The International Herald Tribune remarked about the ouster 
of the Republicans that the country actually became more liberal under the
Reagan-Bush years; not only did many people come to the conclusion that
the fiscal policies of those years resulted in the present economic
catastrophe, but social values changed to the point that Clinton
was able to embrace issues such as gay rights.  (Gay rights were
specifically mentioned in the Trib!  Le Monde, on the other hand,
mentioned a "victory of the homosexuals" in Oregon, as though we forced
our agenda on the public by our superior numbers.)  

But in some ways it would seem
more accurate to say that social values became more polarized.  For
example, our increasing visibility and social acceptability have driven
the fanatical rightwingers to attack us, whereas when we were
invisible, they were content to let us be, more or less.

We didn't win anything new in Oregon, we merely stemmed the reverse
current.  In Colorado, we were turned back.

As for new Supreme Court nominations, it seems to me that the
people that Clinton would be replacing would be the old liberals
appointed in the 60s.  Once again, it's stemming the tide (though
the good point is that new nominees would be young and would be on the
court for many years, even when the Republicans retake the White House). 
Clarence Thomas is what, in his 40s?  He's going to be on the court for
30 years, no matter who is president. Those Bush-Reagan appointees are
going to be around almost as long as I am.

Boy, this sounds pretty discouraging, doesn't it.  I guess I am
discouraged.  I hope that Clinton will start to heal things, but I
think the healing process is going to take a long time.

To end on a positive note:

I watched some of the international coverage on election night.  There
was a program where they showed clips from Russian, Italian, Spanish,
British, German and American television.  Some of the clips were subtitled or
voiced-over, but the host, who was quite cute, did some
simultaneous translation from English, Spanish and Italian.  It was also 
charming to hear him say "Bill Clinton" (instead of "Beel Cleentow")
in his adorable British accent (when he was speaking English).  I was
very impressed with his linguistic skills as well as his other fine qualities.  

The Italian commentator remarked that in view of the uncertainty in Russia,
the Balkans, the Causcasus, that it was a relief to be able to watch
the tremendous normality with which Americans transacted their
quadrennial ritual.  A comforting thought.

I'm going to try posting this through Ohio State, since my previous posts
from Europe seem to have been eaten by sharks on their way across the
Atlantic.

--
Mike Pettersen, Ecole Normale Superieure, Paris
msp@physique.ens.fr
Perfect love casteth out fear.