American Views Abroad

 
From Mark Twain to Tina Dupuy via Will Rogers
I've always thought humor that stands above partisanship is that much closer to the sublime. Will Rogers did this well. While stateside(and I still owe you part two of my travel diary - I haven't forgotten), I found a wonderful book by Will Rogers entitled "The Illiterate Digest" (1923), 25 dollars it cost, but the pages were lined with gold. There were a few particular passages I thought I would love to quote somewhere, but I just wasn't sure where, so I might as well do it here:

"[Governer Allen of Kansas] said I was the only man in America who was able to tell the truth about our Men and Affairs. When he finished I explained to the audience why I was able to tell the truth. It is because I have never mixed up in Politics...You know the more you read and observe about this Politics thing, you got to admit that each party is worse than the other. The one that's out always looks the best."

Reflecting on sentiments like that tends, I think, to put things into perspective for those of us troubled by current politics. And the more I read books like this, and, another example, the story by Mark Twain "Running for Governor" (1870) I sense that the United States of America is too great for one man or party to ever destroy.

Today I read a post by the humorist Tina Dupuy at her WeblogThe Sardonic Sideshow which I think repeats in a modern fashion the idea Will Rogers left us with:

"It's Simple"

- posted by Fred @ 11:18 AM