Another reason that we are leaving the United States is the country’s descent into irrational and primitive mythology.
Example: The State of Kansas has once again tried to attack the teaching of Evolution in their public schools. They are supporting the teaching instead of ‘Intelligent Design’, which is just a fancy way of saying ‘God Did It’. This is to be taught in Science Class. If this doesn’t bother you, stop reading right now. A terrific article I saw in Scientific American’s web site: 15 Answers to Creationist Nonsense lays out just how fallacious the Intelligent Design arguments are.
In an exquisite twist of irony, this move could cause large swaths of the US to be less competitive in the global economy (and in a sense, the world’s ecosystem) where more educated and enlightened countries tend to succeed. According to the laws of Natural Selection — that they themselves refuse to believe in — those Kansas know-nothings will be less competitive in the marketplace, and will (economically) not thrive. Unfortunately, this does not keep them from breeding, but they’ll eventually be somewhat cut off (and irrelevant, just as some third world countries are today, again — economically). Since they dispute the validity and value of Science, I wonder if they wouldn’t also give up their telephones, televisions, computers, internet connections and other trappings of the last century? What happens when these luxuries break down and can’t be repaired as their educated citizens leave for employment elsewhere, and their students are unprepared for colleges where science and technology is taught. That last bit won’t happen, but I don’t think I’d be looking toward Kansas for much economic growth over the next few decades.
A similar dynamic is showing up in Stem Cell Research. With South Korea announcing some absolutely spectacular successes in that area of science this past week, and Bush subsequently peremptorily announcing his opposition to a bill that would free up government funding on such research, a commentator noted that all this does is make the US Government less and less relevant to the whole activity. As this science progresses and the money starts to pour in when investors bet on companies that will deliver the miracle cures based on stem cells, the Bush Administration’s medieval view only insures that (as the commentator put it): “the red-state scientists will move to the blue states, and then in turn, all the scientists will move out of the US to the countries where this research is flourishing.” Once again, the US digs it’s own economic grave and gleefully leaps into it, all in the name of fundamentalist religion.
Just as the best and brightest scientists (as well as artists, writers, musicians and dancers) left the Soviet Union, over time I believe it will also happen to the once great United States of America. I am sad about this, but as we often say these days, we feel like we can’t get out of here quickly enough.
it is, indeed, a strange world, David, and I admire your explanations and actions in response to the BUSH empire. I will keep reading to see how things go for you. I guess I am here for awhile, feeling more and more horrified at what is going on, participating in every peace rally I can, but basically feeling rather despairing about it all.
It’s a little daunting when I think that this is the only land that I have known as “home” for generations. My ancesters came from Europe in the early 1600’s.
I suspect that things felt like this in Germany during the 30’s … unbelievable that this is happening.
Welcome to the land of [relative] sanity, David. I’m a US citizen, and have lived here since the late ’60s. Until the last 5 years, I and my Canadian husband had always planned to move to the US one day. As you probably see coming, we’re not planning to do that any more, even if my entire family lives all over the US. I used to pine for it. Now i’m apprehensive when I cross the border and happy to be home every time I return.
BTW, my “here” is Toronto, not mellow, laid-back Vancouver. From what I understand, you;ll get the Seattle drizzle a lot, but you also get spring in late Feb/early March. Coming from Boston, you’ll really like that. When we visited, we got off the plane and could smell the spring flowers *at the airport*.
Vancouver is also ridiculously expensive to live in, real estate wise. So good luck with the home search. Oh, and BTW — if it’s not too late to look into it, check out Victoria. It has near-perfect weather (they don’t get the rain for some reason) and all you have to do is take a ferry to get to the mainland.
Once you’re settled, get yourself on the tiny ferry to Granville Island. You’ll never look back.
Enjoy.
Thanks to you both, Beth and Amy. It’s good to get some sympathy and advice, rather than the vitriol I saw directed toward me in some other places that picked up my blog on the radar. My mother escaped Vienna after the Nazis moved in, and says that although she was very young at the time, there is something indeed like that feeling in the air, albeit just a hint of it. Some of the nasty comments I got were reminiscent of the brown-shirts of the 30’s.
Fortunately, the high prices on Real Estate in Cambridge have somewhat prepared us for the comparable ones in Vancouver, and although the place we’ve settled on is small by any standards (and smaller than where we are now, which poses it’s own challenges), it is in fact just a few blocks away from Granville Island itself, which I agree, is as close to heaven for urban culture lovers like my wife and me. We’d been to Victoria on vacation, and although I absolutely love it there as well, it’s probably going to be more for our weekend escapes than for permanent living. My goal is a place where I can bicycle (or bus in the rain) to work or the Public Library, lots of walks in Parks in the evenings and weekends, the occaisonal concert, theatre or movie and lots of good food (both in terms of produce to cook and restaurants to explore). Fortunately Vancouver pretty much fills every one of those requirements. Oh, and not having to have religion and pro-war propoganda thrust at me every evening? Priceless.
Hi David,
I saw the post about your move on Sooz’s blog, and I have to admit I’m quite envious!
The interview you posted with George (senior?) was quite depressing, as well.
Present state of the union aside, Vancouver is a beautiful city, and I wish you lots of luck with the move!
-Susan Curran
P.S. Let me know if you need a web editor! I would be more than happy to join you. 🙂
Hi David! same here…saw the news on Sooz’s blog (pointed it out to Amy, who’s a friend of mine). Good for you! If you need 2 writers, call me & Susan C both! I’m writing full time now… 🙂
Shannon