James Carroll discusses
"The Risks of Waging 'Culture War'" as it relates to the Bush push for an amendment banning gay marriage.
The phrase "culture war" comes from "Kulturkampf." That word was coined in the 1870s when Germany's George W. Bush, Otto von Bismarck, launched a "values" campaign as a way of shoring up his political power. Distracting from issues of war and economic stress, the "Kulturkampf" ran from 1871 to about 1887. Bismarck's strategy was to unite his base by inciting hatred of those who were not part of it.
I was looking over my shelf Sunday and saw my copy of Dan Simmons'
Carrion Comfort. It's one of the best modern horror novels I've ever read. I remember reading an interview with Harlan Ellison where he mentioned the book and how great it was; the interviewer had never heard of it, and Ellison said that wasn't a big surprise.
I wanted to read it but could never find it. One of my friends at Glenville, Heather Eberly, let me borrow hers and ended up giving it to me when I enjoyed it so much. Books are good gifts, and I've always been grateful for this one.
The best part is that I haven't read it in five or six years and can't remember how it went. It's all fresh and new again. Thanks, Heather.
