Obama Signs Health Care Bill with Many Pens
I had hoped to put these pictures up as they were happening, but I was already late for the State Affairs Committee. This is certainly an historic moment. Will the passage and signing of the bill mark the highpoint of the opposition or will this mark a point where the conservative anti-forces go into a new phase of anti-government organizing, bolstered by corporate America's new power to spend money at election time? Will they make proving themselves right their priority and work to sabotage the bill? How many will accept the decision and work to make it work for the sake of the citizens of the United States? In any case, this is not the 'end' of anything, but rather a notable stopping point on the collective journey we're all on.
Would the opposition be less extreme if our President were a white man or a woman?
Whatever the answers, this is a major event in American history.
As with all major bill signings, President Obama used a number of pens to sign the bill. My basic reaction to this practice is negative. I understand the practical benefits of being able to give a number of people a 'piece of history' but it seems to me this is like moving Washington and Lincoln's birthdays to the 3rd Monday and calling it Presidents' Day. We take 'practical' action which dilutes the symbolism of real events. We give a dozen people a pen that was used for a letter or two instead of having one pen that was used to sign the bill. We take something that has inherent value and then chop it up into little pieces each of which have some cheaper value.
This speaks to the interesting nature of how our brains work, to add value to an item because it has some unique characteristic. An original Rembrandt is worth far more than a copy that no one but an expert can distinguish. Much of that value is historic value, but much of it simply becomes commercial value.
I do the same thing. My grandfather's pocket watch has value to me simply because my grandfather touched it. It's a connection between us that I wouldn't otherwise have. So I'm not condemning how our brains work, just noting it. I understand why the President uses so many pens, but one pen seems more 'pure' to me. Whatever that means.
Would the opposition be less extreme if our President were a white man or a woman?
As with all major bill signings, President Obama used a number of pens to sign the bill. My basic reaction to this practice is negative. I understand the practical benefits of being able to give a number of people a 'piece of history' but it seems to me this is like moving Washington and Lincoln's birthdays to the 3rd Monday and calling it Presidents' Day. We take 'practical' action which dilutes the symbolism of real events. We give a dozen people a pen that was used for a letter or two instead of having one pen that was used to sign the bill. We take something that has inherent value and then chop it up into little pieces each of which have some cheaper value.
This speaks to the interesting nature of how our brains work, to add value to an item because it has some unique characteristic. An original Rembrandt is worth far more than a copy that no one but an expert can distinguish. Much of that value is historic value, but much of it simply becomes commercial value.
I do the same thing. My grandfather's pocket watch has value to me simply because my grandfather touched it. It's a connection between us that I wouldn't otherwise have. So I'm not condemning how our brains work, just noting it. I understand why the President uses so many pens, but one pen seems more 'pure' to me. Whatever that means.
