Sometimes you guys can read my mind. Earlier tonight there was a hit on this post from December 19, 2009. http://publicoccurrenc.blogspot.com/2009/12/dr.html?m=0The hit came right in the middle of the posts I was writing on the Ayatollah. As soon as I saw the headline, "How brave are you, little Annemarie," I remembered: "Denmark must protect the Jews." Somebody read today's posts and remembered "Annemarie," and I felt, as I have felt before occasionally, that a reader was sending me a message. Not directly by emailing me but indirectly by clicking on the "Annemarie" post. I notice what you guys read. Sometimes, a post click will seem to be chastening, like, "Asshole, you wrote the opposite back in ought-eight." And I am chastened!
A couple of weeks ago on those dating site posts, I've forgotten the name already, thankfully, I wrote and published a post that referred in detail to a prior relationship I had. Within an hour there were more clicks on that post than any other in that series and I knew in the way we intuit things that the person, not named, had read the post and had felt bad, betrayed. I was mor-ti-fied. I did not know that she visited here. After thinking about what to do I re-wrote the post and omitted that too specific, too personal detail entirely.
I have manifestly conflicting feelings about Israel, its values, its committment to democracy, about the dual loyalties of some Americans, Jew and, mainly Republican, Christian, about the lack of dual loyalty of President Obama and the overwhelming majority Democratic Jews and Christians in Congress, mainly the Senate. Against the Iran deal, for the Iran deal and "Stop AIPAC," anger over AIPAC spying for Israel, anger over Israeli spying, anger toward Prime Minister Netanyahu, sympathy for the spies, and then against the Iran deal again. The two sides of me debated the considerations a week or two ago. Today the Ayatollah's tweets, instant revulsion, a cold sweat, sick stomach. And then the click on the "Annemarie" above. I state the obvious when I state that this cluster of issues causes me great angst.
And then. Then there are times I have no fucking idea who is clicking on posts and why. I also had a click on "Benjamin Jones, a Review of his art" from 2005.
I thank the person who clicked on "Annemarie." I thank all readers.
A couple of weeks ago on those dating site posts, I've forgotten the name already, thankfully, I wrote and published a post that referred in detail to a prior relationship I had. Within an hour there were more clicks on that post than any other in that series and I knew in the way we intuit things that the person, not named, had read the post and had felt bad, betrayed. I was mor-ti-fied. I did not know that she visited here. After thinking about what to do I re-wrote the post and omitted that too specific, too personal detail entirely.
I have manifestly conflicting feelings about Israel, its values, its committment to democracy, about the dual loyalties of some Americans, Jew and, mainly Republican, Christian, about the lack of dual loyalty of President Obama and the overwhelming majority Democratic Jews and Christians in Congress, mainly the Senate. Against the Iran deal, for the Iran deal and "Stop AIPAC," anger over AIPAC spying for Israel, anger over Israeli spying, anger toward Prime Minister Netanyahu, sympathy for the spies, and then against the Iran deal again. The two sides of me debated the considerations a week or two ago. Today the Ayatollah's tweets, instant revulsion, a cold sweat, sick stomach. And then the click on the "Annemarie" above. I state the obvious when I state that this cluster of issues causes me great angst.
And then. Then there are times I have no fucking idea who is clicking on posts and why. I also had a click on "Benjamin Jones, a Review of his art" from 2005.
I thank the person who clicked on "Annemarie." I thank all readers.
