Somewhere in the middle of the night I decided to sand the paint and clear coat off the hood and shoot it again. If there were one or two small imperfections I'd live with it, but every time I got in that truck I'd look out and see the half dozen things that would only irritate me. The time and money to get it better (I'll never get it perfect) will be resources well spent.
I always wondered why it was Datsun for a decade or more and then changed to Nissan. Turns out they were always Nissan in Japan and were hedging their bets in case the guy they sent over here to introduce their cars made a mess of things. They viewed him as a trouble maker and half expected him (wanted him?) to fail. He was the father of the Datsun 240 Z and the 510. Owned the latter (wish I still did) and drove the former for a week while the friend/owner was on a trip. Grins.
When the execs back in Japan realized Katayama Yutaka, who died this week at 105, had hit a home run with those two cars they got rid of Datsun and replaced it with Nissan.
Former NYC mayor Rudy Giuliani created a stir when he said he doesn't think President Obama loves our country. He allowed that he's plenty patriotic, but doesn't love America "like you and I do." Not surprisingly, the press is making the rounds asking all the possible Republican presidential candidates if they agree with Rudy. Several have stumbled over their answer (did it take them by surprise??), keeping the story going for more than the two minutes it warranted.
But let's work with this for a bit, starting with a question:
Do you love America?
I asked myself that question and decided it needs a question in response:
"What do you mean by 'love'?"
I love Pam. I love BACON. I love my kids. I love God.
We use that one 4-letter word to describe a very wide variety of ... states.
The Greeks had three different words for love:
- eros - physical and/or romantic love
- philos - the love of companionship, the bond of social unity
- agape - the love God has for us, and that we have for each other in response to his love
Which of those does Rudy think the President should have for his country but does not? The only one that could even remotely apply is the second, philos. Does the President feel a bond of unity with the people of this country? Is that what Giuliani thinks he lacks?
I don't think that was his point, because when pressed on the issue he said that the President apologizes for America and its actions but never talks about the glories of our country and its ideals. That is, Giuliani's assessment seems to have more to do with policies and actions, not people.
Can you love policies, ideals, and actions? Admire, value, esteem...but love?
From here you could go to the notion of American exceptionalism and our value relative to all other countries, but this is a blog not a text.
Anyway, I came to the conclusion that if I were asked if I loved America I'd respond as I would to that other dead end querry:
"Have you stopped beating your wife?"
Say yes to the question Rudy's statement raises and you're using the word in such a fuzzy, muddled way that, if pressed, you couldn't explain what you mean.
Say no and ... well ... you'll never get elected President!
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