The Advocate

What’s the Matter with Kaminski?

To the Editor,

I had the displeasure of reading an article in The New York Times (“A Blue City (Disconsolate, Even) Bewildered by a Red America,” Nov. 4,) right before reading Mr. Kaminski's article from The Advocate ("Let's Talk About America"). Double whammy.

The Times and Advocate articles shared a common theme: how can we bring our enlightened East Coast vision to the yokels in the 'heartland,' er, the Midwest? The Times article had gems like...

"His friend, Ms. Cohn, a native of Wisconsin who deals in art, contended that New Yorkers were not as fooled by Mr. Bush's statements as other Americans might be.”New Yorkers are savvy," she said. "We have street smarts. Whereas people in the Midwest are more influenced by what their friends say."

and

"If the heartland feels so alienated from us, then it behooves us to wrap our arms around the heartland," she said. "We need to bring our way of life, which is honoring diversity and having compassion for people with different lifestyles, on a trip around the country."

The Advocate article echoed this silly theme, though at least Kaminski emphasized to his hippie readership that we need to be patient with these naive, Midwestern yokels. After all, these poor bastards mean well:

"While the activists in these Midwestern communities may have lofty goals for reform, they are not necessarily in accordance with the radical ideals held by the core founders and position holders of many metropolitan activist groups."

Thank God for that. Wait, can I say? (Don’t worry: I mean “God” in the ceremonial sense.) At any rate, I learned from Kaminski's article that you East Coast types "must be patient and willing to work with groups that are more moderate in nature, without enforcing ideological orthodoxy." So be patient with me, guys. I'm trying. I'm learning.
To be fair, Mr. Kaminski's message isn't quite like the traveling road show suggested by the Times article... Fortunately, I live in Minnesota, part of Mr. K's sweeping “Midwest,” and consider myself only a temporary visitor/student in New York, where "subconscious Marxist sentiments" have made this city the great place that it is, or isn't. Depends on where you go, though I'd advise you to avoid all hospitals and public schools, at least when you are showing visiting Minnesotans your version of East Coast utopia.

I would advise Mr. Kaminski (from Indiana, obviously a different Midwest than mine), and the rest of the 51st state of New York City, to consider again the conception of the “Midwest.” Or don't. Whatever. We in Minnesota aren't going to lose any sleep over it. We in the land of Wellstone are doing just fine. So you can keep your own brand of activism. Ours is doing just fine. You bet.

At the very least, Mr. Kaminski, quit with the “blanket terms.” You are in graduate school now, and need to set a "total agenda of transformation" in your use of facts and language.

Yours in science,

Nate Metzger
Department of Philosophy