Quixotic Pursuits...

I have a VERY liberal friend with whom I have been arguing about Israel/Islamo-fascism and pretty much everything else for about 6 years now.

A few weeks ago, I felt like I had enough.

I’m at a loss. You’re a dear friend and I really respect your intellect. I like debating things with you, but I am giving up now.

Since Arafat began the relentless assault on Israel 5 years ago, I have tried to convince you through every way I know how that the West is facing a challenge of epic proportions, that everything you hold dear in terms of human rights, civil liberties, equality, women’s issues, and more….is ultimately on the line. It is GOOD vs. EVIL in the truest sense.

I have been unable to do so. It’s beyond my comprehension to understand why.

I’ve poured my heart and soul into this effort thinking that…if I can just get you to agree with me on this issue, there’s hope for Western Civilization/America/Israel. We can disagree about taxes, economic policy, abortion (we don’t, I don’t think) or whatever and argue back and forth for the rest of our lives and enjoy the debate, but on this issue, she’s just got to see what’s at stake, because it is so freaking HUGE!

There are some good points in this article (there will always be in the ones you send me), but the underlying assumption “it may make sense to limit our hit list to the groups that actually threaten us” is flawed. It’s all inter-related. Complex…yes and very much so, which is why people don’t get Bush/Rice/Blair, etc., b/c it’s not an easy idea to understand or a pleasant ones to come to terms with.

I’m not saying I’m smarter than most (I’m certainly not smarter than you). This is a REALLY big issue to understand and unless you’ve been studying/thinking about it for a long time, it may not make sense. I can understand that.

For 5 years, I’ve tried to help you see things from my perspective because, for whatever reason, I just KNOW I am right about it….and I’ve failed. I hate failing, but a good general knows when it is time to do a tactical retreat in order to achieve a strategic victory.

I’ve got to focus my efforts on getting the people in the middle, on the fence, as it were, to understand so that enough people share my sense of urgency and alarm and we can solve the problem before it’s too late.

But, like a bad relationship, the dialogue keeps going. She keeps sending me notes and we keep arguing back and forth. Somehow, I maintain this naive belief that I can change her mind.

She's smart...really smart. She spend a lot of time crafting long emails that (though based on flawed assumptions) take a while to pick apart. After pouring my heart (and my time) into another email, I realized the strategic disadvantage I was facing.

You know what I’ve realized… I have 2 kids and am dealing with cancer. You don’t.

It’s like I’m fighting w/1 hand tied behind my back. I can’t even read an email that long, let alone write one. From now on, our arguments must be made in 3 sentences or less.

A few weeks ago, she had emailed me, "Your blog is addicting. I check it twice a day." Last night, I called her. She answered.

"You know what is addicting?" I yelled. "The quixotic notion that I can somehow change your mind! Every time I think I've had enough you drop me a line that gives me the slightest bit of hope and I can't resist! I think that if I can change your mind, I can save Western Civilization [note: that part is true]. You're a narcotic! A bad drug! It's got to stop."

I wonder what it is about our personalities that makes us continue on a journey when we know it's a fantasy pursuit. Maybe that was Cervantes' message?