"What if we lived in a country where voting was universally encouraged and owning a gun wasn’t?" We do in the UK.
We have both stringent gun control (and consequent massively lower homicides from firearms). We also encourage postal ballots - it's easy for voters to arrange and there are accompanying comprehensive anti-fraud controls (at least there were when I worked for electoral services).
Neither issue is at all controversial here; it continually surprises me that they cause such a furore in the USA.
I envy the lack of controversy about these issues in the U.K. Here, the voting furor has nothing to do with the legitimacy of each vote and everything to do with suppressing the vote so that one party can win. We are no longer seeing simple resistance to good ideas that make it easier to vote but legislation in many states that give one party the power to shape elections and even overturn results.
That's interesting. I've not seen FMJ or read Short Timers so I defer to you. My question was triggered by watching Francis Ford Coppola's film The Outsiders which really sucked what I remember as the life out of that story. It made me think of all the movies based on books that have not held the same magic for me. BUT if I read the books first, then I can enjoy the movies as a totally distinct experience.
I loved The Outsiders in both forms. That was also an onscreen "coming of age" movie for so many actors of my generation, so it was inspiring to me.I think people tend to think Rumble Fish is a better piece of cinema.
Thrilled that you're diving into Erdrich! I also have to giggle at our differences re routine. I'm equally thrilled this week to be eschewing mine because I need a good shakeup and nosedive into completely different to get anything accomplished at all. So impressed with how much richness your routine and its deviation bring your writing. Always such a joy for me to read.
"What if we lived in a country where voting was universally encouraged and owning a gun wasn’t?" We do in the UK.
We have both stringent gun control (and consequent massively lower homicides from firearms). We also encourage postal ballots - it's easy for voters to arrange and there are accompanying comprehensive anti-fraud controls (at least there were when I worked for electoral services).
Neither issue is at all controversial here; it continually surprises me that they cause such a furore in the USA.
I envy the lack of controversy about these issues in the U.K. Here, the voting furor has nothing to do with the legitimacy of each vote and everything to do with suppressing the vote so that one party can win. We are no longer seeing simple resistance to good ideas that make it easier to vote but legislation in many states that give one party the power to shape elections and even overturn results.
Oh to be so sensible as the British.
I loved "The Round House" for so many reasons: place, characters, plenty of intrigue. A great place to start reading Louise Erdrich.
Thanks for the shout out, Betsy! Exciting to hear that the writing is going so well.
Full Metal Jacket is probably better than The Short Timers, upon which it was based.
That's interesting. I've not seen FMJ or read Short Timers so I defer to you. My question was triggered by watching Francis Ford Coppola's film The Outsiders which really sucked what I remember as the life out of that story. It made me think of all the movies based on books that have not held the same magic for me. BUT if I read the books first, then I can enjoy the movies as a totally distinct experience.
I loved The Outsiders in both forms. That was also an onscreen "coming of age" movie for so many actors of my generation, so it was inspiring to me.I think people tend to think Rumble Fish is a better piece of cinema.
Thrilled that you're diving into Erdrich! I also have to giggle at our differences re routine. I'm equally thrilled this week to be eschewing mine because I need a good shakeup and nosedive into completely different to get anything accomplished at all. So impressed with how much richness your routine and its deviation bring your writing. Always such a joy for me to read.
Thanks for this, Melanie, and thanks for recommending Love Medicine over on FB. Here's to deviations!
I so get this-