I want articulate rage

One of the reasons I started this blog was to improve my writing. And one of my goals for my writing is to be able to make people feel. In particular I admire the ability express what I call 'articulate rage'. I want people to feel angry about the right things and to "like Jon Stewart, ... slide in the knife with a smile." New York Times. Biting comments, that make you laugh and piss you off at the same time are an art form, and I would like to master it, some day.

I have a few examples of the sort of thing I'm going for, and since they give me joy I'm going to repeat them here.

The first is recent Aviation Week editorial entitled "The Ghost of Raspberry Jam Lost" (which is unfortunately not online). It in turn starts off with another example, a fabulous quote from Lord Wellington in a letter to his political masters:

"We have enumerated our saddles, bridles, tents and tent poles, and all manner of sundry items for which His Majesty's Government holds me accountable . . . with two regrettable exceptions of which I beg your indulgence. Unfortunately, the sum of one shilling and nine pence remains unaccounted for in one infantry battalion's petty cash, and there has been a hideous confusion as to the number of jars of raspberry jam issued to one cavalry regiment during a sandstorm in western Spain.

"This reprehensive carelessness may be related to the pressure of circumstance, since we are at war with France, a fact which may come as a bit of a surprise to you gentlemen in Whitehall. This brings me to my present purpose, which is to request elucidation of my instructions from His Majesty's Government, so that I may better understand why I am dragging an army over these barren plains. I construe that . . . it must be one of two alternative duties . . . and I shall pursue either of the two with the best of my ability. I will either train an army of uniformed British soldiers in Spain to be clerks for the benefit of the accountant and copy boys in London or, perchance, I will see to it that the forces of Napoleon are driven out of Spain. Since I cannot do both, please advise."

From there it continues to the meat of the matter, making a convincing argument that the recent LANL shutdowns where ill advised, and concludes:

But God help the U.S. if, in securing a few "jars of jam," LANL managers have jeopardized U.S. national security.

That rocks.

That ability to issue a rebuke. To perhaps rally people against something. To do so cleverly with a bit of rhetoric. It's impressive.

The last example is in a more course vein, but does more of the rage thing. It's Stravos the Wonderchiken's rant on Rudy's speech to the Republican National Convention.

After some initial insults he starts the main argument quoting Rudy:

"As I stood watching the towers fall, I turned to Bernie, and I said, 'Thank God George Bush is our president'."

Really? Did you really do that, Rudy? And how, for the rest of your life, will be you able to live it down, if you actually did?

And by the time we get the to:

America the proud torturers! America! With us or against us!

I have mentioned before that I'm against you, right, America?

Just so we're clear.

we were pretty damned clear. Pretty clear why the man is now living in South Korea. Pretty clear that he is not OK with the US foriegn policy, and pretty clear that it in fact enrages him. But we are also amused and wondering if moving abroad would really help our blood pressure as much as we imagine it would. And that pretty amazing.

Add your comments