A Guy From Chennai

They interviewed a guy, a "citizen of Chennai," on the BBC the other day about the flood there. He was so articulate and sane it made me weep, virtually, for our insanity. I remember him saying "this is not the time to point fingers."

Citizen, will you join us? We no longer know how to live. We are a disgrace, a nut nation smashed on consumption and self-righteousness. I can't remember the last time I heard an American speak so well. "Citizen." It has a strange ring. 

We don't believe in citizenship anymore. It's individualism running amok among us, or demagoguery on the other end, with no middle left. It's every man for himself now. That, or fascism. We have become a nation of crazy people and we can't see it.