I.-Why-Don’t-We-Complain

WhyDon’tWecomplain?–WilliamFrankBuckley,Jr.1I.WhyDon’tWeComplain?AbouttheauthorBuckley,WilliamF.,Jr.(1925–…),anAmericaneditorandauthor,isoneofthebest-knownspokesmenforpoliticalconservatismintheUnitedStates.HefoundedthemagazineNationalReviewin1955andservedasitseditoruntil1990,whenheresigned.Buckleyalsowritesawidelysyndicatednewspapercolumnandconductsanationallyteleviseddiscussionprogram.WilliamFrankBuckley,Jr.,wasborninNewYorkCityandgraduatedfromYaleUniversity.Inhisfirstbook,GodandManatYale(1951),heattackedtheliberalviewpointsthathesaidwerecommonatYale.HisotherpoliticalbooksincludeUpfromLiberalism(1959)andTheUnmakingofaMayor(1966).Buckleyalsohaswrittenanumberofspythrillers,startingwithSavingtheQueen(1975).HehastoldofhisownadventuresinRacingThroughParadise:APacificPassage(1987)andotherbooks.In1965,heranunsuccessfullyastheConservativePartycandidateformayorofNewYorkCity.HisbrotherJamesL.BuckleyservedasaU.S.senatorofNewYorkfrom1971to1977.______________________________AboutthestructureofthetextTheauthorgivesavarietyofexamplestomakehispoint.Someexamplesarewell-developedwhileothersarejusttouchedupon.Byacombinationoftheseexamplestheauthorleadsusnaturallytohisgeneralityattheendofthearticle.Theseexamplesare:theauthor’sexperienceinthetrain(paragraphs1to4),theauthorandhiswifeinthecinema(paragraphs5to8),theauthorathisbreakfastinarestaurantinNewYear’sDay(paragraph11),theauthorattheskirepairstoreinPicoPeak,Vermont(paragraphs13to17),theauthorinanairplane(paragraph18),thereasontheAmericanpeoplearesoreluctanttoassertthemselvesinvariousmatters(paragraph19),theAmericanpeople’spoliticalapathy(paragraphs20to23).________________________________WhyDon’tWecomplain?–WilliamFrankBuckley,Jr.2Aboutthetextfleck----tomarkwithspotsofcolor,lightorthelike;speckleThebird’sbreastisfleckedwithbrown.Sunlightcomingthroughthebranchesfleckedtheshadowcastbythetree.Whenabananaripensitisfleckedwithbrown.WestchesterCounty----ManycommunitiesintheNewYorkareaarecommutersuburbs.TheirresidentsworkinNewYorkCityandcommutebyautomobiles,buses,ferries,railroads,andsubways.Someofthesesuburbs,suchasWhitePlainsinWestchesterCounty,havebecomeimportantcentersofbusinessandshoppingoutsidethecentralcity.edge----sharpness;thequalityofbeingsharporkeenTheremarkhadabitingedgetoit.Slander,whoseedgeissharperthanthesword.(Shakespeare)sibilant----hissing;havingormakingahissingsoundWhenhespoke,hisvoicewasusuallylowandsibilant.stupor----adazedcondition;lossorlesseningofthepowertofeel;astateinwhichthemindandsensesaredulled;partialorcompletelossofsensibility,asfromtheuseofanarcoticorfromshock;mentalormoraldullnessorapathy.(SYN)lethargy,torporTheinjuredmanlayinastupor,unabletotellwhathadhappenedtohim.Ihadonlyjustutteredtheword“conductor”,andtherewasnosibilantconsonantintheword.Whydidmyseatmatesconsidermyquestiontobeasibilantintrusionintohisstupor?）Iamincapableofmakingadiscreetfuss----WheneverIlodgedacomplaint,Imadeasceneofit.discreet----verycarefulinspeechandaction;showinggoodjudgement;wiselycautiousAdiscreetpersondoesnotspreadgossipWhyDon’tWecomplain?–WilliamFrankBuckley,Jr.3discreetfuss----oxymoron???Stamford----(pop.108,056)ItisanimportantbusinesscenterinsouthwesternConnecticut.ThecityliesonLongIslandSound,about35miles(56kilometers)northeastofNewYorkCity.Stamford,togetherwithNorwalk,formsametropolitanareawithapopulationof329,935.Stamfordranksamongtheleadingcitiesasasiteforheadquartersoflargecorporations.Anumberofthenation’sbiggestcompanieshavehomeofficesinStamford.Thecity’sleadingindustriesincludeprinting,publishing,andtheproductionofchemicals,electricalequipment,officemachines,andtextiles.setin----tobeginWintersetinearly.Itseemstomeyoulivedyourlifelikeacandleinthewind,neverknowingwhotoclingtowhentherainsetin.nonchalant----withoutwarmthorenthusiasm;coollyunconcerned;casuallyindifferent;apatheticanonchalantmanneranonchalantreplySheremainedquitenonchalantduringalltheexcitement.Gauntlet----n.aformermilitarypunishmentinwhichtheoffenderhadtorunbetweentworowsofmenwhostruckhimwithclubs,etc.ashepassed.Theconductorshouldhavebeenconsignedtothismilitarypunishment.runthegauntlet----tobepunishedbymeansofthegauntlet;toproceedwhileunderattackfrombothsides,asbycriticism,gossip,etc.remedy----toputright;makeright;cure;toputbackinpropercondition;putright;tocorrectorremove(anevil,etc.).Athoroughcleaningremediedthetrouble.visualize----toformamentalpictureof;(somethingnotpresenttothesight,anabstraction,etc.);envisionWhyDon’tWecomplain?–WilliamFrankBuckley,Jr.4tovisualizeafriend’sfacewhenheisawaytovisualizethesceneofabattlesupine----lazilyinactive;listless,esp.morallyormentally;languid,indolent,inert;sluggish;passiveapprehensively----feelingalarm;afraid,anxiousorfearfulaboutthefuture;uneasy,orworriedThecaptainfeltapprehensiveforthesafetyofhispassengersduringthestormatsea.glaring----verybright;shiningsobrightlythatithurtstheeyes;dazzling----ALSO,veryeasilyseen;conspicuous;obviousThestudentmadeaglaringerrorinspelling.hector----toblusterat;tobrowbeat;tobully;tointimidate;tothreaten;(Here)toannoyHehectorshi