In the beginning of any new year, I think it serves us well to think about, and review the year just passed. In my case that's particularly true because the last year was such a consequential, significant year in my life and that of my family. There have been incredibly important events for us as a family, and as I recall them I have come to recognize a theme for the last year. If nothing else, 2018 taught me about acceptance. I won't say that everything I've experienced has made me an expert at the art of acceptance, but it has put me on the road to learning about acceptance, and that is the key to someday mastering that difficult place in our minds.
I suppose definitions are important to ensure that our communications hold a common value and to that end I consulted several dictionary meanings to the word acceptance. I didn't care for most of them so I synthesized this one: Acceptance is recognizing that certain realities are beyond our ability or natural capacity to change the outcome of those realities. I'm not sure Webster's or Merriam's would totally agree with my definition, but my experiences and a little help from them led me to this one.
So, here are a few of the milestones along my path to that place we call acceptance. Some of them are difficult and harrowing events, while others marked new beginnings or changes that keep us moving along life's inevitable path. But what they have in common is our profound inability to change their course. Starting right off in January we began the year with my wife's diagnosis of Breast Cancer. From this we learned that the next year and maybe longer, would be filled with difficult emotions, physical pain, and uncertainty about the future and the ultimate conclusion of this disease. The need to apply acceptance to this situation was critical to getting through it. Some Cancers, and I think Breast Cancer in particular, has no immediate correlation to how a person lives or the choices the person makes. It simply happens sometimes for no apparent reason. In Lee's case, there was no family history or behavior to link to it; she was in good shape physically and always took good care of herself. As we learned, there are just times when our bodies begin to create rogue cells that become lethal to the rest of our bodies. We had our moments of deep worry, crying, and anger, but in the end acceptance is the only reasonable emotion- then you get on with the business to treating the disease. You go through the appointments, the surgery, the scaring, the pain, the medications and all that is involved. Lee has now come out of that year cancer free "for now", as she would say because the art of acceptance teaches us that there are no certainties when it come to disease. In this case she was my champion in learning about acceptance- and so much more.
Disease is also touching other parts of the family. All during this time my brother-in-law has also been dealing with Cancer. He, and my sister have gone through all the same stages of emotion and physical trials. His cancer is still proceeding, and I continue to marvel at both the courage and the acceptance I see in them. They too are great teachers in acceptance. I'm grateful to my sister that we can talk so openly about the things we can do, and the things that are beyond our capacity to change.
In the last year another event has altered our lives and given us the chance to learn acceptance. My wife's parents have relocated to our home town to live in Assisted Living. Both have serious and progressive ailments that require a great deal of attention. Both have need of numerous doctor visits, extensive medication management, extreme mobility limitations, and are prone to injury from the slightest fall or mishap. Of course having them near us allows us to be of service to them in ways we never could when they lived in another town. Although their many needs are frustrating to them and us, there is much to be learned about acceptance of old age and all it brings. Much of the responsibility for their medical care falls to my sister-in-law who has also been a model of acceptance, but it affects all four generations of our family who are near them now. In some ways I'm grateful the younger generations in our family can be near this and learn from it, as I have.
Old age, disease, injury- they are all platforms from which to practice the art of acceptance. But acceptance also has a more pleasant side. Learning to accept those who are different from us opens us up to many new possibilities and experiences in life. Acceptance of differences frees us from irrational fear, or even hatred of those we don't understand. Acceptance permits us see the world as it is instead of constantly staining to change the nature of things as they are. The peace, and humility that comes with true acceptance helps us navigate both the difficult things and the more pleasant things with a bit more grace and kindness for others as we march through life. Acceptance helps us gain understanding and wisdom (hopefully). Our culture is not so friendly to the art of acceptance. We Americans like to be right about stuff. Even when we aren't right we will fight on to be right. We see value in being fighters, being a people who never give up. We can be a people who "stand our ground"- often when it's not even our ground. But we are a young nation and we still have the chance to learn about acceptance-patience- humility- and wisdom as I have over the last year.
In considering the idea of acceptance I also considered the things I should not accept. Although I have come to value acceptance more than ever, I recognize things I cannot accept. I could never find peace in seeing our core values as a nation being eroded by corruption and greed, as they are now. I could never accept the institutional practice of racism, or the very personal ugliness of racism we see around us everyday. I could never accept the exploitation and assault on children by institutions that seek our trust. I cannot ignore or accept the many forms of injustice that still exist around us at all times. I cannot just acquiesce to the placid world of acceptance in these matters, because there are things we can and must change. So I will find ways to make a difference where and when I can.
As I grow older, the list of things to apply "acceptance" to is getting longer. The longer that list gets the more peace I find in my life. The list of things I cannot accept is getting shorter but my resolve to take action for change is getting stronger. Perhaps that's the way it should be. At any rate I believe life ought to be a constant state of learning, and I'm grateful the lesson plan for last year was acceptance.
Thanks for looking in.
Friday, January 25, 2019
Monday, August 27, 2018
Different Thoughts: A Last Chance for Decency
I have no great spiritual beliefs pertaining to death. For me, it is nothing more than the natural consequence of life and the end of our being. I'm not much for many of our rituals surrounding death either, but I do believe that a human death of someone familiar to us, can and often does give us a good stopping point- a place to pause and evaluate the life we have against the backdrop of another's life just ended. The death of Senator John McCain gives us one of those moments to pause and reflect on how the life he lived can provide valuable and useful lessons in our lives.
John McCain lived an incredible life. He would be the first to tell you that it was not a perfect life. Born and raised by high ranking Naval Officers in a family that lived in that tradition McCain followed suit into the Navy. He attended the Naval Academy where he graduated as Naval Aviator and Fighter Pilot, very near the bottom of his class. He once described his early career as one of being a "playboy-pilot". He had several mishaps while a Navy pilot and was never considered a very reliable officer by his superiors. He served the Navy by flying fighter missions in Viet Nam, and was eventually shot down and captured by the enemy. His time in captivity is well documented, so I won't try to reconstruct it here, nor could I do it justice. But his period of confinement, torture, and hellish existence for five and a half years forged his character and his duty to serve his country. Coming from a privileged Navy family he could have been freed much earlier, but refused his freedom so others could be released before him.
In death we all have a tendency to apply saintly characteristics to those departed who are close to us, and those we admire as exemplary. John McCain was surely exemplary, but he would never allow us to make him a saint. He was quick to acknowledge his mistakes and to publicly state his contrition. He possessed a monumental sense of patriotism and a willingness to work closely with members of the opposition party as a Senator. He was famous for his camaraderie with Ted Kennedy, Russ Fiengold, John Kerry, Hillary Clinton and a host of other Democratic Senators when they served together. He not only joined them in putting forth legislation, he befriended them. This willingness to see beyond party lines cost him some support from his own party in 2008 when he ran for President. Of course, he never had much of chance of becoming president following the disastrous terms of George W. Bush. President Bush left two wars unresolved and a global financial meltdown in his wake. No Republican was going to follow that presidency. McCain, however, did not shrink that major defeat. Instead he remained a force in the Senate.
For all of Senator McCain's brilliant, or courageously valiant feats in life he had as many mistakes or defeats. He was involved with the Keating Five Savings and Loan scandal, marital infidelity during his first marriage, and a host of political foibles. In person he could be kind, generous, engaging and affable- with a famous sense of humor. He could also be cold, demanding, intolerant, irascible, and given to flashes of immense anger. No one ever said he was insane- he was just being a human being who suffered like few others had- but also cared for his country like few others had. For anyone (like me) who so strongly disagreed on many of his political stands, there was no room to doubt his pure intentions.
So, as we stop and pause to consider his life we must ask if he was the last holdout for decency in our leadership. He reviled our current president, not for the childish insults Trump made toward him personally, but because Trump himself is an insult to the values of patriotism and service that defines our country- and John McCain. Those who claim to admire Senator McCain cannot do so with any moral validity or credibility, unless they truly emulate his disdain for our current president. Senator McCain's disdain was not based on political values- it was based on the essence of a man who has no sense of patriotism or love of country. Trump, as a person, is beyond redemption. There is nothing in his character to suggest he could or would learn anything from the life John McCain lived. Trump is an anomaly- a man and a president who will be seen as the worst mistake the American people ever made. (Note:it may still be shown he was not legally or legitimately elected) But, for now the legacy of John McCain should be that those in Congress- Particularly the United States Senate, can honor John McCain by standing up to Trump, as he did. They can make a stand for decency.
Over the last year and a half the only Republicans in Congress who are willing to say "the Emperor has no clothes" are those who have decided not to run for re-election. The rest, including all those in Republican leadership positions (like my own Representative, Cathy McMorris-Rodgers) have shown themselves to be sycophants and cowards. I hope this is not another occasion when these cowards talk of their admiration for John McCain- then turn away from the example he set for them. In this polarized atmosphere where party and loyalty have replaced principles and values, John McCain's death may give us the last chance for re-establishing decency we will see in some time. Our leaders in both party's must embrace and practice the exercise of principles, like he did. If they can do that there will be some hope that decency will return. At least, I certainly hope so.
Thanks for looking in.
John McCain lived an incredible life. He would be the first to tell you that it was not a perfect life. Born and raised by high ranking Naval Officers in a family that lived in that tradition McCain followed suit into the Navy. He attended the Naval Academy where he graduated as Naval Aviator and Fighter Pilot, very near the bottom of his class. He once described his early career as one of being a "playboy-pilot". He had several mishaps while a Navy pilot and was never considered a very reliable officer by his superiors. He served the Navy by flying fighter missions in Viet Nam, and was eventually shot down and captured by the enemy. His time in captivity is well documented, so I won't try to reconstruct it here, nor could I do it justice. But his period of confinement, torture, and hellish existence for five and a half years forged his character and his duty to serve his country. Coming from a privileged Navy family he could have been freed much earlier, but refused his freedom so others could be released before him.
In death we all have a tendency to apply saintly characteristics to those departed who are close to us, and those we admire as exemplary. John McCain was surely exemplary, but he would never allow us to make him a saint. He was quick to acknowledge his mistakes and to publicly state his contrition. He possessed a monumental sense of patriotism and a willingness to work closely with members of the opposition party as a Senator. He was famous for his camaraderie with Ted Kennedy, Russ Fiengold, John Kerry, Hillary Clinton and a host of other Democratic Senators when they served together. He not only joined them in putting forth legislation, he befriended them. This willingness to see beyond party lines cost him some support from his own party in 2008 when he ran for President. Of course, he never had much of chance of becoming president following the disastrous terms of George W. Bush. President Bush left two wars unresolved and a global financial meltdown in his wake. No Republican was going to follow that presidency. McCain, however, did not shrink that major defeat. Instead he remained a force in the Senate.
For all of Senator McCain's brilliant, or courageously valiant feats in life he had as many mistakes or defeats. He was involved with the Keating Five Savings and Loan scandal, marital infidelity during his first marriage, and a host of political foibles. In person he could be kind, generous, engaging and affable- with a famous sense of humor. He could also be cold, demanding, intolerant, irascible, and given to flashes of immense anger. No one ever said he was insane- he was just being a human being who suffered like few others had- but also cared for his country like few others had. For anyone (like me) who so strongly disagreed on many of his political stands, there was no room to doubt his pure intentions.
So, as we stop and pause to consider his life we must ask if he was the last holdout for decency in our leadership. He reviled our current president, not for the childish insults Trump made toward him personally, but because Trump himself is an insult to the values of patriotism and service that defines our country- and John McCain. Those who claim to admire Senator McCain cannot do so with any moral validity or credibility, unless they truly emulate his disdain for our current president. Senator McCain's disdain was not based on political values- it was based on the essence of a man who has no sense of patriotism or love of country. Trump, as a person, is beyond redemption. There is nothing in his character to suggest he could or would learn anything from the life John McCain lived. Trump is an anomaly- a man and a president who will be seen as the worst mistake the American people ever made. (Note:it may still be shown he was not legally or legitimately elected) But, for now the legacy of John McCain should be that those in Congress- Particularly the United States Senate, can honor John McCain by standing up to Trump, as he did. They can make a stand for decency.
Over the last year and a half the only Republicans in Congress who are willing to say "the Emperor has no clothes" are those who have decided not to run for re-election. The rest, including all those in Republican leadership positions (like my own Representative, Cathy McMorris-Rodgers) have shown themselves to be sycophants and cowards. I hope this is not another occasion when these cowards talk of their admiration for John McCain- then turn away from the example he set for them. In this polarized atmosphere where party and loyalty have replaced principles and values, John McCain's death may give us the last chance for re-establishing decency we will see in some time. Our leaders in both party's must embrace and practice the exercise of principles, like he did. If they can do that there will be some hope that decency will return. At least, I certainly hope so.
Thanks for looking in.
Wednesday, August 8, 2018
Different Thoughts: My Painful Dilemma
Normally when I set about to write one of these essays I have given the whole thing some thought about how I will end it. Now, as sit to write this one I have no idea how it will end. I'm hoping that in writing it I will arrive at an ending, or some conclusion that relieves some of the pain of this personal dilemma I struggle with. I know I'm not the only one to have this particular struggle; it is a struggle that has been the subject of many conversations and emotions over the last two years.
What a luxury it is for our species to be able to wrestle with moral and ethical questions rather than spend all of our time in search of the next meal or the next drink of clean water. But our evolutionary path has brought us to the place where our great intellectual power has created technologies and societies that alleviate, for the most part, the struggles shared by most other species on the planet to merely survive from day to day. The other edge of that double-edge sword of intellect is both a great advantage and a curse. We now have the time and capacity to deal with the finer points of our existence. When I was a university student seeking my degree in Sociology I learned about a state that individuals and societies/cultures experience called Anomie. Anomie is defined as: a lack of usual social or ethical standards in an individual or group. Another way to describe the term is, "normlessness". The term was popularized by the French sociologist Emile Durkheim during his studies on suicide.
My painful dilemma has to do with our current presidential leadership on a smaller level, and the state of our society and culture on the larger level. What makes it so personal, and thus so painful is my utter lack of the "usual social and ethical standards". I have entered a state of normlessness in relation to how I should relate to people I know. These aren't just acquaintances- I'm talking about some of my friends and some members of my family, along with some people I worked with closely. It actually bothers me, and gnaws at me how some folks in my sphere could believe, and approve of certain things I find so completely repulsive. This leaves me struggling to think through this intellectual conflict. Thus far, I'm still stuck in an uncomfortable place, with the only the solace being that I know I have a lot of company in this dilemma.
Let me set the stage for this dilemma. As I have mentioned before my upbringing was a fairly common one. I came from a close knit family, second generation immigrants on my mother's side, with very traditional values. Those values included a sense of patriotism and a strong sense of service to others. I came adopt values through my life that reflected respect and inclusion for races, religions, sexual identities, lifestyles, and cultures other than my own. I also came to expect justice and speak up for it when needed, and to respect the rights of others for their sake, but also because I believed protecting the rights of others helped secure those same rights for me. I expected (and experienced) leaders who had those same values, even when I didn't agree with some of them on policy or substance. We expected our leaders to be good examples and promoters of those values, and for the most part, during my life they have been. I believe that during the period of my adult life there have been efforts to reduce racism, elevate the role of women to one of parity and fairness, to become more inclusive as a society to people of different cultures, to rely on the use of science and technology to guide human advancements, and the list goes on. Many of these ideals remain a work in progress with much more to be done- but we could agree on the ideals to strive for.
Over the last two years those ideals have been turned up-side-down by a president who has never lived his life with the same values and ideals most of us have lived by. The common wisdom is: the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. This president's past behavior is a constant stream of unearned privilege, racist behavior in his business dealing (housing), cheating, fraud, and swindling in his other business dealings, failed businesses (multiple bankruptcies for which he has shown no remorse or empathy for businesses or individuals who didn't get paid), multiple affairs and marital infidelities, sexual harassment (fourteen current complaints and numerous past complaints), hush money payments to quiet sexual scandals, secret financial dealings with foreign governments, nepotism, and self-aggrandizement backed up by constant demonstrable lies. So then, it is no surprise that his same patterns of behavior would follow him to the White House. Since being there he has been sued for violating the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution by profiting from his office, appointed his children to government posts, derides the press as "enemies of the people" (though the press is constitutionally protected), sided with white supremacists, antagonized all of our NATO allies, supported the Russian president (who actively is seeking to disrupt or destroy our government) against all of his own national security agencies, fired an FBI head for daring to do his job, ordered the separation of over 2500 children from their parents at our borders, and continues to lie about nearly everything he does while telling his adoring fans to ignore their own eyes and ears and just believe him. He is the worst demagogue to ever hold the office.
None of the above was a surprise- it's just a continuation of past behavior. The surprise and the cause of my dilemma is the number of people who are willing to ignore all of the corruption, the lack of decency, the failure to acknowledge the poor and disadvantaged, the abject arrogance combined with intellectual laziness, the daily inconsistencies and lies to cover up other lies, the bowing to foreign dictators, and the list goes on. What is it in some of my fellow citizens and some people close to me that makes them accept this? As I said above Trump is the minor part of this personal dilemma. It is the people who blindly follow him and have who decided to believe him and not their own senses that creates the bigger problem for me. I just don't know how to relate to them, nor do I know if I even should try.
Humanity has faced these kinds of issues in our past. The most recent and devastating example came in the first half of the 20th century. During this period of time the forces of nationalism and strong-man dictatorships flourished all over the world. Franco, Mussolini, Hitler, Tojo, Stalin, Mao, and a host of other minor dictators on every continent all came into prominence during this period- and they were all enemies to our democratic ideals and principles. This period marks the clearest time of global demarcation between good and evil in man's history. In most of the places where these men came to power they did so legally and with the consent of many or most of their countrymen. Fortunately the forces of good prevailed for the most part- but only after the worst war in human history (WWII) with 50 million dead (a high percentage via genocide), and near global involvement. Mankind spent the next half of the century trying to repair the damage.
I do not believe what we are seeing in our national leadership is much different than the forces that led to fascism and totalitarianism in the twentieth century. In fact, the issues and tactics used are so similar that it should be chilling to all of us. The tactics include, "the big lie", rabid nationalism, sowing hatred and division, blaming minorities, deriding the press, and ignoring the rule of law. So, why aren't these things frightening to that segment of America (35-40%) who form Trump's "base"? The obvious answer is that those folks agree with the ideas that Trump promotes. At bottom, there are far too many people in this country who have racist beliefs, who are quick to blame "the other" for their lot in life, who remain ignorant (by choice) out of laziness and prefer to follow a demagogue rather than think for themselves, and who vote against their own best interests because they don't understands the complexities of this society and are easily bamboozled. Some say Trump is a genius for tapping into this strain of people. I give him no credit! The easiest thing in the world to do is lie, cheat, and appeal to our worst instincts. The hard work is dealing in truth and reality. The hard work for a president is govern for all (a serious failing for this president) and do it based our on core values of justice, fairness, and the common good.
The people I have such a dilemma with are not just seeing things from a different "point of view", where good people can disagree. They are actively embracing his racism- they are willing to ignore, compartmentalize, or rationalize his personal and public corruption. They are willing to put aside their religious moral standards, or personal ethics. A question I ask myself and others is, how much of that should I tolerate before I am complicit in allowing these abhorrent behaviors and values to grow in my country or my community?
Politics is the petri dish of hypocrisy. I wonder how his "base" would have reacted to President Obama if Obama had said the exact same thing to Putin that Trump did in Helsinki; or how they would react if Obama would have behaved the shameless way Trump behaves at his rallies; or what they would say if Obama was accused of cheating to win an election; or if it was clear Obama paid off paid-off a porn star to keep quiet about an affair two months before an election; or, or, or- the list goes on? We all know the honest answer to that. Trump is not the stuff American presidents are made of, but large segments of our communities are willing to accept it now. I know this - I would not associate with a person like him in my personal life and I'm quite sure many of his "base" wouldn't either. Knowing what he know for sure of his behavior, would you hire him at your place of employment; would you have him as a business partner; would accept his antics in your church; would you welcome his engagement to marry your daughter??? No- but he's OK to be our president?And, we cannot fall into the trap of "equivalency". It is the trap that holds his way of doing things is just different. His presidency is not just another way of governing- different but equal to other ways of governing. Trump leads through greed, racism, assaults on the truth, denigrating others, and self-serving narcissism. These traits aren't just different- they are ethically wrong and unacceptable for a leader in a democracy.
So after thinking through my dilemma, here is my conclusion. My convictions on this question are strong- I will not accept the values Trump holds and practises in his leadership of this country. And as for those who embrace his values and actions (that our fathers and mothers fought against on foreign soil and on the streets of this country) I won't accept them from you either. I could isolate myself with only those who agree with me, but I won't do that. Instead I will speak up against those who embrace the corrupt values Trump promotes- face-to-face with people I know, or publicly when I have the chance. Saying or doing nothing in the face of evil is the hard lesson from the last century when tyrants and demagogues tried to rule the planet- and almost did. It is trending again, and we can't let that happen. I wish the rest of you facing this same dilemma good luck in your search for an answer. However you choose to confront this dilemma, remember you can make a difference.
Thanks for looking in.
What a luxury it is for our species to be able to wrestle with moral and ethical questions rather than spend all of our time in search of the next meal or the next drink of clean water. But our evolutionary path has brought us to the place where our great intellectual power has created technologies and societies that alleviate, for the most part, the struggles shared by most other species on the planet to merely survive from day to day. The other edge of that double-edge sword of intellect is both a great advantage and a curse. We now have the time and capacity to deal with the finer points of our existence. When I was a university student seeking my degree in Sociology I learned about a state that individuals and societies/cultures experience called Anomie. Anomie is defined as: a lack of usual social or ethical standards in an individual or group. Another way to describe the term is, "normlessness". The term was popularized by the French sociologist Emile Durkheim during his studies on suicide.
My painful dilemma has to do with our current presidential leadership on a smaller level, and the state of our society and culture on the larger level. What makes it so personal, and thus so painful is my utter lack of the "usual social and ethical standards". I have entered a state of normlessness in relation to how I should relate to people I know. These aren't just acquaintances- I'm talking about some of my friends and some members of my family, along with some people I worked with closely. It actually bothers me, and gnaws at me how some folks in my sphere could believe, and approve of certain things I find so completely repulsive. This leaves me struggling to think through this intellectual conflict. Thus far, I'm still stuck in an uncomfortable place, with the only the solace being that I know I have a lot of company in this dilemma.
Let me set the stage for this dilemma. As I have mentioned before my upbringing was a fairly common one. I came from a close knit family, second generation immigrants on my mother's side, with very traditional values. Those values included a sense of patriotism and a strong sense of service to others. I came adopt values through my life that reflected respect and inclusion for races, religions, sexual identities, lifestyles, and cultures other than my own. I also came to expect justice and speak up for it when needed, and to respect the rights of others for their sake, but also because I believed protecting the rights of others helped secure those same rights for me. I expected (and experienced) leaders who had those same values, even when I didn't agree with some of them on policy or substance. We expected our leaders to be good examples and promoters of those values, and for the most part, during my life they have been. I believe that during the period of my adult life there have been efforts to reduce racism, elevate the role of women to one of parity and fairness, to become more inclusive as a society to people of different cultures, to rely on the use of science and technology to guide human advancements, and the list goes on. Many of these ideals remain a work in progress with much more to be done- but we could agree on the ideals to strive for.
Over the last two years those ideals have been turned up-side-down by a president who has never lived his life with the same values and ideals most of us have lived by. The common wisdom is: the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. This president's past behavior is a constant stream of unearned privilege, racist behavior in his business dealing (housing), cheating, fraud, and swindling in his other business dealings, failed businesses (multiple bankruptcies for which he has shown no remorse or empathy for businesses or individuals who didn't get paid), multiple affairs and marital infidelities, sexual harassment (fourteen current complaints and numerous past complaints), hush money payments to quiet sexual scandals, secret financial dealings with foreign governments, nepotism, and self-aggrandizement backed up by constant demonstrable lies. So then, it is no surprise that his same patterns of behavior would follow him to the White House. Since being there he has been sued for violating the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution by profiting from his office, appointed his children to government posts, derides the press as "enemies of the people" (though the press is constitutionally protected), sided with white supremacists, antagonized all of our NATO allies, supported the Russian president (who actively is seeking to disrupt or destroy our government) against all of his own national security agencies, fired an FBI head for daring to do his job, ordered the separation of over 2500 children from their parents at our borders, and continues to lie about nearly everything he does while telling his adoring fans to ignore their own eyes and ears and just believe him. He is the worst demagogue to ever hold the office.
None of the above was a surprise- it's just a continuation of past behavior. The surprise and the cause of my dilemma is the number of people who are willing to ignore all of the corruption, the lack of decency, the failure to acknowledge the poor and disadvantaged, the abject arrogance combined with intellectual laziness, the daily inconsistencies and lies to cover up other lies, the bowing to foreign dictators, and the list goes on. What is it in some of my fellow citizens and some people close to me that makes them accept this? As I said above Trump is the minor part of this personal dilemma. It is the people who blindly follow him and have who decided to believe him and not their own senses that creates the bigger problem for me. I just don't know how to relate to them, nor do I know if I even should try.
Humanity has faced these kinds of issues in our past. The most recent and devastating example came in the first half of the 20th century. During this period of time the forces of nationalism and strong-man dictatorships flourished all over the world. Franco, Mussolini, Hitler, Tojo, Stalin, Mao, and a host of other minor dictators on every continent all came into prominence during this period- and they were all enemies to our democratic ideals and principles. This period marks the clearest time of global demarcation between good and evil in man's history. In most of the places where these men came to power they did so legally and with the consent of many or most of their countrymen. Fortunately the forces of good prevailed for the most part- but only after the worst war in human history (WWII) with 50 million dead (a high percentage via genocide), and near global involvement. Mankind spent the next half of the century trying to repair the damage.
I do not believe what we are seeing in our national leadership is much different than the forces that led to fascism and totalitarianism in the twentieth century. In fact, the issues and tactics used are so similar that it should be chilling to all of us. The tactics include, "the big lie", rabid nationalism, sowing hatred and division, blaming minorities, deriding the press, and ignoring the rule of law. So, why aren't these things frightening to that segment of America (35-40%) who form Trump's "base"? The obvious answer is that those folks agree with the ideas that Trump promotes. At bottom, there are far too many people in this country who have racist beliefs, who are quick to blame "the other" for their lot in life, who remain ignorant (by choice) out of laziness and prefer to follow a demagogue rather than think for themselves, and who vote against their own best interests because they don't understands the complexities of this society and are easily bamboozled. Some say Trump is a genius for tapping into this strain of people. I give him no credit! The easiest thing in the world to do is lie, cheat, and appeal to our worst instincts. The hard work is dealing in truth and reality. The hard work for a president is govern for all (a serious failing for this president) and do it based our on core values of justice, fairness, and the common good.
The people I have such a dilemma with are not just seeing things from a different "point of view", where good people can disagree. They are actively embracing his racism- they are willing to ignore, compartmentalize, or rationalize his personal and public corruption. They are willing to put aside their religious moral standards, or personal ethics. A question I ask myself and others is, how much of that should I tolerate before I am complicit in allowing these abhorrent behaviors and values to grow in my country or my community?
Politics is the petri dish of hypocrisy. I wonder how his "base" would have reacted to President Obama if Obama had said the exact same thing to Putin that Trump did in Helsinki; or how they would react if Obama would have behaved the shameless way Trump behaves at his rallies; or what they would say if Obama was accused of cheating to win an election; or if it was clear Obama paid off paid-off a porn star to keep quiet about an affair two months before an election; or, or, or- the list goes on? We all know the honest answer to that. Trump is not the stuff American presidents are made of, but large segments of our communities are willing to accept it now. I know this - I would not associate with a person like him in my personal life and I'm quite sure many of his "base" wouldn't either. Knowing what he know for sure of his behavior, would you hire him at your place of employment; would you have him as a business partner; would accept his antics in your church; would you welcome his engagement to marry your daughter??? No- but he's OK to be our president?And, we cannot fall into the trap of "equivalency". It is the trap that holds his way of doing things is just different. His presidency is not just another way of governing- different but equal to other ways of governing. Trump leads through greed, racism, assaults on the truth, denigrating others, and self-serving narcissism. These traits aren't just different- they are ethically wrong and unacceptable for a leader in a democracy.
So after thinking through my dilemma, here is my conclusion. My convictions on this question are strong- I will not accept the values Trump holds and practises in his leadership of this country. And as for those who embrace his values and actions (that our fathers and mothers fought against on foreign soil and on the streets of this country) I won't accept them from you either. I could isolate myself with only those who agree with me, but I won't do that. Instead I will speak up against those who embrace the corrupt values Trump promotes- face-to-face with people I know, or publicly when I have the chance. Saying or doing nothing in the face of evil is the hard lesson from the last century when tyrants and demagogues tried to rule the planet- and almost did. It is trending again, and we can't let that happen. I wish the rest of you facing this same dilemma good luck in your search for an answer. However you choose to confront this dilemma, remember you can make a difference.
Thanks for looking in.
Tuesday, June 26, 2018
Different Thoughts: The Wages of Our Sins
Like many of my fellow Americans and many others around the world, I spend a great deal of intellectual and emotional energy reacting to the Trump presidency. In the kindest version, his presidency could be called "unprecedented" or "unconventional". However to many of us it can only be called a dangerous and disastrous mistake- an actual threat to our way of life. The daily barrage of mind-numbing lies and mean-spiritedness of this presidency can leave us drained, as we lament the outlandish and uncharted reality of our national leadership. To say we have never experienced a president like this before is an understatement of the depth of this crisis for the country. I have tried to examine this situation from a number of possible angles. I've tried to stop being reactive and look inward for an explanation, and an answer to the question, "how did this country elect this man?"
The question of how he got elected is not a case of his voters thinking they were voting for something other than what he turned out to be. If there is anything we can count on from Trump, it is that he will always be Trump. He will always be a name-calling, schoolyard bully. He will always be a liar and a shameless self-promoting malignant narcissist. He will always be ethically corrupted in both his personal life and his public life. He will always be intellectually lazy and driven by the instincts of a man who simply isn't that bright. He will always demand blind loyalty and never give it. He will always be a president for white people and never a president for all people. He is always true to his nature and he did not try to hide that from us as he campaigned. We all remember his first campaign in 2012, when he based his entire campaign on attacking Obama as not being an authentic American, and a guy who got through Law School at Harvard because of Affirmative Action. We all remember how Trump said his "operatives" in Hawaii found evidence of a falsified Birth Certificate, and how he challenged Obama to produce his grades from Harvard. His entire political existence was based on racial hatred and bigotry. He never produced the goods and he faded out in 2012.
In 2016 he was back and greatly expanded upon the racially divisive issues and bad behavior that are his true nature. Right out of the gate he was promulgating racial hatred and stirring racial animus towards Mexicans and Central Americans. His Make America Great Again and America First campaign was aimed squarely at white people- with the force of a bugle; not bothering with the more subtle "dog whistle". I could go on describing all the racially motivated actions and first-hand racist statements he makes in person and through twitter - but it would take too long and they don't require repeating. Suffice to say, we got exactly what so many Americans wanted! Now the question is why so many voters wanted this.
I have come to believe that we can no longer focus on Trump himself. Ignore the distractions and focus on us, and what led us as a nation to select this horrible man. I know he didn't win the popular vote and I know there is a good chance we will see proof of collusion with foreign enemies to help get him elected. But still, there were enough voters out there that supported him to beg the question. I'm sure historians will be arguing over this for generations, but for me the answer lies in our great national sin. Trump is the natural consequence of that sin. It is the sin of racism, and he is the wages of our sin.
Racism in the United States is far more that our history of slavery. As I think about our history, learn more from different people, and study our national legacy I'm convinced that racism is in our national DNA. Since the inception of our country, the "White Supremacy " society that created this country has continuously established systems and constructs to practice racism. To this day we remain a society that is dominated and controlled by the white majority, because it is our nature, just as it is Trump's nature. The proof of this contention is there for all to see, even if very few of us in the majority want to acknowledge this racism in our bloodstream. Consider the following events in our short national history:
1. The acquisition of this continent. European explores came here beginning in the late 1400s and simply claimed the continent for the Crowns of Europe. Thus began the extermination of the indigenous peoples of the continent by disease or violent force. Europeans believed they had a divine right and saw the indigenous people as less than human savages who could be pushed aside, because their Christian God ordained them superior- and they had the military strength to do it.
2. Slavery in North America. This was brought by the English and became an American institution after the formation of the US. Slavery in the US was based entirely on the concept that black people were sub-human and subject to forced servitude and inhumane treatment solely based on race- and it was approved by God, as established through the Bible. Just as slavery was dying out due to economic pressures, Eli Whitney invented the Cotton Gin in 1837 and slavery became profitable again. But remember Slavery and the sub-human status of black slaves was encoded into Article 1 of our Constitution. Only our bloody Civil War and the 14th Amendment changed this- but it did not end racism.
3. Western expansion. Following the Louisiana Purchase and wars with Mexico the territory of the continental US was established. The "Indian Problem" in the west was solved through genocide and relocation of survivors. Just as indigenous people in the east and the south were destroyed, the US government enacted policies for the west to rid the country of Indians to make way for settlements of whites in the resource-rich western territories. Justification for this crime against humanity was based on race, greed, and privilege.
4. Jim Crow laws. The idea that blacks were sub-human did not end with the abolition of slavery. It may have become illegal to own slaves, but white people at the state and local levels enacted laws throughout the country that prohibited African Americans from ever realizing full citizenship or enjoyment of full access to their rights. Most of those laws were in effect when I was born and they did not officially disappear off the books until after the civil rights movement of the 60's and 70's.
5. The internment of American citizens during WWII. Americans of Japanese decent were held captive in concentration camps during WWII based entirely on the fact that they were genetically of Japanese heritage. That is purely an issue of race, and it ranks highly along with all the other racial injustices our government has perpetrated.
6. Supreme Court rulings. Even as our young Supreme Court heard cases based on the Constitutional underpinnings and values of the country, they found in the Dred Scott case (1857) that Negroes in slavery were property, not humans with human rights. Then in 1896 the Plessy v. Ferguson decision upheld racial discrimination as acceptable, based on the standard of "separate but equal". This was the law of the land until 1954 when the Brown v. Topeka Board of Education finally held that separate could never be equal- thus ushering in integration, which was met by extreme hostility by the white majority. How can we forget the image of Alabama Governor George Wallace standing in the doorway attempting to block the entry of a black student at the University of Alabama?- this some 100 years after the Civil War.
7. Everyday Racism. In addition to a long history of legally ordained and overt government racist actions (of which I have only listed a few) we still see the continuation of racism in the actions of police violence across the country, the rate of incarceration of minorities in our prison populations, subtle discriminatory hiring practices in our job markets, real estate and insurance markets, racial discrimination in schools, Trump travel bans and immigration policy atrocities, recent voter suppression laws based on the lie of voter fraud, and the list goes on.
It is so easy for most of us to forget the unbroken chain of racism that has existed in this country . It is even easier for far too many of us to deny this legacy. After all, our values, as laid out in our founding documents, speak to much loftier principles. They call us to acknowledge that all men are created equal; they eloquently speak of individual liberties and the establishment of a more perfect Union, to establish Justice, to ensure domestic Tranquility...promote the general Welfare... and secure the blessings of Liberty.. And with such elevated principles, it's natural to live in the fantasy that we are exceptional. But the sad truth is that we are not when it comes to the treatment of our fellow citizens who are in the group of racial minorities.
Many believed the election of Barrack Obama to the presidency signaled the end to our racial issues. I never believed that. My fear was that the election of our first African-American president would only serve to reveal the underlying racism, that had become less fashionable out in the open, but was always lurking just below the surface. FBI reports of the tremendous increase in the establishment of white supremacy groups following the 2008 election was telling on this point. There is also clear evidence that some of the Trump vote came as a backlash from white voters who could not stomach the idea of a black president. They were, and are vocal supporters of Trump's who made no effort to hide their countenance with his racially motivated hatred of Obama, and saw the Trump candidacy, and eventual presidency as the revenge and relief they needed.
So, on many fronts the most recent illustration of our inherent racism is the election of Donald Trump. Social media gives us daily examples of the people who are rabid in their support of the man who is the antithesis of the values they claim to revere- including their precious Christian values. There are far too many people who have an irrational belief in Trump as the man the country needs- even though they cannot articulate the reasons very well. But when push comes to shove they know that making our country great again means going back to the overt racism of our past- it means blaming minorities for the failings of white people who aren't among the privileged, it means using race to separate us more- and that seems to be the most common characteristic of his voters. I wish that were not the case, but in his quest to gain power he touched this despicable nerve in our collective being, and it is our reality.
My best hope for us is to look deeply into our national identity and come to grips with our past and our present. Honestly examining one's own values, ethics, and motives is so very difficult. Doing that in the form of our national conscience is many times more difficult. No one wants to think of themselves or their culture as "racist". Even openly racist individuals claim they are not racist, usually through some convoluted intellectual gymnastics and rationalizations. And the strain of racism does not apply to all of us as individuals- but as individuals it is everyone's responsibility to look inward- and converse outwardly too address the issue. My hope is that the Trump presidency will expose all that we are, all that we should be, and what we have done to ourselves by his election. My hope is this will lead to a rebirth of our real values and make them a reality this time around.
Thanks for looking in.
4. Jim Crow laws. The idea that blacks were sub-human did not end with the abolition of slavery. It may have become illegal to own slaves, but white people at the state and local levels enacted laws throughout the country that prohibited African Americans from ever realizing full citizenship or enjoyment of full access to their rights. Most of those laws were in effect when I was born and they did not officially disappear off the books until after the civil rights movement of the 60's and 70's.
5. The internment of American citizens during WWII. Americans of Japanese decent were held captive in concentration camps during WWII based entirely on the fact that they were genetically of Japanese heritage. That is purely an issue of race, and it ranks highly along with all the other racial injustices our government has perpetrated.
6. Supreme Court rulings. Even as our young Supreme Court heard cases based on the Constitutional underpinnings and values of the country, they found in the Dred Scott case (1857) that Negroes in slavery were property, not humans with human rights. Then in 1896 the Plessy v. Ferguson decision upheld racial discrimination as acceptable, based on the standard of "separate but equal". This was the law of the land until 1954 when the Brown v. Topeka Board of Education finally held that separate could never be equal- thus ushering in integration, which was met by extreme hostility by the white majority. How can we forget the image of Alabama Governor George Wallace standing in the doorway attempting to block the entry of a black student at the University of Alabama?- this some 100 years after the Civil War.
7. Everyday Racism. In addition to a long history of legally ordained and overt government racist actions (of which I have only listed a few) we still see the continuation of racism in the actions of police violence across the country, the rate of incarceration of minorities in our prison populations, subtle discriminatory hiring practices in our job markets, real estate and insurance markets, racial discrimination in schools, Trump travel bans and immigration policy atrocities, recent voter suppression laws based on the lie of voter fraud, and the list goes on.
It is so easy for most of us to forget the unbroken chain of racism that has existed in this country . It is even easier for far too many of us to deny this legacy. After all, our values, as laid out in our founding documents, speak to much loftier principles. They call us to acknowledge that all men are created equal; they eloquently speak of individual liberties and the establishment of a more perfect Union, to establish Justice, to ensure domestic Tranquility...promote the general Welfare... and secure the blessings of Liberty.. And with such elevated principles, it's natural to live in the fantasy that we are exceptional. But the sad truth is that we are not when it comes to the treatment of our fellow citizens who are in the group of racial minorities.
Many believed the election of Barrack Obama to the presidency signaled the end to our racial issues. I never believed that. My fear was that the election of our first African-American president would only serve to reveal the underlying racism, that had become less fashionable out in the open, but was always lurking just below the surface. FBI reports of the tremendous increase in the establishment of white supremacy groups following the 2008 election was telling on this point. There is also clear evidence that some of the Trump vote came as a backlash from white voters who could not stomach the idea of a black president. They were, and are vocal supporters of Trump's who made no effort to hide their countenance with his racially motivated hatred of Obama, and saw the Trump candidacy, and eventual presidency as the revenge and relief they needed.
So, on many fronts the most recent illustration of our inherent racism is the election of Donald Trump. Social media gives us daily examples of the people who are rabid in their support of the man who is the antithesis of the values they claim to revere- including their precious Christian values. There are far too many people who have an irrational belief in Trump as the man the country needs- even though they cannot articulate the reasons very well. But when push comes to shove they know that making our country great again means going back to the overt racism of our past- it means blaming minorities for the failings of white people who aren't among the privileged, it means using race to separate us more- and that seems to be the most common characteristic of his voters. I wish that were not the case, but in his quest to gain power he touched this despicable nerve in our collective being, and it is our reality.
My best hope for us is to look deeply into our national identity and come to grips with our past and our present. Honestly examining one's own values, ethics, and motives is so very difficult. Doing that in the form of our national conscience is many times more difficult. No one wants to think of themselves or their culture as "racist". Even openly racist individuals claim they are not racist, usually through some convoluted intellectual gymnastics and rationalizations. And the strain of racism does not apply to all of us as individuals- but as individuals it is everyone's responsibility to look inward- and converse outwardly too address the issue. My hope is that the Trump presidency will expose all that we are, all that we should be, and what we have done to ourselves by his election. My hope is this will lead to a rebirth of our real values and make them a reality this time around.
Thanks for looking in.
Monday, June 4, 2018
Different Thoughts: Goodbye, NFL
So long, National Football League. You have finally done it. Over the years I have slowly lost interest and silently put up with a number of issues that caused me to question your legitimacy as well as your highly exalted place in our culture. I have watched you exploit young athletes, hold communities and their taxpayers hostage so you could extort public funds to build your cathedrals (Stadiums) at the expense of others, and watched as you systematically denied the fact that your employees regularly experience brain-damage by simply playing the game you own. Your denial campaign on that score rivals anything the tobacco industry or even the Catholic Church did during their famous denial campaigns. But you just added the final straw- built the bridge too far. Yes, it's the kneeling down thing!!
Two weeks ago the NFL owners met to discuss League matters and chief among those was the matter of some players silently kneeling during the playing of the National Anthem. This quiet act of protest was begun by Colin Kaepernick in 2016 when he was a player for the San Francisco 49's. Kaepernick began the practice of kneeling during the anthem as a way to express protest and concern over the unjust treatment of African Americans by police and to generally protest against racial discrimination and injustice. This act of protest caught on with other members of his team and spread to other players and other teams. As the movement grew it began to get national attention and finally Trump found a way to use this practice to promote his propaganda campaign of white nationalism.
During the 2017-2018 season team personnel and owners simply didn't know how to handle this and by all observation simply didn't pay much attention to it until Trump weighed in by completely ignoring the reason for the protest, and instead defining it as an act of disrespect for the country and the armed forces of the country. Last year at one of his propaganda rallies he went so far as to hurl personal insults and suggest to the Roman Coliseum-like crowd that owners should just "fire the son-of-bitch." Kaepernick, who wasn't having a great year at the quarterback position was let-go from the 49's and has not played professional football since, as no team will hire him now.
Before I go on, here are a few facts to keep in mind as each of us observe and react to this issue. 1. It wasn't until just a few years ago that players were even on the field for the National Anthem. The practice of having them on the field came about when the Department of Defense (DOD) contracted with the League and individual teams to have them on the field. The DOD wanted to have a show of patriotism as a tool for recruiting young people into the military, and they thought it would be good "branding" to be partnered up with the NFL. The NFL was essentially paid for that patriotism they insist on now. Let's not pretend that this whole thing is about patriotism and love of country-it was a business deal. 2. 70% of the players in the NFL are African American. 3. 0% of the NFL owners are African American. All NFL owners are white with the exception of one man of Pakistani decent who is a naturalized citizen; and one team that is owned by the Municipality of Green Bay Wisconsin ( a city that is 70% white. 4. The NFL is a $14 Billion operation that is essentially tax-exempt as it has been designated a 501 (c) (6) non-profit corporation- making for a strange intertwining of the federal government and the NFL.
So when the owners met they made a big decision about kneeling during the anthem. Here we have universally (very) wealthy, white (31 out of 32) men telling an overwhelmingly African American workforce, all with unique and special skills, that their voice will be silenced. The official decision was that players must stand for the anthem, or the player must remain in the locker room during the anthem.
In my mind there are two very striking aspects to this ruling. The first is that I have never seen such a blatant use of white privilege. Usually white privilege is more subtle and usually unspoken. This is the white power elite getting right in the face of 70% of their talented workforce, who are the essential raw material of their business and saying: just shut up and do what you're told. The NFL is an entertainment medium, but most fans worship it as an institution that has implications for the whole society- you know about sports being an analogy for life and all that, and even though it isn't officially the "national pastime"- it is most assuredly "America's Game". As I heard in a movie once, the NFL is such a cultural icon, "it owns a day of the week". Now owners who have elevated the game and its players to god-like status, are deciding to put "the help" in their place. The players who are selling their future health (albeit for big paychecks) should be allowed to have a voice in the society that reveres what they do. Racial inequality, discrimination, bigotry, and racially motivated violence are real. And so is white privilege. When the players try to use a symbolic, non-violent gesture to make the point that their people suffer from these ills, only to be told by white owners they cannot, those owners are practicing a form of discrimination. The racial discrimination we continue to see everyday in our country springs from our days as a slave-holding nation. And as I heard very recently, the worst thing about slavery was not the involuntary servitude- it was the ingrained notion that black people are less than human. Unfortunately that ingrained part of ourselves still dwells in too many of us; and opportunities to act out with those old notions continually present themselves. This is one of those occasions. Most of us don't have to stand for an anthem every day before work or have our rights sold to the military for show; and that is probably good, for I wonder how many of us might have reason to say things aren't right and not just stand there like a robot because we were ordered to by the boss.
The other major issue here is the owners' willingness to be used in this game of phony nationalism. Ever the propagandist, Trump saw this opportunity to make it about him while completely ignoring any recognition of the issues being raised by African American players. He made it about respecting the flag and the anthem- even about respecting the military and veterans. This is what an opportunistic and autocratic leader does, and it is right out the playbook of 1930's fascist leaders in Europe. They generate fear- find a group of people to blame- then foment hate whenever possible to make the point and top it off by repeating lies often and with great voracity. The NFL players who participated in this silent, peaceful protests were perfect targets for the misguided and dangerous form of nationalism coming from Trump. Trump even said most recently that players who don't stand for the anthem, "probably shouldn't even be in the country". He went on to unfavorably compare the patriotism of kneeling NLF players with participants in NASCAR. NASCAR has a largely Southern following and does not have one African American driver on its top circuit, making the racial comparison glaringly obvious. Loyalty to symbols rather than ideals is also a sign of a decaying society and should be a warning to all of us..
I am not surprised that the owners bowed to Trump on this one. They are all in the 1% of wealthy people and (almost) all white- in other words: his people. For the record, I do not respect the Flag and I do not respect the National Anthem. I do respect the ideals they are supposed to represent. When the symbols of great notions no longer represent great notions and great ideals, those symbols quickly lose their value. That is the lesson here and it should always be the most important lesson of this fiasco of an issue. We really don't stand for the flag- we stand for the liberties and freedoms it symbolizes- remembering that one of the most important of those freedoms is the freedom to express ideas and to speak out against injustice. Take that away and it is just red, white, and blue cloth; and our National Anthem is just a difficult-to-sing tune. Let's not be fooled by self-serving charlatans who want you to salute, but not to think about what you're saluting or why you do it.
One of the great things about our capitalistic/consumer driven economy is that we can vote with our pocketbook. I'm voting to say goodbye to the NFL over this issue. I know there were those who boycotted last year because they objected to permitting the protest kneeling. I'm going to stop consuming their product because the NFL, as a business and an institution, no longer supports American values. My small gesture will not be noticed, and my absence from viewership or purchasing of their products will make no real difference. But, it is particularly important in these times to take a stand, if for no other reason, than because it's the right thing to do. If enough people do it, it may be noticed and it may make a difference. There is an old saying that, "the arc of history usually bends towards justice". In this case I'd like to be at the start of that bend. I know that in a society dominated by the white race it can be uncomfortable to face our past and current prejudices, particularly when we just tuned in to watch our favorite team play a game we love to watch, and be entertained. But, being uncomfortable is how change happens, and that is what starts to bend the arc of history.
Thanks for looking in.
Two weeks ago the NFL owners met to discuss League matters and chief among those was the matter of some players silently kneeling during the playing of the National Anthem. This quiet act of protest was begun by Colin Kaepernick in 2016 when he was a player for the San Francisco 49's. Kaepernick began the practice of kneeling during the anthem as a way to express protest and concern over the unjust treatment of African Americans by police and to generally protest against racial discrimination and injustice. This act of protest caught on with other members of his team and spread to other players and other teams. As the movement grew it began to get national attention and finally Trump found a way to use this practice to promote his propaganda campaign of white nationalism.
During the 2017-2018 season team personnel and owners simply didn't know how to handle this and by all observation simply didn't pay much attention to it until Trump weighed in by completely ignoring the reason for the protest, and instead defining it as an act of disrespect for the country and the armed forces of the country. Last year at one of his propaganda rallies he went so far as to hurl personal insults and suggest to the Roman Coliseum-like crowd that owners should just "fire the son-of-bitch." Kaepernick, who wasn't having a great year at the quarterback position was let-go from the 49's and has not played professional football since, as no team will hire him now.
Before I go on, here are a few facts to keep in mind as each of us observe and react to this issue. 1. It wasn't until just a few years ago that players were even on the field for the National Anthem. The practice of having them on the field came about when the Department of Defense (DOD) contracted with the League and individual teams to have them on the field. The DOD wanted to have a show of patriotism as a tool for recruiting young people into the military, and they thought it would be good "branding" to be partnered up with the NFL. The NFL was essentially paid for that patriotism they insist on now. Let's not pretend that this whole thing is about patriotism and love of country-it was a business deal. 2. 70% of the players in the NFL are African American. 3. 0% of the NFL owners are African American. All NFL owners are white with the exception of one man of Pakistani decent who is a naturalized citizen; and one team that is owned by the Municipality of Green Bay Wisconsin ( a city that is 70% white. 4. The NFL is a $14 Billion operation that is essentially tax-exempt as it has been designated a 501 (c) (6) non-profit corporation- making for a strange intertwining of the federal government and the NFL.
So when the owners met they made a big decision about kneeling during the anthem. Here we have universally (very) wealthy, white (31 out of 32) men telling an overwhelmingly African American workforce, all with unique and special skills, that their voice will be silenced. The official decision was that players must stand for the anthem, or the player must remain in the locker room during the anthem.
In my mind there are two very striking aspects to this ruling. The first is that I have never seen such a blatant use of white privilege. Usually white privilege is more subtle and usually unspoken. This is the white power elite getting right in the face of 70% of their talented workforce, who are the essential raw material of their business and saying: just shut up and do what you're told. The NFL is an entertainment medium, but most fans worship it as an institution that has implications for the whole society- you know about sports being an analogy for life and all that, and even though it isn't officially the "national pastime"- it is most assuredly "America's Game". As I heard in a movie once, the NFL is such a cultural icon, "it owns a day of the week". Now owners who have elevated the game and its players to god-like status, are deciding to put "the help" in their place. The players who are selling their future health (albeit for big paychecks) should be allowed to have a voice in the society that reveres what they do. Racial inequality, discrimination, bigotry, and racially motivated violence are real. And so is white privilege. When the players try to use a symbolic, non-violent gesture to make the point that their people suffer from these ills, only to be told by white owners they cannot, those owners are practicing a form of discrimination. The racial discrimination we continue to see everyday in our country springs from our days as a slave-holding nation. And as I heard very recently, the worst thing about slavery was not the involuntary servitude- it was the ingrained notion that black people are less than human. Unfortunately that ingrained part of ourselves still dwells in too many of us; and opportunities to act out with those old notions continually present themselves. This is one of those occasions. Most of us don't have to stand for an anthem every day before work or have our rights sold to the military for show; and that is probably good, for I wonder how many of us might have reason to say things aren't right and not just stand there like a robot because we were ordered to by the boss.
The other major issue here is the owners' willingness to be used in this game of phony nationalism. Ever the propagandist, Trump saw this opportunity to make it about him while completely ignoring any recognition of the issues being raised by African American players. He made it about respecting the flag and the anthem- even about respecting the military and veterans. This is what an opportunistic and autocratic leader does, and it is right out the playbook of 1930's fascist leaders in Europe. They generate fear- find a group of people to blame- then foment hate whenever possible to make the point and top it off by repeating lies often and with great voracity. The NFL players who participated in this silent, peaceful protests were perfect targets for the misguided and dangerous form of nationalism coming from Trump. Trump even said most recently that players who don't stand for the anthem, "probably shouldn't even be in the country". He went on to unfavorably compare the patriotism of kneeling NLF players with participants in NASCAR. NASCAR has a largely Southern following and does not have one African American driver on its top circuit, making the racial comparison glaringly obvious. Loyalty to symbols rather than ideals is also a sign of a decaying society and should be a warning to all of us..
I am not surprised that the owners bowed to Trump on this one. They are all in the 1% of wealthy people and (almost) all white- in other words: his people. For the record, I do not respect the Flag and I do not respect the National Anthem. I do respect the ideals they are supposed to represent. When the symbols of great notions no longer represent great notions and great ideals, those symbols quickly lose their value. That is the lesson here and it should always be the most important lesson of this fiasco of an issue. We really don't stand for the flag- we stand for the liberties and freedoms it symbolizes- remembering that one of the most important of those freedoms is the freedom to express ideas and to speak out against injustice. Take that away and it is just red, white, and blue cloth; and our National Anthem is just a difficult-to-sing tune. Let's not be fooled by self-serving charlatans who want you to salute, but not to think about what you're saluting or why you do it.
One of the great things about our capitalistic/consumer driven economy is that we can vote with our pocketbook. I'm voting to say goodbye to the NFL over this issue. I know there were those who boycotted last year because they objected to permitting the protest kneeling. I'm going to stop consuming their product because the NFL, as a business and an institution, no longer supports American values. My small gesture will not be noticed, and my absence from viewership or purchasing of their products will make no real difference. But, it is particularly important in these times to take a stand, if for no other reason, than because it's the right thing to do. If enough people do it, it may be noticed and it may make a difference. There is an old saying that, "the arc of history usually bends towards justice". In this case I'd like to be at the start of that bend. I know that in a society dominated by the white race it can be uncomfortable to face our past and current prejudices, particularly when we just tuned in to watch our favorite team play a game we love to watch, and be entertained. But, being uncomfortable is how change happens, and that is what starts to bend the arc of history.
Thanks for looking in.
Thursday, May 24, 2018
Dreams For The Future
It has been quite some time between my last essay and this one. There are a few reasons for the lag time, but most significantly, it was my fatigue in expressing myself in a time of so much unending chatter and political upheaval in this "trump era". I concluded that, with the elevation of old fashion lying and use of "alternative facts" as a way of exercising leadership and corrupting our culture, another voice in the wind really wasn't worth the effort. In addition there have been some significant changes in my life, with new and unexpected events and experiences. So, returning to this endeavor seems more fitting now. (I'll work in some of those life changes and experiences as I go along.) Lastly, I received some encouragements, and that always lends itself to new motivations- so, thank you. I hope I'm up to the challenge of making sense after two long winters of hibernation from this endeavor.
In considering how I would reintroduce myself to this blog page I realized that these last few months have been a time of great reflection and change for me, more so than any other time in my life. This reflection was brought on by the decision to stop my work life and enter into retirement from my career of nearly 44 years in human services. I knew it would be a huge transition as I have been doing some kind of work since I was sixteen years old. I thought it would be best to begin my planning early so I wasn't one of those guys who wakes up on day-one of retirement and says, "now what?" Thus my reflection began. This period of reflection got an additional shot of adrenalin a couple of months or so before my planned retirement when my wife was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Nothing quite like the Big C moving into your house to get you thinking about where you're going in life, and where your life has taken you so far. All of this has given me the time and space to think about life from a longer range perspective. Too often our American culture pressures us to think only in short bursts of time, memories, aspirations, plans and the dreams we had in our youth.
My coming of age took place in a most interesting time. My early adolescence and awakening to the world around me took place in the mid-'60's and early '70's. Young baby-boomers and those just older than me were creating change on a number of cultural fronts, and the age of technology was just beginning to blossom. Add to that a new generation of leaders "born in this century" as JFK told us, and offered up John F.Kennedy himself, Dr. King, and progressives in every corner and level of government and public life. It was all a person needed to set one's sights on the possibility of a brave new world. I was also the product of a liberal education- even though a Catholic school may not seem like a hotbed of liberal thought, it was the sixties. The Church was just coming out of Vatican II at that time, which liberalized a good deal of thought and practice in the American Catholic Church, with a hard lean toward social justice and away from pure dogma.
So with that as the backdrop, I imagined the world that would come from this turbulent time, and the immense energy for change that was rippling through our world. In my youthful thought processes I only envisioned a world that would move forward in progressive waves in every aspect. In some ways I was right about progress and improvements for us and the world. But in very important ways I was so very wrong in my long-range expectations of what the world would become. The following are a few of the visions from an adolescent boy.
During the 1960's this country became enthralled with science, mostly due the tremendous energy and enthusiasm for space flight and exploration. JFK challenged the country to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade-and we did. What a ride it was, as we watched our TV sets at each launch, each re-entry, each space walk, and each small step of progress to achieve that goal. TV coverage of those Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo fights was continuous from launch to return. And, with only three TV networks all showing the same thing, we learned an appreciation of science and technology like never before. In addition to Space Flight, Medicine was entering a new era. Dr. Christiaan Barnard performed the first successful heart transplant in 1967- new drugs were being produced at an unheard-of rate, and medical research was at its zenith in very major university. Science was also giving us our first warning signs about the use and abuse of the planet, creating a new awareness of environmental issues for the first time in the history of man. Computer technology was just beginning to take hold from it's first baby steps in the 1950's, and the reality that we could create a machine that would work as fast as the human brain (and had more capacity) became a real possibility.
With all that going on we all felt, as I felt so strongly, that information, human knowledge, data, and human compassion would guide our future to unimaginable heights. Looking back more than fifty years I can say that many of those dreams came true, but I can't give the area of science, technology, and medicine an A+. Even though we live in an era my father would not recognize if he were alive today, the issues of concern are two-fold. The first is that our capacity to apply the wisdom needed to regulate many of these innovations did not match our capacity to create them. In the age of computerized data and artificial intelligence information and technology can increase geometrically while our emotional and societal ability to absorb change increases much more slowly. In medicine for instance we can do things to keep a body alive that were never dreamt of- but we often have trouble answering the question: should we? In other words, we can preserve life- but we cannot always judge for another the quality of life to be preserved. The second issue is the one I never saw coming. I tend to view corporate power and political power as a combined entity- and today's reality undeniably demonstrates they are one in the same. So with all our advancements I did not see the corporate/political rise of conservatism. I simply didn't count on our egalitarian ideals being so easily pushed aside and corrupted by the forces of pure greed-dressed up in the cloaks of conservative "values". But it happened, with its seeds in the late '70's and the election of Reagan in 1980. This movement stifled the best of our advancements. Over the last generation this power base had gained control of so much power and wealth that it can influence educational trends and human thought on a mass level. It is promoting the idea that being educated is unnecessary, that much of what science tells us is a hoax, or just an opinion. For example a US Senator can stand in the well of the Senate and deny man-made climate change (for which there is overwhelming scientific evidence) while holding a snowball in his hands. This actually happened- and it was wintertime when he said "look at this snowball-see, no global warming." Corporate/political greed is back in vogue, and in spades! We see rollbacks on many rules and regulations to protect us and the earth we live on everyday- not because science supports it, but because the corporate/political powers tell us to mock and ignore science out their own greed. In medicine the last generation of health care has been marked by incredible advancement in medical technology, but research is focused on treatment and not cures (or prevention). Again, we see the rise the "health sector" in economic charts as the guiding influence in medical practice. The HMO model was born and suddenly medicine for profit was the rule. Our recent family medical situation has driven home the fact that money concerns are as big a factor in medical care as is the care itself. Put simply, American health care is more focused on developing expensive treatments than finding cures to many pervasive health issues, based purely on the profit motive.
I had also dreamt that someday mass communication methods could be used to bring the world together. Mine was the first "television generation". It enabled us to see events and observe the human condition in real time- for the first time in human history. This invention was also a huge catalyst for positive change (or so we thought) because of its power to show us injustice as it was happening, as well as momentous achievement as it was happening. Human rights issues around the world and at home could be displayed for all to see, and I dreamt that upon so many of us seeing these things, they would surely be solved. Once again I underestimated how this tool could be used to the opposite effect, and it was. Mass communication, instant communication as messaging was quickly turned into a tool for spreading false notions and spreading evil or selfish intent. Today we use instant satellite communication technology (TV and Digital Computerization) for nearly all human interaction from financial transactions, to all consumer purchasing, and managing our personal relationships and communications. Leaders in the "Christian Conservative" (an actual contradiction in terms) movement used mass communication methods like they were born to it- and they literally were born to it. This is a great example of how a movement can spread more quickly than was ever possible in all of man's prior history. TV gave us so many options for entertainment that we became addicted to the endless choices at the cost of losing ourselves and much of our curiosity to seek real advancement. Today's news is all about the influence of mass communication and spreading propaganda (both foreign and domestic) in our elections and is another prime example of mass communication gone bad. Mass communication and computerization have given us incredible advancements, and life in the western world ( and most other parts of the world) would not be the same without it. I certainly would not want to give it up. But in this category my youthful expectations were not realized. Young people never see, or perhaps aren't able to see, that for every true advance there are those who would use that advance for their own selfish purposes.
It would be easy to go on and on discussing how the hopes of long ago had faded into the realities of today's world. Race relations, economic injustice, environmental concerns, and the proliferation of war for profit are but a few of those areas that still deserve so much of our attention. Where those hopes and dreams did not come to their full fruition, there are still a great many that did. Those dreams that did not disappoint are mostly of a personal nature. Even in a world where violence still rages and mankind remains so selfish, families come into existence, and children grow to become good, caring adults. In these areas my youthful dreams for my future came true. The old adage that families always endure in spite of the world around us, is quite true. I was able to acquire an education and do the work I wanted to do, and my wife was able to do that too. We had children, and we were able to provide them with an education, and see them grow to be highly competent, caring people who are raising wonderful children themselves. On the whole, I would have preferred to see a different world than the one we have, but an honest reflection of my little part of the world tells me to be grateful for the dreams that did come true and to keep hoping and fighting for the ones I would still like to see.
I plan to do a more of these essays in the times ahead. It's nice to have a bit more time to think and reflect. I have come to appreciate, more than ever, the value of reflection. The vitriol and polarization we're experiencing now would sure be lessened by more reflection and less reaction. And, I shall endeavor to do that. But for now, thanks for looking in.
In considering how I would reintroduce myself to this blog page I realized that these last few months have been a time of great reflection and change for me, more so than any other time in my life. This reflection was brought on by the decision to stop my work life and enter into retirement from my career of nearly 44 years in human services. I knew it would be a huge transition as I have been doing some kind of work since I was sixteen years old. I thought it would be best to begin my planning early so I wasn't one of those guys who wakes up on day-one of retirement and says, "now what?" Thus my reflection began. This period of reflection got an additional shot of adrenalin a couple of months or so before my planned retirement when my wife was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Nothing quite like the Big C moving into your house to get you thinking about where you're going in life, and where your life has taken you so far. All of this has given me the time and space to think about life from a longer range perspective. Too often our American culture pressures us to think only in short bursts of time, memories, aspirations, plans and the dreams we had in our youth.
My coming of age took place in a most interesting time. My early adolescence and awakening to the world around me took place in the mid-'60's and early '70's. Young baby-boomers and those just older than me were creating change on a number of cultural fronts, and the age of technology was just beginning to blossom. Add to that a new generation of leaders "born in this century" as JFK told us, and offered up John F.Kennedy himself, Dr. King, and progressives in every corner and level of government and public life. It was all a person needed to set one's sights on the possibility of a brave new world. I was also the product of a liberal education- even though a Catholic school may not seem like a hotbed of liberal thought, it was the sixties. The Church was just coming out of Vatican II at that time, which liberalized a good deal of thought and practice in the American Catholic Church, with a hard lean toward social justice and away from pure dogma.
So with that as the backdrop, I imagined the world that would come from this turbulent time, and the immense energy for change that was rippling through our world. In my youthful thought processes I only envisioned a world that would move forward in progressive waves in every aspect. In some ways I was right about progress and improvements for us and the world. But in very important ways I was so very wrong in my long-range expectations of what the world would become. The following are a few of the visions from an adolescent boy.
During the 1960's this country became enthralled with science, mostly due the tremendous energy and enthusiasm for space flight and exploration. JFK challenged the country to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade-and we did. What a ride it was, as we watched our TV sets at each launch, each re-entry, each space walk, and each small step of progress to achieve that goal. TV coverage of those Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo fights was continuous from launch to return. And, with only three TV networks all showing the same thing, we learned an appreciation of science and technology like never before. In addition to Space Flight, Medicine was entering a new era. Dr. Christiaan Barnard performed the first successful heart transplant in 1967- new drugs were being produced at an unheard-of rate, and medical research was at its zenith in very major university. Science was also giving us our first warning signs about the use and abuse of the planet, creating a new awareness of environmental issues for the first time in the history of man. Computer technology was just beginning to take hold from it's first baby steps in the 1950's, and the reality that we could create a machine that would work as fast as the human brain (and had more capacity) became a real possibility.
With all that going on we all felt, as I felt so strongly, that information, human knowledge, data, and human compassion would guide our future to unimaginable heights. Looking back more than fifty years I can say that many of those dreams came true, but I can't give the area of science, technology, and medicine an A+. Even though we live in an era my father would not recognize if he were alive today, the issues of concern are two-fold. The first is that our capacity to apply the wisdom needed to regulate many of these innovations did not match our capacity to create them. In the age of computerized data and artificial intelligence information and technology can increase geometrically while our emotional and societal ability to absorb change increases much more slowly. In medicine for instance we can do things to keep a body alive that were never dreamt of- but we often have trouble answering the question: should we? In other words, we can preserve life- but we cannot always judge for another the quality of life to be preserved. The second issue is the one I never saw coming. I tend to view corporate power and political power as a combined entity- and today's reality undeniably demonstrates they are one in the same. So with all our advancements I did not see the corporate/political rise of conservatism. I simply didn't count on our egalitarian ideals being so easily pushed aside and corrupted by the forces of pure greed-dressed up in the cloaks of conservative "values". But it happened, with its seeds in the late '70's and the election of Reagan in 1980. This movement stifled the best of our advancements. Over the last generation this power base had gained control of so much power and wealth that it can influence educational trends and human thought on a mass level. It is promoting the idea that being educated is unnecessary, that much of what science tells us is a hoax, or just an opinion. For example a US Senator can stand in the well of the Senate and deny man-made climate change (for which there is overwhelming scientific evidence) while holding a snowball in his hands. This actually happened- and it was wintertime when he said "look at this snowball-see, no global warming." Corporate/political greed is back in vogue, and in spades! We see rollbacks on many rules and regulations to protect us and the earth we live on everyday- not because science supports it, but because the corporate/political powers tell us to mock and ignore science out their own greed. In medicine the last generation of health care has been marked by incredible advancement in medical technology, but research is focused on treatment and not cures (or prevention). Again, we see the rise the "health sector" in economic charts as the guiding influence in medical practice. The HMO model was born and suddenly medicine for profit was the rule. Our recent family medical situation has driven home the fact that money concerns are as big a factor in medical care as is the care itself. Put simply, American health care is more focused on developing expensive treatments than finding cures to many pervasive health issues, based purely on the profit motive.
I had also dreamt that someday mass communication methods could be used to bring the world together. Mine was the first "television generation". It enabled us to see events and observe the human condition in real time- for the first time in human history. This invention was also a huge catalyst for positive change (or so we thought) because of its power to show us injustice as it was happening, as well as momentous achievement as it was happening. Human rights issues around the world and at home could be displayed for all to see, and I dreamt that upon so many of us seeing these things, they would surely be solved. Once again I underestimated how this tool could be used to the opposite effect, and it was. Mass communication, instant communication as messaging was quickly turned into a tool for spreading false notions and spreading evil or selfish intent. Today we use instant satellite communication technology (TV and Digital Computerization) for nearly all human interaction from financial transactions, to all consumer purchasing, and managing our personal relationships and communications. Leaders in the "Christian Conservative" (an actual contradiction in terms) movement used mass communication methods like they were born to it- and they literally were born to it. This is a great example of how a movement can spread more quickly than was ever possible in all of man's prior history. TV gave us so many options for entertainment that we became addicted to the endless choices at the cost of losing ourselves and much of our curiosity to seek real advancement. Today's news is all about the influence of mass communication and spreading propaganda (both foreign and domestic) in our elections and is another prime example of mass communication gone bad. Mass communication and computerization have given us incredible advancements, and life in the western world ( and most other parts of the world) would not be the same without it. I certainly would not want to give it up. But in this category my youthful expectations were not realized. Young people never see, or perhaps aren't able to see, that for every true advance there are those who would use that advance for their own selfish purposes.
It would be easy to go on and on discussing how the hopes of long ago had faded into the realities of today's world. Race relations, economic injustice, environmental concerns, and the proliferation of war for profit are but a few of those areas that still deserve so much of our attention. Where those hopes and dreams did not come to their full fruition, there are still a great many that did. Those dreams that did not disappoint are mostly of a personal nature. Even in a world where violence still rages and mankind remains so selfish, families come into existence, and children grow to become good, caring adults. In these areas my youthful dreams for my future came true. The old adage that families always endure in spite of the world around us, is quite true. I was able to acquire an education and do the work I wanted to do, and my wife was able to do that too. We had children, and we were able to provide them with an education, and see them grow to be highly competent, caring people who are raising wonderful children themselves. On the whole, I would have preferred to see a different world than the one we have, but an honest reflection of my little part of the world tells me to be grateful for the dreams that did come true and to keep hoping and fighting for the ones I would still like to see.
I plan to do a more of these essays in the times ahead. It's nice to have a bit more time to think and reflect. I have come to appreciate, more than ever, the value of reflection. The vitriol and polarization we're experiencing now would sure be lessened by more reflection and less reaction. And, I shall endeavor to do that. But for now, thanks for looking in.
Saturday, January 7, 2017
What We Permit, We Promote: Version 2.0
I'm reusing a title from an essay I wrote about four and a half years ago. That essay was about our collective response, or I should say, lack of response to Rush Limbaugh insulting and verbally assaulting a young female college student who testified before Congress on the importance of including Birth Control as part of women's health care packages. If you recall that ugly incident, then you recall that Limbaugh literally called her a promiscuous slut and whore, and suggested the public should be able to view videotape of her having sex since there might be some taxpayer money involved in this form of "recreational sex". Unbelievably disgusting comment - made by a disgusting human being. My point in the essay was that none of the Republicans in Congress or on the campaign trail (2012 Presidential Race) dared to speak out against this vile content. By not speaking out they "Permit" this kind of sentiment- and by permitting it we are in fact "Promoting" it.
I didn't make up the phrase. I believe it came from some management guru who used this simple axiom to explain how bad workplace behavior can become the norm. If you accept it- then you are in effect promoting more of it. It seems a fairly sensible way of explaining some level of human behavior.
Version 2.0 is about applying that axiom to our current state of national politics. Never before have we elected a president like Trump. It is not just that he doesn't have any governing experience- it is that he possesses a character that represents the worst in public and private behavior, and has values that fly in the face of our American values. Like you, I read the news and the fake news that comes out everyday indicating that the latest revelation or crazy tweet will "destroy him" or whatever. None of that will happen. He will be sworn in on January 20th and he will be the lawfully elected president. Part of our peculiar American cultural psyche is that we revere a winner- no matter how they win or what they did to achieve "winner" status. Trump surely knows the value of being a winner. He brags constantly on his win and even claims he could have won the popular vote if he wanted to. Considering that over 3 million more people voted for someone else makes that a highly unlikely claim- but he has the sensibilities of a pre-adolescent schoolyard bully, and bragging oneself up is part of that profile. Sadly we Americans always seem to follow the winner in spite of any real values that may violate.
I don't believe I'm being unfair or partisan to claim that his values are really that bad. He has given us ample words right from his own mouth to illustrate what lies beneath the surface of this despicable person. He has made his life an open book and has, on many occasions proudly displayed his lack of moral character, and the shallowness of his thinking. We Americans also have tendency to believe that rich guys are smart guys. It is true that many highly successful folks got that way on their own talents or innovations. Those are the Bill Gates' -the Warren Buffets' of the world- folks who don't brag about bankruptcy's and "leveraging" debt (i.e. screwing people over). Trump got that way because he was born into it- and when he grew up his daddy gave the rest to him. This is history - not opinion. The one thing that Trump has always done better that other successful people is cheat on his debts and bully people he owed money to, or insulted his childlike ego. Money gives you some power- but not brains. How many of us have wondered how smart other people might think we are if we were just millionaires? We just love to love rich people and end up stroking their egos to the point they become monsters and actually believe they really are that smart. In Mr. Trump's case he can't finish a sentence or hold a consistent thought from one day to the next. Watching him over the last year I had to conclude he really just isn't that bright- but he knows how to say a few phrases that incite the crowd- and there are enough people out there who love that kind of crap- so they bow down to this spoiled egomaniac like he is the messiah of our times.
So the thing we need to watch out for now is our own tendency to permit the outrageousness of this man once he assumes office- to allow his outrageous thoughts and behaviors to be seen as normal because he won. He has already sent loud and clear signals of his view of government. Not even in office yet, he has cozied up to the Russians- defending them against the findings of every American Intelligence Service who say Putin tampered with our election; appointed would-be Cabinet members who have either been adversaries with the Departments they will now run, or outright said they would eliminate them; put bigots and billionaires in his inner circle; foolishly chided foreign governments with his middle-of-the night twitter rants; and relentlessly insults and pursues his critics (large and small) like a thin-skinned spoiled child. It's is not "refreshing" or "a bold leadership style" or any of the mindless superlatives meant to make us think he is a "new kind of leader". It's nuts! It proves he doesn't think before he speaks; he's generally uninformed; and it also proves he has no intellectual curiosity to learn because he believes he already knows everything- a dangerous personality trait.
Our obligation is to not Permit it. Obviously a President can do just about anything he (or She- someday) wants to do. So when we say we won't permit it, that means that we have to heed a call to action. When we hear the racist comments or misogynistic sentiments we must speak out. When he and some Republicans in Congress seek to remove the civil rights and protections that were won by the bloodshed of our ancestors we have an obligation to stand against it. When he begins to destroy the fabric of our society in favor of the rich and the privileged we must say no and support the lawful institutions in our country put there to safeguard us from tyrants and ego driven zealots. Answering that call may be difficult. It is not enough to oppose these things he stands for "in spirit". It is not enough to retweet or post something that reflects our objections from the comforts of our home. If we are determined not to permit it then we must be ready to stand in public- to seek out our Representatives in person and tell them to their face that we won't permit it. We must be prepared to march in the street if necessary and let ourselves be seen to defend our values against his outrages. In other words the time for passivity is over. We need to be watchful and vigilant and ready. Tyrants and fools ascend to power when we let them. They count on our passivity and our willingness to simply permit them to act as they will. And if we are permitting it- we have promoted it.
At the risk of this sounding like a crazy rant, I simply urge us all to not take our rights and sense of justice for granted. Every great American leader has reminded us, from our founding, that the things we cherish, can be taken away from us quickly and permanently unless we use our will and our voices to protect them. This country has never been so close to that ominous fate as it now. Let's not permit it.
Thanks for looking in.
I didn't make up the phrase. I believe it came from some management guru who used this simple axiom to explain how bad workplace behavior can become the norm. If you accept it- then you are in effect promoting more of it. It seems a fairly sensible way of explaining some level of human behavior.
Version 2.0 is about applying that axiom to our current state of national politics. Never before have we elected a president like Trump. It is not just that he doesn't have any governing experience- it is that he possesses a character that represents the worst in public and private behavior, and has values that fly in the face of our American values. Like you, I read the news and the fake news that comes out everyday indicating that the latest revelation or crazy tweet will "destroy him" or whatever. None of that will happen. He will be sworn in on January 20th and he will be the lawfully elected president. Part of our peculiar American cultural psyche is that we revere a winner- no matter how they win or what they did to achieve "winner" status. Trump surely knows the value of being a winner. He brags constantly on his win and even claims he could have won the popular vote if he wanted to. Considering that over 3 million more people voted for someone else makes that a highly unlikely claim- but he has the sensibilities of a pre-adolescent schoolyard bully, and bragging oneself up is part of that profile. Sadly we Americans always seem to follow the winner in spite of any real values that may violate.
I don't believe I'm being unfair or partisan to claim that his values are really that bad. He has given us ample words right from his own mouth to illustrate what lies beneath the surface of this despicable person. He has made his life an open book and has, on many occasions proudly displayed his lack of moral character, and the shallowness of his thinking. We Americans also have tendency to believe that rich guys are smart guys. It is true that many highly successful folks got that way on their own talents or innovations. Those are the Bill Gates' -the Warren Buffets' of the world- folks who don't brag about bankruptcy's and "leveraging" debt (i.e. screwing people over). Trump got that way because he was born into it- and when he grew up his daddy gave the rest to him. This is history - not opinion. The one thing that Trump has always done better that other successful people is cheat on his debts and bully people he owed money to, or insulted his childlike ego. Money gives you some power- but not brains. How many of us have wondered how smart other people might think we are if we were just millionaires? We just love to love rich people and end up stroking their egos to the point they become monsters and actually believe they really are that smart. In Mr. Trump's case he can't finish a sentence or hold a consistent thought from one day to the next. Watching him over the last year I had to conclude he really just isn't that bright- but he knows how to say a few phrases that incite the crowd- and there are enough people out there who love that kind of crap- so they bow down to this spoiled egomaniac like he is the messiah of our times.
So the thing we need to watch out for now is our own tendency to permit the outrageousness of this man once he assumes office- to allow his outrageous thoughts and behaviors to be seen as normal because he won. He has already sent loud and clear signals of his view of government. Not even in office yet, he has cozied up to the Russians- defending them against the findings of every American Intelligence Service who say Putin tampered with our election; appointed would-be Cabinet members who have either been adversaries with the Departments they will now run, or outright said they would eliminate them; put bigots and billionaires in his inner circle; foolishly chided foreign governments with his middle-of-the night twitter rants; and relentlessly insults and pursues his critics (large and small) like a thin-skinned spoiled child. It's is not "refreshing" or "a bold leadership style" or any of the mindless superlatives meant to make us think he is a "new kind of leader". It's nuts! It proves he doesn't think before he speaks; he's generally uninformed; and it also proves he has no intellectual curiosity to learn because he believes he already knows everything- a dangerous personality trait.
Our obligation is to not Permit it. Obviously a President can do just about anything he (or She- someday) wants to do. So when we say we won't permit it, that means that we have to heed a call to action. When we hear the racist comments or misogynistic sentiments we must speak out. When he and some Republicans in Congress seek to remove the civil rights and protections that were won by the bloodshed of our ancestors we have an obligation to stand against it. When he begins to destroy the fabric of our society in favor of the rich and the privileged we must say no and support the lawful institutions in our country put there to safeguard us from tyrants and ego driven zealots. Answering that call may be difficult. It is not enough to oppose these things he stands for "in spirit". It is not enough to retweet or post something that reflects our objections from the comforts of our home. If we are determined not to permit it then we must be ready to stand in public- to seek out our Representatives in person and tell them to their face that we won't permit it. We must be prepared to march in the street if necessary and let ourselves be seen to defend our values against his outrages. In other words the time for passivity is over. We need to be watchful and vigilant and ready. Tyrants and fools ascend to power when we let them. They count on our passivity and our willingness to simply permit them to act as they will. And if we are permitting it- we have promoted it.
At the risk of this sounding like a crazy rant, I simply urge us all to not take our rights and sense of justice for granted. Every great American leader has reminded us, from our founding, that the things we cherish, can be taken away from us quickly and permanently unless we use our will and our voices to protect them. This country has never been so close to that ominous fate as it now. Let's not permit it.
Thanks for looking in.
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