Let’s Be Clear What happened on Wednesday in Washington, D.C. may have been shocking in the moment, no one should have been surprised. And I’m not just talking about Trump. This was a predictable outcome of the almost sixty years of Republican Party evolution. From the moment Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act in 1964 the die was cast. The “Dixiecrats” (Southern Democrats) began to leave the Democratic Party and, by 1968, were logical allies with Nixon’s Silent Majority. The unifying factor: Whiteness. From that 1968 election season, right up to Wednesday’s attack on the Capitol Building, the Republican Party has inexorably moved in this direction. It was always the party of corporations --- always valuing property over people--- and, as such, had a disproportionate number of Wealthy White Men dominating the party (Not that the Democrats didn’t --- but the mid-Sixties changed the demographics, creating a deep schism between the parties). Let’s be clear: the Republican Party has been on the path to Trumpism for more than a half-century. A brief look down history’s Memory Lane reveals the Road Signs posted along the way. By the Election of 1968 the United States was in turmoil. The Civil Rights Movement’s and the Anti-War Movement’s strident (and almost daily) demonstrations had created serious division in the United States. One segment --- committed to “liberation” and “peace” --- was demonstrating for equal rights for minorities, for women, for LBGTQ people and against not only the War in Vietnam but also the global colonialism of U.S. power. The other side --- the “establishment,” the “status quo” ---became Nixon’s “Silent Majority” with former Southern Democrats “fleeing” to the Republican Party. The unifying aspect of that party was Whiteness and, slowly but surely, any of the formerly “liberal” Republicans (yes, there was such a creature once upon a time) were peeled off, sent out to pasture, or expelled from the party (check out John Lindsay, Nelson Rockefeller, Jacob Javits, Ken Keating, Everett Dirksen, et al). What used to be the Democratic “Solid South” now moved into the “R” column. States that were solidly Democratic for a century --- because Lincoln had been a Republican! --- left the fold. Once their Party opened its arms to African-Americans (and other minorities) with Johnson’s signing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964 and the Voting Rights Act in 1965, the Southerners fled to a Party that would put their priorities --- the “protection” of White Supremacy ---first. Let’s be clear: this is where the Road to Trump began. (And let’s also be clear that Mitch McConnell is a direct descendant of George Wallace, Strom Thurmond, Jesse Helms, and Trent Lott --- maybe not as overtly racist but certainly someone who will protect property over people, while feathering his own nest.) And then, of course, in 1981, the next Republican President is their icon, their nominee for Mount Rushmore: Ronald W. Reagan. Republicans in the 21st century gush on and on about how “great” Reagan was --- and that makes sense because he pushed the Republican Party so far Right that it led to the Democrats tying their fortunes to “moderate”(right-leaning) Bill Clinton by 1992. But let’s look at Reagan’s record (as noted by Joe Davidson of NBC News in June of 2007).
And then we have the Bushes, 41 & 43: Connecticut Yankees (despite W’s claim of being a Texan), Yale legacies, landed gentry. I won’t even go into detail about just how White these two are. I’ll simply list a few names: Willy Horton, Lee Atwater, Dick Cheney, Clarence Thomas, Katrina. As far as Bush the First goes: he vetoed a civil rights, nominated Clarence Thomas, a Black man opposed to affirmative action, to the Supreme Court while expanding the “War on Drugs,” targeting minorities. George W.’s record doesn’t look quite as bad, but that may be because the expectations for him were so low. His slow response and racist mishandling of Hurricane Katrina is a dark stain on his record (like 9/11, of course) and, while he was not as egregious as Nixon, Reagan, or Daddy, he did not at all open up the Republican Party to greater diversity or inclusivity and would never be confused for a pro-active warrior against white supremacy. The Bushes, quite simply, are poster boys for white male privilege. That’s the foundation and first floor for the House of Trump. What accelerated the reality show con man into national prominence, of course, was his blatantly racist claim that Barack Obama was not born in the United States. Trump already had a track record as a bigoted racist (is that redundant?) stretching back to 1973 (when he and his father denied rental housing to African-Americans) and continuing with his haranguing for the death penalty for the “Central Park Five” (5 Black & Hispanic boys) who, of course, have been totally exonerated (and Trump still insists they should be executed!). The question becomes, then, how is it such an extreme, clearly racist person can become a Presidential nominee of a major political party? The answer is clear: that party is in synch with Trump and has spent the last four years not only supporting but also encouraging him! Only a party that has historically supported white supremacy, that has made no attempt at being inclusive or diverse, that has vilified and demonized people of color for decades would have room for someone like Donald J. Trump. That’s why Wednesday’s attack on the Capitol should not entirely shock us. In supporting a white supremacist demagogue whose sole purpose was to un-do the Obama administration --- to erase any trace of our first African-American President --- the Republican Party showed its true colors. That almost 150 Republican legislators supported Trump’s ludicrous claims of “voter fraud” and 45% of Republican voters support the attack of the Capitol reveals that the Confederate flag and Old Dixie is alive and well in the Republican Party. Finally, the mob that attacked the Capitol was overwhelmingly WHITE MEN and were treated deferentially by the WHITE Capitol police in many instances. Imagine if that mob had been Black Lives Matter demonstrators. It’s time to recognize that this is the logical development of the Republican Party. It is the White Male Party. Period. Let’s be clear.
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Preview: Trump’s “Lost Cause” After the South lost the Civil War in 1865 it only took a year for a powerful mythology to take hold. According to Wikipedia, “The Lost Cause” was: an American pseudo-historical, negationist ideology that advocates the belief that the cause of the Confederate States during the American Civil War was a just and heroic one. This ideology has furthered the belief that slavery was just and moral, because it brought economic prosperity. The notion was used to perpetuate racism and racist power structures during the Jim Crow era in the American South. It emphasizes the supposed chivalric virtues of the antebellum South. It thus views the war as a struggle primarily waged to save the Southern way of life and to protect "states' rights", especially the right to secede from the Union. It casts that attempt as faced with "overwhelming Northern aggression". At the same time, it minimizes or completely denies the central role of slavery and white supremacy in the build-up to, and outbreak of, the war . . . white supremacy is a central feature of the Lost Cause narrative. Yale University history professor Rollin G. Osterweis summarizes the content that pervaded "Lost Cause" writings: The Legend of the Lost Cause began as mostly a literary expression of the despair of a bitter, defeated people over a lost identity. It was a landscape dotted with figures drawn mainly out of the past: the chivalric planter; the magnolia-scented Southern belle; the good, gray Confederate veteran, once a knight of the field and saddle; and obliging old Uncle Remus. All these, while quickly enveloped in a golden haze, became very real to the people of the South, who found the symbols useful in the reconstituting of their shattered civilization. They perpetuated the ideals of the Old South and brought a sense of comfort to the New. (Bold print is mine) One does not have to take a great leap to see how “the Lost Cause” mentality not only animated the MAGA movement and led to Trump’s 77,000 vote Electoral victory in 2016. It foretells the direction MAGA will now morph into. Trump, as we know, will never concede or acknowledge that he actually lost the 2020 election and he will continue to rile his base by way of Tweets and through State Television (Fox News). And that’s where the new mythology of a modern “Lost Cause” will be shaped. If we look at the Wikipedia description of the South’s “Lost Cause” we can see its underpinning was not only white supremacy but also a belief that “slavery was just and moral because it brought economic prosperity.” (bold mine) As we have watched Trump bet his ranch on the Stock Market, on riding herd over “the greatest economy in history” while he systematically defended white supremacists and tore immigrant children from their parents --- putting them into cages! In Trump’s World the pandemic has been a problem only in that it destroyed his economy. So, what will the MAGA “Lost Cause” mythology sound and look like, starting January 20, 2021? With the end of Reconstruction in 1876, the North --- ten years out from the war’s end and tired of military occupation of the Southern states --- acceded to the South’s mythology of a” Lost Cause.” The interest of “reunification” superseded racial and social justice. It wasn’t the first betrayal of African-Americans by white people, certainly, but it was one that shaped the next 145 years. The South, without Northern objection, constructed their Jim Crow world --- and the North, slowly but surely, aided and abetted the white-privilege/white supremacist society (housing segregation, racial profiling and criminalization, etc.). Statues and societies arose glorifying the “Lost Cause” and it has only been in these last few years that U.S. society has begun to exorcise those demons. How can looking at what followed the Civil War allow us to foretell what might arise around us in the next few years? Where the South couldn’t overtly attack the North in 1866, we almost immediately saw a strong strain of literature supporting the “Lost Cause” myth emerge, after the War. We can be sure that Trump and his minions like Fox News, Alex Jones, and Rush Limbaugh will immediately not only glorify the Trump presidency but also incessantly attack the Biden Administration. As we watch the Trump white nationalists and neo-Nazis, the Qanon crazies and Proud Boys gather in D.C.’s Black Lives Matter Plaza, outside 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, we can identify the through-line of the Trump narrative as we go forward. The Democrats are “socialists” and “unpatriotic” who have thrown in with Blacks and immigrants and other people of color as well as white “snowflakes” who “stole the election.” Another strong element supporting Trump and his “lost cause” was documented in Friday’s Washington Post by opinion columnist Dana Milbank (and I have to offer profuse “thanks” to the brilliant jurist, Jim Moyer, for bringing this to my attention). Milbank notes that White Evangelical Christians comprise 26% of the electorate, even though their percentage in our population has steadily shrunk since 2008 (it may be as low as 15% of the U.S. population). What makes that significant --- and directly contributes to the Trump “Lost Cause” mentality --- is that they comprise 40% of Trump voters and they, more than any other group, have responded to Trump’s dog whistles. As noted by Milbank: A Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary graduate who now runs the Public Religion Research Institute, Robert P. Jones, argues that Trump inspired White Christians, “not despite, but through appeals to white supremacy,” attracting them not because of economics or morality, “but rather that he evoked powerful fears about the loss of White Christian dominance.” (bold, mind) The Institute’s American Values Survey from September found overwhelming majorities of White evangelical Protestants saying that police killings of African Americans were “isolated incidents,” and that Confederate flags and monuments are symbols of Southern pride rather than racism. (Smaller majorities of White mainline Protestants and Catholics felt the same way.) Majorities of White evangelicals also perceived discrimination against Christians and Whites and rejected the idea that slavery and longtime discrimination make it difficult for Black Americans to succeed. There was little evidence of differences among White evangelicals by gender, generation or education. They are, as a group, dying out (median age in the late 50s), and their views are hardly recognizable to many other Americans. Majorities of White evangelical Protestants don’t see the pandemic as a critical issue (they’re less likely than others to wear masks), believe society has become too “soft and feminine," oppose same-sex marriage, think Trump was called by God to lead and don’t believe he encouraged white supremacist groups. That sums it all up, doesn’t it? All the elements of the post-Civil War “Lost Cause” is contained in the White Evangelical Christian base that Trump panders to and they will, through their mega-churches and outsized political influence, persist in opposing Black Lives Matter as well as dismissing science regarding the pandemic and climate change while cleaving to their leader who was “called by God” to protect White Christian America. Even though Trump will leave office on January 20, 2021 we will not have seen or heard the last of him and his most loyal followers. The mythology of Trump’s “Lost Cause,” like the mythology of Trump “the brilliant businessman,” or Trump “the billionaire,” will persist, if not grow. If Trump finds (or creates) a media outlet to continue flogging his rancid creed of white supremacy we will be subjected to an onslaught of “Lost Cause” diatribes and screeds. Looking at the Electoral Map, it is becoming more and more obvious that the former Republican Party, now the Trump Party, is shrinking. Texas is certainly becoming purple, as is North Carolina, and only the Belt Buckle of Old Dixie and the deepest Red rural flyover states can be counted on in a country whose demographics are rapidly changing. Nonetheless, the Confederacy’s “Lost Cause” hung on for almost a century and a half so, given that change is happening faster due to technology, we can expect to hear about Trump’s “Lost Cause” for the foreseeable future --- but hopefully not beyond the 2028 or 2032 cycles. Hopefully. Stay safe. Wear a mask. Wash your hands. Don’t congregate indoors. “More Polarized Than We Have Ever Been” Are We, Though? Over the past four years I have tried to reassure myself that Trump’s following was a “cult.” That there was a solid 35% (maybe?) who believed what this pathological lying con man said, and I genuinely believed that 65% of our population was clear-eyed, sane, and saw him for what he was. In the harsh light of last week’s election results, though, I have to re-assess my basic thinking. When over 70 million of my fellow citizens vote for this man I have to recognize that his following is far more than a cult --- and what does that mean about the United States of America in 2020? We’ve been told over and over again (by the media) that we are “more polarized than we have ever been” (often with the caveat – “other than during the Civil War”). Are we, though? As one who spent a significant portion of his life teaching United States History (or teaching people to teach U.S. History), I decided to step back a little to look at our history as a Constitutional Republic, right from the beginning, to determine if we are, in fact, more polarized than ever before. Time-traveling back to the Washington Administration (1789-1797) we can see the emergence of our current two-party system arising from Washington’s competing Cabinet “sons” Alexander Hamilton (Secretary of the Treasury) and Thomas Jefferson (Secretary of State). Right from the beginning, the argument over how much power the Federal/central government should have, versus how much power should rest in the State and Local governments was raging. Hamilton’s Federalist Party and Jefferson’s Democratic-Republican Party began polarizing the United States by the time the 1796 Presidential election rolled around. (Now let’s keep in mind, too, that a huge number of Americans were not even part of the political system in the late 18th century: slaves, women, white men who didn’t own property were all disenfranchised. Does that mean they were “polarized?” Maybe, maybe not --- but they were certainly not invested in the system.) The result of that 1796 reflected just how divided/polarized the nation was, in fact, electing a Federalist President (Adams) and a Democratic-Republican Vice-President (Jefferson) --- which ultimately led to the 12th Amendment, essentially the President & Vice-President had to be members of the same political party. The 1800 election reflected the growing polarization in the country and resulted in something we might witness this January: John Adams, the outgoing President, did not attend Thomas Jefferson’s inauguration (preferring to leave the “President’s House” at 4 a.m. --- distraught about his loss, as well as the death of his son). Jefferson, of course, was the first in what has become known as the “Virginia Dynasty” of Presidents (Jefferson, Madison, Monroe – 1801-1824). The dominance of the Democratic-Republican Party (shortened to “Democrats” by 1828) during this period does not mean the nation was not polarized. Again, we had millions of people --- slaves, women, “unlanded” white male non-voters --- who were not part of the polity, and were, quite possibly, “polarized” as a result. In 1824 we had the beginning of a seriously polarized nation when Andrew Jackson --- who overwhelmingly beat John Quincy Adams in the popular vote (41% to 30%)--- lost the Presidency as the result of a House of Representatives vote (the “Corrupt Bargain” of Henry Clay, the Speaker of the House). The Jacksonian era did usher in greater voting rights (non-land-owning white men got the vote) but, more significantly, it created a scenario we can easily identify in 2020. Jackson was a non-Virginian Democrat: a frontiersman, an Indian fighter, a slave-owner, and, most significantly, a man who despised the Northeastern “Elite” of politicians and bankers. It is not by accident that Donald Trump has a portrait of Jackson hanging in the Oval Office. After Jackson won the election of 1828, John Quincy Adams had to escape out the back door of the White House when Jackson’s supporters actually stormed the building! Jackson is referred to as a President of the “common man” and there was huge division in the nation --- not only between the West (frontier) and East but also between the slave-owning Southern states and “free” states of the North, as well as nativists and expansionists versus those who were gradualists and had a more positive view of immigrants. The Jacksonian Era was the beginning of the inexorable march toward the greatest polarizing event in our history, the Civil War. It should be noted here, as we observe Joe Biden’s 50%-plus popular vote victory that 39% of American Presidents have received a plurality (less than 50%) of the popular vote and won the White House ---- and five of those (including Trump) actually lost the popular vote but won the Electoral College. Eleven Presidents have won the popular vote and the Presidency (Cleveland and Clinton twice each)with less than 50%. My point here is simple: our nation has often been sharply and extremely divided. What I would posit, regarding our current situation, is that we are much more aware of, and sensitive to, the polarization because of the pervasiveness of Social Media and Cable News. Our screen culture has made awareness of the divisiveness that Trump has sown front and center for four years --- and it has been soul-sucking. But I’m not sure it’s any worse, in reality, than earlier splits in our society. Few of us remember clearly McCarthyism and how that was such a hot and divisive issue sticking in the public’s eye on a daily basis. I do remember the mid- and late-1960s and the issues surrounding the anti-war movement, the feminist movement, the gay rights movement and, most significantly, the Civil Rights movement created clear lines in the sand --- some of which were generational (Baby Boomers vs. the Greatest Generation) but much of which was a liberal/conservative chasm. That we are confronted on a daily --- indeed, hourly --- basis with the divisions we are experiencing makes it feel like this is the worst, most divisive period in U.S. history. I would posit that our awareness is heightened and, as a result, we are becoming more and more cognizant of a polar conflict that has existed since even before the Constitutional organization of the Republic in 1789. Basically, we are watching, almost every day, a fierce and concerted challenge to white, male power that has not only dominated our history but dictated (and written) it. That all of us have now clearly seen how police treat people of color on a daily basis, we are dmanding a broader, deeper examination of the system that allows such injustice to exist. It brings into question how other minorities of all stripes (brown, red, yellow, gay, female, trans, disabled, etc.) have been mistreated historically. Yes, it is that “white male patriarchy” --- but it’s no longer simply on a page in academic textbooks. Our incessant screen-watching culture (at least in part) is now demanding we start confronting the longstanding system that privileges (wealthy) white men above all others. Does this explain why 70-plus million citizens voted for Trump? Almost three out of five WHITE voters voted for Donald Trump. That is the power of the White Male Patriarchy. Mitch McConnell embodies that power and he is hanging on with his black and blue talons for dear life. So, yes, we are polarized --- but is it anything it new? Maybe we are finally turning a corner, albeit slowly, and frontally assaulting those who control the levers of power. That change is long overdue. Stay Safe. Wear a Mask. Wash your hands.
Take a Deep Breath One of our 2020 through lines has been the chant of “I can’t breathe,” the words of the late George Floyd (and, before him, Eric Garner). Currently, I am hearing “I can’t breathe” from many of my closest friends (particularly the Lovely Carol Marie). They are not the victims of “bad apple” police officers, of course, but are suffering from 2016 PTSD. As we get closer and closer to November 3rd many of us who can’t imagine four more years of Donald Trump are paranoid because of what happened in 2016. I am writing this in hope of allaying, to some degree, the 2016 PTSD/paranoia so many seem to be suffering from. Let’s simply look at the facts --- and, yes, even the polls --- and take a deep breath. Biden is leading in the polls, even in many “battleground” and “possibly purple” states and, I know, you’re going to tell me “So was Hillary” but there are a number of mitigating factors that make this different. Here are some of the items you need to consider that might help you breathe more easily. #1. The 2018 Election and the “Blue Wave” that swept the Democrats into uncontested power in the House of Representatives. That is not an insignificant fact. A mid-term election (which often move away from the incumbent President) seldom has the turnout been as significant as it was in 2018. And we know that we are seeing huge turnout in early and mail-in voting. Do you really think most of those people are voting for Trump? #2. Pollsters learned a great deal from the 2016 election --- about how, exactly, they fucked up. They were not, by the way, as far off as many people now characterize it but the Media failed to reveal the flimsiness of Clinton support to viewers/listeners. My only fear right now --- and I ask anyone reading this to keep this in mind --- is that whatever media outlet you pay the most attention to will keep telling you this “race will tighten up” as we get closer to November 3rd. That is not necessarily true and what it reveals is that most of these broadcast “journalists” are basically building their Maginot Line --- fighting the latest war based on the last one --- which could well be a gross miscalculation. #3. Biden and the Democrats have not missed why Hillary lost. Her failure to campaign in Michigan and Pennsylvania (beyond Philadelphia) and Wisconsin cost her 77,000 votes and, more importantly, 46 Electoral votes.(which would have resulted in a 280 to 258 Clinton victory). Three other factors that will help Biden bring “battleground” states into the fold are: Barack Obama, Michele Obama, and Kamala Harris. We know that there was low Black voter turnout, particularly in Detroit and Milwaukee, that probably cost Clinton those states. I will guarantee that will not happen in the 2020 election. #4.The Coronavirus. The Trump Administration’s gross mishandling of the pandemic, and its subsequent torpedoing of our economy, will have electoral consequences. Again, my greatest fear is not that there will be some Silent Trump Majority that miraculously appears on November 3rd (He has never reached 50% approval or support in four years!) No, my fear is that too many of my friends --- and people of their ilk (intelligent, caring, kind souls, generally) --- will continue to wring their hands, hang their heads, and, yes, even lose some sleep, until they actually see with their own eyes that Trump has lost the election. #5. Donald Trump. We are all suffering from “Covid Fatigue” at the moment but it’s nothing compared to the Trump Fatigue that has worn millions of our fellow citizens to a nub. He is pleading with “Suburban Women” to like him, while threatening them with Cory Booker and hordes of Black people “invading” their suburbs. He is not some kind of political “mad genius” who pulled a miraculous rabbit out of the Electoral Hat in 2016. He rode reality-show celebrity, latent White Rage (particularly toward Obama), and an opponent who was disliked as much as he, into the White House. But four years of the White House Apprentice has exposed Con-man Trump for who he is. The Lincoln Project, Republicans Against Trump, and numerous other former Republicans are marshalling forces against the re-election of this dotard. #6. The “October Surprise.” We know that James Comey’s letter, announcing a re-opening of the FBI investigation into Hillary Clinton’s emails eleven days before the election may well have influenced those 77,000 votes that swung the election Trump’s way. What’s our “October Surprise” in 2020? So far it’s been Hunter Biden’s emails found on a laptop mysteriously left at a computer shop in Delaware (where the owner of the shop is an avid Trump supporter) and uncovered by Rudy Giuliani, crimefighter. The laptop’s hard drive then found its way to the Rupert Murdoch owned New York Post (by way of Steve Bannon?). The reporter who wrote the story would not allow his name to be put on the byline because the story’s provenance was so questionable. When that didn’t gain any traction we suddenly have a revelation from the Director of National Intelligence (John Ratcliffe, a Trump toady) about Iranian (and Russian) “interference”(again, e-mails, this time supposedly from the Proud Boys threatening people to vote for Trump) --- and that “revelation” just happened to coincide with the day Barack Obama hit the campaign trail for Joe Biden (and was dominating prime-time news until Ratcliffe’s 7:30 pm “emergency” announcement). The only real surprise here is just how blatantly incompetent this Administration continues to be --- thinking the 2016 campaign playbook will work again in 2020. Yes, the Electoral College allows for another miraculous chance but I don’t see it. The Republican Party is bereft of ideas and has become the Trump Party. They didn’t even create a Party Platform for this election! They simply said, “Read the 2016 Platform,” --- that’s their plan? I saw a news story last night (I believe it was on CNN) which was about a group of Trump supporters in Deep Blue Oregon. They all made at least $100,000 a year and were on a Dune Buggy weekend retreat, replete with Trump/Pence flags. When asked why they supported Trump their answers were consistent: money. To a person, they simply said they thought Trump would “protect” their wealth --- they had “worked hard” and didn’t want to see the government “give things away” to those who didn’t deserve it. Oh, did I mention they were all White people? Yes, those folks are out there --- not White Men/Women without a College Education. They are people who are like Donald Trump. They value their money and their things most --- and genuine patriotism, empathy, compassion are only elicited when discussing or looking at someone who looks like they do and believes as they do. The Republican Party slowly evolved into the Trump Party, tracing its roots back to the 1968 election, when Richard Nixon and George Wallace appealed to the “Silent Majority” and White racists, respectively. Over the years, those groups coalesced under the guidance of Ronald Reagan and the Bushes (who were advised and guided by the likes of Lee Atwater, Roger Ailes, Roger Stone, et al) and they found a patron Saint in Mitch McConnell, who has made himself rich while overseeing the destruction of minority rights (particularly voting), government safety nets, and opposing any progressive reform for women, the LBGTQ community, LatinX, Native American, or African-American populations. That’s where we are. And November 3rd could well see a generational shift, a Blue Tsunami, if you will, that may not only throw Trump out but also turn the Congress (Senate and the House) blue. I only hope the Democrats will not be afraid to wield power the way the Republicans/Trumpists have for the past half-century. Seeing how effective the Lincoln Project’s advertising is, it is no wonder the Republicans have acquired the power they have --- those guys fight and they’re not afraid to fight dirty, if necessary. Maybe it’s time for liberals/progressives/Democrats to become a little less nice and not only acquire the power of office but use it. Wash you hands. Wear a Mask. Vote. , Trump Has Covid.
Does he, though? On Friday I wrote skeptically about Donald Trump’s positive Covid-19 test (Covid Karma or Covid Con?) and a number of people cited how many of Trump’s associates (beyond Melania) were also reported to have contracted the virus. It’s Tuesday, October 6th, and Donald Trump is back (miraculously?) in the White House --- after a classic “Mussolini Moment” on a balcony, removing his mask and saluting Marine One, which had transported him from Walter Reed Hospital. He taped a national address in which he stated: “Don't let it dominate your lives. Get out there, be careful,” which is, of course, dangerous, possibly lethal, advice --- and also noted “Maybe I’m immune,” which is grossly ignorant if he did, indeed, test positive! What I would like everyone to take note of (and this may be wading into serious “conspiracy theory” swampy water) is who are the people claiming they have also contracted the virus? Does anyone else find it “interesting” that only a relatively small number of Trump’s closest allies have claimed they have the virus. Let’s look at who, exactly, has tested positive since Trump’s case was “revealed.” Here’s the list that Reuters has compiled. Chad Gilmartin – White House press office staffer. Karoline Leavitt – White House Communications aide. Kayleigh MacEnany – White House Press Secretary Hope Hicks – Presidential Advisor Ronna McDaniel – Republican National Committee Chair Senator Ron Johnson – Trump sycophant from Wisconsin Senator Thom Tillis – Trump sycophant from North Carolina Senator Mike Lee – Trump supporter from Utah Bill Stepien – Trump’s Campaign Manager Governor Chris Christie – still hoping for a second-term Cabinet post Kellyanne Conway – former White House counselor Rev. John Jenkins – Notre Dame University President Nicholas Luna – Trump’s “body man” Rev. Greg Laurie – a pastor who was at the Amy Barrett Rose Garden Ceremony And 11 staffers who helped put the Presidential Debate together. And, of course, Melania. Again, maybe I’ve been infected with the Conspiracy-19 Virus but does anyone else find this list a little suspect? After watching the “President’s” miraculous 4-day infection and “recovery,” --- and given how much lying and misinformation we have been bombarded with over the past 4 years --- I find it curious that the rest of the Trump family (that was sitting mask-less during the Tuesday night debate) has miraculously avoided contracting the virus. If you examine the list of all the “positive” testers above they are all people who have a vested interest in supporting the President’s lying about this illness. I know, Trump is (purportedly) pumped up on experimental drugs and still under close observation and 24/7 medical supervision but, after watching last night’s piece of performance art by DJT I am more and more skeptical about this entire episode. How is it Mike Pence has miraculously avoided testing positive? And what of Rudy? And Mark Meadows? And all the others who traipse in and out of the Oval Office without masks? ( I don’t doubt that poor Barron is free from disease since I’m sure he spends no time in contact with his parents.) As Trump recklessly tells the public there is, essentially, nothing to really worry about, we are seeing infections and deaths rising in the upper Midwest and some Rocky Mountain states and, even though we are only 4% of the world’s population, we account for 20% of the Covid deaths worldwide. Trump claimed he “learned a lot” about this disease from supposedly contracting it. Did he, though? Did this man, who has shown no capacity for learning anything, take any lessons away from his (alleged) “bout” with Covid? It seems there was no “lesson” other than one that serves his continuing misinformation campaign and ongoing desire to wish this pandemic away. After writing Friday’s BLAST, I received an email from my former roommate (for about two weeks, I think), lifelong friend, and Federal Magistrate, Jim Moyer (aka “Moyers”) which was, straightforwardly, this quote from Fitzgerald’s Great Gatsby: They were careless people, Tom and Daisy- they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made Substituting “Donald and Melania” for “Tom and Daisy” really sums up our situation, doesn’t it? It’s almost immaterial if Trump has actually contracted the virus or not at this point, isn’t it? It’s all political theater, new episodes of the White House Apprentice. Unless he actually is infected, and there is a serious, virulent second wave of it for him, we will have to live with the tweets, the rallies, the debates with Biden, and the endless stream of lies and misinformation until (we all hope and pray) January 20, 2021. Stay safe. Wear a mask. Covid Karma or Covid Con?
Donald Trump has tested positive for Covid-19? The man who has lied over 25, 000 times during the last 4 years is telling us he has contracted the “Democrat hoax” China virus? Excuse my cynicism but even though I’m not a huge fan of Michael Moore, I have to admit, his argument that this is just another con is not without merit (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/michael-moore-donald-trump-fake-coronavirus-b750245.html). Another voice in my head, of course, says, “Ah, Karma is a bitch!” and, while not wanting 45 to succumb to the virus, I’ll admit to not feeling much sympathy for the charlatan. However, with Trump falling further behind in the polls, particularly after his lunatic-fringe performance in the first Presidential Debate, why shouldn’t we believe this is Phase One of Trump’s “October Surprise?” Imagine this: Trump “quarantines” and receives “treatment” at Walter Reed Hospital for the next week and then, miraculously, emerges virus-free! Imagine the claims we’ll hear; “It’s not that bad. Look how tough I am!” Why should we believe that any of the information (controlled by Mark Meadows, Mike Pompeo, and Bill Barr) we receive over the next few days/weeks will be truer than any of Trump’s thousands of salacious statements? Phase Two will be Trump’s Lazarus-like revivification shepherding the Amy Coney Barrett nomination through the Senate confirmation hearing, thereby setting up his Supreme Court to rule on his “contested” and “rigged” election claims (and why should we believe that Barrett will recuse herself and that Roberts, Gorsuch, and/or Kavanaugh will suddenly grow a conscience or gonads?). Finally, Phase Three will be that Trump announces (during a final debate?) that he was “cured” by Pfizer’s miraculous vaccine, which he has already ordered several billion doses of for the American people (clear, blatant lie, of course, but . . . .). I do not put any of this past this Grifter-in-Chief. But, what if? What if Trump actually does have the virus? And what if all those people he was in contact with over the past week —- at Barrett’s “coming out” party (the already infected Utah Senator Mike Lee and John Jenkins, President of Notre Dame), at the Debate, at the campaign stops and fundraising event in Bedminster —- begin to drop like flies, contracting the disease? If all these people — or some percentage of them, large or small — do contract the virus, what then? How does that effect the coming election? What do the Democrats and Biden do? (And, of course, what if they don’t contract it?). Trump admitted that he downplayed the severity of the pandemic, all the way back in February/March. He deepened the cultural chasm that he exploited to win the presidency by disdainfully claiming masks were not a necessity, that keeping our economy open was more important than the quarter million lives lost. The irony would be too great, of course, if he should genuinely, physically suffer from (or succumb to) this virus. The United States makes up 4% of the world’s population but accounts for 20% of the pandemic’s fatalities —- and Donald Trump is the primary reason for that grim statistic. Yet, I’m not sure I believe he is genuinely ill. The evidence of a Senator and University President testing positive point toward the possibility of Trump’s illness being real. But this man has lied so, so, so many times —- along with his sycophants —- why should we believe that he is actually sick from this virus —- particularly when he is so desperate to win the election? I’m writing this at 7:45 p.m. on Friday evening (October 2nd) —- who knows what the news will be 24 hours from now (or 24 minutes from now)? If he’s truly ill, I hope he recovers and I hope this is not all a ruse. If it does turn out to be just another staged piece of Trump’s reality show, I can only hope that the American people not only see through it but are outraged by such a cynical and callous ploy --- and VOTE HIM OUT! Wear a mask. Wash your hands. Stay safe.
Markers It’s 19 years since the Towers fell. If you were alive, and if you are old enough, you remember exactly where you were when you first heard the news. I had just started driving down Angell Street in Providence, Rhode Island, on my way to the Brown University Education Department, when I heard Warner Wolf on the Imus in the Morning Program trying to describe what he was seeing in Lower Manhattan --- a plane had struck one of the Twin Towers. I turned around, went home and flipped on the television to see the damage. The memory that is indelibly seared in my mind was seeing the second plane on the horizon, flying low over the Hudson River and banking left as it appeared just south of the buildings. It was a horror-movie moment. I knew where that plane was headed and couldn’t do a thing about it, watching in disbelief, in the slow-motion, suspended-time that overtakes our senses in a moment of trauma. Both Towers were in flames and we were speechless, horrified, confused, frightened. We heard about the Pentagon, about Shanksville, Pennsylvania --- would there be more and more tragedies as the day went on? Were we under a prolonged attack? We didn’t know. 9/11 is one of the markers in our collective memory. For Baby-boomers there is a list of such markers (Sputnik, JFK, MLK, RFK, Watergate, the Challenger, Oklahoma City, and then 9/11) --- as well as for the Greatest Generation (the Baby-boomer parents): the Depression, Pearl Harbor, V-E & V-J Day, McCarthy, plus the Baby-boomer list --- and now we can all add this Pandemic. For anyone born after 9/11, the Pandemic is probably their first marker --- an event they will remember throughout their lives, a touchstone. Given that we’re in the midst of this crisis, however, we lack perspective. When we look back at any of those earlier events that constitute our markers we see them through a (personal) historic lens --- each of us providing an angle or view created by personal circumstances (how old were we, where were we, who were we interacting with, etc.). Today, in the midst of this crisis, we can’t apply any perspective whatsoever --- it’s simply too soon. Those who remember 9/11, think not only about that day but the period that followed: the uncertainty, the garbled facts slowly being put together, the conspiracy theories that emerged (the Bush Administration was behind it! Jews were behind it!) and so forth. 9/11 was a singular traumatic event --- a day that served as a rock in a pool of tragedy. 2997 people died that day --- and thousands have succumbed since from the lingering effects of the toxic rubble. As of this morning there have been 192,000+ deaths from Covid-19 and there’s no sense of an end in sight. Unlike marker events for earlier generations, the prolonged nature of this Pandemic makes it far more unsettling. That it is an “invisible enemy” only adds to our trauma --- a “once in a century” event is greater than most of us can wrap our imaginations around. Understandably so. While earlier markers for Baby-boomers were predominantly singular (Watergate being an exception --- but it was within a scope, a Constitutional framework we could grasp), this pandemic is more like our parents’ generation’s Depression --- which continued over years and years. It’s lethality was more subtle and not as dramatic. Today is a clear, cool day --- just as that Tuesday in 2001 was. What happened, in that immediate moment, was incomprehensible. And here we are, 19 years later, facing another incomprehensible moment. We have already spent 6 months isolating, wearing masks, washing our hands incessantly, socially distancing, keeping hand sanitizer everywhere --- and there’s no clear end in sight. Schools are attempting to open, colleges are scurrying to deal with early outbreaks, the NFL started its season last night and the U.S. Open is headed into its “Finals” weekend as Major League Baseball is trying to cobble together a foreshortened “season” in hope of crowning a World Series champion. Kids are trying to make sense of a world that makes no sense and the adults they look to for help and support have no answers. As a former teacher, there’s nothing more frustrating than not being able to help your students. I can’t even begin to imagine what it’s like for parents. Watching the Lovely Carol Marie’s children deal with the grandchildren (ages 14, 11, 9, 4.5, and 6 months) has a heartbreaking element to it, despite their best (and herculean!) efforts. Speaking to friends who are teachers (and the LCM’s daughter, of course) it is mind-boggling to consider what is required this September --- whether it’s “remote learning,” or in-school, or some “hybrid.” The lack of leadership --- starting at the Federal level but filtering all the way down through State, county, town, village, and school board levels --- has also made this crisis all the more excruciating and debilitating. As we reflect on the 9/11 of 2001, let’s try, as best we can, to seek some perspective, considering how we can make the most of each day in these trying circumstances, and support everyone in our community. The politics of our time makes that difficult --- Covid “truthers” and “no-maskers” are a problem, but let’s err in the belief that most of our fellow citizens are well-intentioned and trying, as we are, to make the best of a horrible situation. Ultimately, things will change. By the 20th anniversary of 9/11 we can hope that we’re looking back on the worst days of the pandemic as history and we’ve got the energy that, traditionally, new school-year Septembers have always brought us. It’s not the best news I could deliver but I’m not sure what alternative to look for. Stay safe. Wash your hands. Vote on November 3rd! A Hazy Shade of Winter Time, time, time See what's become of me While I looked around For my possibilities . . . . . Hang onto your hopes my friend That's an easy thing to say But if your hopes should pass away Simply pretend That you can build them again (Paul Simon’s Hazy Shade of Winter: Originally released October 1966 as a single, then included on the 1968 Bookends album) In the fall of 1967 I arrived in New Haven, Connecticut as a member of Yale’s Class of 1971. Yale, at the time, was still an all-male institution and was an eye-opening New World for me. Coming from a large comprehensive high school, I never knew people from prep-schools (I knew two Bay Shore guys who had gone off to Loomis and Choate, respectively, but it never really registered as to what that meant). My class was the first to actually have admitted more public school graduates than “preppies ” --- part of Yale President Kingman Brewster’s plan (along with Admissions Director Inslee Clark) to change the University from a “finishing school for prep-school boys” to a diverse, internationally prominent “world-class” university (see Geoffrey Kabaservice’s The Guardians for a detailed account). What I discovered was that my prep-school peers had already learned about living away from home, signing up for classes, getting to the bookstore, and all the other aspects of leading an “academic life” away from home. Those first few weeks are a hazy memory now, as my classmates (which now include women --- we were Yale’s first co-educated class, another aspect of the Brewster/Clark plan) and I are filling out surveys and biographical information in preparation for our 50th Reunion in New Haven next June (pandemic notwithstanding, of course). Thinking about that reunion, I remember that, no matter where you went to high school/prep school, we all shared a very important common memory when we arrived in New Haven in September 1967: November 22, 1963. We had all lived through the assassination of John F. Kennedy and it was a touchstone for us: “Where were you when you heard about it?” That shared memory then led to other exchanges, stories about what high school was like, how you ended up at Yale, what your interests were, etc. Thinking about that, I began to consider what it will be like when the Lovely Carol Marie’s oldest grandson, Cody Baker, goes off to college in the fall of 2024 --- where he and his classmates will share their “tales of the pandemic” as part of their freshman-bonding experience. Thinking back to the Kennedy assassination as a jumping off point, I believe it was the first in a series of events that began to shake my generation’s belief in the stability of long-standing institutions. With the Vietnam War escalating over our remaining years in high school and the assassinations of MLK and RFK during our freshman year in college, the call to action, to resistance, to change was inevitable. There was a sense that we had been sold a false bill of goods (“The American Dream,” the white picket fence, the “All Men are Created Equal” mythology) and the reaction was explosive. The political upheaval led to aftershocks we are still dealing with (when you consider how the Reagan-led Republican Party based its philosophical core on “un-doing” the legacy of the Sixties, Trump’s attempts to reverse the Obama years seems a logical extension of that Party’s evolution). Again, as I considered how all of what occurred over the years between when I started high school and when I graduated from college (1963-1971), I realized how much those years/events contributed to the adult I became and the life I lived. I’m wondering what this pandemic’s effect will be on Cody Baker and his generation. Thinking about starting high school in the fall of 2020 and graduating from college in 2028, what will history hold in store for these young people? What we already know is that the College class of 2028 will arrive (hopefully)on campus in the fall of 2024 with their unique “tales of the pandemic.” My hope is that it will not be a deep scar but, rather, an extended “moment” of shared stories and experiences that will serve to bond the Class of ’28 in ways that are as unique as the assassinations and Vietnam War shaped the Class of 1971. Other than both situations being “notable” events from the long-range historian’s point-of-view, I think this pandemic will take a significant toll on these young people and can only hope that they will demonstrate the energy and resilience we have seen in past generations faced with pandemics, Depressions, and World Wars. Unlike my Class, where the JFK assassination was a uniquely American event, the Class of 2028 will find that all its members, no matter where on Earth they hail from, will have lived through this pandemic to greater and lesser degrees. What might that mean? Thinking about what more months of “remote learning” might mean for our nation’s 14 year-olds (as well as all our other schoolchildren, of course) is a daunting task. Having been a high school teacher for over 40 years, I often told “civilians” all that people really remember from high school are the social and athletic events --- proms, football games, drama and music productions, etc. If you ask someone what they remember from high school, it is highly unlikely they will ever say, “Oh, man, my sophomore year Geometry Class was amazing!” or “I’ll never forget 11th grade AP U.S. History!” What is the Class of 2028 going to remember about their freshman year --- and what will the long-term effects of that be? We’ve already watched one class go through “virtual” proms and graduations (and it ain’t pretty) --- illustrating how people will try to make the best of a bad situation --- but what will this mean to those kids, like Cody Baker, who were hoping to go to their new school and make some new friends, meet some new (and, hopefully, inspiring) teachers, play on school or intramural sports teams, participate in Band or Orchestra or the Drama or Musical Productions? Kids are wonderfully resilient but this challenge will surely test the mettle of all of us. How do we, the caring adults in the community, buoy these young people? This pandemic is tough on everyone but, sitting here as a retired 71 year-old, my life has not been radically altered --- I miss seeing friends, going out to dinner or the Diner, and heading into New York City for live theater or music productions --- but none of that compares to losing those first few months of Freshman Year in high school! Recognizing that high school is not always the greatest experience for every student, and recognizing that, in retrospect, very few of us remember much about high school (who clearly remembers their high school graduation?), I still can’t help but feel that this Pandemic will be more than a “simple” story these students will share with their new classmates during Freshman orientation in 2024. It is not natural for young people to be isolated for this long (we are seeing how there is a “cavalier” indifference to warnings about face masks, congregating, etc. by teens and people in their 20’s) --- there is a natural inclination to socialize, to take risks, to “test” things. But this virus is unforgiving and, in good conscience, we cannot and should not allow our young people to put themselves in dangerous situations (like schools and classrooms). Nonetheless, we can never anticipate the unintended consequences of any decision we make and we will only know, as the years go on, what the long-term impact of this pandemic will be on those young people who are starting high school this year. I would only advise that we try to be as understanding and supportive as we can be while simultaneously doing all we can to keep them safe. Thanks for reading. Wear a mask. Wash your hands. Norway and Our Bitter Pill Monday morning, August 3rd. Listening to NPR around 7:30 a.m. and one of the commentators says, “We, as a nation, are going to have to take the bitter pill if we want to get control of this virus.” Elaborating, the “bitter pill” was straightforward: wear masks, social distance, and close many businesses that have been re-opened too soon. At the heart of it was a simple plea --- we must all engage in national sacrifice for the greater good. If we could follow some simple rules (mask, distance, wash hands, close congregate assembly spaces) we could probably get a handle on the virus in 6 to 8 weeks. Think about that. Imagine if we had had National Leadership starting in March, when STATES were first closing (ordered by their Governors). There probably wouldn’t be controversy about opening schools or about slowly reopening our economy. The Lovely Carol Marie recently received a missive from a relative in Norway, who proudly cited how that country’s sense of national commitment to a common purpose has put them in a position to resume somewhat “normal” life. Curious as to how that happened (and recognizing that Norway, of course, is a much smaller and much more homogeneous nation) I did some research and think it’s worth reading this article by Ann Jones in The Nation, dated May 8, 2020. It sums up why, on August 3rd, we are still in the quagmire of this pandemic. Here’s the link. https://www.thenation.com/article/world/coronavirus-norway-lockdown/ In addition, here is the blog-post (written by an American ex-pat living in Norway) that the Lovely Carol Marie shared with me. It’s worth reading and reflecting on as we head into an autumn that demands we protect our election and vote Trump, McConnell, Graham, and the rest of them out of office. Here’s the post. One Word Spared Norway From COVID-19 Disaster And what other countries can learn from its example Kelsey L.O. July 20, 2020 I’ve been an American expat in Norway for over eighteen years. And, I have to say, never have I been more relieved to be stuck in my adopted country. It seems that back home, a select group of individuals has grossly misinterpreted the promises of the American Dream and what it means to possess personal liberties. You know who I’m referring to; the people in the viral videos you see screaming at and spitting on store clerks when asked to put on a mask. The same people who believe being asked to be considerate of other people’s health is an affront to their freedom. It’s not hard to believe that there might be a correlation between that me-first attitude and the rising number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S as record highs are reached every single day. Meanwhile, in Norway, things have been moving towards the direction of everyday normalcy for a while now. And it’s a privilege that I don’t take for granted as I watch my home country from afar struggle to keep its shit together. With a low number of confirmed cases and COVID-19 related deaths, Norway has managed to achieve what many countries around the world are still striving towards, keeping their people safe. Just take a look at Norway’s neighboring country and “big brother”, Sweden. Sweden has become the social pariah of Scandinavia as its high percentage of cases and deaths make it difficult to want to welcome them with open arms. For the first time in modern history, Swedes are barred from crossing over the border to their neighbors in the west. So, what exactly has Norway done to avoid catastrophe and get things back on track? What makes it different from its neighbors, the U.S., or even the rest of the world? The answer lies in a concept that isn’t exactly unique to Norway but is all the same born from its cultural heritage. It only took one word to rally the Norwegian people together. I would reckon that most people have heard of the Amish “barn raising”, where Amish communities have an all/hands-on-deck approach to raising new barns in a short period of time. Few would recognize the word dugnad if it were brought up in casual conversation, though. It’s a concept that is untranslatable but plenty explainable. Dugnad (pronounced doog-nahd); a Norwegian cultural tradition where community members work together towards a common goal, for the greater good for all. Dugnad derives itself from the Old Norse word dugnaðr, which means “help” or “good deed.” It can be traced back to as early as the Viking Age, where villagers would work shoulder to shoulder to their bring ships on to land from the sea after excursions. And in the 14th and 15th centuries, it was used by rural farming communities to prepare for harsh winters, disease, and other hardships in order to survive together. Everyone had skin in the game; therefore, everyone needed to help out. The tradition continued into the 20th century as the labor movement gained traction, where social-democratic ideals that valued equality, justice, and a collective “we can do this together” spirit further cemented dugnad into Norwegian cultural DNA. Ask any Norwegian off the street what “dugnad” means today, and they’ll tell you that it’s usually met with eye rolls and sighs from most people, and optimistic enthusiasm from the Leslie Knope-types with clipboards and binders. It’s used to gather neighbors in apartment buildings or suburban neighborhoods to rake up leaves in the fall and get ready for winter. Little league soccer teams use it to organize fundraising efforts between parents and athletes by selling hotdogs at games, or Costco sized toilet paper packs door-to-door. Dugnad is not a one-person job. It’s something done in collaboration with others to create a better life for everyone in the community. And though it can be a pain in the butt to rake leaves with your neighbors on your day off, a sense of civic duty supersedes any annoyance one may hold. It is the Norwegian way, after all: bite your teeth together and get what needs to be done, done. March 12th, the day Norwegians were called for a national dugnad. March 12th has now gone down in Norwegian history books as the day that everything changed. It’s up there with April 9th, 1940, the day when the Nazis made their way up the Oslo fjord starting a five-year-long occupation; or July 22nd, 2011, when a far-right extremist committed an act of terrorism against a government building and a camp for Labor party youth. But just like those two other turning points in Norwegian history, the people chose to stand together in their fight against this new invisible enemy. Only hours before the first official COVID-19 death on Norwegian soil, Prime Minister Erna Solberg took the podium on national television. She reminded Norwegians around the country the importance of bearing hardships together as a people: “It has now become absolutely crucial that all of the country’s citizens and residents participate in a national dugnad to slow down the spread. We are doing this in solidarity with the elderly, chronically ill, and others that are especially vulnerable in developing this serious disease. We have to protect ourselves in order to protect others. We will stand together through this period in time- not with hugs and handshakes- but by keeping our distance from one another. It will require a lot from each and every one of us. We need to care about one another and help each other the best we can. We have gotten ourselves through tough times before- I am absolutely certain that we will achieve this once again.” Daily life came to an immediate halt as schools, offices, gyms, nursing homes, bars, restaurants, and all other public places nationwide were closed with a few hours' notice. The weeks following were wrought with fear as Europe became the epicenter of the pandemic. News from devastated Italy and Spain sent chills down people’s spines. Avoiding a similar situation to Italy and Spain became Norway’s number one priority. Whole industries shut down, and unemployment reached an all-time high with jobless numbers not seen since WWII. The world-renowned welfare system of Norway was put on the spot while it churned out unemployment support to those in need with unprecedented pressure. Companies, organizations, and cultural institutions were propped up by billion-dollar bailouts as the government tapped into the trillion-dollar commonwealth fund. People were sacrificing their daily lives and losing out on a lot by participating in the national dugnad. Yet, even while facing hardship not seen since the war, Norwegians stayed a steady course as they all did their part with minimal complaint. The definition of a modern dugnad quickly became synonymous with staying indoors at home, instead of raking leaves with neighbors. What other countries stand to learn from Norway. The official shutdown phase lasted nearly two months, with multiple briefings a week and encouragement from the government to keep up the conjoined efforts across the population. And from May on, things started to resemble the normalcy of pre-COVID times as the shutdown was cautiously lifted bit by bit. Families and friends were reunited. Gym rats returned to their treadmills. Bars welcomed their faithful patrons back for a round of celebratory drinks. Even the younger kids at elementary schools had the opportunity to return to school for the last few weeks of the academic year. All because of the collective mobilized effort of 5+ million people. So, when I saw President Trump’s tweet about Norway and its opened schools, I didn’t know whether to cry or to laugh. As someone who both participated in and witnessed the unified endeavor in Norway, it was almost insulting as it dismissed the hard work that Norwegians put in to get to the point of reopening society. I can’t help but wonder how differently the present situation in my home country would be, had we had a similar traditional concept such as dugnad in place. Would we be leading the world in fighting the virus instead of fighting each other over the usages of masks? How could dugnad affect other areas that we struggle in, such as racial and social justice, corruption in both the public and private sectors, and the current political divisiveness across the country? What the United States and the rest of the world stand to learn from Norway when it comes to handling this global pandemic is this: when a community comes together under the pretense of creating a better reality for themselves and their neighbors, great things happen. And in this case, great things = saved lives. And while things are not completely back to normal, and COVID-19 is still very much a looming threat worldwide, Norway included; the collective effort of the Norwegian people is admirable. It has not only its people and leadership to thank for succeeding in avoiding COVID-19 disaster in the initial shutdown, but its historical collectivist mindset where equality and civic engagement is encouraged and valued. It may have taken only one word to rally the Norwegian people in the fight against the pandemic, but it took a deep appreciation of community to implement it. Thanks for reading. Stay safe. Our Medieval Executive Back in the late 1990’s and early aughts of this century I was teaching at Brown University. Amid those ivy-covered walls there were often debates about “modernism” vs. “postmodernism.” Modernism, by definition, is “a style or movement in the arts that aims to break with classical and traditional forms,” whereas “postmodernism” is defined as “a late-20th-century style and concept in the arts, architecture, and criticism that represents a departure from modernism and has at its heart a general distrust of grand theories and ideologies as well as a problematical relationship with any notion of ‘art’.” All of that is very heady, of course, and is the type of debate one expects to find confined to the groves of academe. I bring it up here because, while trying to make sense of the bizarre historical moment we find ourselves in, I realized that concepts like “modernism” or “postmodernism” couldn’t be further from what we witness on a daily basis, where we are subjected to observing the flailing of what I can only describe as a failing medieval monarch. As such, Donald J. Trump has no awareness of “modernism” or “postmodernism.” In fact, I believe he qualifies as a pre-Gutenberg, pre-literate being, at best. If we consider the evolution of Western Civilization, the distinct dividing line between the “Modern” world and earlier history is defined by the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment (also known as The Age of Reason). The Medieval Period, or Middle Ages, preceded that break in Western history --- and that is where we find Donald J. Trump firmly situated. The Scientific Revolution, a period where the flat-Earth conspiracy theory was finally dismissed, along with the equally incorrect notion of Geocentrism (everything revolves around the Earth) ushered in an “Age of Discovery” and the Protestant Reformation. Gutenberg’s printing press and movable type expanded the middle class, promoting vernacular language over elitist Latin, another step into the world of modernity. None of that progress has ever entered Donald Trump’s world. Like our Medieval forbears, Trump is a believer in superstition, conspiracy theories, and magical thinking (aka – “religion” --- in the Middle Ages, an extremely corrupt Roman Catholic Church held Europe and its population hostage to Papal whims and rigid doctrine). Like Middle Ages monarchs, he believes in a variation of their theory of regal divinity --- Trump believes in his “Divine White” of superiority over everyone. Like a Middle Ages Monarch, Trump has his own version of the “Crusades,” singling out Muslim populations for exclusion (if not elimination!) and has instituted his own variant of an Inquisition, with his suppression of migrants (particularly children) along our Southern border. None of what he does is based on any tenet developed during the Age of Reason/the Enlightenment. Trump, in fact, has shown a stunning ignorance of the philosophy that created our founding documents and principles and he has, quite clearly, never read a page of the Bible. Trump’s basic impulse for authoritarianism is one of his most recognizable Medieval traits, in fact. Examining Trump’s (lack of) response to the Coronavirus pandemic, as with his conspiracy-theory notions about Climate Change, illustrates not only an ignorance of science but a lack of understanding or respect for the critical aspects of the discipline. In Bill Barr he has not only found his “Roy Cohn” but, in the context of what we’re examining, his Cardinal Richelieu (I know, he’s a Renaissance/post-Renaissance figure but it’s such a great parallel!). From my perspective, Bill Barr has distinguished himself as America’s Iago. But I digress. What we see in Donald Trump is a man who is not only learning-disabled and intellectually stunted, but also trapped in a mindset that is 600 years old and totally inappropriate for the world of 2020. Just as Medieval monarchs did not know how to deal with the Plague in mid-1300’s Europe, Trump has shown an equal inability to grasp what is going on regarding the pandemic. Worse, we can absolve those Medieval Monarchs because the Scientific Revolution had not yet occurred and they had no idea how those rats and fleas were infecting their populations. Trump, on the other hand, willfully chooses to not only ignore the science but to actively rail against it. Like numerous Monarchs throughout history, Trump’s belief that he is the center of the universe and all must revolve around him, only puts his inadequacies in high relief. I don’t think this analysis makes any difference in our assessments of Trump --- whether it is the Peter Principle, the Dunning-Kruger Effect, or his apparent similarity to Medieval monarchs --- we are stuck with him, a man “promoted” above his level of competence who is too ignorant to know how ignorant he is and who acts like a ruler from the 14th century, before science or Reason began to hold sway with Western thinkers. Our only recourse is to make sure that people vote on November 3rd (if not sooner!) and we not only remove Trump from office but also dismiss his sycophantic House of Lords in the U.S. Senate. As citizens who believe in Science and understand the Enlightenment, it is the least we can do. |
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