This is the third week in a row my wife and I hoped to support the local movie theater. However, not one of the action, superhero, CGI films made the three quarter of a mile trip worth the effort. Therefore, I suggest theater owners start bringing back some old favorites. Here are just two suggestions.
And…
For what it’s worth.
Dr. ESP
Game of Thrones (GOT) fans know winter has come. If there was ever a question about the threat posed by the white walkers, any doubt was erased as they marched on the barrier which separated Winterfell and the other kingdoms from the peril beyond.
Similarly, a different kind of white walker has invaded the United States. And just like the undead behind the wall in GOT, America’s white walkers have always been there. But as long as they stayed on the other side of a virtual barrier we often ignored them and seldom confronted them. But winter has come. They are on the march emboldened by a failure in national leadership which chooses not to denounce what these neo-white walkers stand for.
How do we combat these invaders? Despite its many flaws, television is the great equalizer. Just as HBO’s presentation of George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Fire and Ice makes it possible for us to visually experience the horror awaiting the residents of the Seven Kingdoms, the same medium opened our eyes to real life tragedy and injustice.
Public support for the Vietnam War was overwhelming until Walter Cronkite brought pictures of the devastation and suffering into our living rooms. White engagement in the civil rights movement was bolstered when black and white video of African-Americans being attacked by dogs and water cannons disgusted viewers of the nightly news programs. The power of television even led to the one time the current White House occupant demonstrated a modicum of humanity. Images of gassed children in Syria moved the otherwise unmovable.
Winter is coming to America. It is going to snow. But we can handle it. So instead of worrying about how viewers might react to seeing white supremacists like Richard Spencer, let it snow. Instead of wasting valuable air time with wall to wall coverage of daily White House briefings in which Sarah Huckabee Saunders either avoids responding to any substantive questions or provides alternative facts which contradict the public record, use that space to televise Richard Spencer speeches.
Don’t cover the protests. Cover Spencer and his clones. Let Americans see for themselves what they profess. Let the public see first-hand how individuals of Spencer’s ilk praise Trump as someone who understands them. Make Trump voters confront the inconvenient truth they are aligned with individuals who share the views of those their parents and grandparents defeated during World War II. This is no longer just about supporting Trump, it is about being a complicit member of a movement which violates every effort to fulfill Lincoln’s dream of “a more perfect union.”
Winter is coming. If we hope to survive, everyone needs to pitch in. The media need to let their viewers see in real time what some of their fellow Americans believe. Anderson Cooper or Ira Melber need to attend these events and let these white supremacists spew their venom for everyone to hear. The protesters need to let the Richard Spencers speak without being interrupted. Their own words discredit them more than any signs or shout downs. And members of the resistance need to encourage people to watch these broadcasts. I assure you it will be disgusting. But that’s the point. MORE PEOPLE NEED TO BE DISGUSTED. And some, as with increased support for the civil and gay rights movements or opposition to the war in Vietnam, will surely have a change of heart.
For what it’s worth.
Dr. ESP
The subject line of today’s post comes from the title of a 1969 comedy album by the now shamed and culturally exiled Bill Cosby. I first heard this album on cassette tape (I kid you not). The performance was recorded at the same time Cosby co-starred with Robert Culp in the series I Spy. As a result, Cosby shared some of his experiences when the series was filmed in foreign locations.
One particular narrative involves Cosby and his wife’s stay at a five-star hotel while filming in Japan. Cosby is anxious to verify the stories he has heard about Keishas and Japanese bath houses. There is one located in the hotel and after convincing Camille he sorely needs a bath, he heads downstairs to the bath house. Upon entering, his reaction is a drawn out, “It’s True! It’s True!” [Historical Footnote: Ironically, the track that includes this bit is titled, “Spanish Fly.” When producer Sheldon Leonard informs Cosby and Culp they are heading to Spain, Cosby tells Culp, “You know what the first thing I’m going to do when we get to Spain? I’m gonna get me some Spanish Fly.” If we had only known not to laugh at this supposed joke.]
I thought of Cosby’s album following this morning’s latest tweet from Comrade Trump concerning the Russian investigation.
Workers of firm involved with the discredited and Fake Dossier take the 5th. Who paid for it, Russia, the FBI or the Dems (or all)?
Per usual, the tweet opened with two lies. Christopher Steele’s account of Trump’s Russian connections has been anything but discredited and no one associated with the dossier has invoked the Fifth Amendment to avoid self-incrimination. But it was the second sentence that caught my attention. The conspiracy theorist-in-chief had attempted to kill THREE birds with one stone. 1) By implying Russia had sponsored Steele’s work, Trump can argue the Kremlin is an adversary, not a collaborator. 2) To further discredit James Comey, why not imply that the agency he directed conspired to bring him down? 3) Suggesting Russia, the FBI and Democrats were in cahoots was Trump’s way of again saying critics and the media are chasing the wrong conspiracy (his way of once more charging “You’re the puppet” as he did in the presidential debates).
Classic Trump. Except for one thing. The timing of the tweet makes no sense. The dossier had not been in the headlines or on cable news for weeks. With special prosecutor Robert Mueller conducting day long interviews with Reince Prebus and Sean Spicer, John McCain’s Liberty Medal acceptance speech denouncing Trumpism and questions surrounding the death of four special forces in Niger, Trump had numerous tweet targets. Yet he chose to raise the specter of the Steele dossier. Why now?
Trying to discredit the document at this particular point in time suggests the White House and/or Trump’s legal defense team has been informed accusations contained in the report have checked out. Otherwise, imagine the White House response if Trump had been told there was no truth to the allegations. Wouldn’t he be railing at Mother Jones, BuzzFeed, the New York Times, Washington Post, CNN and MSNBC for reporting fake news or leading his lemmings in chants of “I told you so”? Absent such push back, in accordance with Occam’s Razor, there is just one logical conclusion. “It’s True! It’s True!” The only questions are, “How much of the dossier has been substantiated and how quickly will that be shared with the public?”
For what it’s worth.
Dr. ESP
This weekend I attended my 50th high school reunion. An enlightening experience to say the least. Of the 70+ members of my graduating class in attendance, perhaps 10 percent were immediately recognizable. (Do they have deteriorating portraits of themselves in their attics?) Another 60 percent were the older versions of themselves you might expect–a few more wrinkles, a little less or grayer hair. The remainder, however, required a quick glance at their name tags. Time had not been so kind to them.
As we exchanged personal histories and career paths over the past 50 years, there was a moment of enlightenment. Those attendees who appeared in good health and still vibrant were the doctors, lawyers and other professionals. Many had left their hometown and lived in places like Washington, D.C., Boston or Los Angeles. Those who were overweight and seemed a bit worn down had stayed at home and pursued blue-collar careers. I am not suggesting they were unsuccessful in their fields or unhappy. But there was a clear cultural divide which for some reason was either transparent or unimportant when we were teens.
This class distinction (pun intended) was most evident as attendees sat down for dinner. One need only look at how people self-selected those with whom they chose to share dinner conversation. And then it hit me. I had never been close to or socialized with most of people at the “others” tables. Some I did not know at all. There had always been a cultural divide. However, without the influence of talk radio and 24 hour cable news to remind us of it, it was just a fact of life. The order of the day was, “Live and let live.” And most importantly, there was no concern those on the other side of the cultural divide affected my ability to succeed in life. We did not believe in an economic zero-sum game. We were all masters of our own fate.
And maybe that is the lesson for these troubled times. Perhaps we need to quit wasting time trying to close the cultural gap. It has always been there and probably always will be. Possibly, we need to rethink the social contract. The foundation would be agreement on a few basic tenets, some of which are already embedded in the Bill of Rights. It might require the addition of others which define a civil society. Then, within that framework, Americans of all walks of life could choose careers and lifestyles as long as they did not violate these principles or expect others to make the same choices.
Some might say that sounds “libertarian.” But just as there is no such thing as pure democracy or a pure free market economy, there is no reason to believe any pure ideology is feasible. This blended approach might best be described as, “Accept always. Impose never.” I know this is much easier said than done. And it would certainly be tested in the courts. Take, for example, the baker who refuses to make a wedding cake for a gay couple. The baker needs to accept the right of any two people in love to marry but knows it does not require he attend same-sex weddings or even socialize with members of the LGBTQ community. Likewise, the couple must accept the baker’s religious objection to same-sex marriage knowing the baker cannot impose his views on them.
You probably think this is unrealistic? So do I. But not because it doesn’t make sense. Rather, because we would need to overcome the most rampant virus affecting American society today–“snowflake-itis.” How can we accept other perspectives when we are offended by the slightest challenge to our personal world view? And we are all guilty at one level or another. I bristle at the sight of a Trump bumper sticker or a MAGA red cap. But these symbols have no impact on my life. I still write my blog. I choose not to associate with Trumpsters. I will continue to do what I can to call out Trump’s incompetence and lack of character and to ensure he inflicts minimal damage to the country or the planet. And as one did, a Trumpster can tell me I need to take my meds. Just don’t force them down my throat.
A Wednesday Postscript
Speaking of things that were different a half century ago. That was when the Christmas season was ushered in by Santa’s appearance at the end of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. Over time, the starting line was moved back to the day after Halloween. Last night, I had to check my watch to be sure it was only October 17th. Surely 60 days each year should be enough to get into the holiday (oops, excuse me, the Christmas) spirit. Guess not. Or at least at Hallmark.
While waiting for the Cubs/Dodgers baseball game to come on, I was surfing through channels when I landed on the Hallmark Channel which was promoting (and I’m not making this up) their forthcoming Christmas movie marathon to begin on November 5th. This increasing infringement on the secular calendar deserves its own label. Perhaps it should henceforth be known as “Xmas Creep.”
It is one thing for a cable network to use Christmas as an advertising ploy. It is their right. As I have the right to flip the channel and find entertainment somewhere else. As private companies and individuals, both Hallmark and I are guaranteed the right under the First Amendment to conduct our religious affairs any way we choose. And the language in that amendment makes it clear that CONGRESS does not have the power to make laws establishing a national religion. Unfortunately, it does not apply to the chief executive.
As he has with most business deals during his career, Comrade Trump has found a loophole where he can do whatever he wants without technically violating the law. Last Friday night at the socially conservative Values Voter Summit (a oxymoron if there ever was one), Trump challenged the spirit of the Constitution if not the letter of the law.
You go into a department store. When was the last time you saw ‘Merry Christmas?’ You don’t see it anymore. They want to be politically correct. If I’m president, you will see ‘Merry Christmas’ in department stores, believe me, believe me.
Really? Trump thinks he can require department store employees to say “merry Christmas.” I’ll let William Shakespeare respond.
It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
For what it’s worth.
Dr. ESP
Following Comrade Trump’s tweet in which he referred to his most recent critic as “Liddle’ Bob Corker,” AOL reported:
The president (sic) has reportedly remarked on Corker’s size before, telling aides that the 5-foot-7 lawmaker was too short to be his secretary of state, a position that Corker was reportedly in the running for.
For me, as Yogi Berra most famously remarked, “It’s déjà vu all over again.” I had the same feeling on June 13, 2008 when NBC journalist Tim Russert died of a myocardial infarction at age 58. I, too, was 58 years old at the time and any misconceived fantasies of immortality were shattered in a “heartbeat.”
Like Bob Corker, I am 5-foot-7. And can only assume any hopes of ever being in Trump’s cabinet are “SHORT-lived.” I began to wonder what other superficial traits might disqualify me for any position of responsibility. That I wear BRIEFs instead of boxer underwear. That I am addicted to PEANUTs. That I enjoy SLIGHT of hand magic. That I sometimes refer to the alleged Trump video from the Moscow Ritz-Carlton as the WEE-WEE tape. Obviously, in Trump’s world, size matters.
Which led me to a new realization about the firing of James Comey. Trump’s willingness to admit the FBI director’s termination was “all about Russia” was just one more lie. It was never about unraveling possible collusion with the Kremlin during the 2016 campaign. Rather, Trump’s ego could not tolerate dealing with an adversary who towered over him. (Although Trump is 6-foot-2, Comey is 6-foot-8). Which also explains Trump’s anger at Jeff Session’s recusing himself from the Russian investigation. At 5-foot-4, Sessions was someone he could TOY with.
There is a biblical verse, “The beginning of wisdom is get wisdom. And with all thy getting, get understanding.” New insights should bring clarity and comfort. Sadly, that is not the case. With apologies to Martin Niemöller, the Protestant pastor who publicly defied Adolph Hitler and spent seven years in a Nazi concentration camp, perhaps it is time to revise his warning no one was safe from Hitler’s animus.
First he went after the Mexicans, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Mexican.
Then he went after the Muslims, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Muslim.
Then he went after the transgenders, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not transgender.
Then he went after football players, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a football player.
Then he went after us–short people like Bob Corker and me—and there was no one left to speak for us.
So, if you are one of the Trumpeteers who believes, because you are a natural born, Caucasian, Christian American, you will never be subject to the “wrath of con(man),” think again. In the end, there is only one, small population cohort that remains safe from Trump’s contempt, the narcissist-in-chief himself and his equally clueless off-spring.
For what it’s worth.
Dr. ESP