Saturday, October 5, 2019

Dinosaurs, Dodo Birds...and Republicans...



Say what you will about the Chinese.

Whatever else they are, or are not, they are one funny 1.4 billion people.

You're going to be hearing more about China in the days and weeks ahead, in fact, "a lotta more" as Mr. T's "Clubber Lang" mocked Rocky Balboa in the third of what rough estimates put at forty five, or so, sequels to the Oscar winning original "Rocky",  primarily because Trump has decided that his problems regarding the Ukraine simply aren't problem enough and, so, as he is wont to do, has now included China on his list of FUBARS.

I'll spare you the political details that are going to be inundating your news feeds for the foreseeable and simply offer that, again, the Chinese are funny folks.

In the quest for pristine accuracy, though, let's amend that a skosh.

The Chinese are witty and satirical,with a full understanding of the word "irony".

An explanation of that understanding is coming up.

May you live in interesting times.

You've probably heard the expression somewhere along the way. It arguably falls somewhere on the line of definition somewhere between idiom and aphorism, although, first, the argument could be made that it comes closer to being one than the other, or vice versa, but, second, that given America 2019 is a culture that, in large numbers, still can't get their head, or texting fingers, around the difference between the word "to" and the word "too", there's very little to be gained from further meddling with the medulla with really big words like idiom and aphorism.

So, let's just say, as I just said, that it's an expression you've probably heard somewhere along the way.

Like "may the road rise up to meet you"....or, starting sometime around Labor Day, "may all your Christmases be white".

And for those who prefer their expressions less erudite and more entertaining..."may The Force be with you."

On its face, the expression "may you live in interesting times" has all the earmarks of a standard issue best wishes.

Well, that's where the wit, satire and irony of our friends, and partners in trade war, the Chinese come in.

Put a pin in that. We'll be back to it shortly.

I do a lot of commentary. I do a lot of posting on social media. And I make no apology for anything that I offer in the way of opinion or perspective.

Because, for the moment, at this writing, it's a free country.

I am free to offer what I offer.

You are free to accept, reject, embrace, ignore.

Pick your reaction. Any reaction.

I also offer no denial whatsoever when it comes to any accusations that come my way that I am a mischief maker, inciter, agitator or, as I prefer, given its romantic, global cachet, provocateur.

The point, moreover, the purpose of the provocation is to get you to think.

Ideally, about any, if not all, other points of view beyond our own.

Worst case scenario...to get you to even think at all.

And were the interesting times in which we find ourselves living, a different kind of interesting than the interesting times in which we find ourselves living, I would also be ready, willing, even encouraged to engage, discuss, debate. Share thoughts, trade opinions and perspectives, bounce the old bull session birdie back and forth across the net that divides your side from my side and my side from yours, in the hopes that maybe we could both learn something useful and walk away, if only just a little, more enlightened, more educated, more insightful than we were before our birdie bounce began.

I still do a lot of commentary and I still do a lot of posting on social media. But I don't engage or discuss or debate much any more.

And, on one topic, not at all.

Bet you can guess which topic.

If you can't, clearly you don't know my work and this must be your first time.

Welcome.

I continue to comment and post because I believe that voices were meant to heard and, according to the apocryphal saying, "knowledge without works is sin."

And again, in your garden variety interesting times, listening to other voices would not only be polite, but necessary, even essential.

But, again, these interesting times are far from garden variety and even farther from ordinary.

So, when it comes to Trump and Trumpism, I speak my piece. Or pieces. Let the words fall on whichever ears the fates would have them fall upon.

And when it comes to responding to any responses those words generate?

Here's another expression you've probably heard somewhere along the way.

Don't hold your breath.

All of that said, I am, with this particular commentary, invoking my Michael Corleone clause.

Just this once. Just this once I am going to respond to a response inspired, actually, make that incited by a recent commentary.

The complete commentary itself is almost superfluous in terms of needing to be re-told.

Suffice to say that I read, once again, just one too many defenses, even endorsements, of Donald Trump that was sloppily disguised as a call to respect the office of the Presidency, provide consideration, even fair play.

Sorry. I'm just not having any of it.

For reasons I have been writing and broadcasting on for over three years now. With more to come, given that what has been an annoying fire burning at the edges of our democracy is now about to go full inferno as impeachment now moves off the "one of these days" list on on to the "here and now" page.

The responses from the Trump bleachers were predictable, vigorous and, as usual, vitriolic.

Suggestions that ranged from primal prescriptions that I seek professional mental assistance to the more articulate, always entertaining examples of the more highly educated of Trump's Train passengers that I go fuck myself.

Well, putting aside my own primal urges to respond with a healthy dollop of "right back atcha", here's my "just this once" reply to those who just aren't interested in, let alone intending to, see Trump as anything other than the salvation of the nation, the great orange hope, fuck the five cent cigar, what this country needs is all Trump, all the time, forever and ever, amen.

Or God help us, as the case may be.

Ergo...my reply:

I'm tired. Aren't you tired?

Aren't you exhausted from the constant, back and forth, forth and back, bickering, blustering and bitching with which we have been smacking each other around for going on four years now?

You think I don't get you. You're wrong.

I admit that I don't know how you can continue to endorse, even celebrate, this staggeringly unqualified guy for the job he stumbled into.

But I do know why.

You're just gonna have to trust me on that. This piece needs to be wrapped up sometime before I die and I could list the reasons why right up to, and beyond, that time.

Instead, let me take a sincere shot at making you understand why I cannot, have not and shall not ever endorse, let alone celebrate, this staggeringly unqualified guy for the job he stumbled into.

And if for no other reason than to prevent us from falling back into the same predicable, exhausting back and forth of " I know you are, but what am I" we've been locked into for four years, let me tell you why by way of throwing you a little curve ball.

I cannot, have not and shall not, ever endorse or celebrate this guy....because you deserve better.

Make no mistake. I deserve better, we all deserve better, but, for the purpose of our chat here, let's go with you first.

So, put your posting/texting fingers on pause, close the cupboard on the "snoflake libtard" inane, and totally inaccurate, bullshit that you fire off like a Glock with autopilot and let me tell you, instead of what I don't want (or who, and we both know who), what I want.

I want to vote for a Republican.

I want to vote for a Dwight Eisenhower. A Republican who served his country with the highest honor in our military, who, in fact, led the American armed forces to victory in World War II; a Republican who expanded Social Security, created, and saw implementation of, the Interstate Highway System, created NASA advancing America to the forefront of space exploration and technology, who created the US Information Agency and promoted use of the CIA to achieve military goals through influence and technology, not warfare. A Republican whose morality, respect for America's foundational institutions and sense of duty to country and its citizens was without question........

...not a "Republican" who avoided military service entirely with petty physical ailments, sends every signal that Social Security is fair game for being looted, can't get a simple border wall built, let alone rebuild highways and bridges, shits on the idea of space exploration but wants to spend billions of dollars creating Space Force, a cross between Texas Rangers and The Jetsons, whose morality, respect for America's foundational institutions and sense of duty to country and its citizens has been non-existent to the point of hilarity and/or insanity since the day he decided he wanted to "play at being president..."

I want to vote for a Richard Nixon. A Republican who, despite epic human flaws, ultimately put respect for, and love of,  country above love of self by becoming the first President of The United States to resign the office, when it became clear that he could no longer be effective in the office.....

...not an amoral narcissist who would, and will if allowed, choose to let the ship of state sink to the bottom of the sea before ever letting go of the wheel......

I want to vote for a Ronald Reagan....A Republican who stood firm against Communism, arguably playing a part in the demise of the Communist Party and the, then, Soviet Union, who cut taxes for those in the top tax tiers, but increased payroll taxes to ensure the solvency of Social Security, a Republican who publicly condemned hate groups, respected and supported America's foundational institutions and possessed the skills to inspire the citizenry with oratory befitting his theatrical skills....

...not a "republican" who denigrates, dismisses and disgraces America's foundational institutions, mocks leaders of our allies who dare not show him unconditional love and respect...who fawns over leaders of adversarial countries, like a pitiful child who want, needs, so desperately, to be accepted by the bad boys on the school grounds...a "republican" who will not speak bluntly and directly to the intolerance this nation has always shown white supremacists....Nazis......whose public statements and social media postings are infantile, embarrassing, illiterate.......

I want to vote for a George W. Bush.....whose own grasp of the language often delighted the late night comedy writers, but whose posture as president was beyond reproach, inclusive, with every effort made to endorse inclusiveness, community, faithful adherence to the values that made America great starting around, say, 1776....

...not a selfish, sociopathic narcissist who has one skill, and one skill, only....playing people off one another through lies, fear, bigotry, disrespect, denigration and who fuels the fires of those fears and bigotries and hatreds by promoting the idea of a primarily white society, with the very poorly disguised code phrase "Make America Great Again".

I want to vote for a Republican.

In America 2019, though, that option isn't available.

Because in America 2019, there is no Republican Party.

There is the Democratic Party.

And Trumpism.

And those of you who are spewing at me because I reject your selfish, sociopathic narcissist....I can only offer, and repeat, what I would like to do.

I want to vote for a Republican.

But you've got to give me something I can work with.

Old saying.

Don't piss on my leg and try to tell me it's raining.

New saying.

Don't put a sociopathic, illiterate, narcissistic demagogue in the White House....and try to tell me you've elected a Republican President.

Because that's what you're trying to tell me.

My anger and resentment at what you've done has me oft tempted to simply dismiss you with a blunt "fuck you."

Instead....you deserve better.

May you live in interesting times, the expression goes.

Well, your electing, and, now, continuing to support ,even celebrate, this staggeringly unqualified guy certainly affirms that interesting times is what you have us living in.

Which brings us back to those witty, funny Chinese.

Cue Wikipedia.

"May you live in interesting times" is an English expression......widely attributed as having originally been the translation.....

...of a traditional Chinese curse."

The implication being that times of peace, tranquility, prosperity, et al....are a bore.

Nothing ratchets up the "interesting level" like chaos, disorder and conflict.

In more ways than one, China may, sooner rather than later, have the last laugh.






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