Month: January 2022

The prevailing national concern, at present, is the dogged persistence of the Covid virus, in all its mutational personae. Yet, despite medical statistics, which report a far more favorable rate of prevention and cure by submission to vaccination, and the recommended prophylactic protocols of mask and distancing, there are many ignorant Americans, who continue to adamantly resist compliance.  One would ordinarily assume that an individual would, in his own interest and of those around him, [the virus being highly contagious] avidly pursue those recommendations.  However, many, resignedly, do not having eschewed any available intelligence and self-determination, in their cultish obeisance to Trump’s populist and ignorant regime.

The above recitation illustrates only one relevant illustration of the perverse effects of the Nation’s bourgeoning accumulation of under-educated, poorly informed citizens.  It is that portion of our population, which, in addition to the above irrational obstinacy, persists in evincing atavistic, racial and religious prejudice,  that actively seeks to interfere with the [minority’s] voting franchise, exercises a blind, selfish and history-denying, opposition to immigration, that, opposes the natural right of women to make autonomous decisions about their body, promotes gun ownership [in the face of the uncountable number of tragic shooting incidents], deprecates science and learning, and completely ignores environmental concerns, including the existential threat of global warming.

The profound nature of their ignorance continues to be an imminent danger to our democracy, as was publicly demonstrated last year, by a violent, bloody, insurrection; mounted by a cohort of such “underbelly” American denizens, against the Capitol Building in Washington D.C., and purposed to illegally, and unconstitutionally, set aside the result of a proven valid, Presidential election. The outrageous, and unprecedented incident was, affirmatively and publicly, inspired by the perverse loser of that election, the dangerous, egocentric, would-be, autocratic czar, Donald J. Trump. Shocked and disillusioned, right-thinking American Citizens are now, expectantly, anticipating punitive retribution for the wrongdoers and their financial supporters. It is regrettable, that, observably, no action regarding the amelioration of the source of such threat to our Nation has been studied and proposed.

It would be unforgivable and conceivably, dangerous to “throw up our hands,” and resign ourselves to an assumption of an eternal existence of this class of ignorant, limited and discontented people. A suitable and effective solution to this sociological and political problem, is vitally needed.

Our recommendation would be to approach the problem by the uplifting of the eternally, angry and discontented, underbelly of the Nation’s population. It has been our view that the portion of our population, lacking in education and possessing only a limited, reductionist perception, [of themselves and their environment], have little possibility of personal life-enhancing, self-esteem and communal participation. Such a veritable, arid desert, of hopelessness and dissatisfaction, ineluctably, leads to frustration and, presumably, the need to project the blame elsewhere, i.e., on blacks, Jews, government.

We have, on many occasions, referred to the prescient admonition of Thomas Jefferson, to the effect that an educated and informed citizenry is required for the success of a democracy. It is our view that the dynamics of our following prescription have the dual potential of securing democracy and, as well, enhancing the lives of such disillusioned and disappointed citizens. The suggested approach is consistent with the theme and eternal message of this blogspace, regarding the nexus between self-fulfillment and happiness. It is our firm belief that a more knowledgeable citizen would have a richer, more thoughtful and more fulfilling life and participatory citizenship. History affirmatively shows that education is the great equalizer, financially, socially and politically. Our suggested program would incorporate the following:

• Requiring High Schools to have a core curriculum, to include, in addition to literacy, mathematics, American History, geography and High School level Science and Mathematics.
• Extending mandatory education to 4 years of High School [flexible hours for working teens]
• Upon graduation, in addition to a diploma, graduates would earn, a lifetime voting certificate, the latter, mandatorily, required to vote [at the attainment of legal voting age.]

With respect to “(c),” the existing voting Statutes would require alteration to accommodate the new educational voting requirement, adjusted with the date of its enactment. The creation of a more rounded, aware and thoughtful citizen, would be a positive addition to our representational democracy. There is scant democratic or practical value, to our representative democracy to the efficacy of votes of ignorant and unaware citizens, proven vulnerable to demagoguery].

Especially relevant to our principal theme, however, is the personal benefit to the formerly rudderless, discontented citizen, who would acquire a new and enlarged perception of life, and conceivably, an awareness and increased involvement therewith, which will positively, lead, personally,  to a more fulfilling life, and, Nationally, to a thoughtful and useful citizen. 

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In mitigation of the discomfort engendered by the dual attributes of advanced age and a painful back, we spend a considerable portion of the day in the intimate embrace of a large, adjustable, leather chair. Our country home, situated at the edge of a large woodland, in Kingston, New York, is benefited by a great room, [or,” living room”], with a high, vaulted ceiling, big clerestory windows and rooms with see-through, framed glass walls. As a consequence, the indoor impression is one of being outdoors, amidst the trees and greenery. Much of the time thus spent in such comfortable venue, reading, watching movies or television news, is punctuated by appreciative glances through the nearby large picture windows, at an uninterrupted outdoor ambiance of alternatively, verdant or snowy, woodland; and most excitedly, at the appearance of woodland animals, including, deer, wild turkey, birds, squirrels, woodchucks and several others.

We saw him, the other day, upon routinely looking up from our reading. He appeared to be a beautiful example of the coyote species, with lush gray and black winter-coated fur, solitarily, padding, along the snowy ground. To our astonishment, [perhaps, our imagination] the beautiful animal appeared to look back at our window. We understand that It is not common, in this geographic location, to actually see this animal [a rather recent, territorial immigrant, from America’s Southwest] and, conceivably, just as uncommon, to see him ambling about singly, without an accompanying pack. It was, to our, [admittedly, creative] perception, as if he were paying us a brief personal visit. Our somewhat bizarre, perception of the event, admittedly, was no less than surreal; but that bizarre reaction warrants some empirical and rational explanation; and we would humbly request, of the reader, a bit of patience.  

The sudden, surprising appearance of this recently transplanted animal, as indicated, seemed to evoke, in us, a surreal and autobiographical moment. It is to be noted, as previously written, that our family, its life, perceptions, and environment has, over the years, likewise,  been significantly reconfigured and uprooted in venue, in previously unforeseen and truly substantive manner. It was, subjectively, as if this transitory coyote was our personal, symbolic biographer.

Regular followers of this blogspace are aware that we have previously offered a series of essays on the subject of our childhood lives, as first-generation Americans, living in the nuanced ambiance of newly arrived, Ashkenazi-Jewish Immigrants in 1940’s Brooklyn. We briefly described the large and aging, brick apartment residences, the exotic olfactory mélange of Old World cooking aromas, the electric- sparking, trolley cars banging along on iron, street-level tracks, the remaining horse-drawn carts of, fruit vendors, old clothing [junk] collectors, knife and scissor sharpeners, the coal barrel deliveries through steep chutes, running down from the street level windows to the building cellars, and of the streets and back alleys, the mucho- macho ice delivery men, the diverse pushcarts, ethnic food stores, and the poor and antiquated synagogues.

Primarily, however, we sought to create a visible cameo of the displaced, newly arrived, Russian immigrant, his recent escape from a life of violent anti-Semitic pogroms and personal privation, and his aspirations for a future American family; such thoughts, obsessively, spiced with the ruminative recollection of his past, nightmarish life, in the dark, cold and personally vulnerable “Old Country.” His was a mandatory and existential, migratory life change to an exotic new territory and life. We also attempted to colorfully, but respectfully, allude to his dedicated, dignified, but often frustratingly, comedic efforts, to “Americanize,” with especial reference to the new presenting language, but also, the alien ambiance, pace and folkways, of the “New World,” of the extant, Brooklyn, New York.

We venerate and extoll the adaptive genius of the beautiful coyote, as symbolizing and paying tribute to the human immigrants of goodwill, who, like our parents and other America’s immigrants, made, and those who aspire to make, a new and better life in this land.

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Recently, the United Nations Food Program identified Yemen, as having the World’s largest food crises, not driven, primarily, by conflict. It found that nearly, one-half of its entire population is severely undernourished, and more than one-half of its young evince stunted growth due to scarcity of food. Similar gruesome conditions appear to exist in far too many areas of the globe. Lack of food, reportedly, is a significant cause of war, and, empirically, most wars are causes of lack of food. Aggravating the sad situation, as we read the news media, is the ever-increasing incidence of internal wars and insurrections.

As related in an early blog, [“THE OATMEAL SOLUTION”] when driving, we took notice of the many large World War 2, naval vessels floating, uselessly, in storage on the Hudson River, in view of the highway. We posited the suggestion that these unused vessels be sufficiently sanitized, refitted and reengineered, to healthily store, vast amounts of cooked, nutritious oatmeal, for shipment to areas of the globe, needing food assistance; regardless of previous designation, as friend or foe. We were then of the opinion, that a well-fed, World population would be less likely to go to war, that American-international relations would be uplifted, and that such an action would be an appropriate exercise of moral empathy. We are still of that view. The graveyard of Naval Vessels conceivably may not still be there, yet the sentiment, founded in empathy and peacekeeping, persists.

Needy countries would be notified, in advance, of the intended gratuitous deliveries, however, with the mandatory admonition that the food be responsibly, distributed only to the needy areas and bearing a notice that the breach of such mandatory requirement would, summarily, result in the immediate cessation of the food program.

 Belligerent, hungry Nations, ex., North Korea and Communist China would, predictably, be less saber-rattling. Other Nations, so assisted, presumably, would tend to seek better and closer relations with the U.S., and, as well, their neighboring countries. The above program as conceived would be a supplement to the traditional modes of seeking peace, viz., arms control agreements, treaties, and student, athlete and culture exchanges.

One recalls, in Shakespeare’s instructive, classic play, Julius Caesar, the protagonist looks at Cassius and warns, “Yon Cassius has a lean and hungry look.” Perhaps some hot, nutritious, oatmeal [with raisins] would have amended the classification, of the great work, from the literary category of  ”tragedy,” to that of comedy [he only had two categories.]

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It is more than disconcerting, to consider, that the very same anti-democratic individuals, most especially, the fascistic, White Christian Supremacy groups, whose militant aspiration is the so-called, preservation of an “all-white Christian Nation,” are factually and inarguably, the descendants of those white Christians, who inhumanely and forcibly, abducted to these shores, the forbears of the black and brown people, they would now wrongfully, seek to exclude.

It is to be borne in mind, that the North American Continent was, originally, populated by indigenous, brown skin people, in possession of their own rich culture and valued beliefs, and not White Christians.  Moreover, if such reductionist bigots were, by some, unprecedented, chance, to consul the recorded American history, they would also discover that their propagandist meme: “America was created to be a White Christian Nation,” is far from the truth. History reveals that the Founders, were not religiously oriented, being, predominately, agnostics and deists. It is relevant and determinatively significant, that the U.S. Constitution contains absolutely no reference to a Deity. As the Founders sagely articulated, if one were to put “God” in the Constitution, he would thereby, exclude “Man.”

Additionally, it is no less than, incredible, to note, that this identified, anti-democratic, “underbelly” of America, has consistently and vehemently, opposed immigration. It takes but little thought to realize that our Nation is populated, 100%, by immigrants and their descendants, with the sole exception of the referenced, earlier, Indigenous Peoples. However, as has eternally been the case, problematically, rational understanding, objective perception and accurate information, were never strong suits of America’s bigoted, loud and belligerent, underbelly. Their nightmarish myth concerning the tragic replacement of a white America, by a mixed racial America, is an anthropological concern, more appropriate to the loyal sycophants of Herr Adolph Hitler, than the realistic and healthier, morality of Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson.

In earlier writings, we felt the need to emphasize the [all-to-obvious] fact, that one’s race, religion and ethnos, are involuntarily determined, and acquired by the happenstance of his birth,[ as distinguished from choice]. Our salient point was, that physical differences are biologically and non-preferentially, distributed.  It would appear to us, that the phenomena of prejudice, fear or animus regarding  “others,” different from oneself, racially or culturally, [“we” and “they”] are lessons, often, unartfully taught and ratified, by well-intentioned, nurturing people; insensitive to the problems they unwittingly create, by their mode of instructing the young as to identity. It is an existential prerequisite, to the ultimate reduction of prejudice and human conflict that, in addition to teaching the culture and beliefs of the family into which the child has been born, that he be aware that there are many other, different and acceptable cultures and beliefs.

In the unique creation of an experimental, Democratic Republic, the Founders sought to eliminate the historical European injustice of privileged birth and societal entitlement. They decreed equal status for all [then, implied, white] citizens, a sociologically limited inheritance, charitably understandable in the context of their times. More recently, as morally appropriate, interpretive legality and common understanding have [justly] enlarged “equality” to be the identical birthright of every American, regardless of culture or race.

This principle, especially includes non-interference with the citizen voting franchise, an egregious democratic misdemeanor, apparently being the anti-democratic darling of the Trump cult, and shamefully, at present, being legislatively affected, by many Republican State Legislatures.

In the years prior to the Civil War, and the consequent, 13^th Amendment, people who, by the accident of birth were, unfortunately, born black [viz., any color but unquestionably, white] were either enslaved or, if free, treated like far less than equal American citizens. Indeed, it was late in the period of American Slavery, that the Supreme Court of the United States, [“SCOTUS”, J. Taney] legally decreed, that a black, runaway slave, named Dred Scott, was not a man, but a mere item of agricultural equipment [a “chattel”] and therefore, could be legally recovered by his [it’s] “owner.”

Fortunately, times have radically changed, and have progressively, been improving, so that the concept of equality has been well on its way, toward the moral goal of universality, by means of education and, when necessary, by mandatory Statute and instructive case precedent. Universal equality, America’s eternally prized mantra, is the aspiration of every right-thinking citizen. However, too many atavistic, apparently, emotionally flawed, individuals seem to cling, like rock or tree lichen, to the pernicious dogma and, abhorrent practice, of racial prejudice.

Among the latter folk are many who desire to exclude the darker periods of American history, like slavery, from the teaching of America’s history. It is our view that the tactical exclusion from the curriculum of American education, of its darker moments [viz., slavery, the government’s treatment of the indigenous residents of the land, the tuning back of the ship, the “Exodus,’ containing 5,000 fleeing Jews, in 1947, to a certain extermination by Hitler] amounts to dishonest, autocratic- style censorship.

By contrasting choice, acknowledgment of our historical mistakes is empirically and instructively, essential, for the Nation’s growth and moral advancement; and, empirically, as well, as a credible testament to the efficacy and objective value of [our] recorded historical accounts.

All right-thinking Americans, irrespective of their nuanced, racial and cultural inheritance, must affirmatively stand together, as fellow Americans, motivated by the common moral, aspiration towards the maintenance and preservation of the Democratic Republic in which every citizen is an equal participant and beneficiary.

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We have noted an unsettling, almost palpable concern, presumably, arising from the widespread trend in citizen, anti-democratic, sentiment. The latter seems, to encompass the virtual entirety of the Republican Party, which, alarmingly, constitutes one component of our established, two-party system.

 Policies favored by said recently, turned aberrational party, are inclusive of, the ratification of Donald Trump’s, fascistic, “Big Lie,” the voter suppression of minority communities, opposition to the women’s right of abortion, the denigration of science [including medical science] and education, in general, the atavistic perpetuation of  Jim Crow policies, the opposition to immigration, the politicizing the Judicial System, including SCOTUS, the denial of global warming and the sociopathic support of unhealthy, large polluting industry, and the shameful maintenance of an unjust criminal justice system.

It is disturbing to additionally, observe that the members of that party’s cultish homage to the defeated and despicable, Donald Trump, leading to the unprecedented mounting of a violent and bloody, Trump-inspired insurrection in Washington, the dedicated actions of Republican controlled, State Legislatures, officials and Trump sycophants, to distort the American vote [the salient ingredient of democracy], to hobble progress in civil rights, and in historically, 1930’s Weimar Republic style, to pervert and morph democratic government in the direction of autocratic fascism; featuring the despicable, Donald Trump, as the desired autocratic despot.

One can almost feel a cold, insidious and ominous wind, perilously blowing in reverse to the direction of our current of Democratic government. The salient, operative, question, is, what to do about it?

The comfortable, inactive of many American citizens, to occupy the posture of a mere spectator, of National events, an analogous tendency to a sports stadium, hot dog eating baseball fan, is no longer feasible; if the present trend towards a pernicious autocracy [fascism] is to be defeated. The protection of our precious personal freedoms and American lifestyle now requires more than simple or, inactive, attendance, as if at a “spectator sport.” To the extent that the latter, conceivably, was ever tolerable, it is, inarguably, not so, under the extant circumstances. We cannot, and should not reliably look, to our government or other fellow citizens, to fix, or to restore, matters, respecting this present clear and present danger. American freedom loving citizens, must actively and conscientiously, place themselves in the mix, of what, metaphorically, is this existential “contact sport,” if the Founders’ American experiment and our natural liberties, are to continue.

It is of the utmost importance that every citizen remain well informed. Reading reputable newspapers such as The New York Times and The Washington Post, published by the legitimate media, observing the current events, by the patronage of principled and objective television media, is a daily must. The most important of all strategies is voting for democratically suitable candidates, federal and local. Also recommended, where possible, is active attendance at town halls or other public meeting events, and, as appropriate, voicing one’s opinion as to the intrinsic value and equal rights of every American citizen.

When relevant and appropriate, voice your opinion, instruct your children and, if necessary, other adults in the legal and philosophical underpinnings, of universal equality. Do not remain silent, but, be sure to emphatically, object at the recitation of racial, or ethnic jokes. Do not be reticent, in any assemblage, in the expression of your views. [Enemies of democracy are certainly not soft-spoken]. What is mandatorily required is an articulate, groundswell of assertive, democratic voices, to counteract today’s extant, broadcasted, autocratic demagoguery.  We cannot permit the ignorant roar of vociferous opponents of democracy, to drown out the reasoned, moral and historical arguments of its defenders.

It is no less than existentially important, to maintain publicly demonstrated confidence in the certain and undeniable, continuance of our Republican Democracy; fear and anxiety are of tactical use and value to the opponents of democracy, and can even embolden such detractors. 

America has successfully survived a bloody Civil War, the violent and corrupt, 19^th Century Reconstruction Period, The McCarthy Proceedings, the scourge of polio, various epidemics and two World Wars. Through the confident expression and affirmative maintenance of our American ideals, together with the exercise of prudent reason, we will as done eternally, prevail over this latest outrage and source of citizen angst.

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The violent insurrection at the Capitol Building in Washington, like the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, has similarly, been termed a “Day of Infamy.” As known, many hundreds of American protesters were involved, notably; members of its undemocratic, right-wing Christian White Supremacy Groups. Seven lives were lost and millions of dollars of property damages incurred. The effort was to set aside the result of a certified, democratic election, incited by Donald J. Trump, the defeated candidate.

While, conceivably, the motivation of the individual insurgents may have respectively, varied, as we have declared, in previous writings, there was uniformly expressed, a shared discontent. In most cases, we presumed that the ego mechanism of “projection,” was operative, so that the varied causation for such unhappiness was unjustly, displaced, e.g., the government, “liberals,” people of color.

Mainstream American citizens, shocked and concerned about this existential threat to our Republican Democracy, seem unified, in their desire that the participants, planners and supporters, of this autocratic insurrection, be appropriately, punished by the Justice system, as a future deterrent. There are a substantial number of mainstream American citizens, who maintain the expectation, that the punishments, meted out will not be adequate to discourage future misguided zealots from such aberrant, fascistic, behavior.

We too, have concerns about such delusional, Trump cultists, tactically, perceiving such jailed miscreants as “martyrs,” or as “political prisoners, notwithstanding that either perception is, factually, absurd and ridiculous; but, empirically, no more ridiculous than the “Big Lie,” itself, and the plethora of conspiratorial, paranoid ideations, bandied about by Trump sycophants.

As an additional matter, incarceration is very expensive and it may be felt that these deluded faux patriots, have to date, wrongfully cost our Treasury, enormous sums of money as a result, of their illegal and delusional attempt at an undemocratic coup.

Following some personal rumination, we are pleased to declare, that we have successfully reached what we perceive to be, a just, pragmatic and acceptable solution to the problem. However, first, a brief geographical note and recitation of certain specific current events might seem in order.

[Geographic note]: Kazakhstan is a huge country, far bigger than the size of Western Europe, situated in Central Asia, bordering Russia and China, and granted independence in 1991, following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

[Current Events]: Kazakhstan, an unquestionably, autocratic and repressive Nation, is, presently, in the throes of an enormous revolt and insurgency, from its angry and oppressed population. Our readings indicate that said autocratic State suffers from corruption, inflation, political repression, authoritarianism, police brutality, human rights violations and significant civil unrest.

[Solution]: The peace and tranquility of two separate nations can be mutually, be achieved with the exercise of a bit of rudimentary [albeit innovative] imagination. Neither the American cohort of insurgents nor the Kazakh revolutionaries are happy with their National plight. The American insurgents seem most anxious to surrender their democratic rights [vote, universal equality of opportunity] in exchange for an autocracy and an autocratic ruler [in this case, Donald J. Trump]. The Kazakhs, by contrast, are revolting against autocratic rule and its concomitant oppression.  

Would it not be the ideal solution, instead of the expense and trouble of incarceration by America of insurgents, and the public firing squads, for Kazak protesters, to have a mutual exchange of permanent citizenship and residences, of the relevant, discontented, insurgents, similar to long-term, Air B&Bs, and thereby, ameliorate their respective revolutionary angst? Why not, officially identify the International Program, “Burgers for Borscht”?

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In the immediate, preceding writing, [# 635 “Song of the Discontented”], we chose to presume, that the fundamental motivation of the individual, January 6, 2021 insurgents, and conceivably, the run of the mill, Trump acolyte, amounts to an all-pervasive discontent with personal life, and the emotional need, to project such mundane disappointment, on others; such as government, people who look different, or on “liberals” or immigrants. Our recommendation to individuals, needing more depth and affirmation in their lives, has consistently been, the pursuit of personal elective interests, seems eternally, disregarded. Compounding the problem is the empirical difficulty, inherent in the amelioration of any non-specific, or generalized, as opposed to defined, grievance.

Historically, the motivation for insurgency or revolution is the product of defined, attributed causation, viz., American Revolutionary War- independence from England; Russian Revolution- overturn of the Czarist aristocracy; French Revolution –revolt by the lower against the upper, privileged class. Our thematic conundrum is, as follows: in a Nation guaranteeing, free speech, liberty, and the right to the pursuit of happiness, what can logically and empirically, ignite and fuel such revolutionary outrage?  The apparent answer, bizarrely, seems to be the enduring, mesmerizing effect of an errant, unprincipled, “pie-in-the-sky”, mendacious demagogue, on a substantial receptive, cohort of ignorant malcontents.

There has been no noticeable revolutionary cry, by example, for bread, for freedom, independence or main justice. The sole, discernable demand, of this underbelly of the Nation, seems to be the irregular and undemocratic restoration to the office of the Presidency, of a twice impeached, mendacious, ignorant and autocratic hazmat to the Republic, Donald J. Trump. Mr. Trump who, in his one term of office, had already proven to be an ignorant, dishonest, bigoted, egotist, possessing no acumen for the office, whatsoever. Shockingly, and in a shameful and autocratic manner, Trump, as outgoing President, has failed and refused, to procedurally, pass the baton to the winner of the election, Joseph Biden; as is historically, consistent with democratic government; but instead is responsible for directly, fomenting the unprecedented insurrection.

There is an apocryphal folk tale, bearing a symbolic general message for the Nation, most specifically, the cultish Trump sycophants:

Two elderly, world-weary, travelers arrived in town. It was cold, and already past mealtime. The two, being very hungry, had as their sole possession, an old worn, pot with a lid, but, unfortunately, no food with which to make themselves a meal. Their requests for food, from townspeople, had gone ignored.

 In the Town center, amidst several local people, they put some water and a smooth stone in the pot,  and then lit a small wood fire under the covered pot. Several townspeople approached the travelers and inquired as to their activities. They explained that they were cooking some delicious stone soup for dinner. The gullible onlookers stared at each other and at the simmering pot. They were amazed when told by the travelers, in response to their questions, that the stone would make a delicious and satisfying soup, but that it lacked a bit of garnish to make it simply, wonderful. In exchange for the travelers’ promise to share the miraculous soup, one person brought some carrots, another, potatoes and peas, and yet another, a piece of fatty beef. Several townspeople watched, hungrily, as the two old men cooked and stirred the soup pot. One villager brought spoons and bread, another some soup bowls.

When the traveler announced that the “Stone Soup,” was ready, the soup bowls, spoons and bread were distributed, and the shared soup was unanimously, declared, “Delicious”; but not before the round, stone was removed and discarded. This is the best soup we ever had, said some of the villagers. The two elderly travelers were too busy, hungrily eating, to respond.

It may acceptably, be said that the tale is about “sharing.” However, by adamant contrast, we would prefer, in the context and circumstances of our contemporary political scene, to recite the tale as one about gullibility and ignorance. Our analogous “stone,” would be slick, orange-haired, and inedible and the tale, itself, chiefly, about fraud and deceit of the gullible.

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On a great many occasions, we have wrestled with the enigma as to the motivation of those Americans whose contemporary mindset appears to reflect an insurgency against the liberal principles and relatively non-intrusive operation of our reasonably, competent, democratic republic. Their loudly expressed opinions and overt actions, [the most extreme of which was the January 6, 2021, violent insurgency against the Washington Capitol Building,] which, if conceivably successful, would seem, ultimately, to, lead to a steep descent into autocracy, portending a far less free and spontaneous life experience for all concerned.

It has been, ominously said, that the next Presidential election will determine the nature of the country we will inhabit. Our Nation, it seems, has been generally, bifurcated, into two competing constituencies; one of which, remains fully in favor of the precepts of universal equity, the unfettered right of every citizen to vote, and the implicit responsibility of government, when necessary, to render assistance to the needy citizen. The other, to supporting racial and religious preference, voting regulation and diminished government participation in the lives, business and welfare of the citizenry.

It was the latter cohort, in its crude intolerance and adolescent rashness, that chose to mount the violent insurrection; erroneously based upon the false, fascistic and tactically manufactured, “Big Lie,” [“stolen election,”]  tactically authored by the defeated, Donald Trump, purposed to overturn the result of that [certified, as correct] democratic, election. Those protestors and the Nation’s balance of Trump sycophants, would, thereby, engineer the setting aside of the vote, and thoughtlessly, the keystone institution of the democracy itself. In an earlier blog, we warned such ignorant, errant citizens, to be wary of what they ultimately wish for, viz., the cold iron fist of autocratic rule.

It has ominously, been said that the next Presidential election will determine the nature of the country we will reside in, as in the present, free, republican democracy or an autocracy, such as monstrously exists in Putin’s Russia, or Oban’s Hungary.

It is no less than crucial, that Congress pass the current Voting Rights Bill, as, yet another formal and articulated expression of Americans’ universal right to vote, the latter, being the salient criterion of a Democratic Nation. Yet, it may fairly be observed, that we have historically passed voting rights Statutes, [in addition to the U.S. Constitution, as it is contemporaneously read]. It is the theme of this writing, that, while the relevant enactments,, must be passed, the salient causes of the problems of inequality and of race and religious prejudice, apparently, are not intrinsically, legal ones.

It has been in our empirically considered observation, that we cannot depend upon Statutory Law, alone, to preserve democracy. As stated, to date, we may possibly have a surfeit of legal enactments providing for the preservation of an equitable democracy. It is essentially, the relevant people, who have to be convinced of the essential morality of universal equality and of personal worth. We have in our Nation, a huge conglomerate of varied individuals, discontented with their lives, who feel that their lives have no meaning and that the latter, is the fault of the government.

We certainly do not presume to infer that such discontent, or lack of meaning, is in any way, the responsibility of government. To the contrary, our democratic republic certainly does not discourage literacy nor self-advancement; the latter being the best route to a more fulfilled life experience. It is difficult to imagine any redeeming or perceived value in a daily life, pursued solely, in an ignorant, unaware, and insular manner. In fact, the foundational, and eternal purpose of this blogspace, is the encouragement of self-advancement through the conduct of personal elective activities; from reading and artwork to collecting and carpentry. The greatest number of pliny essays, especially the earlier writings are dedicated to the theme of self-fulfillment by the pursuance of non-work-related, selected interests. These “outside” interests furnish private insight to oneself and a mature perspective of others.

There, conceivably, may be ways, to encourage such self-improvement, personal self-fulfillment and as a positive consequence, feelings of accomplishment and satisfaction with life. This would tend to eliminate any felt need to seek a scapegoat for one’s discontent in life, such as the government or people who look different, Unless and until that methodology is developed and utilized, we will be obliged to rely upon efficient enforcement of Statutes, for whatever they may accomplish.

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The leaf dry rustling thru the breezy arbor
The subtle impress of a cool infant kiss
The stream’s quick chortle over its rock bed
The snap-hard taste of orange chocolate

The raucous din of children at playtime
The buzz- stiff buzzing of bumblebees
The adoring looks of the quietly loving
The tart-sweet taste of June cherries

The cheek’s soft touch of warm sunbeam
The smells: newly sawn wood and baked bread
The quick chin-lick of a small, furry kitten
The immense relief at a friend’s good diagnosis

The closing of the cover of a much-loved book
The wine glass of cold bubbly, Prosecco
The sitting midst’ loved ones for dinner
The soft utter surrender to a cool pillow.

APOTHEOSIS

Leonard N. Shapiro 1/3/22

The year 2021, observably, was a rather bleak one; featuring, among other joyless subjects, the Covid pandemic, instances of police brutality,  the aftermath of a violent insurrection, voter interference, extreme weather, (presumably, the effect of unaddressed climate warming), the continued rise of White Christian Nationalism, Congressional investigations, inflation, and judicial threats to established abortion rights. In this Holiday Special Writing, we attempt to sort out, from the din, real and fictional anecdotal trinkets (“Gewgaws”) which we hope the reader will find amusing.

*The Hammond Map Corp., in 2021, has announced to its stockholders, the recent development of an entry-level version of an Outer Space, GPS mapping device, to enable billionaires to view their earthly tax shelters during space jaunts.

* Tucker Carlson has testily, insisted that the use of Ivermectin, was, in reality, very successful. He admits that, while those who ingested it did sustain a high rate of Covid infection, he argues that, reportedly, less than .04% of Americans who did so developed horse worms.

* The Sierra Club has found that wearing red MAGA baseball caps, invites painful skull attacks by diving blue jays, and constant jabbing by inquiring hummingbirds.

* Forty-three Republican majority State Legislatures, have passed, in excess of three hundred bills, slanting the vote, in order to prevent the undemocratic effects of slanting the vote.

* The NRA has developed a pink-colored Gatling gun for gifting by sweethearts, next Valentine’s Day.

* Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene resents certain recent comparisons of herself to Machine Gun Molly, of the 1960s, and has angrily stated her preference for comparison to Florence Nightingale,  Jane Austin or Eleanor Roosevelt.

* The Board of the Mike Pence Foundation has publically announced its unanimous ruling, that, following the decease of  Vice-President Pence, that there be installed an exact wax replica of a smiling Mike Pence in Mme. Tussaud’s Wax Museum, inserted between the statues of Jack The Ripper and Bela Lugosi.

* A request, identical to the previous, item has been made, by the constituents of Sen. Ted Cruz.

* We are not exactly sure, but believe it was the intellectually gifted, Rep. Louie Gohmert of Texas, who, prudently suggested, that instead of the expense of the purchase of a fleet of gondolas for the Potomac, it would be cheaper to buy two gondolas, a male and a female, and permit them to mate.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

–p.