Month: October 2023

Incensed by the current media reports on the subject, we felt a pressing need to reprise our views on “Immigration,” a matter, unfortunately, and inappropriately, one of roiling contention in Congress and the Nation. We have often noted the irrefutable reality that our Nation is, and eternally has been, populated, entirely, by immigrants and their progeny. Nevertheless, a large, non-empathic, horde of right-wing, xenophobes, would have one believe that the torch-bearing, National Hostess, standing on a huge pedestal, beckoning outward with a guiding light held visibly aloft, bidding an invitation to the foreign-born needy and forlorn, to come for a better life to these American shores, is merely a geological rock outcrop, housing verses, by Emma Lazarus, and fortuitously, situated in a prominent venue, in New York’s East River.

In our view, right-wing’s tactical incitement of uncalled-for contentious politicism, and divisive partisanship, regarding the Nation’s traditional institution of immigration, is historically, un-American, and intrinsically, inhumane. Right-wing, presumptive xenophobes, have, from time to time, espoused sundry convenient and bogus “rationales” for this singular category, among their plethora of pernicious bigotry, orchestrated for them by the slightly more literate, tactical, practitioners of xenophobia. It is instructive to note that one such, publically, expressed articulation of the same, faithfully, parrots the pathologically, hateful trope of Adolph Hitler’s, mad denunciation of the Planet’s Jews, viz., “they poison the blood.” [Ref: “Mein Kampf”].   

We have written, copiously of our views regarding the dynamics of the relationship between Man’s empirical development of an individualized and stable self-image and his resultant perception of rectitude. After a sufficient history of personally, perceived acceptable, responses to life’s various stimuli, the properly socialized persona has accumulated sufficient data for the formulation of a stable self-image. As we have written, useful reference to such perception formulates the empirical basis for one’s philosophy, and moral choices; certainly not, the primitive, witless, and (often, religious-based) dynamics of “rewards and punishments.” In this context, therefore, one may reasonably, make an inquiry as to the nature of a persona that evinces a locked door policy to the extension of the empathic morality implicit in immigration; a generosity, previously, exercised, respecting his own progenitors, for which he presently, and perhaps, unwittingly, enjoys the temporal benefits. Is it “horse-blinders,” ignorance, or simply, moral deficiency?”

We would, principally, declare that there does not exist a credible or rational objection to the continuance of our Nation’s historical and laudable, policy of admission to these shores of people of foreign Nationalities, in search of a better life.

Research advises that in 1832, “The Chinese Exclusion Act,” passed under pressure from Trade Unions and the public, based upon the propagandist screed that “coolie wages” would threaten labor, excluded all Asian Immigration  (unless of course, their labor was needed for the building of the transcontinental railroad). We are old enough to recall a time when the only legally permitted Chinese entrepreneurial, enterprise was the hand laundry (“Chinese Laundry”). It was only as recent as the 1960’s that Asian immigrants were granted the same Immigration rights as others. It is relevant to note that currently, the media has reported a labor shortage.  

There being no realistic concern regarding jobs, what possible concern may be, rationally, articulated to justify, or explain the enthused arguments against the humanistic support of immigration? Certainly not overcrowding. Anyone who has taken an airplane flight across the Nation is aware of the uncountable, thousands of square miles of vacant land and unpopulated desert in States like Utah, Nevada, Wyoming, New Mexico, and elsewhere.  In addition to the subject of available space for newcomers, these vast empty lands are totally, unproductive, not contributing to the Nation’s production (GDP) or its tax revenue. It is certainly within the National genius to convert and improve these barren and unproductive territories into valuable real estate by the creation of desirable businesses and industries and, relevantly, living spaces, for an unlimited number of immigrants, seeking employment and an acceptable life for themselves and their families.  

The early Israeli settlers, productively, morphed the wasteland of the arid, desiccated, and infertile Negev, into verdant soil such that the State of Israel has, for decades, been a leading international seller of fresh flowers. A governmental program, in which newly admitted immigrants may participate as compensated employees can be dedicated to the creation of comfortable towns and villages and thereby, offer our economy, an additional, capital, and commercial resource. Needed water can pragmatically be obtained by salinization of ocean water, the latter being plentiful due to the glaciers’ unprecedented melt from global warming. The large supply of would-be Americans can be a positive phenomenon, instead of a misperceived dilemma.

Our illustrious past President, demonstrably, no avatar of virtue, warning against evil caravans of immigrants,” with ironic hypocrisy, publically, declared to the Nation,” They do not send us the good people, only criminals, and rapists.” This is a bizarre statement from a meretricious leader, who has been adjudicated a rapist and sex abuser, a briber of prostitutes with whom he has, apparently had brisk commerce, a tax fraud, and a major violator of the emolument clause, a friend to America’s autocratic enemies; worse still, one criminally, indicted for multiple capital crimes and felonies, including traitorous espionage, election denial (the “Big Lie”) and the incitement and support of a violent insurrection against the Nation, major tax fraud, defamer, bigot, a practitioner of voter interference and extortion, tortious purveyor of criminal negligence during the  National epidemic and master of serial mendacity, all, in addition to his program of deprecation of the U.S. Constitution. His expressed disdain for immigrant “rapists and thugs,” is beyond the reach of the broad scope of hypocrisy, is delusional, and empirically ludicrous. Nevertheless, the adoring MAGA cult applauds the delusion and cultishly supports his expressed prejudice against immigration.  

When our Nation (of “e Pluribus Unum”) is the recipient of the supplicant’s knock at the door, its eternal and universal response should be, “Come in, you are just in time for dinner.”
-p.     

The adjective, “sensory,” describes something experienced related to sensation; something that one feels by way of his natural senses. We would, accordingly, describe the term, “sensory deprivation,” as the deliberate deprival of the natural sense of touch, smell, sound, or taste. This writing is an effort to express our lament, and aesthetic displeasure, at industry’s artificial, crass, and insipid attempts at the commercial exploitation of man’s natural and salubrious, gift of sense experience, by the substitution of non-aesthetic, ineffectual replications of sensual stimuli. Whether the particular, off-putting, artificial substitution is commercially based and tactically deceitful, or the hapless product of tasteless ignorance, we find the offense, equally repugnant.

Which of us has not cherished the rare glimpse of the colorful bow of a rainbow, the sight of cute, week-old kittens, the perfumed smell of red roses, the intimate aroma of freshly brewed, morning coffee, the silky touch of velvet or spring pussy-willows, the sweet smell of newly mown grass, the scent of Spring lilacs, or perchance, the sonorous, “splashy” sound of heavy raindrops falling on broad-leafed trees? Pragmatically, the innate sense experience that, loyally serves as a vital guardian of Man’s safety (by its existential function of notifying the presence of imminent danger), is, relevant to this essay, as well, as an aesthetic enhancer of Man’s life experience.

To engage in the venal sin of written disorder, we will, for the moment, testify to the specific occasion, providing the empirical catalyst for this essay. The latter occurred during a recent dining experience at an Inn with a large, decorative, but, sadly, artificial fireplace. This particular iteration of the popular, aesthetic deceit, was somewhat unique, in that it appeared to evince an authentically, combustible function, having been designed with the appearance of large split logs, (or “log-like objects”) visible through its outside-facing, protective screen. However, by virtue of our long acquaintance with this category of decorative ruse, we were, confidently, able to discern (by the non-combustion of the ersatz logs, the steady progress of steady and uniform flames, and the absence of the natural smells and sounds of combusting wood, that it was yet another counterfeit.

We would like to candidly, reveal that we are ardent lovers of burning chopped chunks of cut wood in an aesthetic, natural fireplace. We have had a stone (or brick) fireplace since the ownership of a country residence became affordable. Prior to the practical attainment of such requisite financial capability, we truly enjoyed the activity of lighting and overseeing the operation of fireplaces, whenever possible. In addition to performing the personally, enjoyable task, permissibly, at friends’ houses, we will admit to a long- past, Olympic feat constituting the morning ignition of multiple fireplaces on the occasion of a weekend stay, at New York’s, Mohonk Mountain House. We have always appreciated the engrossing sight of the kinetic dancing flames, the smoky scent of the burning firewood, and the pops and snaps sporadically occurring during combustion.

The “ersatz,” commercially installed “fireplace,” at first look, appears authentic, nevertheless, burns no firewood, produces no crackle or smell, but only gas range style flames, no more romantic or aesthetic than the daily one, evinced by the view of a mundane gas range. The usual hapless and sophomoric attempt to provide such a decorative feature to a place of assembly lacks verisimilitude and consequently the intended, aesthetic effect.

The “plastic” fireplace is but one revolting example of what appears to be the nearly, universal practice of presenting, for sale, decorative, or other unaesthetic, facsimiles, of authentic reality. We are animal lovers, but nevertheless, are truly disturbed by the plastic replication of animal skins, for sundry uses: women’s, tawdry leopard skin slacks, faux leather wallets, belts, briefcases, and jackets, as well as the production of fake “bling” gewgaws,  artificial sweeteners, vegan hamburgers, egg substitutes, faux dairy products, ersatz chocolate,  fake whipping cream, plastic forks, spoons, and knives, paper and plastic plates, plastic sponges, artificial flowers and plants, plastic tools, and gardening equipment, artificial foods and condiments, plastic fans, faux sunglasses, “knock-off” colognes, toiletries and perfumes, and a myriad of other inexpensive, popularly termed, “bargains.”

The category of hard candies, including children’s lollypops, is not, in its intrinsic nature, particularly, exotic or exciting, but, we find, rather useful in demonstrating the extent of commercial grift, associated with the portrayal of artificial, and misleading reality. The presented colors, red, purple, yellow, green, and orange are, deceitfully termed, respectively, “cherry,” grape,” lemon,” “lime” and “orange,” neither of which has a taste, in any way commensurate with its designated fruit name. The names are representative, simply, of their respective colors, which bear no authentic nor artificial similarity of taste to the fruit, after which they are named. Another popular fraud, on the sensory, taste buds, for the unwary.

The tasteless, presentation of artificial, ineffective replication of authentic stimuli in the foolish expectation of the (simulated) sense experience is to the perceptive and sensitive individual, in empirical and contextual sync with the reprehensible, “alternative reality,” presented by our former, orange-haired, “ersatz” President.

-p.