Month: December 2023

There appear to be occasions where a word or concept, despite past frequent use, has not been recently thought about, and, for some reason, later becomes prominent in one’s thought. We had such an interesting experience, recently with the ubiquitously used term, “fossil fuel.”

As commonly known, fossil fuel is a high-carbon-containing, natural substance such as coal and oil, found in the crust of the Earth, derived from the remains of animals and plants of our geologic past, millions of years after the organic remains become mixed with sedimentary matter and burial.

In a recent writing, (#M.2, “STREAMS Of CONSCIOUSNESS”) we observed that, from time to time, one indulges the relaxed and pleasant franchise of letting his mind flow spontaneously, and freely, which often leads to inner thoughts and occasionally, fantasy. As indicated above, we had such an experience, which in addition to its phantasmagoric content and essence, was felt to be laughingly, facetious.

Our uninhibited thoughts turned to man’s fortunate inheritance of unlimited graveyards of pre-historic animals, most particularly, dinosaurs, who lived out their prehistoric years, eating profusely, and procreating, then heroically and with great generosity, choosing to expire at accessible venues, within the Earth’s sedimentary conglomerate; thus affording to testamentary beneficiaries such as Sinclair, Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Gulf, and a myriad of other like establishments throughout our Nation to subsist and thrive.  We notably, are rather taken aback and xenophobically disappointed that so much largesse had been undeservedly, bequeathed to the various Middle Eastern nations. However, with the recent advent of electrically driven automobiles, such undeserved political influence may, accordingly, wane.

With the reader’s indulgence, we would now return to our episode of fossil fuel-dinosaur fantasy.

We found ourselves engaged in the arcane attempt to identify the specific primordial creatures, to be memorably credited, with producing the salient ingredients constituting the fluid mix of our usual automobile fill-ups; the latter endeavor, to be performed on a strictly, equitable and non-partial basis, in an appreciative attempt to assign posthumous gratitude to the specifically identified primordial philanthropist for said acts of largesse.

The concededly complex task was to construe a utilitarian method for the designation of these primordial remains as assigned to their appropriate purveyor. At first, we assumed some sort of Kabbalah-like clue observation regarding the first letter of the name of the discreet company. Thus, Citgo and Chevron, Carnotaurus; Shell, Sinclair and Sunoco, Stegosaurus; Mobil: Mastodon; BP: Brontosaurus combined with Mastodon, and sundry pre-historic fauna.

 Such analysis was ultimately and objectively rejected, for the reason that the convenience of the method of designation was deemed unscientific and arbitrary.

We unsuccessfully attempted to employ other and sundry, alternate criteria in our determined searches, such as size, number (of outlets), octane (the higher the count, the more predatory the beast), and proximity (the closer to green environments, the greater the conclusion that the specific dinosaur was vegetarian; however all proved to be of no avail.

After much diligent research, travail, and profound contemplation, we were resigned to be relegated to a personally unsatisfactory conclusion, amounting to the unspecific, “stew/ soup theory,” which, more pragmatically instructs the didactic researcher that gas-guzzling automobiles ingest the haphazard and mixed remains of a vast and multi- diverse potpourri of primordial monsters, all in equal measure, metamorphosed and noxiously polluting.

-p.

The trauma and eminent danger to our unique Republican Democracy, brought about by the elevation of the disreputable Donald J. Trump, may have demonstrated that the antiquated American adage, “One rotten apple spoils the barrel,” was not merely, aphoristic, but constituted an empirical truth. The prospect that such an impaired entity returns to the office of the Chief Executive is chilling to the “core.” [Apologies]

In our view, yet more perilous to our democratic polity is the remarkably numerous, populist support for said egotistical, immoral, and autocratic charlatan. He was shockingly and appallingly, elevated to the Oval Office once, and despite two Congressional impeachments, 91 felonies, and multiple indictments for major crimes, the latter, spanning the spectrum from pay-offs to prostitutes with whom he conducted brisk business, tax, and voter fraud, to fomenting a violent insurrection against the United States of America, and demonstrated, acts of actual treason. Notwithstanding his egregious record, this racist, egocentric, autocratic felon, according to the current political polls seems to be well assured of candidacy in the next Presidential election.

We, presumably, together with other mainstream Americans are understandably, apprehensive concerning the empirical possibility that Trump may once more be elected; a result that political science experts have declared would predictably imperil the continuance of our Democratic Republic. Donald Trump has shown himself to be a great admirer of Putin, Xi Jinping, Kim Jung Un, and Viktor Oban, and has publically declared that he will be a (“Dictator for one day”).

Because we are in the apprehension of such a nightmare, we have availed ourselves of the opportunity to reprise a previously articulated theme, which, nevertheless, in harmony with democracy, provides a pragmatic solution to the nation’s conundrum, as reported by the political pollsters, that our fragile democracy is in peril, due to the wide profusion of populist, ill-informed, Trump cultists.

Our previously articulated and now championed panacea for the resolution of the dilemma has its fundamental and contextual basis in the sage, prescient, and circumspect admonition of Thomas Jefferson: “For a democracy to succeed, it is required to have an educated and well-informed citizenry.”

It is an unhappy and empirically perilous fact, that we have a large population of inadequately educated and poorly informed citizens, each of whom, in consonance with the dynamics of our Democratic Republic, possesses the inalienable right to vote. Accordingly, it would appear, in our view that the sole, pragmatic solution, is to vet (“police”) the prospective candidates, to filter out the danger of future “bad apples.” If the prospective candidates (albeit of diverse opinions on the prevailing issues) were previously accorded acceptability, under some form of bi-partisan or academic evaluation, the “apple barrel” would not suffer the danger of spoliation; contrary to today’s hazardous situation.

It is truly bizarre to observe, in this context, that with the sole exception of the selection of candidates to run for the august and historically impactful office of the American Presidency (“finger on the nuclear trigger, etc.) it is routinely mandatory regarding an application for the most mundane employment to require an employer interview, or, a reasonable vetting to determine acceptability. An application for a job in a shoe store, Macy’s, or a retail job at Walmart is normally dependent upon the applicant’s approval by a representative of the prospective employer. An aspiring shoe salesman, insurance broker, or an employee at a beauty parlor is required, initially, to be vetted; but bizarrely and in a grossly irresponsible fashion, not the candidates for the highest, most powerful and historically, impactful position on the Globe.

The nation would be eternally enabled to reliably retain its admirable and well-functioning democracy, despite its disappointingly large sub-section of somewhat lesser  “Jeffersonian” (population-determined), standard of success, by the assurance that all, legally approved, Presidential aspirants are, at a minimum, reasonably acceptable.  

We would confidently assume that the non–partisan (mixed partisan?) examiners in their vetting of aspiring Presidential candidates, will be motivated by the exercise of pragmatic wisdom as is appropriate to knowledgeable, competent, and politically neutral experts.

-p. 
 

In a similar, but distinct context to the immediate predecessor of this writing, (viz., #M.3 “EXIGENT SURGURY”) the present essay concerns itself with a single word, viz., “tolerance” but, in bright contrast, our aspiration, at present, is for the limited and nuanced use of a certain, ubiquitously, used word, rather than its elimination from our vocabulary, as previously urged regarding, “race.”

In our view, the appropriate utility of the word “tolerance,” is limited to its pragmatic and contextual use in the declaration of empirical limits or properties of objective subject matter; such as relevant to a particular metal’s tolerance for torque, the comparative tolerance, during dry spells, of ryegrass as opposed to red fescue, the basic limit of tolerance for the average human being to extreme, freezing temperatures.

By emphatic contrast, we, on moral principle emphatically object to the common use of the word, contextually in the area of race relations or other instances of bigotry, as a complimentary observation of individual behavior.   

The fundamental essence and dynamics of “tolerance,” reside in its function as a positive comment in response to observed action or words that indicate the actor or speaker’s evident choice not to object to diverse points of view, or, perhaps, more frequently in response to observed virtue in the treatment accorded to others whose appearances are nuanced or who behave differently. The word is ordinarily intended to be complimentary, as an expression of moral approval or recognized rectitude, however, in our view, its fundamental dynamics (often, unwittingly) are presumptuous and arrogantly, judgmental.

It may logically and equitably be asked, who is it that uniquely has the franchise to determine the extant acceptability of other individuals or points of view? The themed word implicitly and necessarily connotes (wittingly or not) an individual’s chosen judgment or derived conclusion, to forebear from criticism, and exercise his choice to accept another individual. Who has been granted the authoritative franchise, morally and justifiably, to arrogate to himself such judgmental authority? In our view “tolerate” and the noun, “toleration,” is nothing short of an expression of an unwarranted, presumptuous generosity to morally or reasonably suffer, or imperiously, approve, the existence of another human being or point of view. The intention of the word is intrinsically, self-defeating in its dynamics as to its mundane and insensitive intention, evidently due to its thoughtlessly, but implicitly mandatory, judgmental connotation.

The conception and use of the word “tolerance,” is inarguably, lightyears in preference to words of disapproval or those expressing feelings of atavistic prejudice, nevertheless, when employed as an attempt to express virtue, it pales in comparison with those words which express humanities aspirational traits (which, disappointingly, appear to be somewhat, lacking) such as “brotherhood,” “friendship,” “universal equality,” “respect,” “empathy,” to suggest stated qualities, of far more humanistic value and clarity than our themed, misunderstood and ill-used word “tolerance.”

-p.

We have always been ardent believers in free speech and have taken a lifelong position in opposition to censorship of any kind. Nevertheless, we would strongly champion the surgical excision of one word, viz. “Race,” from the American lexicon. (Ref: our early blog, “The Dirtiest Word”). Said malignant word or concept has no scientific justification; it is, rather, a pernicious social construct assigned by the arbitrary rules of society and constitutes the fundamental basis for an eternal blemish on the history of humankind. As stated in the earlier cited blog, the word’s sole utility is the production of societal mischief. It is our earnest recommendation that a selected and skilled surgeon, possessing a measure of literary consciousness, take the lexicon scalpel to it in exacting fashion, hopefully, to retard its universally eternal and virulent metastasis.

The toxic history of the calamitous word has been as timeless as it has been unjust and tragic. It has utility only for those disreputable human beings who seek to dominate or to profit from others, to assuage neurotic feelings of inadequacy, or to cater to an insatiable need for perceived power. The victims of the word and concept, have eternally suffered deprivation of their liberty and opportunity for a normal and acceptable life. The pernicious noun has historically been the tool of human injustice and misery of every kind from diminished opportunities and social degradation to slavery and actual genocide; it is as societally ubiquitous as it is inhuman, in that it is religiously sanctioned by the “Good Book.” “The Word,” it appears, might need a bit of surgery, as well.

The historically, deplorable existence of our Nation’s black slavery is universally known, and, sadly, its iniquitous impact persists today in the atavistic and immoral bigotry of many populist citizens; notably and shamefully, in our past President. Anti-Semitism is a chronic racial pathology festering at least since the Holy Roman Empire, (4^th Century) then part of Emperor Constantine’s tactical program to forcibly convert the recalcitrant Hebrews to Christianity. European pogroms, assassinations at Babyn Yar, the Holocaust, such haters as Father Mc Laughlin, Henry Ford, and the contemporary Christian White Militias, bear ugly witness to the eternal existence of racial anti-Semitism.

In the years before World War 2, Jews were socially acceptable in Mussolini’s Italy, with many rising to the highest rank in that nation’s military and elevated social status. However, when Hitler came to power, Italian Jews began to suffer the identically gruesome fate of their German and European counterparts; the pathology of racial antisemitism had arrived and efficiently become epidemic.

It is instructive to observe that the defamatory anti-immigration demagoguery of the past President, Donald Trump, is empirically, more racist than xenophobic. Trump’s “First Lady,” past wives, and grandfather were all immigrants. The target of Trump’s hatred is, observably racial, being directed towards immigrants from Mexico and Central America as opposed to those from Europe.

The abominable word “race,” and its atavistic practice have eternally become the fundamental rationale for hatred and bigotry. Its exigent and immediate surgical excision from the American-English dictionary would scarcely be noticeable to the upright and rational American citizen.

-p.

It was not until the time of our late youth, that we encountered the revolutionary writing style of James Joyce, in his dense, but important novel, “Ulysses,” and received confirmation that the psychological phenomenon of “Stream of Consciousness,” is appropriately included among the many standard, approved behaviors; and can, moreover, be successfully, (in fact, brilliantly) employed in literature.

The subject designation refers to the dynamics of a mode of thought or, in the case of Joyce, a literary style, in which, thoughts, feelings, and reactions are depicted in free and continuous flow. For us, such a Joyce-legitimated dynamic constituted a necessary personal affirmation of the integrity of our self-esteem and our perceived orderly reason. It would appear that throughout our entire contemplative lifetime, most especially, in our later and more reflective years, our thoughts, on occasion, have freely and spontaneously triggered others, albeit, at times, unrelated, except for their experiential, aesthetic, or syllabic (suggestive) causation. Such dynamic, as experienced, is spontaneous and seldom, volitional.

As dedicated writers of essays and poetry, the suggestively triggered phenomenon, on occasion, has led us to romanticized, philosophical, or aesthetic thoughts and images, at times, bordering on the profound or metaphysical, but more often on thoughts of experiential or picturesque subject matter.

A recent and personally notable experience of this contextual phenomenon took place, apparently, in response to our casual sight of an attractive picture of a white-frosted, multi-layered cake in a Kingston, New York, local magazine. Thereafter, looking through our enormous picture windows, we mentally, construed an attractive layer of pristine, white, snow on the surface of the outdoor property and a fanciful image appeared, no doubt triggered by the prior observation of the picture of the described cake. The thought, or consciousness, was of the existence of a multi-layered ground, outside, with a white (frosted?) coating of new fallen, pristine winter snow.

It was, no doubt, our aesthetic inclination that led us to reflexively summon up in our consciousness, an earthly vision of a (cake-like), parallel-layered structure of the earth beneath the snowy (icing) surface each layer of ground separately distinguished by separate, distinct compartmental phenomena. Starting just below the (“icing”) snow, we would see, if it were possible, topsoil with the remains of last season’s grass, now lifeless, brown, and inert. Descending to another layer of the soil (“cake”) we would see an amalgamation (cake filling) of pebbles, bits of dead tree branches and plants, dormant roots, seeds, nascent shoots, and possibly bulbs, patiently resting and awaiting spring and their perennial surface re-generation and verdance.

Going deeper into the darker (chocolate?) and more remote soil, alongside some large rocks we would see open spaces borrowed holes (free-think: Borough Halls?) engineered by little brown, furry critters, curled up, wrapped for needed warmth in their furry tails, a few pregnant, all asleep and still, except for the soft inhalations the occasional nose wrinkle, patiently awaiting the onset of the primavera, warmer weather and the availability of food.

Above the surface of the snowy ground (iced layer cake) stand the stalwart trees, with fiduciary responsibility, in their ( birthday candle-erect) fiduciary guard as the preservative of the earthly cake, as protection against the erosion of its dormant soil (layers) as well as the damaging vicissitudes of unwanted meteorology; they will, deservedly, share the coming verdant season with the wakeful, quickly emerging, woodland critters in their jointly anticipated enactment of the imagined scenario of our momentary stream of consciousness. 

–p.

The reader is not obliged to possess the academic experience of a political scientist or social philosopher, to fully comprehend that the violent insurrection of two years ago (January 20, 2020) in Washington D.C., was, not a “one-off” or singular occurrence; or that such event describes the complete parameters of the relevant and existential problem.  Analogous to the tell-tale, rash of smallpox, the unprecedented event constitutes, speaking pathologically, merely, a presenting symptom of the threat of the virulent disease.  In the context of community, it is empirically true that a specific episode of the deadly smallpox virus may be treated successfully, nevertheless, the ever-present societal threat of the virus persists. As a matter of general interest, albeit not, of special relevance to the theme of this essay, we have read that a major factor in the victory of the Colonial Forces over the military might of England was the prudent program of inoculation of his troops against smallpox by General George Washington.

Notably, there seems to have been an unmistakable empirical confluence between the political rise of the real estate grafter, cheap television game show host, the egocentric, amoral demagogue, Donald J. Trump, and the geologic conglomeration of vast numbers of the Nation’s previously, amorphous and silent populist discontents. As we can discern, the enormous host of such previously unheard-from, typically, inadequately educated, poorly informed body of malcontents seemed to perceive, in the crude, and inappropriate persona of Trump, a personal spokesman for those, who had been handed a bad deal from society; especially, “the coastal elites;” who appeared to detest their proxy, Donald J. Trump.

Neither two Congressional impeachments during his disreputable, one term as President, nor his shamefully determined ninety-one felonies, numerous criminal indictments, nor a judicial finding that he is a rapist, his acts of treason, his serial mendacity and his public admissions of autocratic intentions (the latter, extending to his unabashed public reiteration and approval of Hitler quotes) has diminished his cultish support. Such societally shameful events have, perversely, resulted in increased support from his large conglomerate of (MAGA) supporters, private citizens as well as elected legislators and officials. Mainstream, traditional American citizens are confused about such dynamics and understandably worried about the existential continuance of American Democracy. The cult-like populist followers of the declared, would-be dictator, like flocks of suicidal lemmings, appear hypnotically willing to commit the suicidal choice of autocratic elimination of their presently held rights and liberty.

In accordance with the consistent results of the various polls, it frighteningly seems likely that Trump will be the Republican (if there still exists such a Party) nominee to run once more for the American Presidency. Should he, conceivably (heaven and Planet Earth, forbid) be successful, the dreaded pathology of fascist dictatorship would then, further metastasize (from China, Russia, Hungary, et al.); should he (mercifully) lose, a reprise episode of the January 26 pilot is empirically, predictable.

We shall persist in our hopeful expectation that the express language and pragmatic mandate of the 14^th Amendment will be the ultimate panacea for this presenting, malign National disease that, inarguably, constitutes a clear, existential threat to the health and survival of America’s singular and invaluable democracy.

–p.

We find it challenging to acknowledge the publication of one thousand writings (blogs and poetry,) in the approximately four years since the advent of plinyblog. Candidly speaking, the activity has been meaningful and enjoyable, most inestimably, in our elder and reflective years. The franchise to spontaneously express our empirical observations on humanity and society, together with the considered conclusions derived, has been truly fulfilling and self-affirming. As previously expressed, we do not especially favor the tonal euphony of the noun, “blog,” itself, nevertheless, the simplicity of its characteristic form enables the spontaneous selection and ubiquitous variety of subject matter.

In our exercise of the franchise of self-expression, the contextual motivation of our mini-essays have, essentially, been three in number: (1)The promotion of individual advancement through independent reading and/or the pursuit of elective interests, (2)  the universal empathic and humanistic connection with fellow inhabitants of the Planet and (3) the promotion of universal equality in society and government. Much of our offered poetry embodies such thematic purposes, nevertheless, their primary aspiration is, generally aesthetic.

While efforts toward cognitive advancement and existential enlightenment of are goals of primary importance among our aspirations, we are, nevertheless, systemically unable, to remain silent in the presence of societal or governmental lack of rectitude.

Consistent with such avowed purposes, we have sought to encourage the tenets of moral humanism, regarding the liberal admission of immigrants from countries that are impoverished or those that autocratically pose threats of imprisonment. We have also championed the American ideal of universal equality, with special emphasis on the universally democratic right to vote, and have opposed the autocratic policies and the (unthinkable) possible re-election to the Oval Office of past President (Trump); the latter, for publically evident characterological reasons and because of deep concern for the existential endurance of our Democracy.

As mainstream, traditional citizens, we have been obliged to mourn and comment on the demise of the traditionally revered and referential High Court (“SCOTUS”) and the complete deterioration of one of the two systemic parties in our government; the latter, caused by an inexplicable lemming-like populist mesmerizing practiced by the demonstrated enemy of democracy, the moral agnostic, Donald J. Trump.

We have been alarmed and greatly troubled at the sudden improper insertion of religion into American Law and government in clear legal and philosophical violation of the constitution’s “Establishment Clause” by SCOTUS, most especially, in its’ (contra-precedential) destruction of women’s private and inherent right to abortion. The motivation of the Founders irrefutably evident in the language of the American Constitution was to protect and preserve citizen rights from being abridged by Federal or State government and not, conversely, to decree their abolition.

We have expressed our disheartenment in the High Court’s inaction in abiding by the gun lobby’s tactical and profitable distortion of the historical purpose and language of the grant of the right to the “People” (i.e., State militia) to bear arms, as contained in the Second Amendment. It is (historically, indisputably inserted as a sinecure to the proponents of independent State sovereignty, who had opposed a Central (Federal) government.) The tragic plethora of bloodshed and murder of innocent citizens, from babies to grandparents, constitutes a shameful (and unconstitutional) homage by SCOTUS to the profit-making, pathological gun lobby by its approval of the industry’s profitable and pathological misreading of plain history.

We confess to a systemic sense of personal and responsible impetus to articulate matters of timely concern, including, Society’s apparent sleepwalking through the presenting dual, imminent threats of impending fascism and global warming. We also enjoy the pleasure of writing on general subjects, of perceived general interest. We look forward to its responsible and self-fulfilling, continuance, and gratefully, our readership’s continued interest.

 Mille gracias.

-p.

The thematic purpose of this writing relates to the observation of the divergent, pragmatic existence of “agency,” or, otherwise stated, the personal ability to volitionally, act. The erudite, plentitude of metaphysical controversy and philosophical debates carried on for millennia on the didactic subject of “Free Will,” between followers of thinkers such as Plato, Aquinas, Descartes, and Emmanuel Kant has been electively, set aside in favor of our present, pragmatic treatment of the subject, Thus, in harmony with said contextual purpose, we have chosen the contemporarily, equivalent noun, “Agency.”

Our chosen circumscribed, context relates to an individual’s perception of control, felt or experienced in his lifetime, regarding his (evolving) capacity to determine his thoughts and behavior with independent facility, i.e., “in the driver’s seat.” It, bizarrely, appears that in our chosen consideration of this contextually defined concept, the alphabetic letter “A,” predominates, viz., “ability,” “aptitude,” “agency,” and “adjustment.”

In several of our past writings, we have placed determined emphasis on the quintessentially important, (experiential) development of an individual’s stable “self -image;” the same being the current configuration, of the classic Socratic admonition, “Know thyself,” expressed in the modern parlance. We have often declared that In addition to its ubiquitous, referential utility respecting decisional choices in times of equivocal moral or ethical issues, such awareness is judgmentally significant in the perceived nature of our known capabilities,(i.e., our singular aptitude, innate abilities) and equally useful, our failings. This, pragmatically, translates into the presence of experientially, confirmed confidence or sensibly determined reservation.

We cannot, universally, aspire to be a replication of Isaac Newton, Rene Descartes, or, perhaps, Joe DiMaggio. We are wise to remain knowledgeably aware of our nuanced menu of strengths, some of which are empirically developed, and our revealed innate weaknesses, both conceivably, founded in nuanced aptitudes. Objective self-knowledge is the effective panacea for irrational and unwarranted feelings of situational weakness or self-reproval. Notwithstanding our diverse and nuanced capabilities, continued education, and empirical experience can inform understanding or skills, sufficient to match reasonable expectations.  Moreover, it must, fairly and rationally be realized, that the dynamics of “agency,” may be situationally determined.  

In such context, we have chosen to exclude artificial considerations of rank or official position, but, do relegate the concept of agency, to the varied capability that situationally accompanies such matters as family, state of health, and old age. Such configurations of agency, will, predictably, vary with the situational circumstance. In the mainstream traditional family, the extent of permissible assertion of independent agency depends on family hierarchy, viz., parents, uncles and aunts, and children. An analogous hierarchy prevails in primary education, relative to teachers, principals, and later on, professors and college deans. In the employment context, an employee’s agency is authoritatively defined by his supervisor, department chief, or employer. In the unfortunate setting of the sick and disabled, the extent of the personal dynamics of individual agency varies in accordance with the relevant condition or empirical need.

With an appropriate apology, we will, (for the first time in 999 essays, except for our, reader- requested, writings on our ethnic childhood) make brief reference to the illustrative circumstances of our current, modified agency, as an instructive example of the universal, situational loss of agency, common to elderly individuals.

Fortuitously, and appreciatively, free of illness, but beset with a common iteration of  loss of agency, situationally commensurate with our (fortunate) attainment of the age of 87, we have successfully accommodated ourselves to the natural vicissitudes of the elderly, inclusive of the age’s thematic loss of independence and ” agency.” The dedicated care of a loving and dedicated wife, necessitated by old age’s imposed restriction on our ambulation (without the assistance of a “walker,”) has, mandatorily, led to a loss of former personal agency; regarding which, the extent of our gratitude and love, conceivably, cannot adequately be expressed in sufficiently appropriate language.

However, it must be declared, respecting the salient mission of our prodigious writing, we are fortunate to be personally confirmed, in our promises of ultimate, joyful rewards respecting personal lifetimes of included learning and aspiration for personal enlightenment.

-p.

In our view, notwithstanding the existence of several extant, vital concerns, there, unfortunately, is inadequate assurance that our citizenry is not merely, sleepwalking through its existential problems. Global warming may be perceived by many, as no more than an academic, long-term concern. Even more troubling, is our view that insufficient action has taken place relative to the clear, and present danger of a decline of our Democratic Republic to an orange iteration of a Trump dictatorship.

 Rational and responsible inhabitants of our Planet share the concern about the existential danger of the “greenhouse-caused” increase in global temperature. Changes in seasonal phenomena, storms and major flooding, tsunamis, and other catastrophic events have already demonstrated that such tragic phenomena have now become a matter of empirical experience; and that adjustment and amelioration have irresponsibly been allowed to become the new relevant pragmatic goals. Reports have been broadcast today, that certain Mid-Eastern Nations have signed treaties to limit the production of “fossil fuels.” This, indeed, is a significant and needed development. However, we cannot avoid doubting the empirical effectuation of such agreed limitations, bearing in mind that the singular basis for the wealth and major international influence of such nations is their singular and fortuitous possession of oil.

Regarding, arguably, a more time-emergent concern, citizen sleepwalking seems to be manifested, as well, regarding the current political decline in humanistic democracy despite the tsunami-like growth of autocratic despotism, presently flooding the Globe. Such pervasive tidal currents of autocracy have, of late, been alarmingly percolating into the channels of our Democratic Republic, courtesy of a substantial horde of populist citizens in deep thrall to former President, Donald Trump.

There is no shortage of illustrations of such a dreaded decline throughout history. Research, alarmingly, informs us of the contemporary existence of no less than eighty-eight autocratic nations; many of which, due to analogous populist influence, had morphed into dictatorships. The illustrative example, often cited by us is that of Germany’s early 20^th Century Weimar Republic, which, in the space of merely a few years, fully declined from the status of a legitimate democratic polity, constituted by Executive, Legislative, and Judicial Branches, to the murderous autocracy of Adolph Hitler.

A painful blow to our normative optimism was dealt by recent media reports that the historically liberal Netherlands, of late is evincing a rightward tendency. Holland, the classic venue of Man’s developmentally crucial, “Enlightenment Movement,” had eternally been the avatar of freedom and unfettered personal liberty of action. Such revelation constituted, for us, alarmingly the proverbial, “canary in the coal mine” and, incidentally, was the personal stimulus for this essay.

An alarming trend of the rightward decline of democratic liberty by the populist perversion of established democratic government has, notably, sought to inject its malicious toxin into our free and liberal Republic. Under the malign, egocentric tutelage of the past Republican President and, his numerous acolytes, a veritable “cult,” of Trump supporters, not unlike the past, Nazi “Black” and “Brown Shirts,” has fully metastasized in its vile systemic growth and remains readily amenable to his toxic assertions of “alternate facts,” “racism,” derogation of the public media, rejection of our societally normative systems of law and the American Constitution, itself.

Officially confirmed revelations have surfaced, that Russia covertly and self-interestedly assisted in the successful election of former President Donald Trump, which documented charges rationally and pragmatically, speak precarious volumes. The recent discovery of the existence of a substantial incriminating binder, documenting such Russian election interference, blatantly denied by Trump, has been ominously, declared, “Missing.”  One of the underlying tactical motivations for Putin’s sub-Rosa support of Trump was his strategic expectation that Trump would withdraw the United States from NATO, thus enhancing the power of Russia and other autocratic nations. [We have just learned that, at the time of this writing, a united Congress has, providentially, passed a seasonable Bill, restricting a sitting President’s authority to withdraw the nation from NATO.]

The visibly, self-serving, cynical Evangelists support Trump and his autocratic agenda, and strategically, “turn a hypocritical blind eye,” to his all-pervasive immorality since they perceive him to be an existentially needed opponent to “left-wingers,” intellectual secularists, and minorities, whom they see as posing a vital threat to their existence. (See: Blogpost # 994: “The Existential Hitman”)

The scores of ardent “White Christian Militias” support Trump, because of his perceived support for a white, Christian America, as purportedly, “intended by the Founders.” However, history more accurately relates the intention of the Founders (based upon Religion’s tyrannical history in Europe) to specifically exclude the role of a Deity in governance; there is, by their prudent design, no mention of the word or concept of “God” in their drafted Constitution. It was specifically stated by our Founders: “If we put God in the Government (Constitution), we then eliminate Man.” Further, such inadequately schooled, ardently patriotic bigots may be surprised to learn that the most prominent of the Founders, Alexander Hamilton, was not “White,” being the ( legally mulatto) son of a Scottish father and a Native East Indian Mother. But, as has eternally been the case, right-wing, religious bigots are far more inspired by their fervent “patriotism,” and sincere “faith,” than factual reality.

MAGA cultists and general run-of-the-mill atavistic xenophobes, selfishly and thoughtlessly, oppose immigration, depicted by the mendacious Donald Trump (who, himself, has demonstrably shown to be entirely lacking in moral compass) as “criminals and rapists.” This populistic, ignorant, trope is mindless, selfish, and irrationally inappropriate in a nation whose entire population virtually, consists of immigrants and their progeny. Opposition to refugee and general immigration, nonetheless, appears to be a salient ingredient in universal right-wing bigotry.

To comfortably and with moral satisfaction, internally revel in one’s rectitude, sense of equality, and empathic consideration of the democratic rights of others is understandingly commendable, but standing alone is not pragmatically effective. To appropriately and successfully, counter the aggressive, loud, and vocal anti-democratic efforts of the sizeable, cultish MAGA crowd and other narrow-minded fellow citizens, we need to be expressly, more vocal, and manifestly energetic. We need also to vote strategically.

-p.                                                                        

Once more the popular selection du jour from the historically expansive menu of humanity’s prejudices appears to favor anti-Semitism. The contemporary iteration of this ancient pathology appears to be the dual result of the devastating results of the Israeli retaliation against Gaza for the Hamas attack and brutal massacre on October 7, 2023, and, the all-to-convenient, reductive conflation of the entirety of the World’s widely dispersed Jewish population, with criticized Israel. As reported in the media, the tragic impact upon the civilian population of Gaza was, in fact, tactically enabled by Hamas which, as planned, after the barbaric assault, retreated with its hostages, to its well-supplied tunnels, constructed under hospitals and places of public assembly. Per Hamas’ plan, the predictable retaliation for its attack and cruel medieval, barbarism would by necessity, be visited upon the innocent civilians residing on the surface, thus, insidiously, inviting World condemnation against Israel.

The invidious and pathologically, inhuman plan, was tragically successful. The innocent Gaza civilians, to the public view, unjustly, as evilly construed by Hamas, are bearing the tragic impact of the predictable retaliation, as Hamas designated, “human shields.” As a further, concomitant bonus, the always-reliable alliteration of traditional anti-Semitism has been energetically re-articulated. In the United States alone, anti-Semitism has been seen to have increased by approximately 400%, including, notably, at college campuses. Rational or not, the eternal knee-jerk reflex reaction, i.e., the historic hatred of Jews, has been patently, evident. Whether it be the bubonic plague of the Dark Ages, the falsely alleged poisoning of wells, poor crops, or, whatever may be the extant, calamity, it has been, summarily and universally, attributed to the “evil existence” of the Jews.

In his scholarly, well-documented, book, “Constantine’s Sword,” the author, James Carroll, an ordained, Catholic priest, targets and documents the role of the Roman Catholic Church (4^th Century, C.E.) in the long history of religious anti-Semitism, as the precursor to “racial anti-Semitism.” Carroll reveals that the primary source of anti-Jewish sentiment and resulting violence is the perennial obsession with converting Jews to Christianity. Such Christian anti-Jewish sentiment, Carroll maintains, inevitably led to the Holocaust, committed by Nazi Germany. The author declared that it was the 4^th Century hatred that laid the foundation for Hitler’s crimes and subsequent hatred of Jews.

In our view, the stated origins of the subject prejudice might, conceivably, be somewhat forgotten; or less impactful if not for an empirically human, neurotic need for a “pecking order” or the need for participation in a (perverted) “groupthink,” to assuage uncomfortable feelings of insecurity. Whatever the relevant cause, the practice of this lethal species of hatred has been timeless. Our parents, as did millions of surviving European Jews came to America, in response to the horrific events of universal societal “pogroms” against European Jews. We need only mention the place names, “Auschvich” and “Babyn Yar” to illustrate the extent of racial detestation of the Jewish people.

When we were in the 4^th Grade in Public school, our teacher (who happened to be Christian) with the finest of intentions, this season of the year, drew a straight line on the blackboard, and, with the best of motives, listed in two columns, the celebratory features of both Christmas and of Hanukah. We appreciated the effort to include all of the class in the holiday celebration. In later thought, we felt that the effort was, undoubtedly, commendable, [but, based on our lifelong (annoying) pristine sense of rectitude] we thought that the teacher, while thoughtful, was, at the same time, patronizingly, in error in equalizing the major Christian holiday with (we then felt), a minor historical event in Jewish History, viz., the victory of the Maccabean led Hebrews over the Hellenizing aggressors in 167 B.C.E. Subsequently, (and, no doubt, not apprehended by the kind teacher) we reasoned that, since the Christian religion, evolved from Judaism, had the Hebrews been eliminated, in 167 B.C.E., there would be no Christianity, and, ipso facto, no Christmas.

When we were young children, our immature perception of Christian hatred against Jews, was confused by the perceived conundrum of having been instructed that Jesus, himself, was Jewish; as were his parents, Joseph and Mary. We, later on, somewhat wondered, relative to those pious people who faithfully believe in the religious miracle of the “Immaculate Conception,” wasn’t the (Omniscient) Deity aware that Mary was Jewish?

-p.