Author: plinyblogcom

Dear loyal listeners, welcome to another of our weekly, Tuesday, 3:A.M. prime- time broadcasts of “LETS BAN BOOKS,” a public radio service of the “Literary Constabulary, LLC.” a/k/a “Book Cop” an “Evangelical Virtue Approved” organization.  This is your regular hostess, Elvira D. Swine, media director and Assistant Executive Examiner, of “Book Cop.” bringing you another expert panel discussion on the vital subject of literary morality.

In the interest of objectivity and ultimate fairness, today, our expert panel consists of authentic authors, of classically important works, that have morally qualified for perusal by “Book Cop,” which books are readily available for purchase at our Sales Office, located at 333 Clean Speak Road, Wistful Vista, Florida, and at certain other designated, “Book Cop,” morally approved bookstores.

The first of our three eminent panelists is the creationist-naturalist, Darwin Dense, celebrated author of the World-acclaimed, best-selling, natural craft and hobby Field Manual, “Growing Earwax for Fun and Profit.” Next, we are extremely, pleased and flattered to present, as our second expert panelist, Ms. Tallulah Ipecac, nuanced, poetess and renowned,  expert on Southern New England, rock lichen art; and third but not last, Mr. Willy Burner, liaison officer for the literary institution, “Smutty Book Fireplace.”

Well, loyal listeners, this morning’s book, dutifully and responsibly submitted for our regular expert panel review, is the salacious and truly scandalous, children’s book “The Little Engine That Could.” Before we open the ethical discussion to our expert panel, as moderator, I would like to peremptorily state, that the story title, itself, is grossly degenerate and objectionable, in that it symbolically, suggests the reprehensibly, obscene subject of positive sexual potency and is unquestionably, immoral and spiritually, inappropriate for any reader, let alone little children.

I will now address our expert literary panel and ask for their respective views on the book, and the immoral title.

Panel Discussion:

Sherwin Dense: This story of a train bearing toys and treats, for good children, and “breaking down,” is clearly objectionable since, it is essentially, a sordid and repulsive symbolic representation of an illicit overdose of governmental-controlled substances, an unquestionably, unsuitable topic for any morally aspirational, American family.

Tallulah Ipecac: The tactical author’s irresponsibly and radically, created protagonist, is a little “blue” locomotive” that arrives to save the day. His subtly expressed, racial theme and underlying meaning are all too obvious. Once again, we are confronted with the thorny and embarrassing subject of “color,” an embarrassing subject, which is to be completely avoided in all school curricula and literature.

Will Burner: While I have not read the story and, truthfully, have never heard of it, nevertheless, I will affirmatively and responsibly, cast my responsible and public-oriented, vote for its burning, as soon as possible, or, at the very least, to be officially banned by your organization and the supervisory, literary powers that are in charge.
Program Closer:

Elvira Swine (Hostess): Thank you all, very much for your responsible, moral, and righteous input. We will notify the usual Official Censors.

 Listeners, tune in next week, at the same time and station when our special panel of dedicated literary supervisors will, by popular demand include the enlightening, Rev. Stanislaus Cassava, Minister and well-known author-photographer, whose valuable expertise on the subject of the existential evil implicit in pornographic-themed photos of common garden vegetables. The panel will critically, and objectively, discuss the salacious works of the morally bankrupt, reputational hippie, and licentious author, Louisa May Alcott.

-p.

*[var. bats in the belfry]

The entire World is shocked and alarmed concerning Hamas’ surprise savage ground and rocket assault on Israel, launching thousands of missiles,  committing Nazi-style,  atrocities, storming into homes, butchering hundreds of Israeli civilians, raping, taking hostages, conducting mass executions, burning people in their houses, dragging pregnant women through the streets, even beheading babies

We would, emphatically, refrain from designating Hamas’ horrendous assault against the Jewish State of Israel by land, sea, and air, as a “War,” analogous to Putin’s illegal incursion against Ukraine. No dispute over territory, boundaries, natural resources, or motivating incidents is existent. To avoid possible confusion, with a separate matter, Hamas is definitively, not a friend of the disgruntled Palestinians and the horrendous situation is unrelated to the issues relative to the Palestine-Israel territorial disputes.

 In our view, the bloody assault amounts, not to a “War” but rather, to a current mutation and resurrection of the dreaded virus, causative of the chronic pandemic of anti-Semitism.

The latter made its debut in the 4^th Century, during the era of the Holy Roman Empire [See: “Constantine’s Sword” by James C. Carroll]. Carroll, a retired Catholic priest, and novelist, has, in the cited book, illuminated the historical advent of said eternal, deadly prejudice. The subject events, inarguably, amount to a continuation of what is empirically, demonstrated by World History, to be yet another, tragic event in the chronic pathology of anti-Semitism. After more than two thousand years of hatred and murder of Jews, inclusive of traditional pogroms, and the Holocaust (regarding which the accommodating Church, under Pope Pius the 12^th remained totally silent), the numerous death camps, the present Hamas attack, presumably, with the financial and military training assistance of Iran (the latter Nation, expressly, and historically, opposed to the continued existence of the Jewish Nation) can historically and empirically, be understood as a wholesale “pogrom,” another serial chapter in the long-entrenched bloody history of anti-Semitism.

Historically and relevantly, the State of Israel was established by survivors of the European Holocaust and the steady flow of refugees from the widespread Eastern and Central European anti-Semitic pogroms.  The recent, popular protagonist of anti-Semitism was Adolph Hitler, who described his initiated World War, specifically, as his “War against the Jews” (Mein Kampf).

It has been suggested, by some analysts, that the improving relationships between Israel, Saudi Arabia, and certain other Middle Eastern nations, alarmed Iran and the subject terrorists, for fear that there be a two-state solution with Palestine, thereby, assuring the permanent existence of the State of Israel; the latter,  being an anathema to Teheran and their Hamas terrorists.

Israel is, at present, confronted with an almost insurmountable feat, the psychopathic terrorists having taken hostages, both Israeli and American, and presumably, enjoying the military and financial support of Iran. However, in our view, with America’s assistance, and, from historical experience grounded upon the myriad of Israeli past miracles, we remain confident that it will, before long, justly prevail over the Nazi-style terrorists and their pernicious sponsor.

-p.

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.

Blogpost # 962                                      OXYMORONICA IN ORANGE

As variously known, the term “oxymoron,” denotes a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction, for example, “old news,” “deafening silence,” or “organized chaos.” Faux oxymoronic word combinations are “jumbo shrimp,” (the word “shrimp” is not a dimensional reference like, “jumbo,” but rather an identified sea creature; nor is “military intelligence,” since the second word in the phrase is not contradictory, but, merely a sarcastic comment on general military aptitude. More on this phrase will be discussed later in this writing.

The institution of the popular vote is an overt demonstration of enduring, faith in the ultimate wisdom of the collective citizenry and an existential concomitant of our Nation’s singular, political designation as a democracy. The salient aspiration of America’s Founders was to create a government “by and for the people.” Considering our Nation’s admitted shortcomings, however, mitigated by its ongoing and recognized efforts to ameliorate the same, it can fairly, be said that the intentions of the Founders are in the process of being accomplished. The aspiration towards a universally, equal voting franchise remains, eternally, fundamental, and our Nation, considering its broad diversity of citizens, has noticeably, made significant progress in the achievement of  such salutary standard.

Unfortunately, the  unprecedented elevation to the Oval Office of an ignorant, egocentric, popular game show host and real estate grifter, named Donald J. Trump, (the scion of a family tree of systemically, bigoted real estate grifters) transmogrified the extant American scene into a dystopic nightmare; replacing empirical truth with  self-serving, “alternate reality,” distorting and nullifying the findings of legitimate medical science, demeaning the credibility and standing of America’s institutional media, promoting racism as well as sexual and gender bias, denigrating education and human advancement through study of the arts and the humanities, fostering populist disrespect for the Constitution as well as the Nation’s Laws, maintaining disloyal and traitorous relationships with America’s historical enemies, while confounding its traditional allies with his eccentrically, confused actions, withdrawing membership in the Paris Accords, concerned with Global Warming and other environmental issues, committing major, indictable acts of tax fraud, adjudicated acts of rape, business fraud and deceit, misleading the American public during the COVID pandemic, the latter, resulting in tens of thousands of preventable deaths, orchestrating a violent insurrection against Washington 1/26  based upon his employment of the autocratic- style, “Big Lie,” (“stolen election.”), not to omit his copious criminal record, two impeachments  (during a  single term) plus an ample cornucopia of Federal and State prosecutions.

Notwithstanding Trump’s, universally, known, appalling, record of miscreant behavior, cited above, said charlatan and practitioner of serial mendacity, seems, for reasons, that might applicably, be accorded the descriptive adjectives, bizarre, irrational, Kafka-esque, appallingly, appears to be, the front-runner in the forthcoming, Republican nominations for the Presidency.

Our readings and accumulated knowledge, irrefutably, indicate, that even our Planet’s most primitive organisms, (amoeba, paramecium, bacteria, viruses) either by chemical or physical means, repel from outside sources that are harmful, destructive, or threatening. On the anthropological contrary, such evolutionary, innate survival instinct in the hordes of MAGA Republicans has been held captive to an undeniably, bizarre and ignorant, march to self-destruction.

 In an earlier essay, (“LEMMINGS”) we noted the frightening and astounding ability of Donald Trump to mesmerize his underbelly cult, to vote in such a (suicidal) way, as to ardently, militate for the style of a National, autocratic polity, in which they (themselves) perforce, will be rendered, totally bereft of their presently held personal rights, inclusive of voting and free speech. The faux patriotic cry, “Make America Great Again,” is in effect, oxymoronic, if not empirically and pathologically, delusional, since the aspirations of the MAGA program (viz., autocracy) would be to eliminate American citizens’ traditional Bill of Rights.

By way of a brief return (as above indicated) to the consideration of the term, “oxymoron,” the contemporary scene, appears, to be giving birth to two candid, empirically, accurate, but, notably, exclusive, applications of the bizarre term. The phrases, that would now, empirically, qualify for the esoteric category of “oxymoronic,” [exclusively, applicable to the large herd of MAGA, followers] are the nouns, “voter,” and “President.”

The contextual meaning of “voter,” connotes the candid, free, expression of personal interest or preference, regarding a person or cause. The MAGA constituency faithfully and thoughtlessly, votes for such autocratic preferences, faithfully, as expressed, by Donald Trump.

The term, “President,” as properly employed, refers to the Chief Executive Officer of the United States, selected by the greatest number of its self-interested, free-thinking citizens, based upon their perception of apparent capabilities, point of view, and suitable character. The oxymoronic, designation of the word, “President,” as appropriately, applied to the persona of Donald J. Trump, is demonstrably, obvious, and tautologically, cynical.

-p.

We find it a continual source of frustration, and on occasion, anger, to realize that in the United States of America, where, fortunately, disease-preventing vaccines are readily available, approximately 23% of eligible citizens have foolishly and irresponsibly, chosen not to get vaccinated. The seemingly, eternal, and unmerited controversy, unnecessarily surrounding the medical policy and process of vaccination is proximately, responsible for needless and rancorous debate with dire implications for citizen health. It is not, merely, a significant issue concerning the unnecessary contraction of disease on the part of the recalcitrant, but has broader implications, from a societal standpoint of the spread of infection, as well as its aspirational efforts towards “herd immunity.”

The early intensive study of “vaccination” (Edward Jenner, (1749-1823) in time, led, inarguably, to one of the truly greatest medical achievements in mankind’s history. The total eradication of smallpox, (1980), of diphtheria, polio, and the development of prophylactic vaccines for a plethora of infectious diseases, inarguably made the Planet, a far safer place. It is relevant and instructive to know that authoritative sources in the discipline of Early American History, universally, indicate that General George Washington’s prescient program of inoculation of the Continental Army against smallpox played a major role in its military victory over Britain.

Despite its empirically demonstrated merit, vaccination has, somehow, become a divisive subject, inviting considerable controversy and rancorous debate. Yet, notably, medical history has shown that in cases where the decision was made to discontinue the vaccination of one’s children, the same, uniformly, led to the emergence of the relevant pathology. An illustrative, but unhappy example, is the re-emergence of measles which, we understand, had been declared entirely, “eradicated” in the United States, in the year, 2002.

Despite the consistent, expert reassurances of safety by the World’s medical authorities, there are many MAGA-type, “alternate facts” populists and other species of humanoids who maintain and propagate the nonsensical, unsupported, meme, that vaccination causes autism. The measles, mumps rubella (MMR) shots mandatorily, required for universal entrance to school have never been shown to cause autism or presage any pathology, whatsoever. It is ironic, if not, diagnosable paranoia, to seriously maintain the ideation that a vastly researched and time-tested, simple, medical procedure, that empirically, prevents disease, is the alleged, initiator of such a serious perceptive and neural pathology. We would wonder at the extent of credibility afforded by such believers in an assertion that s’mors or pizza, are the basic, etiological causes of autism, chronic athlete’s foot, or perhaps, tuberculosis.

To our knowledge, there exist no religious proscriptions against vaccination, nevertheless, there are various people who claim to reject it for “religious reasons.” More irrational and dystopian, is the bizarre fact that, under the singular term of the Presidency of  Donald Trump, vaccination became less a prophylactic medical procedure, than a politically identifying banner; those who were, prudently accepting, of vaccination were, in accordance with the MAGA-Trump, mindset, the “enemy,” i.e. the purported,” leftist-elitist” believers in vaccination, led by the diabolical, Dr. Anthony Fauci. It is, however, our definite and clear recollection, that Dr. Fauci, the former U.S. Chief Medical Officer, performed his designated, professional duties in a fiduciary, expert, and professional manner; guiding and keeping the Nation informed and up to speed, during the pandemic, and doubtlessly, saving the lives of a great many American citizens.

By notable, contrast, history will record the great mortal damage caused by the past President, Donald J. Trump, in ignorantly dismissing the value of the effective, COVID-19 vaccine and encouraging his ignorant sycophants to turn to a farcical, “snake oil” remedy, the latter, bizarrely, a “horse wormer.” Tens of thousands of hapless, Trump followers died tragic deaths, otherwise avoidable, by the acceptance and administration of the efficacious, COVID vaccine. It is our sincere view that parents who deny their children the prophylactic benefits of vaccination are, equally, in effect, guilty of the shameful commission of child abuse, every bit as much as allowing them to play “jacks” on a busy highway.

Governmental health officials have officially, advised the public to obtain additional COVID and seasonal Flu shots. Those who do not avail themselves of the salutary benefits of such prudent and responsible advice will be hapless, players, in a hazardous, personal, (and societally, impactful), game of Russian Roulette.

-p.

At the very outset of this writing, as a matter of ethical public disclosure, we would candidly confess to our consummate love of the arguably cutest of all forest critters, the beguiling and playful chipmunk. In our former country house in Kent, Connecticut, there appeared to be a large resident group of these furry, brown-striped cuties; we surmise, due to the nuanced feature of our property’s sizeable and penetrable rock garden. It was our presumption that the little guys had been regular tenants of the dozens of safe, domiciles, established by them in the safe, but chipmunk-penetrable, spaces among the many assorted rocks and decorative plantings. As I recall, we used to refer to the Rock Garden as “the Condominium.”

Chipmunks, being talented, professional, circus-quality performers, we regularly saw excited young members of the various broods, hi-jinxing, tumbling over each other in play, scampering, and exhibiting superior agility. They were quite trustful of us, as familiars, and would carry on with their playful ruckus in our presence, sometimes, even under our seated chair. But I digress from our theme.
We have observed that chipmunks, in their quotidian search for food, after much nose-wrinkling, reconnaissance, and upon happening on a substantial quantity of eatables (i.e. acorns, nuts, seeds, and berries) will, predictably, and instinctively, observe the following sentient procedure. Being hungry, they will consume the first few items of food, to assuage their natural hunger, then they will stuff their small, but, pliable and immensely, stretchable cheeks to their huge, orbicular limit with food, for express transport to their family nest. In passing, he would notify his fellows of the large cache of food and may even return for some further indulgence, depending upon his eating capacity; but, notably and most relevantly, there, exists a limit that a chipmunk may reasonably need and can hungrily, consume.

Motivating our present, (tri-partite) theme, of “need,” “consume,” and “use,” were the media reports of a (suspicious) two billion dollar gift by Saudi Arabia, to  Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of the former President, Donald Trump. Relative to our theme, we might take notice of the plethora of other publically known, billionaires, inclusive of, the Koch Brothers, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Warren Buffet, and Mark Zuckerberg. We might, as well, contextually, reference those many other Americans whose regular earnings are in the millions. Many of these extraordinarily wealthy people had previously chosen to, totally, dedicate their lives and creative propensities, to a mutually, misplaced, drive, to exceed others in a  contest to competitively, amass, vast quantities of wealth; and other stereotypic, public symbols of success, viz., great residential mansions, airplanes, helicopters, yachts. In the process of this neurotically, Quixotic, competitive aspiration, many have, elected to sacrifice considerations of family, academic, or aesthetic opportunities and the dedicated pursuit of personal growth; the latter, inarguably, healthier, and ultimately, far more satisfying, personal lives, than one, in thrall to a limited lifetime, gauging the competitive scoreboard of material acquisition.

It requires but little empirical experience, to rationally and pragmatically, declare, that no human being, reasonably and objectively, requires billions or millions of dollars, to live a comfortable and materially, satisfying life. Those who avidly, and competitively, have sacrificed and striven to obtain a superlative degree of material success may, in the course of life’s later retrospective, be disappointed in their ultimately, deliberated realization, that their humanistic sacrifices, previously deemed, by them as appropriate to compete in such a comparative asset scoreboard were, upon reconsideration, too rare and valuable to have been surrendered.

Our candid speculation is that if some unexpected, mega-wealthy party were to, suddenly, and unexpectedly, gift us with millions of dollars, the present context of our way of life would not noticeably, change.  Like, our dear friends, the furry, stuffed-cheeked chipmunks, we only can consume, (or need) so much. By contrast, our lifelong love of reading good literature, writing essays and poetry, and appreciation of the fine arts and of Nature have, in our later years, happily, given us an invaluable sense of self-fulfillment and aesthetic happiness.

-p.

The clandestine term, “Fifth Column,” may acceptably, be defined as a cadre of people whose motivation is to undermine a Nation from within its borders. An illustrative example existed during World War 2, when the Nation was dangerously, and insidiously, confronted with a sub-Rosa, fifth column, whose efforts were designed to undermine America and, thereby, assist Nazi Germany.
Any thoughtful analysis of the contemporary American scene would, in our view, result in the disturbing, observation that Donald J. Trump and his MAGA supporters are, (perhaps, in some cases, unwitting), agents operating in such a way as to undermine the Nation’s Constitution, Laws, and foundational institutions; and, by so doing, acting in a manner which, undeniably, subverts the interests of the American Nation.

 Mr. Trump possesses a vacuous mind, a brain that is, doubtless, wrinkle-proof and entirely, free of intellectual dynamics. He is, indeed, not a believer in autocracy nor, for that matter, in democracy. His neurotic mindset is inflexibly focused, solely and narcissistically on himself, independent of any theoretical, political, or philosophical rationale. In our view, he admires the autocratic leaders of Russia, China, and North Korea, not because of any political predilection for their political philosophies, nor even the academic theory of totalitarianism, itself, but, solely for the demonstrated phenomenon of their unlimited power, whatever the theory underlying such authority may be. His blind egocentrism, combined with his total inability to determinatively reason beyond the boundaries of his overinflated sense of entitlement and implacable self-justification, makes analysis of any political theory, out of reach for him and determinatively, irrelevant.

Analogous to the stereotypical, attention-demanding toddler, who chooses to kick his mother in the shins, to command notice (albeit, punitive), Trump is an overgrown, neurotic-child-adult, addicted to the attractions of public notice and personal attention, which he, self-interestedly and pathologically, transmogrifies into respect and admiration. This personal, self-serving, idee-fixe, fuels his demagogic inclinations and encourages his grandiose assumptions of personal prowess, despite his empirical incapability and profound, ignorance.

Trump’s observed unorthodoxy and total disrespect for social and institutional propriety, as well as his derogation of the media, education, and of intellectual prowess, have, endeared him to our Nation’s inadequately educated and unsophisticated, populist citizens who have become his ardent supporters. It would appear that a considerable number of populist citizens possessing a sense of real or subjective grievance have cast their lot in with the irreverent, Trump, many of whom, may be described as “Trump cultists;” approving of his doctrine of “alternate facts,” accepting or overlooking his serial mendacity and his criminal, and (no less than) treasonous behavior.  Trump and his acolytes’ bizarre conspiracy ideations have been subscribed to by this populist “underbelly” who, uniformly, following his lead,  have opposed exigent policies beneficial to our Nation and its allies.

The most historically impactful example of their ubiquitous opposition to the Nation’s (and the Free World’s) interest, is evinced in Trump’s (and his cult’s) opposition to America’s support of Ukraine’s defensive war against the wrongful incursion into that sovereign Nation by Putin’s Russia. The latter, notwithstanding the cogent possibility that the undisturbed success of Putin, would, in addition to violating the U.N. Charter, International Law, and international morality, might, empirically, presage a program of successive aggression by Russia against other sovereign Nations, and conceivably, lead to a Third World War.

Thus, in their vocal opposition to the vital program of U.S. aid to Ukraine, such undermining parties, additionally, qualify for the disloyal role of “Fifth Columnists.”  This observation is consistently, and disturbingly, notable, in their support of  the  MAGA tactics of non-funding of the government, derogation of the established media, attack on the existential existence of “truth,” election denial, violent insurrection against the Government,  civil rights travesties, voter interference, the program of tactical road blocking of necessary military appointments, general incitement of National divisiveness and discord, and shameless, rebuke of the provisions of the Constitution, which actions are inarguably, contrary to the National interest, and, notably, in the identical style of “an enemy within,” or “Fifth Columnists.”

It is existentially necessary, that mainstream American citizens be constantly aware of this danger to our Democratic Republic and take appropriate defensive action, most particularly, by means of their impactful vote, to continue to sustain our traditional American way of life.

-p.

The Vote

The assertion that the citizens’ right to vote to determine the leadership policies of their Nation is the definitional dynamic and exists as the existential hallmark of a democracy, requires little in the way of argument. As it happens, the United States election procedures are elucidated in Article 2 of the U.S. Constitution. Historically, the 18^th Amendment justly awarded the right to vote to African Americans (1870), and the 19^th finally, to Women (1920), extending the franchise to all citizens of legal age.

It would appear that the Constitution assigns primary responsibility for the administration of federal elections to the States, with specific oversight, reserved to the Federal Government.

Unfortunately, in recent years, it appears that States have put, various and sundry barriers at the ballot box. The media reports the State’s imposition of strict voter ID laws, its tactical limitation of voting times, restrictive registration, purging of voter rolls, and the imposition of unreasonable burdens on racial minorities the poor, and elderly citizens. Additionally, it appears that certain State Legislatures have pushed to restrict voting and undermine faith in the electoral process. As we can perceive, the geographical divide of past years, relative to universal equality, seems to disappointingly, endure, with some states attempting to provide more liberal voting legislation, while the (predictable) others persist in their policies of restriction.

Thus, after much consideration, we would take the liberty to suggest certain critically needed alterations to the process of the American voting system to ensure its fairness and efficacy.

Given the contemporary, plethora of instances of voter interference, claims of election fraud, and election rigging, we would suggest that new legislation be proposed, providing that, regarding all federal elections, hereafter conducted, voter registration be pursuant to Federal law and under Federal oversight. The same would, appropriately and constitutionally, ensure Constitutional propriety by providing, one, uniform, standard, and egalitarian system of voting and, as well, the spurious claims, relative to the counting of votes. It would tend to avoid the conspiracy claims of voter fraud as well as actual instances of the same. One just and ubiquitous procedure of voting and logistics of vote counting, would reliably, tend to be fair and be recognized as such.

The citizen (redux)

We have, in prior writings, strongly urged the existential importance of the responsible vetting, by an appropriately, selected body, of any and all aspirants seeking nomination to run for the Presidency of the United States; so that we may avoid the cataclysmic, experience enjoyed by the Nation, under the former President. In support of the basic necessity and pragmatism of the same, we have emphatically and ironically, observed, that it is mandatory and normal practice to thoroughly interview applicants, perforce, for mundane, unskilled, entry employment.

-p.

An intriguing and significant article in the current (September-October, 2023) edition of Smithsonian Magazine, was revelatory of yet, another profoundly, infuriating, instance of the invidious and repugnant blemish on the body of “Civilized Humanity,” viz., religious evangelism. Although we have designated it, as the “Eighth Deadly Sin,” for recognizable, literary purposes, considering the horrific extent of its temporal harm, in combination with the implicit arrogance upon which it is founded, in our view, it is deserving of “FIRST” place, in any listing of human degradation.

As prologue to this essay, we would contextually, refer to an American travesty, best known in historic literature, as “The Trail of Tears,” in which more than 60,000 Native Americans, largely, people of the Choctaw Nation, were removed from their ancestral homes in the fertile lands in the south-east portion of the country to “more suitable lands for the ‘injuns’” to the arid land of Oklahoma. This outrageous period in our history (1830-1831, under the flawed Presidency of Andrew Jackson) saw upwards of 2,500 peaceable Choctaw Indians die along the forced march. Certain odious, but, “upstanding,” “God-fearing,” powerful members of the Federal government, hatefully, stated that the “red man” was beneath contempt, “even more than the black man.”

Recent historical research has revealed that the Native American families, forcibly, uprooted from their fertile, ancestral homes and exiled to the windy, barren Oklahoma Territory, were, thereafter, prey to an arrogant and perverse, evangelical program to proselytize, and thereby, humanize,” the “savage redskins.” This delusional and inhuman program, consisted of the forcible, kidnapping of young Indian children from their families and installing them in designated foster institutions so that they might be, “properly,” converted to Christianity.

 Various public relations efforts of late, have been undertaken to apologize and effect some limited reparation for such inhuman policies, but history, attests to the lasting, if not permanent, damage, done by such evangelical, “humanizing,” transgressions. The rich culture and nature-oriented religious belief and traditional folkways, of such first Americans, were permanently damaged by ignorant, cruel, and contemptible religious ethnocentrism and misguided sense of propriety. History is replete with instances of great cruelty and irreparable harm done by such short-sighted ideation, most especially regarding the promotion of irrational and biased belief in religious salvation.

The mid-19^th Century saw the autocratic and heartless treatment of Ireland by England; the latter, a deluded, self-proclaimed paragon of religious rectitude, advanced human civilization, supported by formidable, military (naval) power. Dominant and heartless, England deprived the Irish of its entire production of food, including meat and vegetables, only permitting the retention of its potato crops; the latter, an inadequate source of nourishment for the primitively, housed, Irish people. In the historic potato famine, the Smithsonian article reminded the reader that more than one-eighth of the 19^th Century Irish population, died of malnutrition. Unfortunately, the only crop that failed in the Irish Nation at this time was the potato; wheat, barley, corn, oats and grazing land for livestock were flourishing; but these were “cash crops,” mandated for export, by the “admirable, and civilized” people of the religiously, pious Nation of England.

As reported, a certain Irish -American citizen, friendly with the people of the greatly, impoverished Choctaw Nation  in Oklahoma, communicated to the Choctaw people that mass starvation and land evictions were taking place in Ireland, (half a world away) and of the dire condition of the Irish people. The indigent Choctaw people, were greatly moved, and despite their own dire poverty, managed, somehow, to raise a substantial sum of money to assist the starving Irish. It is to be, especially, noted, that at the time of their humanistic donation, less than one decade had passed since the Federal Government’s forced, tragic and heartless dispossession, of the Choctaw Nation from their ancestral lands in the southern United States, known as the “trail of tears; most of whom, as stated, were, themselves, living in extreme privation and poverty. It is difficult to imagine people less well-positioned to act in a philanthropic manner.

 This example of empathy and humanistic generosity, is a moral lesson indeed, an instructive avatar, for the arrogant, ego-centrism of the universe of misguided believers in arrogant, self-delusional, religious evangelism.

-p.