Category: Uncategorized

The Biden Administration is deserving of the highest kudos for its recent passage of substantial legislation, targeted to the amelioration of inflation, the provision of needed National physical infrastructure, and, as well, the amelioration of many existing, National and personal problems.

Included in the laudatory legislation, are specific provisions, forgiving a portion of the substantial tuition indebtedness of students of higher education. From a truly fundamental point of view, we value the student relief, the most salubrious of the many legislated benefits.

It is our view that many of the predictable, right-wing detractors are politically motivated and are pandering to the ignorant, or, if sincere, are totally lacking in National perspective and hopelessly, short-sighted. It may be accurately observed, that substantial sums of governmental monies have awarded, as assistance, to many commercial and agricultural enterprises, which, somehow, did not elicit such outcries of unfairness or political partiality, Agricultural, scientific and pharmaceutical research subsidies, substantial banking and finance company bailouts, and needed disaster relief are just a few of the many such examples.

Not surprisingly, many of the right-wing detractors of tuition assistance are, themselves,( hypocritical) beneficiaries of the Federal Government’s largesse, in the forgiveness of private debt; such as the two, vocally, odious, anti-democratic and reductively bigoted, Congresspersons, Marjorie Taylor Greene (reportedly, $183,000) and Matt .6f5, (reportedly, $482,000). Moreover, we would presume that any reasonably competent audit of the financial affairs of Members of Congress, Senators and Congressmen, (not to mention the plethora of high governmental officials), would reveal financial “goodies” for a great many, who, concededly, find themselves in far more desirable financial circumstances, than the lower and middle class, beneficiaries of the Biden Administration’s grant of needed student relief.

 However, our principal theme is not the subject of hypocritical, financial injustice, but rather, the vital benefit to our Nation, by the salubrious policy of Governmental financial assistance to American students, in their acquisition of higher education. Such empathic assistance, amounts, necessarily, to a wise and existentially, valuable, investment in our Nation’s “human infrastructure,” viz., the assurance of citizen capability and, as necessary, the Nation’s military defense.

On the latter subject, we would offer, as illustration, the heroic victory of the small, newly authorized, and poorly supplied, Nation of Israel in 1948, against the English, militarily trained and supplied, Arab Legions. As another, cogent, illustration, we would, once more, reference Germany, in the first third of the 20^th Century; the most industrialized and militarily, formidable of America’s three Axis enemies, in the Second World War. Germany, a relatively small to medium size country, came, frighteningly, close to its pernicious goal, of World conquest, due to the quality of its literate and mobilized population; the availability of the latter qualities, being, a Nation’s most valuable, natural, resource.

More recently, we experienced a confirmation of the stated principle that, the most impactful, of all its natural resources, is not a Nation’s possession of fuel, water, steel, or its geographic location, but its people. Contemporary proof of this declared principle is provided the by magnificent defensive response by the Nation of Ukraine, to giant Russia’s unprovoked attack. It is, to us, highly conceivable, that the literate, united and mobilized Ukraine will indeed, prevail, over its giant, and well-equipped, aggressor. Neither the acquisitive lust of the autocratic, Putin, his country’s enormous population, its great oil reserves and other natural resources, in totality, are equal, to the qualitative love of country and sophisticated nature of the citizens of the much smaller, attacked Nation.

Currently, a vast number of serious internal problems, including an existential threat to democracy, itself, besetting the American Nation are, in large part, the result of its vast horde of inadequately, educated and poorly informed citizens. (See: # 839 “Barbarians at the Gate”). As previously, declared, such state of affairs, existentially, hampers democracy viz., government rule by, and for, the people. Historically, America’s population of such citizens has proved, incapable and unmotivated, to render meaningful contributions to the advancement and defense, nor, the very existence of our Democratic Republic. This portion of the population has been proven to be vulnerable to “snake oil” demagogues (like Donald Trump), and to such (his) autocratic style, readily accepting of his disparagement of factual truth, and acceptance of propaganda and bogus conspiratorial ideations. To repeat, this dangerous and shocking state of affairs, unfortunately, is our Democratic Republic’s, politically, dire and sociologically, threatening, conundrum du jour.

Such present, imminent, threat to democracy, posed by our population of inadequately educated and poorly informed (“underbelly,”) populist, supporters of a Trump autocracy, can only be, effectively, confronted by the encouragement of a (more) numerous population of enlightened, citizens.

The Biden Administration’s financial relief accorded to tuition indebted students, is an assistance to, and makes pragmatically, possible, the continuance and furtherance of higher education and, thereby, the strengthening of the Nation’s all-important, human infrastructure, resulting in the advancement and strengthening of the Nation, and, crucially the vital preservation of its democracy.

-p.           

PRELIMINARY STATEMENT:

[For purposes of context, we have, unconventionally, chosen to initially, pose a question, which, in essence, is significant, but, nevertheless, supplemental to the primary theme, of our writing. In the main, this essay will principally seek to highlight and question the seemingly, eternal immunity from criminal prosecution of the miscreant, Donald J. Trump. Yet, in the manner, as indicated, we would first refer to the U.S. Constitution’s bizarre and irresponsible failure, to prescribe necessary personal criteria for qualification, for the unique role and attributable, august power, of the American Presidency.

The Constitutionally, prescribed criteria for the Office of the President of the United States of America, despite the Office’s unparalleled power and history-making significance, are simply and reductively, three: 1) at least 35 years of age, (2) natural born citizen, and (3) United States residence for 14 years. An applicant for mundane employment as a salesperson or bank clerk requires far more significant, personal criteria to qualify. This bizarrely, irresponsible neglect, permits an ignorant, psychotic, charlatan, like Donald J. Trump, to qualify for the Highest Office in the World; to the immense glee and celebration of the Nation’s populist underbelly, (See prior blog, “Barbarians at the Gate) and to the present, consequent, existential threat to democracy. The venerable and scholarly white-wigged Founders, it seems, were learned political philosophers but lousy recruiters.]

CHEMISTRY:

Teflon is a thermoplastic polymer characterized by its slippery surface and resistant to attack by virtually all chemicals. It was developed in the 1930s and is contemporaneously, advertised and sold, being known for its non-stick food properties for manufactured fry pans and other cookware.

ANTHROPOLOGY:

“Orange Teflon,” is our nuanced designation for the former President’s exotic and uncanny ability to repel retribution despite his considerable plethora of serious crimes. It is bizarre and especially disconcerting to note that many of his criminal acts have been as clearly, and publicly, witnessed as his orangutan-hued hair. Nevertheless, like the properties of Teflon coating, Trump has, somehow, given them all the slip, rather than being stained with the adherent residue of deserved criminal charges, and suffering appropriate retribution.

It would appear that the serial prevaricator, Donald J. Trump did make, at least, one true statement, during his many years in the public spotlight. Trump delusionally, and egocentrically, boasted, before millions of television viewers, “I could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and get away with it.” As shocking and non- presidential as was the despicable assertion, it bizarrely, and conceivably, may have been the only, apparently, accurate statement that Trump has made, in decades. The wide number and array of Trump’s serious felonies and instances of, inarguably, criminal behavior, much of which has been, actual, witnessed on public television, have not resulted in his criminal punishment; giving the lie to the constant, popularly recited mantra, that, in America,” no man is above the law.”

An average American citizen, ignoring a traffic ticket, given for the mundane and thoughtless act of passing a red light, would, expectedly, be punished by fine, imprisonment, or both. With reference to our former, twice-impeached, President,  whose irrefutably, serious crimes, including, but not limited to: treason, purloining secret, classified, government, documents, incitement and support of a seditious and violent insurrection against the American Government, election tampering and coercion, numerous, deceitful violations of the Emolument Clause of the Constitution, bribery,(to avoid public exposure, as a frequenter of prostitutes), decades of serious tax fraud, corporate and individual, lying to official governmental agencies, frequent incitement of the public, to physical violence at rallies, extortion, adultery, sexual abuse, criminal negligence, during the covid pandemic, the latter, leading to thousands of unnecessary and tragic deaths, nevertheless, unconcernedly distributes, red MAGA hats and displaying, to his cult supporters, his public, “thumbs up” expression of unmitigated success.

It can only be the possession and utilization of the naturally, repellant properties of the chemical, orange Teflon, that can enable a one-term, twice impeached, shameless, perpetrator of multiple felonies and all manner of miscreant behavior, to pathologically, feel enabled, to, shamelessly and confidently, announce to his loyal and despicable, cultish acolytes, his supremely, confident intention to run, once more, for the Office of the President of the United States.

We are aware of no time in our Nation’s history, when the universally eternal, American mantra, “No man is above the law,” has been so frequently articulated and so evidently, disproven.  

-p.

 Humankind’s proverbial and eternally, faithful stork, in the performance of the duties of an avian UPS, to be candid, has no especial knowledge nor the slightest interest, in the cultural, racial, religious or sexual proclivities of his invaluable cargo. His sole concern is the maintenance of a secure grip, with his sharp talons, on the large white diaper, containing the assigned merchandise. It is to be creditably, recognized, that he requires no “GPS app.” to flawlessly, determine the precise location of the intended recipient.  There is no delivery charge, irrespective of location, and more significantly, regardless of the respective, descriptive adjective, describing the subject of the delivery.

In our earlier essays on the pernicious existence of religious bigotry, we have used this folkloric image,  in aid of our forensic assertion, that one’s culture, race and religion are, inarguably, not dependent, upon choice, but rather, on the happenstance of birth. A similar, explanatory image is of utility with respect to the arcane issue of a child’s, later realized, gender preference.

As a factual reminder, the X and Y-chromosomes (“the Sex Chromosomes”) are determinative of the biological sex of the individual. Females inherit an X chromosome from the father, for an XX, genotype, while males inherit a Y chromosome from their father, thus obtaining n XY genotype (a mother, it seems, can only pass on an X chromosome.) Despite our admitted lack of professional expertise, we would confidently, declare that differences in sexual orientation are, in general, but not completely, the result of such chromosomal inheritance; the exceptions to this generally applicable rule, as advised, are real, but not to date, sufficiently understood.

While most people in the World appear to persist in the belief that sex differences are simply binary, modern advances in biological science indicate the existence of a large spectrum of variation existing in the general classification of “male” and “female.” The science of biology has been building a more nuanced view of sex however, a significant portion of our reductionist society has yet to catch up.

Certain of our citizens, shamefully and ignorantly, exhibit hurtful sanctions and impose constraints against others, whose personal choice of gender identity, is at variance with the determination, officially made at birth. Acts of abuse are apparently, due to the latter’s, judgmental, reductionist and biased perception of gender dynamics. For those castigated, anecdotal experiences can vary, between, insulting and hurtful exclusion, to the extreme experience of being a victim of the detestable and psychotic activity of “gay bashing.” The latter responses appear to be responsive, to reductively, perceived, overt characteristics, which, just as, in the case of race and culture, are, in fact, involuntarily, determined, (by the accident of birth), are analogously, involuntary destined (in this case,  chemically and physically during gestation).

Homosexuality, inarguably, is not a mental disease and the clinical conduct of futile and ineffective mental therapy, called “Reparative” or “Conversion Therapy” for LGBTQ people, would seem to indicate a lack of sophistication, concerning their etiology and character. As an additional matter, we have chosen not to comment, on the subject of, the range of irrational, reductive religious practices, ritually and atavistically, aimed at converting the hapless “gay” person, to an unquestioning, devotee of the apocryphal, “Adam and Eve” stereotype.

We might, however, recommend, an extensive course of psychiatric therapy, for those, (often right-wing bigots), who choose the ugly path of hurtful, public criticism, or practice tortious and wrongful action, toward fellow American citizens of ambiguous sexual gender. These neurotically aggressive, responses may be founded, simply, on their own profound ignorance; or conceivably, on their personally troubling, and fearful, lack of compelling assurance, as to their own, appropriate, placement on the non-binary, sexual continuum.

-p.

In various essays, we have quoted, as relevant, declarations of Thomas Jefferson, such as: “The cornerstone of democracy rests on the foundation of an educated electorate” and  ”A proper functioning democracy depends upon an informed electorate.” In view of today’s political and social climate and context, we are presently, inclined to view such Jeffersonian declarations, as constituting an admonition or an express challenge. Our modest readings in modern history have convinced us that President Jefferson’s statements were prescient, and that, empirically, the existence of large numbers of inadequately educated and poorly informed citizens, such as exists in the American Nation, poses existential danger to the existence of our Democratic Republic.

The title of this essay, “Barbarians at the Gate,” bears reference to ancient Rome’s warnings of attack on its City, by the Ottomans, Goths or other warlike hordes that arrived at the walls of that ancient city, to lay siege and destroy the Roman Empire. We are, unhappily, obliged to observe that America’s homegrown, mega horde of barbarians, amount to the inadequately educated, poorly informed, ”underbelly;” now under the sway of the despicable, would-be-autocratic, dictator for life, Donald J. Trump.

Ominously, said individuals have made clear, that they reject democracy, in favor of his unlimited, autocratic rule. To be specific, Trump has consistently, shown himself to be distrustful of the democratic institution of the citizen vote, has defamed the established, and responsible, media, has denigrated objective truth as well as science and education, opposes universal equality and is a promoter of bigotry, opposes free trade and international cooperation, and is, noncompassionately, anti-immigration. Such immoral, undemocratic and autocratic traits as are, unanimously, deplored by every mainstream believer in democracy, and civil rectitude, and, by contrast, lauded, by the described “underbelly.”

Trump’s uncanny ability to maintain cultish loyalty, and to incite such individuals to the performance of acts of criminality, to the extreme extent of violent insurrection, seems to us, to be buttressed by his discerned, unlimited power to escape punishment for his own multiple illegal actions; such as the secretive, and feloniously illegal and improper, purloining of governmental classified and secret documents, his express, telephonic attempts at coercion, (viewed on television) of certain Secretaries of State, to unlawfully urge them to alter their State’s official voting tabulations, his serial mendacity and actual traitorous behavior. The despicably bold actions of his acolytes, may, conceivably, be founded on their confident belief in his apparent, unlimited, ability to escape punitive consequences for his plethora of horrendously, illegal actions, as well as their consequent, quasi-religious, belief that he is in possession of the unique power to impose his magical will on reality.

We would reprise a prior, predictive admonition, as stated in our earlier writing “Lemmings”) that any (unthinkable) success, by such “underbelly,” in their zealous aspiration for a Trump-like autocracy, would, inclusively, have, negative effects on such (suicidal, unthinking) Trump supporters as well as on their more democracy-loving,  liberal opponents. Autocracy has been, eternally, associated with severe limitations on personal liberty and rights, the application of which has empirically, been, no less than universal.

A salient and eternally relevant consideration, apparently, lacking in apprehension,(in addition to a universe of additional matters) of “would-be autocrats,” such as our egotistical and ignorant, Orange Nero, is that a sufficient amount of moral pragmatism is existentially, necessary, to the conduct of societal order and the survival of civilization, as we know it. 

-p.

Take heart, be your latest hap,
The descent of that abominate curtain
Bringing long, gray days, bereft of gladness
An unwelcome, metamorphosis,
From reposing pleasure, to unsettling fear
And of confident capability, to
Misgivings and useless inaptitude.
In a trice, do such vile curtains fall
On hapless targets, obliged to barter
Erstwhile perception and joie de vivre
For amorphous doubt and unseen danger
That heavy, dark and musty curtain
Will bring to any hapless soul
Amorphous fear of exotic peril
A shade- darkening of persona’s nuance
Annulment of hope and dreams of enterprise
It ‘cumbers creative potential, and
Quarantines prior confidence, and
Erstwhile assurance of self-image
Wreaks destruction on natural spontaneity
And snare- hobbles interactive sociability.
It is painful injury, sans prior incident
Arbitrarily imposed, lacking tenable cause
A sudden insult to the human chemistry
Awarded alike, to the admirable and perverse.

But, do keep faith, ere long, the vile curtain lifts
A neon-lemon moon and diamond-sparkling stars,
Will proclaim renewed warmth and reincarnated joy.

Leonard N. Shapiro – Kingston, N.Y. 9/12/22

Despite the double impact of Covid-19 and of the Company’s eternally, incapable management, the HOURWAY COMPANY, LLC, located in the City of Sharp Bedsprings, Iowa, still might truthfully, boast that it remains the third largest manufacturer and distributor of doorknobs and doorstops in the Mid-Western United States. Since the advent of the Covid pandemic, the solicitous management acceded to the protective policy, by which its sales, advertising and general staff (including bookkeeping) were permitted to work from their respective homes “virtually,” by television. It did specify, however, that, during working hours, all employees, mandatorily, were to wear, his and her, brown and yellow, woolen company stocking hats, to preserve and maintain the sense of company élan, loyalty and communality.

Every two years, on May 1, without fail, the HOURWAY Company, traditionally, hosted a biennial, Company outdoor picnic for its management and workers, with the single and joyless, exception of the particular year in which the Company’s keyhole design and manufacturing branch went into insolvency. Many especially devout employees, at such time, responsively, chose to attend at their respective houses of worship to pay their sincere last respects to that, sadly failed enterprise.

This year, the company and its employees were enthusiastically, looking forward to May 1 and the traditional company picnic, despite the tenacious persistence of the infectious, Covid virus; however, it mandated that each participant, attending and taking part in the company festivities, do so, virtually, in the same manner as their regular rendition of services, being especially mindful, for the purpose of the maintenance of appropriate spirit, to wear the Company woolen hat.

The Company, generously, arranged for a suitable, outdoor grassy field for the occasion, on which, all computer cameras, as desired, might be focused, to enjoy the various activities, especially, the Company engaged in musical entertainment. Included in such entertainment was the accomplished accordionist and Company bookkeeper, Mr. Salvatore (“Sal”) Hepatica, and his girlfriend of twenty-two years, the highly skilled, baroque, violinist, Ms. Conception (“Connie”) Pizzicato, the latter to be accompanied, by alto harmonica, played by young, buck-toothed and precocious,  Dewitt Hourway, Jr., the Owner’s, corpulent and heavily acne’d, teen-age nephew.

Unfortunately, on the appointed day of the Company’s virtual picnic, rain fell hard on the special events field and Sal had an untimely attack of his chronic gout. Ms. Pizzicato, playing solo, did her best to replicate, a somewhat, identifiable version of Vivaldi, but the heavy rain interfered with her bowing, and the music sounded like a concomitance of religious dirge and military march (if that can be aurally, envisioned). The only redeeming musical entertainment seemed to be the alto harmonica version of “Old Folks at Home,” energetically, and dutifully, delivered, (but, under the meteorological circumstances, hard to hear) by the indomitable, and circumstantially, frenetic, Dewitt Hourway.

There, unfortunately, were two employee injuries, identically caused, by slipping, while, running, impatiently and carelessly, during the course of the Official picnic between the location of their T.V. screen and their respective, slippery tile bathrooms. Accordingly, calls were resolved to be, timely, made to the Company Lawyer, Mr. Larry Whiplash, to inquire whether, under the circumstances, viz., the injuries taking place, (virtually), during the Official Company Picnic, a claim might be made under Iowa’s Workman’s Compensation Law. The lawyer’s stereotypical response was, “I’ll get back to you.”

A few days following the Company event, every employee was given as a treasured memento of the successful event, a company manufactured, doorknob and a commemorative, gold colored doorstop, containing his, and the Company’s name, and the date of the event.

  –p.

Our usual inclination for unrestricted, casual musing, somehow led us to a novel, all-encompassing and ubiquitously, applicable, conceit. Our Planet contains a fundamental, unchanging and metaphysical source of natural energy, demonstrable, not alone in its gravity, shifting of its tectonic plates, electricity, and meteorology, but indeed, in an entire, “obligatory,” panoply of earthly, dynamic phenomena. The same is inclusive of evolution and life itself, as well as the formulaic, growth and decline, of its fauna and flora. [general comment: If all of humankind’s research and exploration to date, have provided somewhat less, than full and all-encompassing, explanations for these eternally present, phenomena, they have done so, at least sufficiently, to rationally dispel atavistic beliefs in superstitious, and non-empirical, causation.]

We would venture to say, that, by dint of evolution’s development of a unique, advanced and sentient, being, viz., Homo sapiens, there, was implicitly, created, a measure of derivative, analogy between, Man’s recognition and acceptance of his planet’s immutable, phenomena, on the one hand, and on the other, his analogous, recognition of an eternal and existential, obligation, to, likewise, abide by certain fixed, immutable principles, relative to all humankind, desirous of living in society.  

Humankind, by its beneficially, permanent election, to live in society, voluntarily and necessarily, assumed the existential obligation of living in accordance with societal, mutually, accepted principles; the latter, as stated, a metaphysical requirement, as fixed and non-negotiable, as the planetary, phenomena, of tides and gravity. If any thematic difference should exist between the two comparatives, it is, fundamentally, in their nuanced etiology, i.e., the difference between, accruing such obligation by empirical and pragmatic necessity, as distinguished from the analogous, but naturally created, planetary concomitance, of eternally, inflexible and unalterable, dynamic phenomena.

“Principles,” as such, may permissibly, be defined as fundamental truths, which function as individual guides for belief, and behavior. They are society’s “GPS,” reliably and enduringly, directing the individual member of society along the correct orbit to the traditionally, established and agreed standards of acceptable action. Societally standardized, established principles, themselves, are the empirical result of the cumulative, anecdotal life experience of its members, within the realm of that society.

The mainstream individual, based, on the course of his life experiences, gradually accrue a consistent self-identity, a self-image, founded upon his perceptive recollection of personal experiences; notably, his past responses to life’s varied stimuli. Based upon this developed, self-image, he gradually construes, and thereafter maintains, stable and acceptable principles, consistent therewith, enabling the rational evaluation of his own views and behavior, as well as those of others. Possessing moral principles entails situating ones compass’ due “North,” sited on a perceived good self-image and an assured sense of confirming rectitude. The latter is inclusive of personal behavior, to the extent of its being in harmony with the acceptance of established and consistent societal principles. Should certain of his society’s principles, be altered or eliminated, the compliant citizen responsively, amends or eliminates them, in response. Illustrations of the latter observation, are noted, in the cases of the Statutory, elimination of the prohibition against selling and drinking alcoholic beverages and, as well, the wise retirement of the cumbersome, unfair and religiously, biased “Sunday Blue Laws.”

The thematic point is that those, inner-directed individuals, whose developed and secure self-image have the required capability to evaluate their own thoughts and actions, within the context of their personally established, inner sense of rectitude, i.e., principle. Others, not so constituted may be relegated to the dependent and vulnerable position of reliance upon others, (“outer-directed”).

The etiology of the insufficiently socialized, persona may be associated with a voluntary or situationally, casual approach to liberal education and the consequent lack of introspective inclination towards self-examination, and insight, relative, as well, to other members of his society. His perception of life and of its critically, nuanced issues is, but, a shallow one, if at all, existent. His dependence on those others, who seem to appear, confidently knowledgeable (who, in reality, may be feigning such knowledge) is his default. His failure to develop his own self-image, consistently adhering to personally developed, guiding, principles, makes him vulnerable to demagoguery or, dependence in “group think.”

This lack of ability or, alternatively, the disinclination, to live in accordance with personalized, stable and consonant principles, provides an arable field for the development of the “cult,” and of delusional conspiracy mongers. It renders credible and attractive the accepted notions and diatribes of sly, “snake oil salesmen,” in sync with their ignorant, horde of compliant, acolytes; in lieu of efforts to exercise reason or to develop independent thought. Principles of rectitude, morality and good government, are witlessly, abandoned, or, conceivably, deemed to be nonexistent, on the part of such useless, and often, dangerous, “populist” citizens. For such individuals, reliance upon a tactically convincing charlatan, is facile and convenient, compared to the strenuous effort expended in the employment of an underdeveloped, and accordingly, unused, personal exercise of reason.

To date, there has existed, yet another, immutable, and frustrating, comparative; in addition to the stated, obligation on the part of the Planet, to exist with other phenomena, and the permanent charge on humankind living in society, to eternally, live in conformity with established, principle. It is the existential necessity of a democracy, such as ours, to maintain a population of educated and informed citizens, living, indeed, in accordance with established, principle, on one hand, and, on the other, the continued, absence of the requisite ability of society, to date, to do so.

-p.   

*N.B. [For many early centuries, prior to the advent of plumbing and of flush toilets, the utilitarian, chamber pot served as a portable toilet. [The titles’ initials stand, in aesthetically, selected order, for the odious, “ménage a trois,” of Putin, Orban and Trump, the dramatis personae of this writing].

We were profoundly, shocked, to learn that Viktor Orban, the totalitarian Hungarian, Prime Minster, has become the role model for American Conservative Nationalists, and was invited as guest speaker at the Conservative Political Action Conference, (“CPAC”, carefully, pronounced) in Dallas, Texas. After a brief, romantic, visit to Donald Trump, the latter, an amorous and esteemed partner in the (themed) ménage a triose, Orban went on to deliver his invited speech in Texas. Reportedly, the speech expectantly amounted to a paraphrase of “Nazi” propaganda, and notably, received the universal approval and enthusiastic applause of that audience.  Orban, apparently, admonished the United States for its large population of immigrants, its flagrant intermarriages, and mixed race population and the consequential threat to white Christian dominance of the West. He, received a standing ovation, from the right-wing audience, in response to his pronounced attacks on, what he called, U.S. “gender ideology.”

Orban had dedicated more than a decade, tactically and egregiously, to successfully, destroying Hungary’s, democracy, its free media, Court system, its democratically, based election laws and Constitution, in his desire remain in autocratic power. His racism, homophobia and demagogic style, has proven to have great appeal to the current plethora of aberrant, (Trump-loving) members of the Republican Party, consonant, with his autocratic theories. We have previously, (See: ”LEMMINGS”) posed the question: Is the successful attainment of an autocratic future, in which liberties and legal rights are, universally, circumscribed, ultimately desirable, to the, MAGA members of the present Republican Party?

Official government investigative research revealed that Russia (Putin) had improperly, meddled in the American election, tactically, and wrongfully, to assist in Trump’s elevation to the U.S. Presidency. Thereafter, an intimate, Putin-Trump, “bromance,” was demonstrably, made undeniable, in the public media. Regarding this bizarre, relationship, we have, on occasion, expressed our view, that the wily, Putin, (by such election support, feigned, friendship, and faux narcissistic admiration, of the witless Trump), did so, mindful of his intention to invade Ukraine, and was, artfully, intending to take advantage of Trump’s unquenchable and neurotic need for approval and narcissistic admiration; for the tactical purpose of deterring, predictable, future American assistance to the besieged Nation.

Trump, has frequently made clear his enduring approval of Putin’s repression of human rights and general autocratic policies, and has often, publicly stated that he was “tight” with (the despicable and dangerous autocratic) Putin. All three of our named chamber pot, scoundrels, uniformly, denigrate the democratic vote, educational enlightenment, truth, equality, free speech, the free media, women’s bodily autonomy, universal equality, homosexuality and same-sex marriage. They unanimously, and wholeheartedly, support, the pernicious cause of alleged, White, Christian Superiority, and subscribe to the neurotic and paranoid fear of the bogus, “Replacement Theory,” are xenophobic and oppose immigration. We would persist in our repeated, declaration of the evident reality, that the elimination of rights and human liberty would be as painful to such witless, supporters, as to their, democracy-loving opponents.

The mainstream, traditional, American citizen, presently, finds himself, in a veritable, quandary, concerning the millions of fellow citizens, lacking adequate education and sufficient awareness, to realize that reverence for this odious, chamber pot of autocratic scoundrels, will not fill the perceived, empty spaces in their lives; but, instead, misuse such witless citizens, in their perverse quest for unlimited, power?

Until enlightened citizens, dedicated to the traditional, American, way of life and its protection of constitutional freedoms, can solve this existential dilemma, the present threat to democracy, will endure and metastasize, promoted, by the honored, dignitaries, inhabiting the human chamber pot and as well, their ignorant and misled lemmings.

-p.

It is noteworthy that authoritative, reference sources, relative to the developmental history of the species, Homo sapiens, uniformly, reveal a singular, eternal, conundrum. The subject dilemma is one that has eternally, existed between society’s traditional practice of granting lesser status and commensurate treatment to the female gender, and, in contrast, the latter’s eternal and ultimate, facility to bring about determinative social change.

The Old Testament recites that the first female, “Eve,” was created from a rib of the first Man, “Adam.” This atavistic representation, we perceive, was intended as an enduring declaration that Woman was born as an appendage to Man. Traditional societies, from the Paleolithic to the present era, have traditionally, granted an ancillary, or secondary, status, to women, compared to Men; conceivably, due to such prescribed, traditional folkways, or, alternatively, based on their protective size and strength. The differences in anatomical structure mandated that Women had the responsibility of giving birth and nurturing the babies, while the more physically, capable Men went off to the hunt, in addition to providing protection.

Such universally, eternal allocation of lesser status, however, seems, to us, markedly at odds and inconsistent with our readings of history, from the prehistoric era to the present. The universally misread (in our view) apocryphal, initial tale in Genesis, concerns the cast of Adam, Eve, “The Forbidden Tree of Knowledge,” one apple and a serpent (snake),” all situated in the Old Testament, venue of the “Garden of Eden.” The snake, coiled up in the  “Forbidden Tree of Knowledge,” induces Eve to wrongfully, induce Adam to partake of a forbidden apple, for which grave offense, Adam and Eve (Mankind) were, forever, evicted, from the Garden of Eden. The protagonist, Adam, who succumbed to Eve’s temptation, was the miscreant, culprit causing sinful Mankind to be forever banned from Eden.

In previous writings, we have stated that, even as a revered myth, its symbolic representation, on close reading, is, inarguable, poppycock. A great many ancient cultures saw the snake as a symbol of fertility; if a modicum of analysis is applied to the holy scenario, the symbol of fertility in the “Tree of Knowledge,” would, logically and symbolically, represent “mental fertility.” The reductive and religiously, useful, portrayal of “Original Sin,” can more charitably, and perhaps, more rationally, perhaps, be seen in a more perceptive and consistent (with ancient mythology) symbolic interpretation. Eve (Woman) offered the existential ingredient for elevated, life, viz., “knowledge,” to Mankind, which Adam (Mankind) accepted, and thereupon, discovered his “nakedness,” (self-awareness). Humankind was banished from Eden (i.e., animalistic, ignorance) forever. It is markedly, unjust, that, instead of Womankind being celebrated, and awarded the highest of praise, for bringing to Man, existential knowledge (reason), the female protagonist is charged as an accessory to “Sin,” for being a “temptress,” and as an accessory offender to  (Adam), Mankind. Any review of human history reveals, by contrast, the existential indispensability of women to the civilized existence of Mankind, and not as an accessory to Man. Still, Genesis, indisputably, is not history. Far from the narcissistic, male perception of the female, as adjunct to male existence, empirical truth may demonstrate, just the obverse.

The early, Classical Greek playwright, Aristophanes, was fully aware of such reality when he wrote the Greek Comedy, “Lysistrata.” (411 B.C.).  In the Classic Greek play, the continuous, bloody warfare between Athens and Sparta, seemed, endless, until the admirable, female protagonist, Lysistrata, successfully, organized a women’s strike, in both warring States, denying sexual privileges to their men, unless and until they make peace. The historically, chronic tragedy of the Peloponnesian Wars, as portrayed in the theme of the play, abruptly, abated, the warlike, males being induced to peaceful, submission, by their women. The playwright, inarguably, was not extolling the importance of sex, but, effectively, the eternal moderating influence on the male, of the female gender.

Historic revelations of the innate impactful, power of women, are manifold, and belie the traditional perception and treatment, as inferior, or secondary, to men.  Gender bigotry, throughout history, proscribed women from owning real property, signing contracts  (legally, they were under the “coverture” of the husband), denied any but a primary education,  limited in social life to family and to the friends of their husband, proscribed from carrying on trade, denied the right to vote, and, generally, were discriminated under law, especially, in cases of divorce. Victorian literature, traditionally and stereotypically, pictured the woman, sitting in the parlor, sewing her husband’s linens, while he, manfully, rode off to the hunt.

Today, many of the atavistic restrictions, imposed by society (men) against women, have been eliminated, or at least, ameliorated, often, due, in large part, to the action of strong, dedicated and courageous women. Today’s women vote (since, 8/18/20), enter into contracts, own real property, as well as personal property, obtain licenses and engage freely, in commerce and the professions, including the ministry, legally sue, inclusive of divorce, serve in the military, engage in professional sports, and deservedly, claim constitutional equality. Names of admirably, heroic and dedicated women, deserving of kudos for these, and other beneficial reforms are numerous, and include, Florence Nightingale, Margaret Sanger, Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady, Harriet Tubman, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Betty Friedan. Each generation has produced its nuanced, roster of talented and dedicated women, as reformers and leaders, who memorably, have been at the helm of movements, seeking, and obtaining, appropriate, equality.

The legality of the (natural) right of American women to request an abortion was justly and necessarily, settled and recognized, approximately, fifty years ago, by an impartial, Supreme Court of the United States, in the precedential case of Roe v. Wade. Said landmark decision, in addition to its recognition of women’s privacy rights and bodily autonomy, saved those women of modest financial circumstances ( who could not afford foreign hospital procedures), from possible death and severe bodily injury, often brought about, by their desperate relegation, to incompetent, possibly unsanitary, “back alley” abortion providers.

In the recent SCOTUS case of Dobbs v, Jackson, the High Court, disappointingly, turned partisan, and in an unconstitutional award to religious interests, heartlessly, overturned, its half century, precedential recognition of the natural right of women to procure an abortion, and granted the States, the authority to set their own abortion policies. This decision approved anti-abortion, religious-oriented States, contrary to the specific provisions of the Constitution’s Establishment Clause and its 14^th Amendment, to proscribe abortion; showing no empathy for underage, unwanted, and dangerous pregnancies, or those due to incest or rape.

Our confidence in ultimate justice, and notably, our respect, for the empirically, demonstrated, moral power of America’s resolute body of female (and mainstream male) citizens, enables our prediction, that this perniciously, shameful and injurious, denial of women’s natural, personal bodily rights will not long endure.

-p.    

N.B. [ Weighing the entire spectrum of tragic, losses of personal intimacy, occasioned by the universal shift from (natural) spoken conversation, to the transmission of impersonal, images, onto a small, hand-held, lighted screen, (i.e., “smartphone”) the romantic and memorable phrase, “ I love you,” has empirically, suffered a shameless decline, from first place, in consequence,  to a  pragmatic, second place, behind three, impersonal words, viz.,  “On” “Select,” and “Play”]

*Scenario # 1:

We arrange our mise- en- scene, to be, on an early evening, at a dimly lit, romantic, New York City, East Side Restaurant. On this rainy and cold, November, occasion, our attention is soon drawn to two well-dressed, attractive guests, both in their early 30’s, sitting, at an intimate table for two, in front of the ersatz (but warming) fireplace, as arranged in advance by the solicitous, male diner.

Before we proceed further, in this anecdotal romance, we would like to go back to late October, preceding the dining event. The young man’s name is Sheldon Lewis, (“Shelly’) a recent graduate of NYU Dental College. The young woman’s name is Florence (“Flo”) Gibson, a graduate research assistant, at Mount Sinai Hospital’s Laboratory for Research in Infectious Diseases. Shelly has never been married. Flo was married for a brief time, prior to her husband’s death from an aneurysm.   

They had met each other after a few, mutual, unsuccessful, searches on an internet dating service, specializing in college graduates under forty. For a period of approximately, ten days, prior to their arranged, dinner date, they had mutually exchanged several, lengthy introductory texts, and e-mails, plus two, (televised) “virtual, meetings.” Based upon their personal impressions, derived from these prior communications, they were mutually, desirous, of physically, getting together, perhaps, as suggested, at a dinner date to further their mutual acquaintance. After making a reservation at the restaurant, Shelly texted the details of the coming event and Flo e-mailed her enthusiastic acceptance.

The couple arrived, excitedly, each at precisely the agreed time, at the appointed restaurant, and, after warm, mutual, introductions, waited a short time, in the restaurant lounge for a table assignment. Each, from time to time, subtly, peered at the other to eliminate any possible doubt that the other transmitter of electronic messages and seen in their two past virtual meetings were, in fact, the same. Flo silently had been of the mind that Shelly was a bit, taller and had more hair; Shelly had the impression that Flo was slimmer and curvier. They were shown to the pre-arranged table (by the ersatz fireplace), and Flo, excused herself, nervously, to go to the restroom.

After she left, Shelly took out his smartphone, called his friend, Jeff, and in a somewhat, querulous voice, told him that his date might be a substitute, someone, a bit chubbier and less appealing than in the virtual meetings. As soon as Flo arrived at the ladies” rest room, she took out her smartphone and, shrewdly dialed Shelly’s e-mail number. Shelly, who had just completed his call to his friend, tapped his phone and was rather surprised to note that the caller was Flo, herself. “Is everything ok?” he typed.  Flo, after letting out an involuntary sigh of relief, at the recognition of his voice, typed the following e-mail response: I was going to ask you a specific question, but I can just as well, ask it when I return to the table. Upon her return, to the table, both parties, for the moment, remained strangely silent.

Shelly picked up his menu, pointing to Flo’s copy, and said, “I suppose we might as well order,” to which suggestion, she, a bit nervously, agreed. The diners, similarly, ordered a cup of onion soup and swordfish from the summoned, waiter who compliantly, noted their requests, typing the information on his smartphone, which was instantly, transmitted, to a computer in the technologically, modernized restaurant kitchen. The meal soon arrived and the couple, now, somewhat, more relaxed, chatted about their past, their families, work experiences, and interests.

Following a truly delicious dinner, they expressed their mutual intention to meet for dinner again in the very near future, and, hesitatingly, decided to go their respective ways home; identically, anxious and impatient, to return home to e-mail the other, to express just how very much the evening was enjoyed. After a few days of electronic communications, neither thereafter, contacted the other.

*Scenario #2:

John, an undergraduate Engineering student, at the Jesuit College, “Our Lady of the Holy Algorithm,” had been, energetically, engaged in the sweaty process of rushing to his twelve o’clock, mathematics class, at the Thomas Aquinas Building, when he happened to observe, what he considered, the most uncannily, attractive and appealing female student. She was sitting on a College bench, under a shaded, Elm tree, holding a textbook, which she was quietly and intently, engaged in studying. Normally, possessing a shy persona, John found himself, nevertheless, irresistibly, drawn to the far seat on her bench, all the while, unblinkingly, staring at her sunny, but intent, face,  her long, beautiful red hair, and, more subtly, at her crossed, shapely legs, protruding, from her argyle, pleated skirt.

John, somehow, conquering his customary shyness, ventured to say to the pretty, female student, “Excuse me… I don’t usually… I just wanted to talk…please do not think that I am aggressive, because, I never am… but you looked, forgive me, so nice, I felt that I wanted to come over and just say hello. There was no response, from the young woman, other than, calmly, and pleasantly, looking up from her book. My name is John, he continued. I am an engineering student here, at Our Lady College. She sweetly smiled and said that her name is Susan and that she too, is an engineering major, awaiting the commencement of the noon Mathematics class at the Aquinas Building. By good fortune, it was the same class, John was to attend, and, under the circumstances, they sat in adjacent seats, during the lecture demonstration.

Upon leaving, class, John ventured to invite Susan to lunch at the college cafeteria and she cheerfully accepted. At lunch, both spoke freely about their lives up to that point, their families, interests and likes and dislikes. The natural ease of their conversation resembled that of a date between two close and affectionate friends. At the end of a period of a full hour and one-half, they reluctantly parted, but, not before mutually exchanging cell phone numbers, and modestly, kissing on the lips. Each party, on the way to his and her next destination on campus, looked back, warmly smiled and waved.

John e-mailed an invitation to talk, via text and/or e-mail, a suggestion quickly accepted by Susan.  By perverse luck, it was the beginning of the Official Spring Break, and each party was, for two weeks, relegated, as a needed alternative to costly, long distance telephone calls, to communicate by e-mail or text.  In the absence of Susan’s lovely, personal presence and attractive voice, her remembered loveliness seemed to be a bit faded, in John’s memory. Susan was, as it happens, too busy with pressing family matters so that her electronic messages were somewhat, hurried and by virtue of the empirically impersonal nature of the chosen medium of communication, were perceived to lack the uniquely, spontaneous, energetic nuance, as recalled, of their exciting two weeks, preceding the Spring Break.  However, instead of growing increasingly ardent, by virtue of their separation, such electronic exchanges became more impersonal and mundane, caused, conceivably, in light of the selected, impersonal medium as well as their rather short, albeit, romantically. exciting, previous history.

On return to college, following the conclusion of the Spring Break, John and Susan saw each other, Tuesdays and Thursdays, in math class and somewhat uneasily, exchanged smiles and friendly greetings with the implicitly shared, realization that their previous romantic assumptions must have been misconstrued.    

-p