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We will candidly admit to a feeling of terror when, upon a routine post-selection on Facebook, we encountered the ominous caution: “Please click ALLOW to indicate you are not a robot.”  We were astonished and perceived the message as a dire recognition of the extent of Man’s exponential progress in computer science; the latter, albeit, initially undertaken for its empirical precision and facile convenience, later, potentially evolved into a conceivably dystopic non-human, computer-run, global society. Such human witless and suicidal impulse appears to analogically possess the mindless attractive power of the planet’s gravity. It may be destined to bring about the dystopian advent of a non-human and robotic-driven society. We have expressed concern regarding such catastrophic possibility in earlier writings such as, “WHO INVITED ALEXA?”

Regarding the above-thematic Facebook instruction, is it not conceivably possible to inquire what assurances its author entertains, that a non-compliant “robot” will, perniciously, refrain from obeying his direction and decisively press “Allow?”

We have eternally railed against the humanistic, debilitating use of computer “advances,” especially, the thoughtless substitution of natural, human-spoken interaction by the universal use of hand-held “Smartphones.”  It is no less than bizarre, that in the context of a singularly material and personally detached society, the salubrious existence of social intercourse, vital to the health and happiness of its members, inter-active, human conversation has been witlessly replaced by a small, hand-held, computerized device. Such thoughtless effort towards such a useless facility has reduced personal interaction to a mere mechanical exchange of computer symbols. Gone are the assurances of mutual, nuanced, voice recognition, spontaneous expression of reaction and present sentiment, and the timeliness of relevant response. Contrasted with the previous warm, interpersonal exchange, we observe the employment of cold, emotionally inexpressive symbols projected onto another’s small, hand-held lighted screen, possibly received in an irrelevant or untimely context.

We are sad to observe that the Surgeon General of the United States, has recently confirmed our fears by officially reporting an egregious increase in anxiety, depression, and suicide among the young who have, notably and universally chosen to communicate by cell phone. It has been our conception that such impersonal interaction toxically and effectively prevents the empirical development of a reactive and referable lifetime self-image, necessary for inner stability and self-esteem.

Since the advent of humankind’s devout worship of such facile, but emotionally inadequate, means of communication the relentless “advance” and use of multi-purpose computer facilities, instead of human faculties, in our view, has gradually eroded Man’s spiritual and intellectual progress in his continuing societal evolution. Directional devices, security installations, carpet cleaners, personal medical devices, time and weather equipment, printing and art, meteorological scanners, car, cooking devices, sound operated equipment, A-I replication of classic works of art, such as masterpieces of sculpture in the manner of the replication of cheap pottery or fine art paintings, in the manner of easily repetitive, cheap illustrations, facilitated copyright infringement and political “dirty tricks” by false, tactical replication of an opponent’s recognizable voice are inexorably included in the unlimited potential for deceit and perverse replication.

To us, the single most bone-chilling, dystopic application of unlimited computer science has had its advent in robotic fighter and bomber planes, called, “Drones” which have already served as mindless, unfeeling, wartime instruments of death and destruction. In our computer nightmares, we can envision a post-apocalyptic world where mankind has been rendered extinct, nevertheless, the conduct of war is eternally perpetuated by rival robotic drones, mutually and tirelessly engaged in air battle while other low-flying robotic drones release bombs upon a moonlike, wasted land.

[ N.B. We do not oppose utilitarian advances in computer science; however, some rational re-thinking would be wise regarding the ongoing substitution of its utility for humanistic interaction, aesthetic expression, and matters requiring empathic understanding.]

-p.

Blogpost # M.98                                                  MOVIN’ ON

Supporters of President Joseph Biden have, unhappily taken note of his announced decision to withdraw as the Democratic nominee for re-election next fall and of his concomitant endorsement of the younger Vice-President, Kamala Harris. His personal decision was clearly difficult as demonstrated by his many previous emphatic statements of intention to run. To our perception, his decision was observably reluctant, but, ultimately, no less than heroic. Having spent most of his life in the political arena, such emphatic reluctance had not been not stubbornly egotistical, but rather an indication of Biden’s universal, natural reluctance to emotionally accept the assertion that one is no longer capable.   It is our understanding that Joseph Biden was the youngest Senator and will have been the oldest American President on record. The sacrificial decision, for the good of the Party and the Nation, must have been especially painful, since so many of his friends and close colleagues, were among those who requested him to do so.

The American Nation is doubtlessly cognizant of, and appropriately grateful for, the many benefits derived from effective and overtly humanistic Presidency in areas ranging from the national, regarding the pandemic and needed infrastructure, the state of the economy, student debt relief to the international arena respecting NATO the Ukraine war and Gaza.

Mainstream Americans are cognizant of the existential importance to defeat the execrable Donald Trump, the declared and empirically proven enemy of constitutionally based, American democracy. Many are now responsively thankful to Biden and under the changed circumstances, appear to be more optimistic concerning the upcoming Presidential election.

That aside, it would certainly appear to be appropriate, to comment on the empirically implicit emotional cost to Joseph Biden, in his contextual decision to put Country and Party over self. Biden, a demonstrated empathic and thoroughly humanistic individual is certainly worthy of our recognition of the natural impact on this lifelong, singularly empathic and humanistic American public servant, relative to this patriotic act of personal sacrifice of felt identity, self-esteem and capability.  To briefly articulate our intended theme. It would seem especially relevant and appropriate in the case of this lifelong, empathic and humanistic, American public servant, to recognize, in addition to Presidential history, the perceived cost of such a costly decision to him as an individual.

The empirically universal, life-altering act of retirement, is customarily accompanied by an exigent need for an insecure and often, painful, re-adjustment to a changed and unfamiliarly perceived reality. In a much earlier blog, we observed that in general, retired individuals who had previously cultivated an interest outside of their working and familial life experience, enjoy some degree of easier adjustment to this major change of circumstance. In our case, relative to the retirement from the practice of law, we had salubriously learned to self-identify ourselves, not as “Lawyers,” but individuals who had worked as lawyers. In time, we salubriously continued as self-identified personalities, irrespective of he act of retirement; albeit no longer performing in that previously chosen role. Analogously, it would be salutary if Joseph Biden’s existentially vital, self-image were to be identified by him, as the essential Joseph Biden, working (and succeeding) as an American President.   

In our presented case of the soon-to-be-retired American citizen, Joseph Biden, it is our sincere hope that his personal realization of the good he has done for the Nation, and the recognition of the personal pride implicit in having made the patriotically sacrificial decision to withdraw from Presidential contention, will, deservedly soften the universal adjustment.

-p.

Until we viewed the recent televised Republican Nomination, we realized that we had been in error concerning our having reached the limit of amazement, responsive to the paranoid ideations of the MAGA constituents such as surveillance microcomputers in vaccine, rockets sent from space to earth by Israel, voting ballots with bamboo interferences, liberals running pizza parlors which serve as child pornographers, Jewish bankers, with the assistance of George Soros, conspiring to control the planet, homosexuality being teachable, 9/11 being a false flag operation, the Nation becoming socialist, a conspiracy of “coastal elites” controlling national policy, the existence of a controlling “Deep State  Government, the “Replacement Theory,” the “birther” theory regarding Barack Obama, the  Mexican  Government sending their unwanted criminals to the United States, and too many other paranoid ideations to pragmatically list.

We, for some time, had been puzzled and deeply concerned at the many indications that the nuanced capability of the Homo sapiens mind can facilely adhere to such bizarre conspiracy ideations. Our thematic experience was experienced during our observation of the Republican Nominating Convention (if one can still identify the party by such name) inducing our conclusion that the present threat to humankind, imposed by a ubiquitous irrational perception, presently now elevated to the equivalent level of schizophrenic fantasy, is a true, frightening and empirical danger.

The specific occasion of our shock and unprecedented amazement was that of the expressed belief that the assassination attempt by a mentally disturbed sniper had failed, merely injuring Trump’s outer ear,  was due to a reductive human attribution for cause and effect which has satisfied Man’s compelling need for an acceptable explanation for temporally unexplainable occurrences. divine intervention.

“Devine intervention,” was the explanation for the “parting of the Red Sea” in Genesis, the retributive “golem” of ancient Prague, the imperative destiny for early America to acquire continental real estate, extending from the Atlantic to the Pacific Coast and the Met’s 1969 championship of the Major League World Series. We were enlightened to be advised that such grace, creditably attributable to divine intervention was judicially granted to Donald J. Trump (demagogic snake oil salesman, felon, insurrectionist, bigot, adulterer, patron of call girl services, convict, and “wanna-be” dictator). We are irresistibly caused to wonder why a benevolent Deity did not dispense such grace to other deserving recipients such as Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and the sad multitude of innocent schoolchildren horrifically and tragically murdered by gun crazies over past years.

It may also, ironically and meaningfully be observed, that the automatic military-style weapons used in the attempt at the assassination of Trump, as well as in the numerous horrific and tragic successes of incidents of the murder of innocent child victims, have continued to be irresponsibly available to madmen, with the notably shameful blessing and political self-serving assistance of “the blessed” Donald Trump.

-p.   

Should the reader be willing to discount the characteristics of citizenship, ethnos, education, and markedly contrasting public demeanor, he might be enabled to discern a joint identity of persona regarding our two nationally prominent, Caballeros, America’s Donald J. Trump, and Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu. In our view, both protagonists, albeit, vested with authoritative political power and its mandatorily accompanying fiduciary responsibility, are demonstrably identical in their excessive self-interest to the disgraceful extent of a lack of regard for human life.

To be chronologically and historically accurate, Trump having displayed a plethora of perverse traits during his former term of (twice impeached) Presidency is, at present, seeking a replicative nightmarish term in the forthcoming election; declaring the scrapping of the Nation’s Constitution and a transmogrification of American democracy to autocratic governance. It is remarkably observed that both protagonists, in addition to their demonstrated lack of empathy and humanism, desire to improperly utilize the offices of the President and Prime Minister, respectfully, to avoid appropriate punishment for their criminal offenses. Netanyahu was accused and indicted for bribery and fraud while Trump was indicted for ninety-two felonies and to date, convicted by a jury, on several. Both Caballeros have elevated their self-centered and inappropriate priorities above their responsibilities, to avoid just conviction and imprisonment for their criminal conduct.  

Trump is politically supported by the newly configured (MAGA) Republican Party, the evangelical religionists, and the deceitfully named, “Right to Life” movement,  the latter, responsible for overturning the precedential case of Roe v. Wade and criminalizing abortion; in sync with the Christian White Supremacists, xenophobes and polluting industrialists who oppose profit -limiting health regulations, and the Nation’s inventory of populist “lemmings” who suicidality appear to support a Trump autocratic, Nazi-style governance, to the liberty of our Democratic Republic.

As known, on October 7, 2023, Hamas and several Palestinian militant groups launched a brutal military attack against Israel. Hamas, did so, after tactically constructing extensive, well-supplied tunnels under Gaza Hospitals to which they retreated with their captured hostages with the pathological intent that the reactive retribution by Israel would of necessity be visited upon their cowardly chosen shield, the innocent Gazan population; most egregiously, against such Palestinian Hospitals. Hamas’ inhuman tactics were tactically undertaken, to invite World revulsion and consequent opposition to Israel; a tiny nation, but one Hamas knew it could not defeat militarily. Hamas’ pathologic tactic was successful in igniting the desired critical worldwide reaction against Israel for extensive damage to much of Gaza and its innocent Palestinian population.

However, Prime Minister Netanyahu, in his perverse, self-interest, continued his program of avoidance of prosecution for criminal behavior by his opposition to peace efforts, on the professed grounds that “Hamas must be destroyed.” His tactical indifference to peacemaking, approved of by his supporting right-wing conservative Likud party, (comprised of a coterie of conservative, right-wing, Orthodox religious zealots), has been motivated by the stated, self-interested and immoral purpose, viz., avoiding personal peril, albeit, at the reprehensible cost of the death of thousands of innocent Palestinian civilians and the destruction of Gaza.

His fellow Caballero and pernicious partner in deceit, Donald J. Trump, America’s former Chief Executive, and aspiring second-time President, in his monomaniacal self-interest to be a dictator and thereby avoid well-deserved, but tactically purloined criminal retribution, has befriended Vladimir Putin, the tyrannical despot of Russia, by opposing military assistance to Ukraine, the victim of unprovoked Russian aggression, and by his tactical allegiance to the hordes of White Christian Nationalists and  Evangelicals, opponents of the American Constitution, together with the hordes of the populist discontented underbelly (MAGA).  Notably, in the cases of both perverse Caballeros existential support is zealously afforded by the vested religious interests of their respective Nations.

In the interest of justice and societal rectitude, we strongly recommend that the two reprehensible Caballeros be forcibly inserted into a large, colorfully festive piñata, for extended, forceful pummeling by mainstream humanity.

-p.

Readers of Franz Kafka will doubtless be familiar with his use of phantasmagoric allegory to express his uniquely analytical and aesthetic representation of the eternally unfathomable traits of human nature. In his best-known novel, “Metamorphosis,” Kafka famously reveals his ironic portrayal of the absurdity of Man’s irrational and bizarre behavior, by the creative presentation of a flawed protagonist who, one fine morning, wakes to discover that he has morphed into a cockroach.

Not to be outdone, in our view, any rudimentary, contemplative analysis of the surreal reality of a   successful Trump run for another term of American Presidency, would result in ghastly, reality equivalent or, on further thought, perhaps, exceeding, the spectacular absurdity of Kafka’s protagonist’s transmogrification to a big cockroach. The patently absurd reality of another Trump candidacy, on any cursory analysis, analogous to Kafka’s abhorrent analogy, is a blatant offense to reason, worthy of comparison to the stated product of the imagination of the ingeniously creative author.

The universally understood, salient characteristic of a Republican Democracy is the citizen voting franchise, dynamically instrumental, as articulated in our Founders’ declared aspiration, in achieving “A Nation by and for the People.” Such a Nation, observant of said criterion, would logically and empirically, afford to its citizenry, concomitant rights, such as freedom of speech, assembly, and, as applicable, property ownership. It would logically and rationally follow that the elected Chief Executive Officer (the President), selected by such democratic vote, perforce, mandatorily recognize the rights, granted by its foundational constitution to its citizenry.

Based upon his bizarrely incompetent performance in his twice-impeached term as American President, Donald Trump’s consistent mendacity and declaratory statements, regarding scrapping the Constitution, and his demonstrated lack of recognition of the rule of law and basic moral compass and his perverse criminal conduct which, added to his egoism and complete incompetency, leads to an inescapable expectation that his re-election would be akin to a  “Kafka-like apocalyptic transmogrification and major historical travesty to the American Nation and constitute a Kafka-like equivalent of having a pyromaniac appointed to the responsible office of  Fire Marshal.

It is factually undeniable that Donald Trump aspires to run in an American election, which he has derogated and has asserted the previously unheard and disproved claim of election denial, produced the seditious incitement of a violent and bloody insurrection, and engaged in proven acts of voter interference and (televised) voter fraud and extortion. Given his defamatory views on elections and public declarations of intent to be an autonomous dictator in the tyrannical mode of his perverse friends, the authoritarian leaders of Russia, North Korea, Mainland China, and Hungary, why cynically stand for democratically elective office, while, additionally declaring the seditious intention to be a dictator? The only office with such bizarre and funhouse mirror aspiration that would seem to qualify, is not Chief Executive, but, appropriately, the role of large orange cockroach.

It is optimistically expected that next November’s Presidential election will prove to be an effective insect extermination event as part of an appropriately needed salutary political decontamination, restorative of the Nation’s historically admirable and functional tri-partite democratic government.

-p.

 

Regular readers of this blog post will not be unduly surprised at our admission to being scrupulously selective and preternaturally sensitive in our choice of words. Words are the dynamic tools creative of the visual transmission of thought and need to be precisely expressive of the writer’s specific intention and thus attain the ineffable standard of meaningful communication. In most cases, there are available words that are singularly expressive of the writer’s specific intention.

 In our aspiration for precise transmission of thought, (with appropriate apologies to Mr. Thesaurus) we are agnostic concerning the facile use of “synonyms.” Words are written expressions of specific thought, emotion, or aesthetics that seldom are equivalent in context. “Torrid,” is not the same as “hot,” the former may be useful in the context of “passionate,” as in the case of a sexy flamingo dancer, and the latter is best used as a description of intemperate meteorology. The word “damp,” is not the same as “wet;” the same may be illustratively said of “stupid” and “ignorant,” “dressy” and “flamboyant,” “erroneous,” and “mistaken,” and far too many such examples to cite pragmatically

In addition, a measure of contextual injustice has eternally existed in the failure to appropriately value certain seemingly pallid or “vanilla” words, notwithstanding the actual impact of their expressive utility. Some illustrations of such casually used, underrated words, are: “like, “decent,” and “nice.” Such words, ubiquitously employed, as if virtually meaningless are in empirical reality, significantly important to the dynamics of a successful, interactive human society. We would deservedly bestow a generous measure of long-overdue kudos to these undervalued, pallid words, too often used casually or, on occasion, as a rude and arrogant dismissive, such as,” That’s nice!”

[“LIKE”]: The word “like,” is casually used to convey a positive, reactive emotion toward another person, located halfway on a continuum of responses ranging from disinterest to passionate love. The noun, easy to declare, and not particularly impactful or revelatory, nevertheless, is fundamentally important to the universal maintenance of human relationships.  Far from constituting a perceived bland or lukewarm feeling, the word, in its ubiquitous and facile utility is, in fact, the verbal epoxy that sustains personal relationships and even makes international history.

It has been our observation that although the passionate feelings of excited love of a newly married couple, due to the long, practical experience of living together, temporally run their inevitable course, the married couple, will predictably remain together if they continue to “like” each other. “Like,” builds and sustains friendships and commercial relationships; and determines nuanced choices, from menu selections, or musical programs to lifestyle choices and dedicated interests. It is the subjective epoxy that binds people together and sustains neighborly and social relationships.

[“Decent”] The word, “decent,” used casually, is in effect, a judgmental term of consequential significance. At times, used as a mild compliment, as in, “It was a decent showing, or meal, or an acceptable number, the word, in its intrinsic essence, has foundational importance. Its application, denotes judgmental approval, signifying such virtues as, honorable, moral, trustworthy, having acceptable rectitude, empathic, fair, humanistic, equitable, generous, and compassionate. As an illustration of the application of the applicable utility of “decent,” we would take the liberty to employ that word as a description of the positive attributes of President Joseph Biden, as contrasted with the empirically, revealed persona of Donald J. Trump. “ Decency” is the primal and fundamental trait, societally expected of every acceptable human being and is of existential importance to the functioning of society.

[“Nice”] The adjective, “nice,” despite its casual, often thoughtless, employment, may effectively be the most underrated descriptive adjective in the American-English lexicon. It is inarguable that human interaction is an existential element in the functioning of society, and that the adjective, “nice” does service as is its catalytic motivation. Unpleasantness as a personal characteristic is as unwelcome as stale, hard-crusted bread. It might be analogously said that the apt description of “nice,”, constitutes the floral nectar, inviting societal bumblebees to positive interaction. Acting and speaking, in a perceived “nice” manner, dynamically results in desirably close, and at times, intimate relationships and, ultimately, a mutually satisfactory interactive societal life. The dismissive phrase “That’s nice.” is a perverse and irreverent use of the fundamental significance of the word.

In the early portion of this writing, we stressed the need for sensitivity in the selection of words, viz., best suited to transmit the idea and context intended by the writer or speaker. Additionally, we have recommended a reconsideration of certain words, conventionally deemed mundane and lacking in consequence, which, on sufficient contemplation are recognized as fundamentally meaningful.

*[ N.B.  Wm. Shakespeare, ROMEO and JULIET,(var.)“What’s in a name?”]

-p.

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On an ord’nary summer bedtime,
Inverting my pillow to its cooler side
To begin the nightly trek to Morpheus
There sounded a far scrambling like a snare drum
Scruffly, signaling some off-stage cue
To the anxious protagonist, the dynamic wind,
Prompting the tall trees to sway gracefully and
Their thin, leafy branches to dramatic Terpsichore
Now accompanied by deep, kettle-drum tympani, and
White bright light, then, the ambient deluge.

Rising up from bed to secure the window
But too late, alas, a bare-foot puddle
I heard the ‘plashing sound impact, of
Downpour on leaf and resonant rock
Disturbing the ere’ quiescent forest, and
Running rivulets through its gullies—then-
Suddenly, quick change to silent, muted woodland.

Returning to my awaiting bed, once more
I addressed the soft pillow for cool comfort
Unmindful of sky and windy downpour
As tho’ clouds and rain were never of moment
To rejoin my trek to the welcoming Morpheus
As always, save a wetted foot.

Leonard N. Shapiro, Kingston, N.Y, 7/12/ 24

We are baffled at the perceived lack of awareness of Democratic politicians who should, by personal and professional experience know better, in their tactless, defensive posture and expressions of reserve, relative to their candidate, Joseph Biden. The seemingly endless discussion, notably, in the public media is against their political interest, destructive, and in our view qualifies for the clinical determination of self-inflicted injury; the latter to the perverse delight of the Trump-supporting MAGA populists.

We have urged, in earlier writings, that Biden-supporting members of the media and the Democratic-supporting public in general, place special emphasis on, (1) The outstanding record of ubiquitous accomplishments of President Biden in his three-and-one-half years in office (2) The contrasting, abysmal record of Donald J. Trump in his bizarre term as President and, (3) The imminent danger to the Democratic Republic, inarguably, implicit in the possible election of the criminally indicted and convicted Donald J. Trump; who has in addition to a historically unsurpassed plethora of miscreant actions, declared his perverse intention to be a dictator.

Until the occurrence of the contextual events, we had maintained the perception that people elected to political office, legislators, and officials, if not gifted with Socratic wisdom, at bottom, were possessed of practical political savvy, including a modicum of awareness of public sensibilities and empirical reactive inclination. We are obliged by the recent actions of such publically illuminated public servants, that such minimal assumption is, unfortunately, lacking in verisimilitude

Since the abysmal performance by Joseph Biden in a superfluously held televised debate (both parties having previously demonstrated their respective level of acumen in their respective terms of office), the professional Biden supporters have imprudently devoted their time and emphasis to the issue of the proclaimed capability of Biden to win the next Presidential election over the orange-haired demagogic enemy of democracy. Such activities are tactically inept and constitute a program of unhealthy, self-infliction of injury, effective to be suicidally beneficial to the Trump campaign.

The poor performance of Biden lacks material significance when consideration is made, contrasting the excellent performance of Biden during his term of office and the abysmally inadequate and judicially determined, criminal performance of Trump. What does it say about the universal character of the American television viewer, who would critically exalt a disappointing and unentertaining ephemeral television performance by Biden, above the years of his excellent Presidential performance and demonstrated humanism; especially in comparison to the inept and dangerously characterological persona of Donald Trump. Biden, conceivably, would not have been as entertaining as Donald Trump on the third-rate television game show, “The Apprentice;” but such cheap entertainment is light years from comparable to the performance requisite to the historically, impactful Presidency of the United States.

The unnecessary and completely uncalled-for Democratic apologia of the Biden camp is foolishly pandering to the interest of the populist T.V. “couch potato;” more notably, the same also constitutes an inappropriate act of self-inflicted injury, a suicidal act of perverse tactical assistance to Trump.

-p.

 “Schizophrenia” is a serious, lifelong, mental disorder that causes those afflicted to abnormally interpret reality, in pathological contrast to a healthy person in touch with empirical reality. It is possible to declare that to the extent that any group of “Homo sapiens” that mentally distorts empirical facts, and replaces them with personal perceptions based on fantasy and superstition are conceivably diagnosable as suffering from such pathologically distortional malady.

One might, in abstract theory, attribute the entire category of religious beliefs to some species of mental illness since it contemplates an intangible reality, solely based on personal “faith,” as opposed to the recognition of objective, factual, and tangible reality. However, in our view, other things being equal, the religionist who does not distort secular reality yet separately maintains a cultural belief in a Deity, which offers desired societal identification and needed comfort, regarding the universal, terrifying knowledge of Man’s inescapable mortality, can be perceived as acceptably healthy.

Despite our Founders’ foundational principle of “Separation of Church and State, specifically and irrefutably, enunciated by them in clear and unmistakable Constitutional language, a dangerous cuckoo nest of Christian Nationalists (ranging from the most ignorant populist to Justice Alito of SCOTUS,) adheres to the phantasmagorical belief that Christians are “ordained by God to exercise dominion over all aspects of society.” Such historically skewed and clinically schizophrenic ideation, responsible for centuries of tragedy and injustice, is systemically evident within the Republican Party, simultaneous with their zealous support of the demonstrated, mentally unstable presidential nominee, Donald J. Trump.

It is undeniable that such deranged Christian Nationalists, irrationally (and clinically), adhere to their declared delusional belief that the American Nation was specifically founded for Christians like them, viz., “natural-born,” white citizens. This bizarre and deranged delusion is easily dispelled by the unanimously articulated mandate of the “Deist” (N.B., non-Christian) Founders, to wisely exclude religion and autocratic belief from the Constitution and the newly created Democratic Republic. Such dedication was reliably founded on their knowledge of the tragic European history of unjust rule by autocratic Monarchs, or, to the thematic point, an Established Religion.

The “poster boy” for the current pandemic of White Christian Evangelism is House Speaker Mike Johnston, who has publically made (the clinically diagnosable) statement that America is a “biblical” Nation (talk about anachronisms!). Such bizarre ideation is seconded by such revered sages as Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Paul Gosar. The Speaker of the House has undeniably demonstrated the nature of his clinical state of mind in his publicized statement of the ultimate aspiration, to “take back the country from those intent on making us a godless Nation.” [more “cuckoo nest”].

Many of the misguided miscreants who stormed the Capitol, reportedly, prayed “for victory in Jesus’ name”, and waved banners reading “Jesus is my Savior and Trump is my President.”  It is the bizarre conception of such Trump-supporting Christian Nationalists that they reportedly saw “Satan’s hand” behind the “stealing of the election.” Such perverse thinking was responsible for the Evangelists’ perverse success in heartlessly causing the reversal of  Roe v Wade and in the wide plethora of atavistic action on the part of government, Federal and State.

It is of undeniable and truly existential importance that reasonably observant religionists, in partnership with the vast secular population of American citizens, recognize and overtly oppose this currently prevailing, but age-old religious mania, and be awakened to the empirically demonstrated danger implicit in the schizophrenic and militant atavism of white Christian Evangelism. The same represents a diagnosable, metastatic cancer on the progress of human enlightenment and amounts to deplorable espionage against the aspirational designs of the Founder’s wise and historically-based experiment.

–p.

We know of no Law, natural or man-made, comparable in consequence to the “Law of Gravity.” Yet, unlike Albert Einstein, we shamelessly confess to a complete state of ignorance, as to its nature; save only its perceived and existentially vital terrestrial impact on earthly life and its phenomena. Physicists advise that it is a fundamental force that draws other bodies or objects toward its center and, that as an astronomical matter, it maintains the planets in our solar system in fixed control and position around the sun. We might notably, and gratefully, add that gravity saves us and our two pet cats from the frightening hazard of falling off the surface of Planet Earth.    

In addition to its existential significance to humankind, gravity can empirically, be denominated a “double-edged sword.” Aside from its impetus in occasional natural disasters (some aided by global warming), its life-essential function is regrettably, a notably hazardous source of human injury, disability, and consequent death.

During man’s childhood and youth, falling is customarily non-eventful; one easily gets up and, if outdoors, dusts himself off, suffering, perhaps, merely a scraped knee or elbow.  In the context of the elderly, by contrast, a simple act like tripping on a rug or slipping on a wet floor and breaking a bone may be an event of disastrous consequence.  A fracture in the older individual has the potential to develop into serious health problems, and disability and even result in death. The fear of such a possibility causes older citizens to delimit their physical activities and engagement in many formerly enjoyed activities. Ironically, it represents an unwanted success in the lifelong, frustrating aspiration for universal equality. Our elderly immigrant mother died from the ultimate effects of a fracture precipitated by a fall, as likewise did the internationally prominent, Sir Winston Churchill. We, now in the” anec-dotage” of our senior years, find the use of a three-wheeled, “walker” prudently, indispensable in our locomotion and secure maintenance of safe balance.

The individual who has wisely chosen our frequently recommended, life of extra-curricular engagement in personal elective interests predictably will have thereby added much contemplative and aesthetic value to his life. Such benefits notably increase exponentially in importance, during the natural process of growing old. Then, the rewarding lifetime practice of internalized contemplation and development of maturity of understanding and perception offers a full menu of enjoyment and fulfilling contemplative experiences, not requiring the hazards of mobility and its attendant pitfalls. The limitations, empirically implicit in the prudent restriction of ambulatory prowess are compensated by a full smorgasbord-like compendium of pleasant contemplative activity, grounded in prior lifelong, empirical experience and longstanding interest in elected areas of nuanced interest. The spiritual and mental rewards comprehend an enjoyable mode of accommodation to life’s inevitable limitation of physical activity.

Analogous to the temporal withdrawal of monetary capital from a previously established retirement or IRA account, one’s accumulated, lifetime activity of personal self-advancement yields the satisfying fruits of investment in one’s enlightenment, mature perspective, and ultimate quality of life, notably unhampered by the exorbitant price of the universe’s existential but precarious law of gravity.

*[Subtitle, as amended) borrowed from the novel by Erica Jong, “Fear of Flying”]

-p.