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The acerbic dilemma concerning barking dogs who vigorously chase after cars recites, “What do they do if they catch one?” The analogous, unjust, and ill-advised reversal by SCOTUS, of the half-century of legal precedent, affirming a woman’s right to an abortion, long sought by conservative and religious interests, provides the answer. In reality, the egregiously inhumane reversal of this innate, private right of American women, vigorously protested by the preponderance of the Nation, constitutes but a pyrrhic victory for those who had doggedly pursued such a result. Continuing with the analogical reference, the subject canine, who, after much strenuous effort, at last, caught up with the car was greatly perplexed by the result. The elimination of citizen rights, as opposed to their historically constitutional protection, effected an observably sizeable shift in America’s deep tectonic plates.

The direct result of the draconian decision, as might well have been foreseen, were legions of heart-breaking, and life-threatening medical scenarios. The ensuing, widespread, outrage expressed by female and right-thinking male citizens, responsive to said autocratic elimination of the relevant right, and its hazardous effects, led to the fear of an ominous voting threat to its publicly elected proponents. To reprise the analogous reference: the dog ultimately caught up with the car but was dismayed and disillusioned by the effects of his victory. It is not surprising that the duplicitous Donald J. Trump, who at first, tactically asserted full credit for the reversal of the precedential, Roe v. Wade, upon being apprised of the vast negative public response, tempered his political dialogue to thereafter suggest that the legality of abortion should be “left to the (determination of) the States.” Within days, the Arizona State Legislature responsively and atavistically resurrected an antique, Civil War era Statute (1864), which criminalized abortion, legislated during the Presidency of Abraham Lincoln, when pre-State Arizona was just a sparsely inhabited “Territory.”

In our view, there are three relevant categories of moral and political concern: (1) the atavistic continuation of centuries of legal and societal inequity practiced against women, (2) the unconstitutional infusion of proscribed religious dogma into the law of the Nation, and, (3) the ignorant compliance of certain Americans with the perverse effort by Trump to downgrade our venerable Democratic Republic to the dreaded state of autocracy. Given the overabundance of appropriately relevant comments, we will briefly summarize the salient points.

• White women did not receive the legal right to vote until 1920; it took another 45 years to enshrine “all” women with the franchise (Voting Rights Act, 1965). Notably, men who were former Black slaves were afforded the right to vote back in 1869 (15^th Amendment).
  Until rather recently, women were legally proscribed from owning property or personally entering into a legal contract.
• Although manifestly prohibited by the Constitution, which expressly provides that the Nation was to be governed by secular principles (“Separation of church and [viz., from] State” the foundational principle has often been egregiously violated (viz., Prohibition, Sabbath Blue Laws, Courtroom Attestation on the Bible, Religious motto on paper money and coins as well as on municipal buildings, the updated language of the pledge to the flag, and contextually and most harmfully, in the thematic withdrawal of the High Court’s precedential confirmation of a woman’s right to abortion.  The state of pregnancy has been determined to be diagnosable as a dangerous condition and vitally requires medical care. The subject prohibition of medically necessary abortion and the draconic and irrational criminalization of professional medical providers is irrational, cruel, and in our view, no less than fascistic.
• The misguided cooperation of the lemming-like MAGA populists, under the cultish influence of the declared, would-be autocrat, Donald J. Trump, in the trashing of the Constitution and with it its provisions ensuring citizen’s rights against trespass by government, is irrational and suicidal. The convincing logical deduction, that it is “control,” and not abortion, or, ”life” that, ultimately
  provides their underlying motivation, is empirically demonstrated, by the eternally inconsistent objection of such purported fetus guardians ( “Pro-Life”) to contraceptive birth control and, revealingly, to governmental assistance to needy children (i.e., after birth).

It is vitally important that mainstream American citizens do not, reductively, limit the present precarious state of our democracy, singularly, to the despicable Presidential candidate (Trump has ominously declared that if elected, he will be a dictator) one must take into consideration the millions of (misguided) voters who had once successfully elected him, rather than the more pragmatic and rational choice of Hillary Clinton. It is also telling that Trump has the affirmative and tactical support of Putin and, apparently, certain other foreign autocratic ogres.

This existential menace to democracy and societal civility must be defeated by, when appropriate, vigorously extolling democratic aspirational thought and, of course, casting our votes consistent with the preservation of our unique Democratic Republic.

As we observed in an earlier essay, the next Presidential election may uniquely present a notable and bizarrely less impactful choice as to who is successfully elected, than who is not.

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For a magical moment on the late afternoon of April 8, 2024, all of Natural Evolution’s marvel, Homo sapiens, inhabiting the surface of Planet Earth from Mexico to Maine, witnessed the confirmation of the declarations of Copernicus, Galileo, and Miss Posnanski (our 4^th Grade Public School Teacher) concerning the heliotropic architecture and dynamics of our Solar System.  Humankind of every stripe, set aside their cups of coffee, books, microscopes, and soup ladles to witness the awe-inspiring, bizarre occurrence of the brief period of “nighttime,” imposed upon the brightly lit afternoon.

The dramatic nature of this startling heliocentric drama has eternally been a subject of fascination, terror, myth, and religious interpretation. Primitive peoples maintained various folk beliefs concerning lunar eclipses. On the American Continent, the Choctaw Nation believed that the Moon was being eaten by hungry large black squirrels and would shoot arrows, throw spears, and shout at it to make it stop. The Navajos saw it as the start of a new year. Elsewhere, the ancient Greeks believed it to be a sign of anger of the Gods. Ancient Australians believed that the total eclipse was an intimate event during which the Moon mounted the Sun. Notably, the modern, scientific understanding of the solar phenomenon seems not to have detracted from its universal fascination and the empirical recognition that such “Moon Shadows” are only a fleeting phenomenon and manifestly, not a threatening omen.

It is, however, our considered view that from the humanistic context, the significance of Man’s scientific and rational understanding of the lunar eclipse may beneficially be outweighed by its temporal, salutary effect on Mankind.

Our view has validity through its observably diverting effect on the chronic, ethnocentric, racial, sexual, and ethnic hatred that characterizes many earthlings (human beings); presumably, based on ignorance and inexperience with, and consequent reductive fear, of natural human diversity. Thematically, it is the temporal amelioration of, or diversion from this condition to which we assign a salubrious effect to the planetary phenomenon. The dark, macabre, and fearsome occurrence empirically, functions as a universal “time out,” or a temporary oasis of reprieve, not merely from the problems and responsibilities of our daily existence but, contextually and beneficially, by the focused unanimity of the entire human family, inclusive of the rich and poor, young and old, white and black, and, inclusively, otherwise. If the event were to pose an existential danger to the Planet, it was a universally inclusive danger; if the outer space players were performing properly, they were properly performing for all humankind, on a universal basis, irrespective of color of skin, ethnicity or otherwise.

It may well behoove all right-thinking Earthlings to devise some sort of regularly occurring earthly version of the “Moon Shadow” phenomenon, with the capacity to remind all human inhabitants, whenever needed, that Natural Evolution created all the iterations of its advanced sentient species, Homo sapiens, from the same mold.

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Despite an admitted lack of education or training in the discipline of our present theme, our empirical experience, nevertheless, has indicated that to the extent an individual is removed from the state of reality orientation, can he, permissibly, be considered societally aberrant or insane.  We find ourselves reluctantly and alarmingly obliged, in candor, to observe the remarkable profusion of such derangement in our contemporary American society. We would further hazard the opinion that the malady can attribute its appearance and corruptive metastasis to a combination of natural inclination and an experienced incentive to reject reality in favor of facts, deemed consistent with disparate, but felt “preferable” ideation.

We would not grant the exclusivity of a proprietary patent for such subjective or tactical rejection of empirical reality to the meretricious ingenuity of Donald J. Trump; but would award him the gold medal for its efficient, evangelical proselytization. Trump’s bizarrely successful, autocratic promotion of “alternate facts” appears to have attained the status of a virulent toxic pandemic, and still serves as a universal credo for his multitudinous, cultish following. From the advent of his public appearance on the political stage, Trump tactically, and in some quarters, successfully devalued factual reality and denigrated the validity of the responsible media and the findings of the academic World; in preference to subjectively acceptable falsity, consistent with his egoistic self-interest. Such would-be autocrat, by unfortunate chance, having somehow been gifted with skill in snake oil merchandising, tactically utilized said demagogic skills in the achievement of adulation from the Nation’s eternally discontented and unenlightened populist bloc of citizens; and, of most impact, the perceived potential of their votes.

It was but a small step from “alternative facts” and “alternate reality” to the emergence of paranoid conspiratorial ideations of the sycophantic Trump supporters. Thus the Nation experienced irrational proclamations ranging from, a “rigged election,” tiny tracking micro-computers in vaccines,  rockets sent down from the atmosphere by Israel, the Trade Center attack being seen as a government-friendly flag operation, bamboo implants in ballots altering votes,  Jews (only 2% of the population) replacing white  Christian citizens, George Soros being part of a worldwide, Jewish banking conspiracy to control the Planet, the relegation  of “Climate Warming”  to “a conceived meme of the “coastal elite,” to the insanity of “Pizzagate.” The range of paranoid conspiratorial ideations has proven to be limitless.

It is the identical, elected irrationality, as observed, that predictably denies established historical reality in favor of a preferred version or perhaps, a complete erasure, more comfortable or commensurate with the intransigent tropes of the fact-denier (predictably, right-wing).  A glaring example of such a lack of reality orientation or, denial of reality, may be observed in the instances of demands for the deletion from education of America’s “Original Sin,” the evil and inhuman practice of black chattel slavery.

 A substantial portion of our Nation’s bigoted citizens adamantly oppose the teaching of the Nation’s shameful history of black chattel slavery. Such aberration includes the elimination of “CRT” (Critical Race Teaching) from the universal school curricula and the banning of books and educational sources relevant to the period. This education-disabling impediment is an especially notable extension of reality denial and, effectively constitutes a roadblock to the acquisition of an honest and objective education. The utilitarian study of historical National mistakes is empirically useful in avoiding them in the future. Equally, or perhaps more important, is the preservation of the assumption of the accuracy of the content and consequent trust and enlightenment derived from a society’s truthful and beneficial education. Abridged history is deceitful, useless, and not, candidly, “History.” The latter truism has far less significance to our thematic fact denier than his unsupported, intransigent beliefs and attempts at the perpetuation of his subjectively preferred false historical and political dogma.

Such factually deranged dynamic attained the level of “Beyond the Pale,” [please excuse the eventually realized pun] status through a certain recently expressed and bewildering ideation, relative to race relations. Considering the historical context of the Nation’s continuing and necessary attempts to attain appropriate equality for its black citizens (including, the elimination of voter interference and statutorily and judicially, proscribing prejudice in employment, housing, criminal justice, finance, housing, education, and elsewhere), the bizarre statements of the perverse, “Adolph  Eichmann-like reincarnation, Steven Miller and others of his perverse ilk, attained record depths of reality disorientation (whether tactical or believed) by the bizarre declaration that the present state of American law is “prejudicial to white citizens.” Any sentient Homo sapiens within arm’s reach of the plethora of sources of National media would afford that statement the same degree of reality orientation and verisimilitude, as a declaration that television’s Mr. Rogers was an “Isis Terrorist,” or that Broadway’s “Zabars” is a launching platform for military intercontinental missiles.

A reality-oriented and well-deliberated Presidential vote, next November, will assure existential importance to the endurance of our unique Republican Democracy and, additionally, beneficially serve as an empirically, necessary, boon to citizen sanity.

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There has eternally existed in the legislated dynamics of our Nation’s avowed democracy, an inescapable cognitive dissonance relative to its foundational principle of universal citizen equality. The trope: “A Nation by, and for the People,” and the latter’s implementing dynamic “One man, one vote,” are, both  logically and empirically, at factual and philosophical odds with the disparate existence of the constitutionally established, intervening undemocratic filter designated as, “The Electoral College.”

American history relates that the institution of the Electoral College resulted from a compromise between the concept of the election of an American President by Congressional vote and his election by popular vote. The impact of the provision has the insincere result such that when a citizen votes for his choice of President he, misleadingly, is voting for the candidate’s State’s Elector. The undemocratic result is that the candidate, empirically, receiving the most votes (the legitimate choice of the Nation’s franchise) may nevertheless lose, by virtue of the arbitrarily assigned quantum of State electors.

Nor is the observation of this undemocratic flaw a conceptual or theoretical issue. The historical record reveals no less than five instances in which a Presidential candidate concededly won the popular vote, i.e., the expressed will of the people but lost because of the arithmetic configuration of State Electors: (1) Andrew Jackson over Rutherford B. Hayes over Samuel Tilden, (2) Benjamin Harrison over Grover Cleveland, (3) Benjamin Harrison over Grover Cleveland, (4) George Bush over Al Gore, and (5) Donald J. Trump over Hillary Clinton.

 N.B. [As an intriguing aside, one might wistfully imagine the absence of the currently presenting egregious and hazardous threat to our democracy, if the popular vote, in the case of “(5)” were, appropriately determinative].

We would, appropriately and energetically, award the highest kudos to all citizens and public-spirited organizations, taxed with the admirable effort to establish an effective and definitional democracy, by opposing election denial, gerrymandering, voter interference, and voter exclusion. Nevertheless, consistent with the definitional dynamics and moral conception of “Democracy,” we would recommend an existentially needed, constitutional amendment, eliminating, at long last, the Electoral College, an unnecessary, and unjust roadblock to true representative democracy.

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The highly venerated Hebrew Rabbi, Hillel, famously declared: “If I am not for myself, who will be? If I am only for myself, what am I, and if not now, when?

The renowned, classic Persian poet, Rumi, similarly, in his aesthetic metaphysical statement: “You are not a mere drop in the vast Ocean. You are the vast Ocean in a drop.” Thus, also affirming the primal significance of the individual.

Mainstream American citizens have been obliged by an abundance of inarguably evident warning signs to, affirmatively, open their eyes to the alarming similarities between the would-be autocrat, Donald Trump, next November’s candidate for re-election to the American Presidency, and the former Nazi dictator, Adolph Hitler, as well as the contemporary tyrants, Vladimir Putin, Li Jim Ping, Victor Orban, and Kim Jong-un. Augmenting the empirically, justified fear and predictable danger, are his express and unashamed, public statements of his intention to be a dictator.

Donald Trump has been successful, for enigmatic reasons, lost in the impenetrable mists of irrationality, in installing himself, by manipulation and tactical strategies, as the messianic leader of a large horde of populist sycophants (cult members), detached from the traditional American society.

The perceived, impact of the voting power of such a large underbelly of the Nation, under the sway of the orange demagogic “snake oil” salesman, has cowed into submission many public officials and government officeholders. To add more firewood to the extant conflagration are his public statements of intention, to be a dictator, to “seek retribution against his political enemies,” to stop the flow of immigrant “animals” and to halt the “poisoning of our blood,” the latter, reminiscent of the hateful statements of Adolph Hitler and existentially terrifying.

To further (assuming, it is necessary) demonstrate the mortal danger to our American Democracy, is the politically inspired impotence of the Nation’s foundational tri-partite architecture, constitutionally created to ensure democracy by exercising its established supervisory duty of “checks and balances.”  Such transmogrifying effects have rendered our House of Representatives, the entire Republican Party, and most disappointingly, the Nation’s Supreme Court, politically corruptible or functionally impotent.

The profound nature of the undemocratic quagmire in which our Nation finds itself deeply mired existentially makes incumbent that the responsibility for the restoration of its status as the historical avatar of democratic rule, societal propriety, and human justice, upon our dedicated and enlightened citizens. The capacity of dedicated and enlightened, individual citizens of a Nation, when called upon, to peaceably and effectively restore justice and societal propriety has been historically demonstrated.

 Irrespective of one’s nuanced political inclination, the coming Presidential election will exigently concern, notably, less the traditional choice of a perceived better candidate, but rather and more impactful, who the candidate isn’t. An autocrat who has once before sought to eliminate the constitution and the moral rule of law, given the opportunity presented by a second term, would predictably eradicate our traditionally American way of life.

 Unlike the batting regimen in baseball, upon the delivery of such a second strike (i.e., a Trump second term of office) the Nation (democracy) is tragically, and helplessly, “out.”

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The recent tragic death of the retired four-term Connecticut Senator, Joseph Lieberman, seemed to have provided the personal impetus for the present expression of a long-contemplated theme articulated in this mini-essay. More specifically and accurately, it was, as reported, the appalling cause of his death, viz., “From a fall, in his home.”

The statistics notably reveal that falls are the number one cause of death for the elderly. When young children fall during play, they are up in a moment, usually, none the worse for wear. However, by empirical contrast, the risks and consequences of falls in the case of the elderly are incomparably, more serious. With aging comes the loss of physical strength, conditioning, and balance. [To take the liberty of expressing a personal, anecdotal, and relevant note, our mother passed away shortly after a fall which caused a fracture to her thigh.]

The Greek classic “Riddle of the Sphinx,” can be perceived as contextually relevant. The apocryphal Oedipus, arriving at Thebes, was confronted with solving a presented, life-determining enigma, “What has four legs in the morning, two legs in the afternoon, and three legs in the evening? Sophocles’ protagonist, not in the least exemplified by the paucity of reason, replied, “Man.” For those readers who lack the facility of the iteration of the ancient Greek language, the solution to the riddle was thoughtfully answered by the apocryphal Greek King, as,” Man.” (i.e., who crawls as a baby, stands on two legs as an adult, and walks with a stick in old age). The context of the present writing is centered on the emotionally self-deprecating, and ego-altering, personal dependence on the “stick.”

Man’s aged scenario of the “stick,” is one, featuring the gamut of ambulatory paraphernalia, the cane, the walker, (three or four-wheeled), and, as needed, the wheelchair. The recognized physical need for such auxiliary support props makes existentially necessary, a substantive re-adjustment of one’s former self-image and reliable assurance of normal capability and an uncomfortable reassessment of previous assumptions of agency. We feel qualified to make such observations on this age-normal, phenomenon, based upon our present ambulatory dependence on a (three-wheeled) walker, not to omit the available, ego-altering, but pragmatically fortuitous, assistance when needed, of a devoted spouse.

One is pragmatically obliged to strive, on a rational and mature basis, when timely, to personally acquire a mature acceptance and accommodation with said eternal phenomena of aging, the consequential result of a lifetime’s toll on muscles, joints, and other well-used facilities of human physiology. However, the latter “metamorphic” developments would be significantly more acceptable to the aging individual if they were not universally accompanied by the ever-present danger and ominous prospect of a possible precipitous fall and consequent injury.

Humanistic and pragmatic consideration of the civic promotion of universally more secure and enjoyable longevity, would suggest the passage of a beneficial, public-spirited, and well-deserved legislative amendment, or “carve out,” regarding the application of the Law of Gravity, as applicable to the elderly citizen; at a very minimum in the environs of his own home.

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It is our considered view, that the appellation, “Immigrant Crisis” is descriptive of a multi-faceted problem having a domestic impetus as compared with the populist cavil, as arising because of the multitude of applicants seeking entry to our nation. We have often observed the irrefutable fact that our nation has been, and remains uniquely populated by immigrants and their progeny. We have often called attention to the explicit welcoming invitation to all needy humanity, represented by America’s “Lady Liberty,” strategically located at a prominent venue in New York’s East River, holding aloft her welcoming lamp to the outside world. Additionally, the right to immigration is officially recognized by the existence of procedural and administrative legislation, confirming its traditional acceptability.  Those, who on a xenophobic or other alleged basis, decry the propriety of the franchise of immigration are patently illustrative of the qualities of deplorable ignorance and insensitive bigotry.

The orange-haired high priest of self-interested, mendacious amorality has, consistent with his tactically demagogic inclination, bizarrely engaged the devotion of our nation’s discontented, inadequately educated horde of populists by, among other tactical deceits, his bigoted designation of immigrants as “caravans of rapists and criminals…” It is to be emphatically noted, that this narcissistic cult (MAGA) leader, himself, has been judicially adjudged a “rapist,” and a “fraud,” and has been officially charged with 91 felonies, ranging from tax fraud and voter interference to treason By contrast, it is to be noted that official studies attest to a remarkably low crime rate and a commendable industrious record concerning immigrants, who also serve in the nation’s armed forces and pay taxes.

Trump’s egregiously false designation of the substantial flow of immigrants as “Caravans of rapists and criminals,” is, in reality, to be appropriately and accurately amended to, “needy families, undergoing great personal hardships in their valiant efforts to seek an acceptable life.” It may also be relevantly notable that all three of the would-be dictators’ marriages were to immigrant wives.

The despicable right-wing (MAGA) devotees of Donald Trump have enthusiastically applauded his ruthless policies of criminalizing and wrongfully arresting immigrants, separating babies and young children from their parents, caging immigrant children, creating dangerous physical barriers, such as barrier walls and sharp razor wire at America’s southern border and merciless, summary deportation of refugees back to their country of birth, to face the imminent perils of the autocracy from which they bravely and fearfully escaped and unrestrained abuse and unjust imprisonment. An exorbitantly high human price has been wrongfully and cruelly exacted by MAGA officials for the perceived crime of innocently seeking a safe and acceptable life, an extended right, traditionally and empathically, consistent with our peaceable prosperous, and historically generous nation.

Recently, we experienced mixed emotions responsive to an editorialized, statement in support of immigration; such personal satisfaction, however, temporized by an explanatory long, and statistically detailed report on the pressing need of many industries for additional (immigrant) labor. We were, of course, interested in the economic report concerning the nation’s need for employment, but were discouraged by its citation as the enunciated basis for immigration policy’s acceptability and propriety; the “accent was on the wrong syllable.” The criterion of economic need should not be the sufficient or appropriate criterion, determinative of the nation’s moral and appropriate recognition of its humanistic, and empathic program of assistance to fellow human beings, in extremis and existential need of its assistance.

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The long cold winter has visibly, albeit reluctantly, resolved to take its leave and with it, its bulging travel suitcase of hailstorms, snowfall, and ice. The long-awaited seasonal declaration is met with the burgeoning fertility of the woodlands and the stirring of the hibernating forest critters (See: M.44, “AN ANTICIPATED GUEST”). Humankind’s celebration of the rebirth of the planet, in our view, is the annual metaphysical precursor for the joyous celebration of the holy days of the Christian Holiday of Easter, traditionally commemorating the Biblical account of the “Resurrection” of the Christian Deity.

The metaphysical and symbolic significance of the Biblical Resurrection is perceived to be one of the eternal rebirth of universal peace and brotherhood. Yet the history of mankind is disappointingly replete with accounts of zealous autocrats and demagogic personalities, arrogating to themselves the duty to exterminate persons of nuanced, diverse, or no religious belief. In our view, all inhumane actions taken in the name of religious belief are immoral and notably, inconsistent with the New Testament’s philosophy and its citation of the teachings of said Deity, therein referred to as, “The Prince of Peace.”

 However, it is not the intended theme of this writing to reprise our frequently expressed views on Man’s long and deplorable history of religious conflict, genocide, and unspeakable tragedy, as, for example, in, “The 30 Years War,” “The Inquisition,” and “The Holocaust;” but rather to observe the contemporaneous state of discord and injustice, caused by certain deluded American citizens, dedicated to a reductionist and unconstitutional “re-establishment” of a “White, Christian America.” The groups styled, “White Christian Militias”  appear to have but minimal interest in Nature’s miraculous rebirth of spring, the actual age-old Biblical admonitions,  societal integrity, metaphysical morality, nor, indeed, the exercise of human reason.

Such groups have the dual distinction of the perpetuation of the shameful and inhumane history of religious oppression, and the addition of racial prejudice to their despicable policy of hatred and bigotry. The theme of their reductive and unconstitutional menu, supplementally, and nuanced manner to their biased evangelical style, is a faux, populist meme of xenophobic nationalism; which latter prejudice they prefer to shabbily rationalize as “patriotism.”

There is little time or inclination for such acolytes of ignorant reductionism to enjoy the soft beauty of the perennial miracle of the spring primavera, the company of friendly society, or the personally beneficial indulgence in an elective interest. The overriding ignorant and reductive sense of dedication is that of purging the nation of non-believers and non-white intruders,  through their malign efforts, toxically,  construed as mandated to exemplify the holy  description as “White” and “Christian.”

We have experienced consistent futility in our various efforts to remind such religious-xenophobic “patriots,” (1) that the Founders who, cognizant of the history of  misery and injustice brought about by autocratic religious rule in the centuries of repressive history of Europe, specifically articulated, in their foundational statements of intent, the manifest intent to leave “God” ( religious belief) entirely out of the Constitution, (2) that the foundational theme of the newly created republic was expressly one of “equality of its citizens,” (3) that there was pride in the inclusion of all peoples in the nation, by its eternal motto, “E Pluribus Unum,” (4) that there are statutory provisions, implicitly  permitting and providing procedures for immigration, and (5) that our nation traditionally displays its welcome to all  immigrants, without specification (of ethnos or race) by its vaunted “Statue of Liberty,” and, (6) reminding him that, foundationally, the American nation is, and eternally,has been, entirely populated by immigrants (all credos, colors, ethnicities) or their progeny.

Our various efforts to enlighten such recalcitrant reductionists have all met with abysmal results, presumably due, to some perverse idee fixe regarding minorities, buttressed by universally false and distorted factual ideation. Nevertheless, per our ardent aspiration for true American equality, we have, after much deliberation, conceived an effective seasonal cure for this ignorant and atavistic style of prejudicial ideation.

Our conceived panacea consists of sitting together with a recalcitrant bigot, on a warm, slightly breezy, day, on a comfortable grassy field, in meaningful silent, and uninterrupted contemplation, for approximately ten minutes, followed by dramatically handing him a pulled bunch of pretty, newly spouted yellow dandelions; which, unquestionably, should “do the trick.”

-p.

Frank R. Stockton’s 19th-century short story, *The Lady or The Tiger,” in effect, portrays the hazard implicit in the exercise of “Freedom of Choice,” viz., the individual’s autonomous choice to select from (at least two) available options and its unpredictable, fortuitous or tragic, consequences. The tale’s protagonist is obliged to arbitrarily choose one of two identically solid doors, one is to his beloved damsel, and the other a hungry, vicious tiger.

Life seems to manifest the prophetic enigma that the less consequential the choice, the more predictable the result. The risk of materially adverse consequences in casual choices such as selection from a restaurant menu, the arbitrary choice of a necktie or decorative pin, and choosing a televised movie or a day’s outfit has minimal and predictable sequelae. On the contrary, the exercise of more consequential choices, such as the selection of a spouse, venturing into a new business enterprise, or embarking on a chosen career, sadly, lacks the assurance of success or the predictability of failure. As we see it, the highly acclaimed philosophical right to “freedom of choice,” the prudential attempt to minimize the possibility of an adverse outcome by rationalizing perceived possibilities, at times may prove to be an imperfect predicate to any venturesome choice. 

In patent factual distinction to the narrative dilemma presented in Frank Stockton’s short story, is the soon-to-be presented significant choice of the re-election of President Joseph Biden or the errant past President, Donald Trump. Such choices unquestionably involve impactful results, however, unlike the fictional unseen and arbitrary choice of lady or tiger, the designated choices are fully disclosed and, have been experientially evaluated.  

An interesting feature of our thematic (Presidential) choice resides in the fact that the decision in question confronts the large, interactive population of American voters, the latter, evincing nuanced perceptions and divergent expectations. It may be useful to discuss a representative sample of some known and articulated perceptions and consequential choices relative to the two identified and fully disclosed candidates. It is an unusual guideline that each has previously revealed to the deciding public, his characteristic persona, and capability in the relevant role.

It is tautologically understood that the free exercise of personal “choice” is based on (accurate or imagined) criteria, founded in personally held principles, or, is the result of transmitted and accepted convincing views of persuasive others. In the singular presented instance, featuring disclosed choices, the personalities can be rationally evaluated by their revealed persona and actions. This feature affords experiential criteria enabling an empirically rational decision (in sharp contrast to the hazardous, lady-tiger dilemma of impulsive choice.) In the most useful of circumstances, however, the determinative criteria need to be rational and supportively factual.

The record of the bizarre and shameful performance of Donald Trump, signified by ignorance, immorality, egocentric neurosis, and a plethora of criminal indictments, is well known; as is his treasonous behavior and intention to be a “Dictator.” During his singular, twice-impeached term as President, little, if any, National benefit, is discernable. On the contrary, his incapability and ignorant egocentricity manifestly injured the Nation’s standing and its people (ex., COVID-19 gross malpractice, treasonous relations with America’s autocratic enemies). These objective flaws were demonstrably adverse to the Nation, as is his internationally demonstrated lack of moral compass, inappropriate greed, and most worrisome, his stated intention for monarchial rule.

The extant criticism of Joseph Biden by Trump supporters seems to center on their argument that he is “too old” to govern (Trump is only three years younger). As negatively demonstrated by the shamefully incompetent and disreputable term of Donald J. Trump, it is age-nuanced capability and effectiveness that accurately constitute the rational and pragmatic criterion. Unlike Trump’s scandal-ridden, do-nothing term of office, Joseph Biden in three years has demonstrated a high degree of capability and has rendered great benefit to the Nation, including, merely as a partial illustration, proper management of the pandemic, overseeing a greatly needed, National infrastructure bill, decreasing inflation, lowering student tuition debt, greatly increasing jobs, while significantly reducing unemployment   

It would appear that despite the identifiable personae, and awareness of the notable contrast between the two candidates’ previous performances, the Nation, nevertheless finds itself in an existential (“Lady or Tiger”) hazard, existentially dependent upon the discreetly proper choice of the analogical “Lady” (Joseph Biden) as opposed to the vicious and malevolent “Tiger” (Donald J. Trump). There exist opaque and threatening indications of substantial populist and irrational support for the fictional Tiger (the latter miscreant, like its feline alter ego, warningly identifiable by the (hazmat) color, orange). Such unknown and unpredictable factors are dynamically symbolic of the opaque doors obscuring the outcome.

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Grift # 1, the “Reverse Mortgage”
This writing was prompted by our vocalized angst at (again) experiencing the smarmy-solicitous style of the handsome- mustachioed, and charmingly mellifluous, Tom Selleck in a personally disturbing television commercial. In the commercial, Selleck, solicitously makes an earnest eye-contact, faux-solicitous pitch to senior citizens on the salutary features of “Reverse Mortgages;” on behalf of the not-so-salutary finance companies.
Seldom, it appears, do the routine daily commercials contain commercial propaganda as intensely as when the mission is to hawk financial “shtick,” to the presumably vulnerable elderly. In dramatic, intra-familial-style pitch, Selleck initially appears and slowly takes a few steps before comfortably settling into a lawn chair (like older people do?) and then with loving and respectful, laser-like eye contact and in mellifluous tones, solicits the targeted elder audience, lauding the purported virtues (but, none of the drawbacks) of the advertised sales merchandise, the “Reverse Mortgage.” “Two things are sure,” he crows, “you love your home and you want to stay in it.” (A notable piece of propagandist cruelty).
Prior to our brief remarks on the notably, undisclosed and obligatory aspects of the vaunted enterprise, plus thematically, a few other categories of elder-hawked “benefits,” we would make clear our present thematic effort, which is to express our displeasure at the arrogant television “snake oil” presentations of “financial benefits” and “a better life,” to the presumably vulnerable, cash-strapped elder. The implicit contextual hubris of such presumption and faux-solicitousness may exceed the hazard of the negative impact of such universally indiscriminate and irresponsible advice.
A reverse mortgage loan, like the traditional mortgage, allows a homeowner to borrow money on the value (“equity”) of his home. The title remains in the homeowner’s name, but he no longer makes monthly mortgage payments. The loan ceases and is repaid when the homeowner dies or, otherwise is no longer resident in the home. Interest and fees are added to the loan and, each month the balance grows. What the smarmy Selleck commercial does not disclose, includes the homeowner’s financial responsibility (on pain of summary foreclosure) for the taxes, levies, and the cost of repairs, the insurance on the realty, consideration of the salient issue as to agreed equity value, the high cost of loan fees and the title closing expenses of the transaction, the intrusive inspections to assure maximum care, and, of course, the monthly decrease in equity value. An undisclosed and potentially tragic feature is the lender’s right of eviction of any non-owning inhabitant, for example, an elderly parent or child living in the home when the title owner dies.
We especially detest the misleading and cynical statements concerning the purported “tax-free” benefits, since the source of the monetary benefit is the homeowner’s property, a previously owned asset and irrefutably distinguishable from income. This shameless and cynical representation as to “tax-free money,” is revealingly, snake-oil salesmanship. The guidance of a capable attorney may be relevantly needed.
Grift # 2, Cash Redemption of Life Insurance
Television commercials that seek to extoll the financially pragmatic wisdom of redeeming life insurance policies, by elderly, possibly, cash-challenged policy owners, need to be considered in a personally applicable and evaluative context. Unless the situation is financially desperate, we would recommend that the elderly policy owner materially consider the following factors. (1) The policy was taken out for the anticipated receipt by the (possibly needy) familial beneficiary and will no longer be of potential assistance or benefit to him, (2) the proceeds of the redemption may be taxable, (3) fees may be due for the transaction and, most disturbingly,(4) The policy for which, premiums may have been paid for decades, during a period when he was younger and the statistical (“actuarial”) possibility that the insurance company will be obligated to pay the death benefit is relatively remote, is redeemed later on in life when the actuarial possibility of the payment of the face value is as a pragmatically greater, results in a significant windfall to the insurance company, and in our view, is an actuarial “grift.” In practical effect, the televised promise of a “windfall” is received by the insurance company, as opposed to the policyholder, and definitively, not by the policy’s intended beneficiary. The televised suggestion that policy redemption makes sense if the policyholder “no longer needs it,” is grossly misleading.

Grift # 3, “Youth Restoring” Pharmacy
Memory: We have consulted various physicians who have informed us that the pharmaceutical products advertised to the elderly as effective memory boosters (with, or without, jellyfish protein) and re-booters of the youthful capabilities of the human brain have not been scientifically proven nor officially sanctioned. Our unprofessional view is that the benefits of mental acuity are derived from the regular use of the brain in useful contemplation, reading, pursuing personal interests, and the regularly understood recognition of one’s good fortune in the continuance of the personal franchise of life.
Physical Appearance: The representation that youthful appearance can be commercially extended to later periods of human life, may deserve the gold medal for the most insidiously profitable marketing grift in the entire panoply of deceit.
The profit-making claim of a youthful, or younger appearance is deceitfully based upon the persuasive neurotic ideation that, (1) Younger is more acceptable, (2) looking young is the exclusive standard of attractiveness, (3) looking younger by the application of the advertised product is a timeless and appropriately universal aspiration. All sorts of merchandise are publically advertised (especially to aging, female members of the television audience) purporting to amend and presumably, improve, their appearance by disguising the normal physical progress of human growth and aging.

Our views in this area of commercial propagandist grift are not in the purported quality and potential effect of the advertised myriad of creams, lotions, washes, oils, nutritional aids, balms, powders, and make-up, cleansers, hair supplements, hairstyles, dyes, miracle diets, tooth whiteners, skin treatments, wrinkle removers, eye shadow, false lashes, support apparel, freezing or surgical cosmetics. We have little knowledge of this purported cosmetic alchemy. We are, however, contextually concerned with the lack of mature perspective on the part of the aging consumer and the tactically, deceitful commercial practitioners of deceptive grift who immensely profit from such immature insecurity.
We cannot, in this context, refrain from an expression of relevant concern, respecting the advertised use of botulism toxin for the removal of forehead and other facial wrinkles. Our readings inform us that this chemical toxin is scientifically rated as among the top three dangerous poisons. In our view, the legal sale, purchase, and most bizarre, the voluntary application of the same for the inane, egotistical removal of a natural wrinkle or two is more than a submission to a scam, but a display of unnaturally hazardous behavior.
We have grappled with understanding the inability of many people who appear to lack mature perspective in their inability to perceive human beauty in its naturally changing and maturing developmental context. There is a nuanced and age-appropriate standard of attractiveness relevant to each stage of human development. Neurotic insecurity and consequent attempts at emulation of idolized youthful appearance, as one matures, is a demonstration of lack of mature perspective and an open invitation to cosmetic grift. We would offer, as an aesthetic illustration, one of our favorite actresses, Ms. Sophia Loren, who is appropriately beautiful in the context of her late feminine maturity, as she was, in the stages of her contextual youth and later maturity.
-p.