plinyblogdotcom

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-p.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-p.                                                                        

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

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

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

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

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

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

-p.

We are unable to dismiss a persistent and arousing sense of extreme trepidation, concerning the existential health and survival of our vulnerable Democratic Republic. Such dread is essentially comparable to the continuing human concern posed to the Planet by the impact of global warming. Just as climate change is impacting human health in a myriad of ways, such as death and illness, extreme weather events, disruption of food sources, and decreases in mental health, the perceived current threat posed to our liberty and democracy has become a pertinent cause for existential alarm. It is this profound concern that impels us, with due apologies, to dwell on this subject with such frequency.

History reveals the several sad sagas of America’s episodic, dark periods (e.g., slavery, depression, the Vietnam War, and the pandemic) and creditably, the Nation’s systemic ability to attain full recovery and then, albeit, slowly, continue to advance toward its traditional avowed goal of full equality and justice. Nevertheless, analogous to the apocryphal, Biblical plague of locusts, a recent political calamity has made its presence known in the person of an ignorant, egotistical, and autocratic personality, with the toxicity and potential for irreparable harm to our Nation’s endemic character much the same as the Vietnam era’s misadvised use of the toxic Agent Orange. Our Nation’s lethal, decades more recent, lethal “hazmat,” Agent Orange,” is dangerously reprised in the person of Donald Trump.

As stated, we have been frustrated in our attempts to uncover the pathological etiology of Trump’s metastasized allure to his vast hordes of vulnerable citizens. He has been successful enough to have won a four-year term of the American Presidency (albeit, twice impeached by Congress). His immense allure bizarrely seems entirely unmitigated by his publicly known 71 felonies, inclusive of treason against the United States, numerous criminal indictments, ranging from election denial and orchestrating an insurrection against the Nation, purloining of governmental secret documents, major tax fraud, and voter interference, to illegal bribery and pay-offs of “hush money” to celebrity prostitutes with whom he has, admittedly, conducted brisk commerce.

Despite his flagrantly immoral behavior, the Evangelicals, in cynic fashion, tactfully support him because he is seen by them to be of existential use in opposing their perceived opponents, liberals, minorities, and immigrants (see previous essay, “Existential Hitman”), by an extant, vast hoard of discontented populists who choose to cultishly worship him, based upon his flagrantly shameful misbehavior perceived by them as a principled rebellion against convention and mainstream restraints, and by the large, polluting industrialists who pay the political bills because of his inhumane stance against profit limiting, governmental health regulations. Some irresponsible individuals, ignorantly misperceive his anti-social, rebellious actions as a reflection of positive strength and, in their estimation, a comforting persona for a National leader;  the latter presumption, despite the demonstrated reality that he is a weak neurotic, overgrown child-adult, with an insatiable, narcissistic need for approval and ratification.

During his notably revealing four years of office, in addition to his manifested embarrassing incapacity and proven, colossal ignorance, he inarguably, demonstrated the historically stereotypical manifestations of a would-be autocrat; attacking the free press, minorities, established institutions, the Constitution, and even the metaphysical concept of “truth,” itself. His election denial and fomenting of a violent insurrection remove any lingering doubt as to his autocratic intentions; as does his publicly expressed admiration for despots such as his beloved Putin and the tyrants that rule China, North Korea, and Hungary. By contrast, he alienated America’s traditional allies, NATO, and has disavowed significant Treaties, including the environmentally vital, “Paris Accords.”

Trump has candidly revealed in televised interviews, that he aspires to be a “Dictator,” “but only for one day.” It is irrefutable, that in the words of that demonstrated practitioner of serial mendacity, there exists on Planet Earth, no sentient being that can draw from that limitation, a scintilla of comfort. This is, inarguably, a “Code Blue,” level of emergency for our Democratic Republic.

Among his ample plethora of hateful, persona-revealing traits, we cannot fail to mention our constant perseveration over his televised, grinning, clown-like burlesque of a reporter, suffering the overt, tremulous, and embarrassing symptoms of classic cerebral palsy. In our view, this pathologically cruel televised mimicry is telling and standing alone, constitutes sufficient grounds for unbridled condemnation.

The next Presidential election accordingly, will be America’s singular elective choice between Democracy and Totalitarianism. Even more persuasive than President Joe Biden’s excellent record, properly handling COVID, securing the historically highest rate of employment, successfully promoting infrastructure, wise and dignified conduct of international relations, and championing women’s right to abortion together with general civil rights, through his admirable and empathic persona, is the existential importance of voting for him and thereby, saving our unique and invaluable, democratic way of life, for ourselves and our successors.

-p.  

Our concern for the successful endurance of our constitutionally designed, tri-partite polity has continued to increase as we follow events reported on the news media. The damage to the office of the Presidency can be effectively, elucidated by the mere mention of that profanation, “Trump.” Our traditionally august and revered Supreme Court has been recently tainted by disappointing revelations that its precedential decisions are at times, motivated, not by jurisprudential wisdom, but by the crass monetary influence of billionaire donors. The salient theme of this essay, however, is our particular concern with the third branch of government, Congress. The latter, determinative body seems to evince the inappropriate and undemocratic (Republican) practice of unprincipled, tactically extortive, demands for unconditional acquiescence to its partisan demands as mandatory to bills being considered, which are deemed by the other party (the Democrats) to be nationally essential.

Recent news reports reveal the urgent need for additional financial and logistical support for Ukraine in its staunch defense against the Russian (Putin) aggression, and for the State of Israel, in its opposition and response to the recent barbaric Hamas incursion. As is evident, in both cases, national integrity and countless human lives hang in the precarious balance. Additionally, the sense of the American citizenry recognizes the existential urgency implicit in the meeting of such needs. Yet, notwithstanding such vital concerns and the expressed will of the deeply concerned, nation, the news media has indicated that right-wing, MAGA, legislators, heartlessly, condition such life-and-death support upon the Democrats’ concession to their draconian and inhumane immigration policy.

Another illustrative and truly obscene example of this irresponsible, callous practice of extortion is the obdurate roadblock established to the implementation of necessary military promotions, vital to the defense of our country, by the densely ignorant, smiling, (“What me Worry?” look-alike) Tommy Tupperville, obstinately based upon his religious objection to the humanistic policy of military reimbursement of travel expenses incurred to obtain an abortion.

It is, in our view, virtually, a tautological or definitional responsibility of an elected legislator to perform the duties of his office, dutifully consistent with the platform and policies pledged by him to his voter constituency, respecting which, presumably, he was elected. Yet it notably appears that for many, the coveted tenure of his legislative position is the salient motivation. Trade-offs, extortive demands, and self-interest appear to represent the working toolbox of many MAGA legislators. For them, the moral and responsible recognition of their national and constituent responsibility has declined to the level of pure self-concern, analogous to the stereotypical candidate for office of an undergraduate fraternity.

In the context of such irresponsible and self-serving tactical practice of extortive ultimatums, one might reasonably inquire, what is the conceivable similarity between the diverse, and complex life and death issues, existing, respectively, between the need for assistance by the besieged and beleaguered Nations of Israel and Ukraine with the complex humanitarian and logistical immigration issues relevant to America’s southern border? The respective merits of these life-and-death issues would appear to be of less significance than adherence to the insular pathology of the cultish MAGA groupthink.

The offending political party would prefer to, euphemistically, denominate such improper extortive practices as “negotiation.” Such pretense is a self-serving, perverse disguise for the employment of this immoral and unconstitutional tactic. “Negotiation” properly references the efforts by disparate parties to reach an accommodation on a relevant and common subject. The tactics euphemistically, referred to as negotiation by the MAGA-influenced legislators are analogous to calling an armed robber’s demand for money from his victim, an earnest request for funding.  

On a general scale, traditional American citizens are in the throes of a precarious tri-partite, assault, in fact, on the entirety of their unique, historic Republican Democracy. The Trump threat of autocracy regarding the Executive Branch, the revealed corruption of several Justices of the Supreme Court, and the irresponsible, extortive tactics of MAGA-oriented legislators, all of which, would appear to presage, or at minimum threaten the advent of a dire outcome.

Notwithstanding our expressed apprehensions, our feelings of optimism yet endure, based on our eternal confidence in the responsibly considered vote of the nation’s many informed citizens and their support and unshakeable optimism which have historically proven to be the curators of our aspirational free and enlightened, way of life.

-p.

Until now presumably, in common with many contemplative citizens, we have been puzzled by the bizarre unreality of the ardent support of Donald Trump by the White Christian Evangelicals. As their asserted “holy” mission, duty, and reason for being, the Evangelicals, (who it seems, control the bedrock of the Republican Party) profess in their traditional, religious canon, their (“Born Again”) mission to be a “Witness” for the Deity and to bring humanity to faith and ultimate virtue. Donald Trump has publically and inarguably, demonstrated himself to be a faithless avatar of immoral turpitude and “unholy” immorality. We, and, presumably, many others, found ourselves lost in a bizarre and unexplainable quandary concerning the existence of this empirical incongruity, the latter, conceivably, amounting to the pathological level of orthodox cognitive dissonance.

However, we were recently and reliably freed of the inconvenience and discomfort of the troubling dilemma, by the receipt of an enlightening (and greatly disturbing) resolution of the mystery. As it happened, a guest on an evening Channel 13 News program, authoritatively and lucidly, related to the host and the viewing public (of which we were a part) the strategic, utilitarian purpose underlying the existence of such irrefutable dissonance. The expert guest was Mr. Tom Alberta, a member of the White Christian Evangelical movement and the author of the featured new book, “The Kingdom and the Power and The Glory.”

The affable and knowledgeable author,  a member in good standing of the Evangelical Movement, in a self-assured and somewhat pedantic style, related the nature of the Evangelicals’ tactical motivation for the observably, ironic, and inconsistent support of the concededly, immoral, and unprincipled past President. To intellectually and emotionally describe our reaction to the revelation of this, long-awaited, edification, permissibly, expressed in the parlance of populist- slang, “knocked our socks off.”

The pedantically delivered “rational” explanation articulated by the smiling, self-assured expert and author, Tom Alberta, was, shockingly, that such support was motivated by political necessity deemed a matter of no less than existential importance, to the survival of their organization and its religious mission. The author and expert on the subject, candidly and unashamedly, stated that the White Christian Evangelical Church has contemporaneously felt threatened by the rapidly growing influence in the Nation, of “minorities,” leftists, secular moralists, and immigrants. Donald Trump, irrespective of empirical considerations of ethics or religiosity, is an existential bulwark to the Evangelical movement’s continued existence, by his determined opposition and active discrimination and repression of such threatening groups. It is inescapably evident that with Machiavellian-type intention, the Christian White Evangelicals have tactically and immorally, and in classic Mafia- style, reaction, hired (i.e., supported) a “Hit Man” opportunistically and insidiously to, unwittingly, but, existentially, protect their political existence and financial self-interest. These “divinely inspired”, agents of virtue have shamelessly and deceitfully, have supported Donald Trump, in the face of his unspeakably evil deeds, for the purported advancement of immaculate virtue. In an attempt to comment in Old World, Church Latinate: “Nil Sine Magnum Nauseam”.

Such underhanded, tactical, and unprincipled hypocrisy is instructively analogous to that of the (misnamed) “Right to Life” movement, which purports to militate for human life by opposing the woman’s right to abortion of her fetus, regardless of her rights and any compelling health or psychological considerations; nevertheless, following birth, inconsistently, oppose aid of any kind to the needy child. Said organization also opposes gun control and generally favors capital punishment. As it irrefutably appears, said organization has the same degree of purported regard for life as the Evangelical Church has for their asserted cause of mankind’s virtue and salvation.

The continuance and rectitude of our Republican Democracy would unquestionably, be assured and conceivably, enhanced if informed voters would afford to all political assertions the prudent caution and scrutiny analogously appropriate to the representations of the stereotypical used-car salesman.

-p.

.

Racial, religious, and ethnic bigotry, intrinsically, are not merely perceptual phenomena, founded upon unsophisticated experience or aesthetic predisposition; they constitute the existence of remorseless, cognitive predisposition and empirical aberration bordering on pathology. These traits, in our view, are initiated by insensitive early teaching and thereafter, submissive predisposition. Such malignity profoundly and gravely, encompasses social or anthropological perception and non-empirical, pre-judgments, often to the extent of the hatred of members of humankind who, by the vagaries of Nature, look dissimilar, or for cultural or ethnic reasons, live or believe differently from the observer.

The eternal outcome of the diverse facets of bigotry and prejudice has been its universal injurious impact on human life, blamelessly, suffered by its victims. Perverse racism, religious persecution, gender bias, ethnic and xenophobic hatred have constituted a shameful and atavistic blemish on the history of our purportedly, “advanced,” species of advanced “sentient” Homo sapiens.

We have selected, from the evidently, copious smorgasbord of hateful iterations of this human pathology, to comment on a specific brand of ancient bigotry, anti-Semitism, because of its contemporaneous pandemic-like outbreak and, its timeless and unique nuance.

The reader is presumably aware of the violent incursions into Israel, on October 7, 2023, by the Palestinian militant Islamist Group, Hamas. The attack was preceded by a barrage of upward of 3,000 rockets. Reportedly, in a single day, 859 Israeli citizens and 349 soldiers and police were killed; 250 hostages were taken, including children and the elderly. Hamas soldiers committed horrific and virtually unimaginable atrocities, including the torture and killing of parents in the presence of their later murdered young children, amputation, rape, burning people alive, and countless other unspeakable acts. According to their preconceived plan, they then retreated, with the hostages to their well-supplied, underground tunnels, strategically constructed, under hospitals and civilian centers. The result, as planned, was the tactical creation of an unavoidable necessity for retaliation for Hamas’ incursion and barbaric acts, to be visited upon the civilians, (human shields) living on the surface. Hamas, only too aware that it did not have the military capacity to achieve its goal of the obliteration of Israel, militarily, tactically conspired to thereby, turn World opinion against it for its predictable retaliation, meted out to the public by its created tactical necessity. Such a pernicious, evil, and pathological plot was successful. World opinion has (unjustly) denigrated Israel for its heartless retribution against innocent Gaza citizens, living (and dying) on the surface.

As shrewdly and perniciously planned, not only did World opinion accuse Israel of war crimes, but as has so often occurred in history, the ancient serpent of anti-Semitism emerged from its temporary pit, to again strike, indiscriminately, with its eternally-ready, ardent aggressiveness. Based upon the age-old (since the 4^th Century, Holy Roman Empire) hatred, recent historical experience reliably demonstrates that when conflict erupts in Israel, anti-Semitic attacks, predictably, soon follow in the United States as well as on a global scale. A historically accurate observation can, be made that such consistent observation is motivated by innate and ignorant, reductive prejudice. Clearly, “Jews,” as an international World subculture are distinguishable from “Israelis;” however, anti-Semitism has always obstinately persisted, irrespective of empirical cause, or rationally, or as in this case, derivatively. Reportedly, this category of hatred has increased in our Nation by 400%.

Among European Nations, especially, there is an understandable great concern, fueled in great part by the tragic experience of Jews, before and during the Second World War. This is particularly evident in those individuals who may be only one or two generations removed from people who were victims of Nazi brutality. Hamas has awakened a temporarily dormant species of human hatred and fear.

We find especially concerning the pervasive anti-Semitism currently asserting its venom on college campuses. It has been revealed by The Anti-Defamation League that 73% of Jewish college students have experienced or witnessed some form of anti-Semitic act on campus. It may be observed, that classically, College students, have universally participated in violent acts of protests and insurrection; which, in our view are conceivably motivated by an effective combination of insufficiently acquired knowledge, or reductive thought, plus empirical “Sturm und Drang” of youthful, sophomoric outrage.

By the natural happenstance of birth we find ourselves included in the ethnic category of American Jews, and, at times, when we deem it appropriate, criticize Israeli policy, however, we oppose prejudice and reductive thinking in all its malign iterations on an eternal basis.

-p.

As generally known, dreams occur in the “R.E.M” (Rapid Eye Movement) periods of sleep. In one of our R.E.M. episodes during the previous night, we experienced such a phantasmagorical, frightening dream that for the first occasion in memory, we felt obliged to get out of bed and sit in our bedside chair for some ten minutes, to relax from the tension. We, of course, realized that the surreal content of the dream was not as telling as the underlying and motivating tension. We soon were able to identify the cause of the then-extant tension as proximately emanating from our recent misgivings, concerning the nature of our monstrous-sized, population of unenlightened and uninformed citizens, some of whom refer to the despicable and dangerous Donald J. Trump, as the “Orange Jesus.” The subject tension, we realized, more specifically, was rooted in our apprehension of the possible effect of the multitudinous number of such voters who are inadequately, educated and poorly informed..

An instructive example of the underlying basis for such terror is clearly illustrated, among a virtual plethora of other such indications, by the pronouncement of the Republican Party’s, current, unanimously, elected Speaker of the House of Representatives; the evangelical, reductionist, Mike Johnson of Louisiana. In addition to his atavistic, posture on social issues, which appears to be to the right of Catherine the Great of Russia, he seems completely mesmerized by the stereotypical and skewed reasoning of the typical evangelical populist. He confidently, ignorantly, and inappropriately, declared to the House of Representatives and the public that, “All the answers are in the Bible.”  This statement, standing alone, would constitute an adequate basis for the occurrence of nightmares.

Wasn’t it the referenced, King James Bible that condoned slavery? That justified capital punishment? That declared that since” Man was the Center of All Things,” the Sun traveled around (“orbited”) the Earth? After God created the Earth, didn’t the “Good Book,” Johnson’s sole authoritative reference, provide, that, “He” rested” on the seventh day (the Sabbath)? It is revelatory and useful to rationally, recognize authoritative scientific studies which establish that Planet Earth, in objective fact, is no less than four and one-half billion years old. It is additionally revelatory to take note that the Bible, among other descriptions, attributes no less than unlimited omnipotence to the Deity, and yet declares that after “He” created the Earth, its oceans, and its inhabitants, in that short period of six days of labor, he was required to rest. Such is the limited intelligence of this legislative leader and, frighteningly (nightmarishly?) is, as well, the mentality of a significant portion of the voting American public that neurotically, sees itself inspirationally, instructing the World as to a life of moral truth and virtue.

In addition, to such cited population of unenlightened, insular voters, there is yet, the vast horde of underbelly populist voters, who see the toxic, criminal, and autocratic, Donald J. Trump, as their long-awaited, (political) Messiah and their much-deserved instrument of vengeance against society, deemed responsible for their particular brand of discontent. In their fun-house distorted perception, they irrationally, perceive Trump’s bragadaggio and multitudinous criminal acts and indictments, ranging from pay-offs to prostitutes and major tax fraud, to voter interference, election denial, inciting of insurrection and treasonous behavior, as commendable and appropriate, against the offending State. Their lemming-like loyalty to this would-be autocratic dictator is both absolute and, in reality, suicidal.

Trump has validated the old rural aphorism, “One rotten apple spoils the barrel.” By his divisive alteration and consequent destruction of America’s historic Republican Party, and, as well, the mind-set of the Nation, by means of his dangerous autocratic behavior, viz., demeaning  “truth, ”the media, established historic and  institutions, and the very existence of our democracy. The potential of a tragic impact on our democracy by the vote of this worrisomely large conglomerate of “Trump voters, inclusive of Johnson type, evangelical voters, threateningly capable of the tragic annihilation of our unique Democratic Republic, is sufficiently alarming and vexatious enough to cause any normal, mainstream American citizen, to suffer from the unpleasant experience of nightmares.

-p.                                                           

Our household has enjoyed the experience of several Dynasties of feline history. We employ the term, “Dynasty,” with apologies for its anthropomorphic reference. It has been our empirical observation that there exists a universally nuanced human inclination to perceive human traits or emotions in cats which, while commonplace, are subjective and, fallacious projections. With sincere apologies, we have, admittedly, referred to the generations of our household cats as dynasties, due to that same human, erroneous commonplace perception of their appearance as visibly royal and aloof. In this context, we are hopeful that the reader will indulge us respecting our utilization of provincial, or anthropomorphic observations.

“Bella,” about whom we will comment at a later point in this writing, has only, yesterday, successfully immigrated into our household and will have constituted the fifth dynasty in our royal feline history. She will benefit from the company and peripatetic guidance of “Gelato,” our fourth.

For readers who may be interested in our unique and admirable household occupants, we would initially and briefly relate the variety and commonality of their physical appearance. It might be of interest to know that all of the cats are “Devon Rex,” which particular breed contains no “dander” under their outer layer of fur, and so are non-allergic. Devon’s also uniformly feature small, characteristic, furrows on their heads and, further, compared to the more pedestrian, Tabby, have short, unremarkable whiskers. They are beautiful and come in various colors: white, tan, cream, brown, and gray, or an attractive mix of the same. They vary in size; two of our pets have been the size of ordinary Tabby cats, and three others, significantly smaller.

We commence our feline chronicles with the first, and, empirically, the most remarkable, of all our household cats, a male, whom we named, “Cicero.” Cicero was the larger size of the species and had ample fur which was gray to black. His unique feature was his apparent tact and diplomacy, having lived much of his life with the small and rambunctious, “Anchovie,” and the big-sized, pushy “Koo-doo.” If it is possible to ascribe human traits to cats, Cicero was gentlemanly, contemplative, and patiently tolerant. Much heartbreak was experienced at his demise, in honor of which, a fruit tree was planted, and the ashes of his cremation installed at the roots

Our second domiciliary co-tenant was “Anchovie,” who was given her nuanced (and unconventionally spelled) name, in an effort at feline originality. Much like “Cicero,” she affected an ultimate persona, reflective of her piquant name; active, attention-seeking, and independently assertive.  Yet, quite often she made the amorous choice of curling together, “yin and yang,” style, with the ever-tolerant “Cicero” in a soft circular, bed. She, too is decreased; unfortunately, cats seem to have a longevity of only 13 to 15 years.

Koo-doo, a full-size, female, Devon with a ”ritzy,” Sax Fifth Avenue quality, dark gray coat was, remarkably, an inveterate and insatiable gourmand, consuming, in addition to her cat food, whatever could be inveigled from the dinner table. She was socially independent, reserving her attention for the lady of the household, to the exclusion of her two siblings and the household’s male human. She was named after a beautiful, elk-like animal on an African Safari, viewed, scenically erect on a twilight-lit hill.

The next generation of feline pet is named, “Gelato.” It is impossible to adequately describe the beauty of this male Devon. He is a velvety coated, tan color with brown trim on his paws, ears, and face, and is almost irresistibly, huggable. Despite his light tan color, he has blue eyes and a brown tail. His quick changes of attention and insatiable curiosity make him extremely entertaining and his proclivity for snuggling renders one in a state of incessant love. Until yesterday, Gelato was the sole household pet.

Yesterday, the historic entry into the household of a tiny, snow white Devon kitten, with amber eyes, added yet more love and excitement to the household. It is a female kitten, imported from Belarus, Russia, which we named “Bella,” short for Belarus and, in many Latinized languages means “beautiful.” Gelato, her new sibling is an extremely handsome, small cat; but tiny Bella’s beauty is indescribable. We are in the delicate process of encouraging the comfortable acceptance of the handsome Gelato and the beautiful Bella, and we anticipate their happy coexistence and our enhanced pleasure.

-p.

On every tract of Earthly land
Man finds the sacred bits of dust
Blown by night, misted by day
He must look sharp, they’re hard to see!

On every day of every life
Man inhales, ingests that dust
And thus, does fortify his life
With tiny bits of mankind’s past

When life is done, and body’s down
As has been so, eternally,
The air will add more sacred dust,
That new mankind will then respire.

Leonard N. Shapiro (NYC. 12/1/23)