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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-p.

The Vote

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

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

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

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

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

The citizen (redux)

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

-p.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-p.

In the course of a pleasant, relaxed and meditative mood, this past week, we happened to think of the elder of our two cats, “Kudu,” (named after a beautiful elk-like animal, (the “Koo-doo” seen by us on safari in South Africa, some years ago). Kudu, sadly, in common with his two feline predecessors (“Cicero” and “Anchovy”) had developed a deadly disease at or about the usual (feline) terminal age of 13, and had to be “put to sleep,” by the Veterinarian.

As expected, we felt pain and mourned their loss, almost as profoundly as if they were human. A nurtured and beloved pet becomes an integral and familiar part of the family household; its loss, affirmatively, results in substantial regret and for some time is the protagonist of considerable nostalgic, recollection.  

The cataclysmic loss of a family member,  close relative, dear friend or other loved one, summons up the predictable, and tragic, stereotypical feelings of intransigent denial, irrational anger and then, finally, acceptance and profound sorrow. In some cases, the essential “spark” of life may, suddenly and unexpectedly, be extinguished, “out of the blue,” as opposed to occurring following the previous advent of a critically mortal diagnosis, or the normal and gradual occurrence of terminal old age. Whatever may be the cause, the empty place left by the absence of the deceased, person, leaves a perceived, barren, empty space in the family household and considerable emotional pain, possibly enduring for years.

Universal knowledge of the inevitable, and unavoidable prospect of the end of life, is a universal subject of man’s eternal dread, causing a great many individuals to look (perhaps, vainly) to religion for answers, understanding, or at a minimum, comfort and reconciliation. Inescapably, the unique franchise of “life” is inevitably, and eternally, paid for by the burnished, gold coin of inevitable mortality.

There appear to be individuals who, in their lifetime, choose to, tactically and sophomorically, aspire to avoid the natural concomitance, between the precious, but vulnerable, establishment of loving relationships and its eternally, concomitant and predictable, excruciating pain of loss. Such individuals thus, strategically, wherever possible, avoid intimate relationships, (personal close relationships, marriage, children and even, pets). Such individuals may, conceivably, succeed in decreasing the numerical instances of such inevitable, painful loss, but by so doing, thereby, imprudently and wastefully, decrease their singular, and ultimately, priceless, potential for a fulfilling quality of life.

-p.

 In this essay, we have undertaken to express certain principles which we have found useful in the exercises of spoken and written (as opposed to electronic) communication. It is felt that the regular observance of the foregoing principles will result in the minimization of misunderstandings and unnecessary errors. We have, for purposes of clarity, presented the same in separate categories.

The Golden Rule of Communication:
Fundamentally stated, speech is the thoughtful art of deployment of chosen words to convey intended thoughts. As is universally the case, relative to the all-encompassing world of the “arts,” there empirically, exists regarding this indispensable capability, variations in skill or aptitude.  The confident and candid assumption that something has, indeed, been said, is objectively, reliable (only) to the extent of the speaker’s personal skill at precision in the apt communication of his intended thoughts. Stated otherwise, the degree of confidence that something, intended to be conveyed, has, indeed, been effectively expressed, is based upon the objective clarity and exactitude of its actual expression and not on the actual intentions or subjective recollection of the speaker. The beneficial observance of our selected, “golden rule” of communication, will  tend to avoid unnecessary, misunderstandings, and contentious strife.

Conveyance of Specifically Intended Message:

The accurate and precise communication of ideas, by spoken, and (most especially) written, words, is pragmatically dependent upon the discernment and selection of appropriate vocabulary, uniquely and precisely (as opposed to “generally”), expressive of the desired communication. The latter admonition is the very soul and lifeblood of poetics, but, as well, vital for meaningful verbal communication.

In specific relation to the art of written and spoken interaction, we would, emphatically, caution against the facile reliance upon a thesaurus, as a solution to the cogent selection of words, expressive of one’s intended communication. Our determined priority regarding the vital accuracy of intended expression, over the years, has, confidentially, led us to the radical belief, that there seldom exist exact synonyms, such that, on the relevant occasion, adequately or precisely, describe our intended and nuanced feeling. Examples, “hot” as in tea, vs. “torrid,” as in sexy, flamingo dancer; “cold”, as in milk vs. “frigid,” as in the artic; “cautious,” as in “discerning,” vs. ”cautious,” as used when crossing the avenue. For those, properly concerned with the accurate transmission of the nature and extent of his feelings, seldom will other similar words will be found to be descriptively adequate.

The Misconception Regarding “Big” Words:

The thematic message of this writing, and the irrefutable, sine- qua- non, of successful communication is the selective use of words that precisely, express one’s intention. Such being the primary criterion we have, eternally, been perplexed by the sophomoric characterization of “big” and “plain” words. It would appear that such misconceived categories are meaningful to those who are not avid readers.

It appears that the descriptive, “big” in such comments has reference to the fact that the word, in the experience of the critic, is not to his discernment, in the popular parlance, rather than objected to, based upon the number of its syllables; to illustrate: the words, “vegetarian” and “international,” inarguably, are commonly used, and accordingly, easily understood, (i.e., not “big words,”) albeit, multi-syllabic.

In sum, effective communication requires the literary sensitivity to select those words, clearly and most expressive of the speaker’s, or writer’s, intended expression.

-p.

[“What’s in a word?” Shakespeare, “Romeo and Juliet”]

The persistence of the bizarre, unsupported canard, by Trump and his blindly, loyal cult followers, that Joseph Biden’s victory in the 2020 Presidential election, was, somehow, “stolen” from him, most especially, in the face of the multiple, consistent dismissals, by the Courts, State Officials, and relevant, federal agencies, of such entirely, unfounded claims, has become, intolerable.

The substantial numbers of otherwise, seemingly sane, American citizens, who continue to be Trump’s ardent supporters, notwithstanding the latter’s criminal, immoral and anti-democratic behavior (a substantial demonstration of which, having been viewed on public television) is bewildering. The wide and multifarious scope of the former President’s willful, errant behavior spectacularly, spans the entire range of wrongdoing, from basic payoffs and bribery, relative to his commerce with prostitutes, tax fraud and criminal negligence, to felonious interference with the right to vote and solicitation of voter record distortion, violations of the emolument clause, and inarguably, the serious of all, the solicitation of National insurrection and treason.

Prior to the single and singular, four-year term of Donald Trump who, in his brief term of office, shamefully accrued no less than two Congressional impeachments, there existed a tacit, pragmatic, presumption that Presidential candidates were undoubtedly, upstanding and moral in their private and public lives. Donald Trump, however, uniquely, demonstrated that an American President is factually, capable of being selected, notwithstanding a lack of moral compass. In his ignorance, egocentricity, serial mendacity and complete absence of principle, Trump demonstrated that with a sufficient number of cultish support, moral, societal and humanistic, principles were not (for him) personally, binding.

Most astonishing, and emotionally, exhausting, is the Franz Kafka-Lewis Carroll- fun house mirror degree of distortion of reality, evinced in Trump’s behavior and his, delusional,  Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, claim of a rigged or “stolen election.” One of the plethora of Federal and State indictments, charges his unabashed, fraudulent, telephonic request, then demand, that the Georgia Secretary of State, fraudulently, add a certain number of fictional, non-existent, votes to his election count, to grant him a Georgia State victory. Such criminal and unconstitutional, request to illegally alter the tabulation of vote results, happily, was dutifully, denied. Fortuitously, the illicit telephone request was televised and the shameless crime, in all its venality, viewed by the American public.

It is to be, especially noted, that this, televised, criminal attempt, and a plethora of additional perverse acts, intended to rig, or “steal” the vote, was, observably, performed by Trump, personally, (or in his behalf, by his minions). Yet the former President, the serial prevaricator, himself, miraculously, charged the Biden supporters with rigging the election. Irrefutably observed, however, it was the greasy, orange-haired, (Trump) hand, that was inserted in the proverbial cookie jar and, empirically, witnessed by all, (including the large, irrational, populist underbelly, of accusatory cultists, doggedly, supportive of Trump).

A reasonable application of the elegant-sounding, designation, “cognitive dissonance,” can, permissibly, be identified in a situation in which one’s actions are inconsistent with his personal and fundamental beliefs.

We are reasonably confident of the rectitude of our humanistic, assumption that, at minimum, many of the most ardent of Trump cultists, in their private (family, neighborly, societal, collegiate) lives, do, in fact, personally, conform to the societally, approved, customs, habits and social expectations; notably, as to the existential, societal requirement of truthfulness (as opposed to “alternate facts”). An instructed recollection, concerning these appropriate personal behaviors, together, with a reasonable degree of societally, aware, un-Trump-like, reminders of the diversity of other members of the community, might prove to be personally, ameliorative. It would seem implausible to imagine that Donald J. Trump’s, brazen and inane, demagoguery is of such nuclear, lethal impact, that, universally, every general listener’s persona is, thereby, involuntarily, and permanently, transmogrified into one of, unadulterated, chronic psychopathy.

From a positive and humanistic point of view, there may exist a cogent possibility as to such, unfortunately, brainwashed, Trump acolytes, of appropriate restitution to the status of confident, well-adjusted and useful mainstream, citizens. As a matter of National and moral responsibility, reasonable efforts, in such direction, on behalf of such misguided, American citizens, may be worth considering.

-p.

The reflexive recollection of a long-past event, feeling or contextual setting, ignited, by means of some random and notable, taste, smell, sound, or even ambiance, would appear to be a universal phenomenon. The momentary scent of fresh salt air may elicit personal thoughts of a seaside beach, conceivably, together with certain memorable experiences that occurred there. The sound of a school bell may summon up, sundry images and feelings of early childhood, many decades past, as can the anecdotal sight of a high-flying, kite, evoke current reveries of young, childhood experiences. Only recently, we were subjected to the contextual experience, by the fragrance of mushroom-lentil soup, the latter, by contrast, a somewhat, unremarkable, but notable experience of our younger life. We have chosen to perceive the dynamics of this associative, “mental phenomenon” as a “Pavlovian,” triggering of experientially, nuanced, associative, memory (the Pavlov response, itself, by contrast, involves, “action,” induced by the introduction of an effectively, proven, stimulus).

 It is our present intention to address (only) various recollected matters of general, societal (as distinguished from personal) relevance, reprised by our recent experience with the subject stimulus.[It is our sense that our previous observations on the  past decades of the American political scene, as well as our nuanced, childhood and maturing life experiences have been sufficiently expressed.]

The savory, fragrance of the newly recollected, mushroom lentil soup, resurrected, albeit, momentarily, an ephemeral, mis-en-scene of the sights, atmosphere and nature of societal (and personal) life in decades past. The olfactory stimulation, itself, was brief, nevertheless, the image as recalled, was all-encompassing, and perhaps, best described in salient categories.

[INSTITUTIONAL]:

 (a) Police: Past experience saw familiar neighborhood police, peripatetically, and dutifully, patrolling their assigned, local neighborhood. These municipal public servants wearing official City badges and blue uniforms, communicated an assurance of societal order, safety and assistance in times of emergency.  The movie portrayal of the stereotypical member of the constabulary, was the middle age, Irish cop with graying hair and an incessant, paternal twinkle in his eye for familiar, neighborhood schoolchildren. There are publicized, instances of these dedicated public servants, assisting at emergency births and in catastrophes, such as tenement fires.

Today, most notably, following the advent of the highly profitable, illicit drug trade, in combination with the metamorphic effect of the infiltration of undesirables into the constabulary, the citizen’s apprehension of the policeman became and remains, only slightly less than that of the known criminal.

(b) Mail: Friendly, familiar letter carriers, dutifully and laboriously, trudging along their assigned huge, with their large, weather impacted, leather bags, would greet their neighborhood recipients, upon meeting them and stop for a moment to discuss the weather or time of day.

There is little or no human interaction relevant in the contemporary, mechanized, wholesale, delivery of mail or packages and the recipients; indeed, the bulk of such interactive communication, including, shopping, purchases, payments and returns are effected by way of robotized and impersonal computer messaging.

In general terms, the contemporary, outside world is composed of strangers, residing somewhere beyond the outside of our firmly, locked and professionally, protected residential door, or, reliably, programmed into our various computer accessories. 

(c) Schools and Public Libraries: The comportment and mindset of the typical young person at school or pursuing research at the local library was, with rare exceptions, serious, industrious and inquisitive. There was, in that mainstream, a firm, socialized sense of the importance of success at learning and as well, an associated high regard for the teacher. At present, unfortunately, it would not be especially unusual to witness young students at school or, regarding those students who do attend at public libraries, surreptitiously, glancing at smartphones, held beneath the table or desk, communicating with friends or checking the latest sport scores.

[COMMUNITY]:

Social Interaction: Neighbors, living in close proximity, traditionally, enjoyed an informal, and friendly interactive, relationship which we would, appropriately, denominate, as “quasi-familial,” in its degree of mutually, exchanged, social intimacy. Conversations “over the picket fence” regarding matters of familial concern and that of tools and equipment, especially those involved in gardening, which, subsequently, were loaned and borrowed.  Events were often mutually celebrated, and Sunday dinners and joint projects were common.

It would, generally, be highly unusual, universally, to find the replication of the same quality of intimate, neighborly interaction in the impersonal, computerized (and divisive), context of our contemporary times.

[FAMILY INTERACTION]:

In a past essay, we attempted to portray the common experience of the family, sitting together in the living room or parlor, involved in jointly, listening, on the family radio to the broadcasted, news and entertainment.  The essay was intended, essentially, to convey, the point that the era of such family intimacy and mutual identification, is no longer existent.

When we recall the pleasant, aromatic smell and taste of mushroom barley soup, we, essentially, are caused to accrue a rather poignant reminder, of a presently, non-existing, and foreign, contextual world.

-p.

In response to certain readers’ requests, that we furnish our perceptions of the three subjects, included among the bizarre, portraits presented in Blog.# 951 “PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION,” but not [yet] the subject of comment, we will here, responsively, furnish, as requested, our perception of the balance of the loathsome, personalities,  viz., Steven Miller, Sydney Powell and “Mike” Pence.

[Steven Miller]: This individual portrait at the subject exhibition, merits the rare distinction of being a real-life, “doppelganger,” or resurrected spirit, of a stereotypic, arrogant member of Adolph Hitler’s advisory cadre. His physical bearing and deportment, as well as his publically, demonstrated, cold and heartless persona, is in its actual extent, rare for any American citizen; let alone for a first-generation son of Jewish, Belarus immigrant parents.  We have, when contextually, relevant, declared our disappointed and incredulous, reaction to any American citizen in a Nation, entirely composed of immigrants and their progeny, who, ungratefully, and selfishly, would close the door to needy foreign supplicants. Miller, himself, despite being, himself, a first generation, son of immigrants, is, inarguably, the personification of a supreme, heartless, and, pathologically, dedicated, xenophobe.

Consistent with his cold, mirthless and stern, accusatory countenance, Miller, a personal advisor to former, President, Donald J. Trump, is, personally,  credited with being the trademark  author of the miscreant, past President’s, heartless, policy of anti-immigration, including the administration’s inhuman, Nazi-style, policy of separating immigrant children from their parents. Other perverse accomplishments include political efforts to make it impossible for Chinese students to study in the United States, by his dissemination of false propaganda regarding a reprehensibly, false, threat of espionage, and even more perverse and convoluted, the irrational, and contradictory, meme, that such exclusion would hurt elite universities, who were critical of Trump and his “Big Lie.”

Miller’s own paternal Uncle, Dr. David S., Glosser, has been quoted, publically, as saying, of him, “I have watched with dismay and increasing horror,  an educated man, aware of his heritage, who has become the architect of policies that repudiate the very foundation of our family’s life in this country.”

[Sidney Powell, Esq.]:  One has only to briefly, take note of Powell’s, permanently, fixed bland, stare and non-emotional emptiness of visage, to attain an accurate (and non-dynamic), rendition of her nuanced, persona;  dominated, apparently, by an overriding, ethereal and gossamer, “not-of this world,” perception. Behind the noisome, contrived, mask she is acknowledged, by many populist citizens as true royalty, being the acknowledged, Queen -monarch of conspiracy, the undisputed, and celebrated, diva of the art of paranoid ideation. Computer chips made of bamboo, infesting ballots, deep government cabals and left-wing espionage, programmed voting machines, coastal, elite deception, George Soros (whoever he may be), the rigged and stolen Presidential election, socialism, communism, indeed, whatever paranoid ingenuousness can conceptualize, as evil conspiracy, is real and in the nefarious, process, of actively, and tactically, being deployed against the victimized American citizen, by powerful, undisclosed, “deep government” sources. Such, undoubtedly, is her steadfast rationale for the consistent, judicial dismissals of every one of her numerously, filed, and “meritorious” legal actions.

She has deservedly, been disbarred, as well as justly, and appropriately, indicted, along with the many conspirators, seeking to destroy our democracy by the falsely, perpetrated, bogus allegations regarding the vote; including, pure, and unabashed, (non-factual), charges of jerry-rigged, voting machines, and, as well as her personal participation in the autocratically, motivated, January 6, 2022, Washington insurrection. We cannot predict the remote possibility of a circumstantial change in her permanently, fixed and wan smile, but we are supremely confident, that regardless of the expected outcome of the criminal, anti-democratic charges against her, she will, by virtue of her proclivity for paranoid ideation, construe for herself, some satisfactory, protective ideation or some, jerry-rigged, defensive, rationale.

[“Mike” Pence]: We are obliged by the self -imposed, strictures of candor and intellectual honesty, to readily, confess to a total inability to comprehend, and therefore, to characterize, at the very minimum, the very, genus and species of Trump’s second in command; let alone, purport to usefully, comment on his yet, non-disclosed, persona. Any attempt to divine some personally, characteristic, identifiable, or noticeable, reaction to any empirical, stimulus, is frustrated by his stony, permanent, non-changing, mask-like, facial appearance and inexpressively, inarticulate and hollow, unearthly, stare. When, on rare occasions, he does choose to speak, his words are, muted, unemotional and hollow-sounding.

We shall, responsibly, undertake, in the interest of the personal attainment of enlightenment, to view a greater number of Sci-Fi movies on Netflix, in order to effect a sincere, empirical, attempt at the acquisition of a more cogent, apprehension of this ghoulish, former Vice-President; the universal, emotional darling, as appears, of America’s Christian Evangelical voters.

[N.B. This writing, fully, concludes our undertaking, to furnish a complete set of portrait interludes, for our selected, “Pictures at An Exhibition.” Blog. # 951]

-p.   

Should one venture to curate an exhibition of framed,  portraits, evincing the visages of the co-conspirators, charged in connection with Trump’s felony crime of election interference,  a certain five, in our view, would, predictably, be selected, as the most bizarre and outstanding: Donald J. Trump, posed, sullen, forbidding and menacing, Rudy Giuliani,  inebriate, dripping with perspiration, the latter, color- enhanced with black hair dye,  Mike Pence, ostensibly, a protagonist-villain for the stereotypical,  ghoulish, sci-fi movie,  Sidney Powell, a vacant, bland,  half-smiling, “what me worry,” portrait, Roger Stone, a poltergeist-like middle age double for the  “Artful Dodger,” of Dickens’s novel, “Oliver Twist,” and the menacing, beady-eyed, under-rock resident, the reptilian, Steven Miller.

-+-In our view, all five bizarre, countenances, would, qualify for the morally, contextual, message, ascribed to, in Oscar Wilde’s, “Picture of Dorian Grey.” Analogous to the particular symphony, after which our essay is named, each portrait, can be approached and perused, prior to the accompanying statement concerning [our perception of] his character and persona. In the referenced, peripatetic, symphony by Modest Mussorgsky,* musical tone poems are expressed, relative to each respective picture. In this writing, we shall confine ourselves to the character and persona, of the first portrait (picture) in our exhibition, viz., that of Rudy Giuliani.

Following the horrific events of 9/11, Giuliani, simply, by virtue of then occupying the position of the Mayor of the City of New York, was, popularly (and undeservedly), beatified as, “The Nation’s Mayor.” However, upon factual review, Rudy in fact, was later found to have, in fact, exacerbated the horrific incident by:  irresponsibly and thoughtlessly, locating all of New York City’s emergency agencies in one place, the vulnerable and attacked, World Trade Center, and, as a further, impactful, act of tragic carelessness, failing to approve a vitally needed, emergency telephone system, which, irresponsible, acts of gross malpractice were responsible for many, avoidable, mortalities, and injuries; particularly, among the endangered, firefighters, battling the conflagration in the collapsing, Trade Center buildings.

During his term as Mayor of New York City, Rudy courted political favor, as a declared, enemy of crime, by championing the infamous, “stop and frisk” policy of the New York City Police Department. The policy dynamics were as follows: during an (arbitrary) stop, if a police officer, “reasonably, believes,” that someone is carrying a weapon, he, in such instance, is legally, permitted to pat down, or “frisk” his outer clothing. Mercifully, the policy was later, judicially declared, unconstitutional, since it was, predictably, found to violate the individual citizen’s rights, particularly, men of color.   

Giuliani enjoyed a steady downfall, descending to the lowest level, with a recent, criminal indictment, charging that he acted as Donald Trump’s chief conspirator, in the plot to overturn President Joseph Biden’s election victory. He, made incendiary remarks to motivate the hoard of populist, Trump cultists, to storm the Capitol Building, on January 6, 2021, and, encouraging them to engage in, “A trial by combat.” At another instance, he admonished the rebels to, “take matters into their own hands.” He was justifiably and with ample cause, disbarred by his applicable Bar Association. In his Georgia indictment, he is criminally, charged, among other things, with making false statements and soliciting false testimony. Additionally, in a highly publicized, State lawsuit he is accused of the knowing, injurious defamation of two innocent, [mother and daughter] Georgia poll watchers.

The television media has presented to the American public, Rudy’s participation in the ménage a trios with Trump and Putin. Other televised and newspaper, pictures have been shown, revealing a smiling, Rudy Giuliani in casual, open collar, casual and inebriate, celebratory occasions in the fraternal company of smiling, well-fed Russian oligarchs. 

Upon viewing this portrait of the exhibit, somehow, colorful and descriptive adjectives, such as, “opportunist,” “unprincipled” and “ego-centric,” seem, convincingly, to present themselves.

-p.   

Has anyone seen Melania Trump, recently?

It seems, virtually, impossible, of late, to switch on the television news, without viewing the grimly, contorted visage of Donald Trump. The numerous charges and indictments against said twice-impeached, former President, founded upon his criminal acts, and glaring misfeasance in office, appear to be, the constant, and almost exclusive, subject of every media news program. Yet, despite the relentless,  broadcast, concerning his serious, criminal charges and the appropriate avenues of their retribution, his wife, and official,” First Lady,” seems, invisible, literally, nowhere in sight.  By bright contrast, First Lady, Hillary Clinton, during the period of the (much less impactful), charges concerning her husband’s (the President) misbehavior with Monica Lewinsky, was not merely, available for media comment and visible, but, despite the embarrassment and angst of the sordid and disloyal affair, publically declared: “I stand by my man.”

The historically, traditional, role of a President’s wife, (“FLOTUS”)  in addition to being the official hostess at the White House, is one that has always figured, prominently, in the political and social life of the sitting U.S. President. The role of the First Lady has, in recent times, come to include, in addition to the management of the White House, an involvement in political campaigns, a champion of social causes, as well as an official representative of the President at Official and ceremonial events.

Many past First Ladies have made valuable contributions to the Nation. Among those many are Michelle Obama, with efforts on behalf of working, families and the reduction of childhood obesity, Roselyn Carter whose dedication included the important area of mental health and disabilities, and Barbara Bush whose dedication was on behalf of literacy and the literary world. We can recall, with great nostalgia and respect, the humanistic services rendered to the American Nation by First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt. In addition to publicly, and vigorously, championing the “Declaration of Human Rights,” supported the refugee movement, and the universal right to education, shelter and medical care. We are old enough to personally, remember her humanistic efforts on behalf of workers’ welfare when, her husband, FDR was obliged to mobilize the Nation’s industrial production, due to the advent of World War 2. In sum, many of the Nation’s First Ladies have distinguished themselves by their contributions to social reform, human rights, public health, and world peace.

The first time we saw Melania, was on the occasion in which she, theatrically, accompanied her egocentric husband, the newly, (and surprisingly) elected, President of the United States, down the infamous, Trump escalator. On this (public relations), showy occasion, and on subsequent occasions, she always has appeared half-smiling and her fashionably, slim figure, encased in an expensive, designer dress. In fact, at every one of the rare occasions in which Melania has appeared in public, she has, invariably, appeared, with a half-smile and an expensive dress, worn over her slim, manikin-like figure. We are not aware of any memorable, public statements she has made, on these rare, half-smiling occasions, in the management, or decoration of the White House, nor as to any political, charitable or social cause.

We are, accordingly, obliged to conclude that this, singular, First Lady’s sole responsibility, was to, in fashionably, in manikin style, parade in public with ostentatiously, expensive dresses, in order to present the mis- en -scene, of Donald Trump’s purported, success and great fortune. [No Eleanor Roosevelt she!]

The former President, at present, is finally, and deservedly, facing America’s retribution for his unspeakable, immorality and brazen criminality; we shall presume that there is little, present, utility, for attractive, ostentatiously, dressed, human manikins in such a situation.

-p.