CONFRONTING HURT, HARM and HATE
On August
25, 2018, my wife and I participated in perhaps the largest political protest
rally ever seen in Utica, NY, all because the pretend president, Donald Trump, came
to town on behalf of Congresswoman Claudia Tenney. Estimates ranged from 1,700 to 2,000 people
present at various times between 4-7 p.m. to protest the hurtful and harmful
policies of the Trump administration. A block
or so down the main street, some Trump & Tenney supporters were present, in
much smaller numbers, to support their duo. A high-end ticket for the
invitation-only dinner and roundtable with the so-called President amounted to
$15,000!
Since
estimating crowd size is the Don’s favorite exercise in futility, I will
proceed to my main point. After the
rally was over and my wife and I arrived home from a fund-raiser party for
Anthony Brindisi, our Democratic candidate for Tenney’s congressional seat, we
saw some news coverage of the event. One
reporter from a local station interviewed a mature woman and Trump/Tenney
supporter who expressed a strange reaction to the anti-Trump/Tenney crowd. She said, in so many words, that “they seemed
so full of hatred. They seem to hate
everything.”
Now, that is
a definite ‘shocker’ coming from a person who supports a man who endorses the
KKK, the Fascist right, white supremacy organizations and white nationalism, to
say nothing about ignoring the violence perpetrated on peaceful demonstrators
by white supremacists in Charlottesville a year ago. This came from the mouth of someone who is
supporting a man who has touted all Muslims as terrorists, Mexicans as
criminals, and characterized some nations of Africa as ‘shithole
countries”. This person supports a man
who has said in public discourse that he “could murder someone in Times Square
and it wouldn’t matter – his base would still vote for him.” We could mention the violence called for by
this man during rallies against persons who protested his lies. We could mention the violence of sexual
harassment against women time after time (especially during beauty pageants
that he was sponsoring). Or we could
mention the hateful vulgarity of this man in admitting (and essentially
advocating) the grabbing of women’s private parts with malicious intent, or the
vulgar and demeaning display of characterization of a person with a disability
from a public podium. And that’s not
all, but space is limited…
So, enough of this rumbling across the landscape of Donald Trump’s past and present atrocities. He is the most despicable, debauched, debased man ever to hold the presidency – even beyond the deviousness and the hatreds of a Richard Nixon. Yet, here is this woman on the local News who was projecting that kind of hatred and ill will upon peaceful demonstrators who were there to protest the very real offences perpetrated by this Fake president. It is a favorite technique of the Fascist crowd: to project upon others what they themselves profess and act out to place blame and the onus for immoral acts upon someone else. Far from being filled with hatred, the anti-Trump/Tenney supporters were most interested in ridding us of the immense burden of spewed hatred by an entire party of supporters from the Right. The protesters were simply carrying out their constitutional right and responsibility to bring forth grievances that must be addressed. It has nothing to do with hate. It has everything to do with confronting hate-filled, deceitful policies and actions harmful to our nation and to the world.
===========================(*=============================
CONFRONTING
the MISUSE of POWER
From the Washington
Post of August 16, 2018
By William
H. McRaven
“Dear Mr. President:
Former CIA director John Brennan,
whose security clearance you revoked on Wednesday, is one of the
finest public servants I have ever known. Few Americans have done more to
protect this country than John. He is a man of unparalleled integrity, whose
honesty and character have never been in question, except by those who don’t
know him.
Therefore, I would consider it an
honor if you would revoke my security clearance as well, so I can add my name
to the list of men and women who have spoken up against your presidency.”
Thank you,
Admiral McRaven. Thank you for taking a
stand to put personal integrity and loyalty to your countrymen above loyalty to
a political party or political ideology or an authoritarian ‘Fuhrer’. Thank you for being willing to sacrifice something
of personal value and meaning to make a point, to draw a line and to embolden
others to do the same.
Thank you
Admiral McRaven for putting yourself on the line where you are in danger of
being vilified, denigrated, and subject to the rantings of a madman; where you
can also be subjected to the “de-construction” of your status, your career, and
your outstanding life of service to this country by the madman who happens to
occupy the title of “Commander-in-Chief.”
Yours is not just a symbolic act; it is the stuff of real opposition:
the act of a patriot who knows that defending one’s country is not only
necessary on the battlefields of war, but is imperative on the battlefield of
value determination, of ethical rightness, and of constitutional integrity.
You have
decided to stand at a crossroads and to make it clear that you will not proceed
down a path meant to obliterate our constitutional democracy, our fundamental
inalienable rights and guaranteed freedoms.
You are standing where other patriots have stood, beckoning fellow
citizens to realize that oaths of office must not be abused, that intolerance
and vindictiveness are not the essence of leadership, and that personal
avarice, personal aggrandizement, and the manipulation of human beings and the
levers of power must not be tolerated by citizens of a democracy, or of any
nation “yearning to be free.” Thank
you, Admiral.
Admiral
McRaven referenced in his article that Trump’s actions are “McCarthy-era
tactics.” I agree. However, there are other parallels in history
that are as frightening, if not more so.
I have, in past blog posts, emphasized that Trump’s behaviors, actions
and values are akin to a Fascist philosophy and to the elements of governmental
takeover espoused by both aspiring Fascist authoritarians and actual Fascist
despots. Since there are already
numerous posts on this Blog on these matters, I will avoid repeating what I
have already advanced (see posts for 5/14/2010; 11/17/, 11/21 and 11/30/2015;
1/22/2016; 2/22/2016; 7/22/2016; 11/23/2016; 8/6 and 8/14/2017; 2/5/2018;
6/11/2018). I hope I have demonstrated
in those past Blogs, in some detail, a similar pattern in the rise to power of
Trump as compared to the rise of Hitler, Mussolini, Franco and Fujimori of Peru.
What is
important here is the process (along with some common personality
characteristics). I am concerned with
the similarities of the process by which Fascist dictators emerge, develop, and
follow a common route to total power.
That is, there are patterns that cannot be ignored because they recur in
almost every instance where Fascist dictators evolve to full control; to a
status where they make the laws to suit themselves, punish those who oppose
them, and kill those who threaten them. Comparing a Hitler, for instance, to
Trump at different times and circumstances does not always fit actuality. But demonstrating that certain behaviors,
beliefs, actions and atrocities fit a similar pattern in the rise to total
control of dictators and dictator wannabe’s is a useful exercise and a tool for
awakening us all to a very dark future.
Carmela Chavez, a former Lawyer, warns us of the danger posed by the followers of such men.
“The personality and politics of Hitler or Trump would
have little power without the humiliated population they so easily manipulate.
The financialization and inequality of the economy, together with the
artificially constructed social hierarchies that demonize religious and ethnic
groups make Hitler and Trump powerful symbols.
They both represent redemption from the sense of personal
failure that condemns those who do not achieve financial security. They both
symbolize domination over those perceived outsiders whose lives present a
challenge and threat to an angry, vulnerable subset of humanity. Hitler and
Trump are nothing without their supporters, who felt then and feel now utterly
compelled to place monsters in positions of authority.”
And here is the irony involved: people who are obsessed with outward shows of nationalism in the form of idolatrous worship of patriotic symbols, or of slogans like “America Above All,” “Make America Great Again,” and “America First” – and who are, perhaps, obsessed most of all with rigid conformity to what and how such patriotism is displayed (as in severe opposition to NFL players kneeling during the national anthem or salute to the flag). Such nationalistic conformists are most apt to be those targeted by Nazi or authoritarian leaders and groups because they know that turning them to fanatic followers of an authoritarian leader is but a step or two removed from where they are right now!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++(*)++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I was struck with sorrow Saturday as the news
broke that John McCain had passed on at age 81. As I am very near that age, I experienced
that sorrow as a bit of a reminder of my own vulnerability to a terminal illness
known as Parkinson’s Disease. Age and
terminal disease are not inspiring. What
is inspiring to me is that John McCain had moments of statesmanship where he
put country and/or people at the top of his priorities, and never backed
down. As much as I may have disagreed
with a good number of his political opinions, actions and policies, I admired
his ability to honor his country, to put democratic and fundamental principles
ahead of Party and partisan ideology and to stand as a maverick when his Party
or its platform went in what he considered a mistaken direction. He earned the title of ‘maverick’ because he
would occasionally express and follow an independent path. He worked with Democrats to make sure
important legislation got passed and funded.
John McCain also made sure that his last years of life were devoted to
those same qualities.
When others would not, he criticized Donald Trump. He even stood up to vote against Trump when he found it necessary. When Trump belittled McCain’s capture in Vietnam where he spent years as a prisoner of war, McCain did not attempt to retaliate in-kind, but merely responded: "I have faced tougher adversaries." In spite of flawed decisions at times, he was an upright and valiant man; and we shall miss him especially in these treacherous and dark times when men and woman have succumbed to what is known as authoritarian leadership and governance under which the rule of law, fundamental guidance of constitutional principles, and the willing service of fellow citizens are debased. John McCain stood up at memorable moments for the positive attributes and principles of our nation, and he will be remembered for those stands. Writers are recalling some of those moments as they eulogize his life and legacy, like The Guardian:
Refusing early release while a Vietnam prisoner of war
McCain defends Obama: ‘No ma’am’
“No ma’am, no ma’am,” McCain said as the conservative crowd
booed the Republican nominee. “He’s a decent family man, citizen, that I just
happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues. That’s what this
campaign is all about. He’s not [an Arab].”
McCain
concedes to Obama
In his
speech, McCain congratulated Obama on his victory and called on the country to
rally behind their newly elected leader. But he went further – acknowledging
the historical importance of Obama’s election in a nation built on slavery and
riven by racial divisions.
“This is an historic election, and I recognize the special significance it has for African Americans and for the special pride that must be theirs tonight. I’ve always believed that America offers opportunities to all who have the industry and will to seize it. Senator Obama believes that, too. But we both recognize that though we have come a long way from the old injustices that once stained our nation’s reputation and denied some Americans the full blessings of American citizenship, the memory of them still had the power to wound. Senator Obama has achieved a great thing for himself and for his country.”
Defense of the release of the torture report
McCain aggressively defended the controversial decision to release the
2014 Senate report on torture, which detailed interrogation techniques used by
the CIA after the 9/11 attacks. The report disclosed major revelations about
the agency’s torture practices, including that they were more brutal than
previously known.
Thumbs down on the healthcare vote
The hour was late. The vote was tied. America’s healthcare system hung
in the balance, when McCain, rebuffing an 11th-hour appeal from the president,
turned his thumb down, killing his own party’s years-long effort to repeal
Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act.
“Merely preventing your political opponents from doing what they want isn’t the most inspiring work. There’s greater satisfaction in respecting our differences, but not letting them prevent agreements that don’t require abandonment of core principles, agreements made in good faith that help improve lives and protect the American people.”
McCain condemns “half-baked spurious nationalism”
As one of
the leading Republican antagonists of the Trump presidency, McCain has watched
in dismay as Trump steers the party towards his “America First” policies while
disparaging allies and embracing adversaries, including Russian president
Vladimir Putin, a longtime foe of the senator. He has clashed with the
president on immigration, refugee policy and torture.
In a speech
to accept the 2017 Liberty Medal Award, McCain defended the values that he has
long championed and which he believes are threatened by Trump’s populist rise.
“To fear the world we have organized and led the three-quarters of a century, to abandon the ideals we have advanced around the globe, to refuse the obligations of international leadership and our duty to remain ‘the last best hope of earth’ for the sake of some half-baked spurious nationalism cooked up by people who would rather find scapegoats than solve problems, is as unpatriotic as an attachment to any other tired dogma of the past that Americans consigned to the ash heap of history.
“We live
in a land made of ideals, not blood and soil. We are the custodians of those
ideals at home, and their champion abroad. We’ve done great good in the world.
That leadership has had its costs, but we have become incomparably powerful and
wealthy as we did.
“We have
a moral obligation to continue in our just cause, and we would bring more than
shame on ourselves if we don’t. We will not thrive in a world where our
leadership and ideals are absent. We wouldn’t deserve to.”
THE SENATE
McCain became his party's leading voice on matters of war, national
security and veterans - and eventually became chairman of the Senate Armed
Services Committee. He worked with a Democrat to rewrite the nation's campaign
finance laws. He voted for the Iraq War and supported the 2007 surge of forces
there even as his own sons served or prepared to serve. But there was one thing
that wasn't as widely known about him: McCain, owner of a ranch in Arizona that
is in the flight path of 500 species of migratory birds, became concerned about
the environment.
LAST WORDS
Even brain cancer didn't seem to scare McCain so much as it sobered and
saddened him.
"The world is a fine place and worth fighting for and I hate very
much to leave it," McCain wrote in his memoir, referencing a line from his
favorite book, the Ernest Hemingway war novel "For Whom the Bell
Tolls." ''I hate to leave."
It is on that note that we end this piece. Despite his human and political failings,
John McCain stood as perhaps one of the last Lions of the Senate. He left us not only with a sense of duty, but
with the sense of obligation that we must fight for that which is worthwhile
about our planet and our lives. He also left us with an implication that may be
much my own interpretation. I think
within those parameters of duty and obligation lies the phrase: “the world is a
fine place ” and “I hate to leave it.”
Is there not implied here another attribute of thanks and
gratitude? I sense that John McCain,
like many of us, may have seen with some clarity as he looked back upon his
life, that duty and obligation are of great import and significance, but there
is more.
There is that heart-felt sense that one must act on one’s
responsibilities out of gratefulness and thanksgiving that this was a fine
place, and a moment in time when John, and all the rest of us have a chance to
contribute, to give back, to enjoy, to pursue the fineness, the beauty, the
mystery and even the ups-and-downs of a life cycle. Our obligation, if I interpret him correctly,
is to make some contribution to that fineness; to act on the premise that we
have a duty to ‘fight for it’ – not out of anger – but out of gratitude for
what we have been given, and what we will have experienced in our short span of
life. It is like “paying it forward” and
“giving back” all at once. Could one go
so far to say, perhaps, that the world and life are so fine all by themselves
that it is worth the ‘fight’ to enhance them for someone else through services performed,
duties fulfilled, obligations met, friendships formed and honored, and by love
given freely without thought of recompense?
In some sense, might this constitute the basis of a universal life-pledge
or oath of life for all of us, but especially for representative office-holders
elected by the people?
Is it too much to ask all office-holders
at their swearing-in to recite the following:
“I do solemnly swear (or ‘affirm’) that I
will faithfully execute the office of __________, and will, to the best of my
ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.
Out of gratitude for life, liberty
and the honor of this office, I pledge to labor unceasingly to respect and
enhance the lives and welfare of the People of these United States, and to extend
benefits of that endeavor to citizens of the world, without any discrimination
based on human dissimilarity.
Is it not
time to include the reality of public service and leadership in our oaths of
office? I believe it is way past time to
hold public servants accountable for not taking their oath of office seriously
and failing to carry it out as a solemn obligation and civic responsibility to
all without the divisive and disrupting influences of discrimination and
prejudice.
