Trump, for all of his bluster and bullshit, is a very insecure guy. Play acting as President, signing executive orders that are meaningless, whipping up a frenzy in his mob-like supporters, does not a leader make.
To the degree I can observe him mixing it up with other world leaders, it is evident that he is uncomfortable in the company of leaders and heads of state. He is ill at ease with intelligent people.
This is because he knows he is a fraud, and he is fearful he will be found out, not knowing, of course, that he gives off the smell of insecurity to those who know he is an empty suit.
An Australian journalist commented that Trump was an "uneasy, lonely, awkward figure" at the G-20 meeting just held. He also said that Trump "has no desire and no capacity to lead the world."
He is in over his head and is treading water. His arrogant bravado doesn't cut it with real leaders. They know what he is.
Sunday, July 9, 2017
The Lord of Darkness
About a week before America's date with destiny, I began to get the uneasy sense that Hillary Clinton
was not going to come through with the win "everybody" was expecting. Watching the dueling rallies
and listening to the speeches left me with the reluctant conclusion that Trump, in all his ugliness and contemptible disregard for truth, was beating Clinton at some visceral level at which she was incapable of doing combat. At the conclusion of one of her last rally speeches I sat back and yelled at the TV. She had to kick Trump in the balls....she had to get down and dirty...scratch his eyes out! Forget about the "We go high, when they go low" crap. But it was too late. I am not sure she and her handlers knew how to fight at Trump's gutter level. I'm not sure anyone knew. It was too late anyway...he had gotten away with his bullshit and demagoguery for over a year. His supporters were swept up into an unthinking lynch mob-like frenzy. They didn't care about going low...they relished the experience, they got a high from the the pep rally-like cry of "Lock her up!".
That night of Nov. 8th I had a dream...or maybe a nightmare. A dark and malevolent force, shapeless and threatening, was present around me. I remember grappling with it, yet not being able to touch it. It was pure spirit. It absorbed the light, like some black hole on earth. A rabbit and a white dove entered my awareness and both were struck down by the evil force of that darkness. I remember most the dove fluttering down, mortally stricken, to a muddy and trash filled gutter. I awoke in the middle of the morning and could not sleep for the rest of the night.
My sister dreamt that night she was running in terror from soldier-like men who were chasing her.
My other sister never went to sleep. She was devastated and filled with dread about the coming morning when she had to face her students, many of them sons and daughters of undocumented immigrants, and try to explain they had nothing to worry about, though she could not be sure of that at all. One came to her and, in tears, begged her to keep his parents safe.
One of our dear friends stayed in her bed for three days before she could come out into the world.
The Lord of Chaos was going to be President of the United States.
was not going to come through with the win "everybody" was expecting. Watching the dueling rallies
and listening to the speeches left me with the reluctant conclusion that Trump, in all his ugliness and contemptible disregard for truth, was beating Clinton at some visceral level at which she was incapable of doing combat. At the conclusion of one of her last rally speeches I sat back and yelled at the TV. She had to kick Trump in the balls....she had to get down and dirty...scratch his eyes out! Forget about the "We go high, when they go low" crap. But it was too late. I am not sure she and her handlers knew how to fight at Trump's gutter level. I'm not sure anyone knew. It was too late anyway...he had gotten away with his bullshit and demagoguery for over a year. His supporters were swept up into an unthinking lynch mob-like frenzy. They didn't care about going low...they relished the experience, they got a high from the the pep rally-like cry of "Lock her up!".
That night of Nov. 8th I had a dream...or maybe a nightmare. A dark and malevolent force, shapeless and threatening, was present around me. I remember grappling with it, yet not being able to touch it. It was pure spirit. It absorbed the light, like some black hole on earth. A rabbit and a white dove entered my awareness and both were struck down by the evil force of that darkness. I remember most the dove fluttering down, mortally stricken, to a muddy and trash filled gutter. I awoke in the middle of the morning and could not sleep for the rest of the night.
My sister dreamt that night she was running in terror from soldier-like men who were chasing her.
My other sister never went to sleep. She was devastated and filled with dread about the coming morning when she had to face her students, many of them sons and daughters of undocumented immigrants, and try to explain they had nothing to worry about, though she could not be sure of that at all. One came to her and, in tears, begged her to keep his parents safe.
One of our dear friends stayed in her bed for three days before she could come out into the world.
The Lord of Chaos was going to be President of the United States.
Thursday, July 6, 2017
Trump for President
I never paid any attention to The Donald unless watching a few episodes of "The Apprentice" counts for that. I felt he was pompous and the show was artificial and sometimes bordered on the cruel.
When Trump descended the escalator to his hotel lobby in a bit of staged hoop la (I understand that most of the Trump supporters present were hired extras given pre-made signs), I thought it was a joke that he was going to announce his run for the presidency. When he opened with his Mexican rapist rant I was shocked. I really could not believe that he, or any candidate, would announce his campaign with that openly racist call to the electorate. I knew immediately that Trump was going to be the demagogue that reached out to the darker sentiments of the American public. The fact that his announcement didn't sink his candidacy the next morning was alarming.
Those opening words of his marked the start of my deep loathing for Donald Trump. He was a liar, a con-man, a bullshitter and a manipulator. It also became clear that he was a verbal bully and would say anything to demean his opponents. His supporters loved the act.
Remember the schoolyard bully? We have all seen that type in action. Usually there was a group, or crowd, of onlookers witnessing the intimidation. Some would join in, or egg on the bully, or mock the victim. The bully enjoyed the attention and drew some kind of sustenance from the kids in the crowd that cheered him on......And that is what I saw in the relationship between Trump and his Supporters. There was, and still is, some unhealthy symbiosis in those crowded halls and stadiums filled with adoring Trump fans. Trump glories in the experience. He needs the adulation. It makes him "great".
His ridicule of Republican candidates...Low Energy Bush, Little Marco, Lyin' Ted... or his Crooked Hillary and the chant "Lock Her Up" served to mask his utter lack of plan and platform, as well as his ignorance of history, policy and the greater world around us. Trump was the equivalent of a grumpy old uncle full of half-baked resentments and clichés.
When Trump descended the escalator to his hotel lobby in a bit of staged hoop la (I understand that most of the Trump supporters present were hired extras given pre-made signs), I thought it was a joke that he was going to announce his run for the presidency. When he opened with his Mexican rapist rant I was shocked. I really could not believe that he, or any candidate, would announce his campaign with that openly racist call to the electorate. I knew immediately that Trump was going to be the demagogue that reached out to the darker sentiments of the American public. The fact that his announcement didn't sink his candidacy the next morning was alarming.
Those opening words of his marked the start of my deep loathing for Donald Trump. He was a liar, a con-man, a bullshitter and a manipulator. It also became clear that he was a verbal bully and would say anything to demean his opponents. His supporters loved the act.
Remember the schoolyard bully? We have all seen that type in action. Usually there was a group, or crowd, of onlookers witnessing the intimidation. Some would join in, or egg on the bully, or mock the victim. The bully enjoyed the attention and drew some kind of sustenance from the kids in the crowd that cheered him on......And that is what I saw in the relationship between Trump and his Supporters. There was, and still is, some unhealthy symbiosis in those crowded halls and stadiums filled with adoring Trump fans. Trump glories in the experience. He needs the adulation. It makes him "great".
His ridicule of Republican candidates...Low Energy Bush, Little Marco, Lyin' Ted... or his Crooked Hillary and the chant "Lock Her Up" served to mask his utter lack of plan and platform, as well as his ignorance of history, policy and the greater world around us. Trump was the equivalent of a grumpy old uncle full of half-baked resentments and clichés.
Sunday, July 2, 2017
The Resurrection
Good Grief.....
I have managed to resurrect, or more accurately find, my old blog account.
I am still alive and doing nicely, though I gained a few pounds over the last several years.
I have also reached the impossibly old age of 70 1/2 years. Only occasionally do I ponder that reality, but in writing that fact the reality of it hits forcefully. More about all that and what has happened in the last four and a half years since I posted will come as the days go by.
I have rarely thought of this blog since I last posted a message, but of late I have felt the intense need
to express in writing my deep alarm about the political climate in America. The very act of writing demands clarity of thought...an organizing of words to express meaning in a logical and understandable way. It is communication in a form that is governed by a set of accepted rules.
That doesn't imply that all writing is an expression of truth. It is simply a way of passing on to the reader a writer's thoughts. As such the writer is attempting to explain, convince, cajole, or entertain the reader.
With that said, I want to start out by giving insight to what drives my way of perceiving the world and pursuing, if that is the right word, the truth, or arriving at a truthful understanding of what is going on around me. I have found that my old assumptions that most people hold the same set of values and possess the same logical approach to the truth is naïve. I didn't just discover this human reality, but it has come painfully to the forefront when trying to understand the what is going on in our society and country today....The era of "Trumpism".
I was raised in a Catholic family and attended Catholic grammar school and then went to a Catholic High School. The Catholic brand of Christianity, which I think is more accepting of human foible and much less fundamentalist in nature than many Protestant religions, shaped my thinking
about the world and sin and salvation. There was no emphasis on fire and brimstone. While Satan existed and Hell was the reward for certain unforgiven sins, at least the Evil One wasn't lurking on coffee cup logos and in ambiguous ways open to interpretation. I always remember that "truth" was important and lying was wrong. Treating other human beings with love, consideration and forgiveness was a Christian ideal and duty. And that obligation, happily taken on, extended to all human beings, regardless of color, nationality and religious creed. Even the fringe members of society were included, though one might have to hold one's nose in extending the same loving hand.
Then I went to a Jesuit university. Oh boy! Some of my John Birch Society relatives knew I was lost and would become a commie-pinko liberal. That's when I began to wake up. Hell, my cousin was in great danger when he applied to the local JC. Any higher education institution was a hot bed of liberal brainwashing professors.
The Jesuits ran a great educational program, still steeped in Catholicism, but the bedrock foundation of the University was the pursuit of truth. Required courses in logic, philosophy, and the art of analytic thinking resulted in a graduate's achieving a minor degree in Philosophy.
My major was History. Now, many people may think that a History degree consists in reading about battles, revolutions, the rise and fall of various civilizations, and remembering dates....like Columbus discovered the New World in 1492. Actually, while all of the latter is part of the course work, the real thrust in the study of "History" is the pursuit of truth in the face of myth and distortion. It is the study of human behavior and motivation and the impact on societies through time of those two forces.
The study of history, within the noted context, seeks to draw parallels between then, and now.
Then I attended three semesters of law school at night. Aside from finding out I did not want to be a lawyer, I was schooled in legal analysis and logic. The search for "Truth" is an interesting endeavor at the legal level. I came away with a deep appreciation for the law and legal thinking and logic.
Above all, one finds that there may always be two sides to a conflict or issue. Evidence courses focused on the differentiation of hearsay from fact, and on the necessity to avoid the introduction of speculation to legal thinking.
Most importantly, one comes away with an enhanced understanding of the important role our Constitution plays as the foundation for virtually all of American law.
So, in summary, my education and upbringing has irreversibly led me to approach life with a certain mindset and analytical approach. I am not bragging. I am not saying that my conclusions are the only conclusions one might draw from a set of circumstances or events.
Future blog commentary will be a way of helping me to "get it straight" in my own head. It is meant solely for me and not for others.....
I have managed to resurrect, or more accurately find, my old blog account.
I am still alive and doing nicely, though I gained a few pounds over the last several years.
I have also reached the impossibly old age of 70 1/2 years. Only occasionally do I ponder that reality, but in writing that fact the reality of it hits forcefully. More about all that and what has happened in the last four and a half years since I posted will come as the days go by.
I have rarely thought of this blog since I last posted a message, but of late I have felt the intense need
to express in writing my deep alarm about the political climate in America. The very act of writing demands clarity of thought...an organizing of words to express meaning in a logical and understandable way. It is communication in a form that is governed by a set of accepted rules.
That doesn't imply that all writing is an expression of truth. It is simply a way of passing on to the reader a writer's thoughts. As such the writer is attempting to explain, convince, cajole, or entertain the reader.
With that said, I want to start out by giving insight to what drives my way of perceiving the world and pursuing, if that is the right word, the truth, or arriving at a truthful understanding of what is going on around me. I have found that my old assumptions that most people hold the same set of values and possess the same logical approach to the truth is naïve. I didn't just discover this human reality, but it has come painfully to the forefront when trying to understand the what is going on in our society and country today....The era of "Trumpism".
I was raised in a Catholic family and attended Catholic grammar school and then went to a Catholic High School. The Catholic brand of Christianity, which I think is more accepting of human foible and much less fundamentalist in nature than many Protestant religions, shaped my thinking
about the world and sin and salvation. There was no emphasis on fire and brimstone. While Satan existed and Hell was the reward for certain unforgiven sins, at least the Evil One wasn't lurking on coffee cup logos and in ambiguous ways open to interpretation. I always remember that "truth" was important and lying was wrong. Treating other human beings with love, consideration and forgiveness was a Christian ideal and duty. And that obligation, happily taken on, extended to all human beings, regardless of color, nationality and religious creed. Even the fringe members of society were included, though one might have to hold one's nose in extending the same loving hand.
Then I went to a Jesuit university. Oh boy! Some of my John Birch Society relatives knew I was lost and would become a commie-pinko liberal. That's when I began to wake up. Hell, my cousin was in great danger when he applied to the local JC. Any higher education institution was a hot bed of liberal brainwashing professors.
The Jesuits ran a great educational program, still steeped in Catholicism, but the bedrock foundation of the University was the pursuit of truth. Required courses in logic, philosophy, and the art of analytic thinking resulted in a graduate's achieving a minor degree in Philosophy.
My major was History. Now, many people may think that a History degree consists in reading about battles, revolutions, the rise and fall of various civilizations, and remembering dates....like Columbus discovered the New World in 1492. Actually, while all of the latter is part of the course work, the real thrust in the study of "History" is the pursuit of truth in the face of myth and distortion. It is the study of human behavior and motivation and the impact on societies through time of those two forces.
The study of history, within the noted context, seeks to draw parallels between then, and now.
Then I attended three semesters of law school at night. Aside from finding out I did not want to be a lawyer, I was schooled in legal analysis and logic. The search for "Truth" is an interesting endeavor at the legal level. I came away with a deep appreciation for the law and legal thinking and logic.
Above all, one finds that there may always be two sides to a conflict or issue. Evidence courses focused on the differentiation of hearsay from fact, and on the necessity to avoid the introduction of speculation to legal thinking.
Most importantly, one comes away with an enhanced understanding of the important role our Constitution plays as the foundation for virtually all of American law.
So, in summary, my education and upbringing has irreversibly led me to approach life with a certain mindset and analytical approach. I am not bragging. I am not saying that my conclusions are the only conclusions one might draw from a set of circumstances or events.
Future blog commentary will be a way of helping me to "get it straight" in my own head. It is meant solely for me and not for others.....
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