#143 Musings Beyond the Bunker (Tuesday September 14)
Good morning!
VIOLENCE AND THE FLAG
A week ago, I commented that the insurrectionists on January 6 of last year had no standing to wrap themselves in the flag. To suggest that they were patriotic and were, somehow, the inheritors of the mantle of American freedoms, ideals, and exceptionalism, entitled to be characterized as “patriots” is patently absurd. They were no more patriots than were Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis, who also were traitors, albeit far better organized and more strategic in their execution of an insurrection.
Several people commented that I am quick to criticize the January 6th anti-patriots but, in the words of one, I “obviously missed the other groups disrespecting our flag and destroying property during the year in Portland, Seattle [and] Los Angeles before Jan 6.”
First off, I do not condone either disrespect of the flag or political violence, regardless of the perpetrators; although I acknowledge that burning the flag is to some a political expression in and of itself. Here are the differences:
I don’t recall any protesters in the cited cities wrapping themselves in the flag, disrespecting the flag or claiming that they were “patriotic” in the commission of violence.
To condemn one act of violence is not an acceptance of all other acts of violence. In my criticism of the January 6th attack, I also did not condemn the Charlottesville, Tree of Life Synagogue, or other mass shootings, nor did I condemn other acts of violence committed anywhere else. To exclude one is not to accept the others.
As I (and others) have suggested before, the violence in many cities during the summer of 2020 largely was the result of opportunists who, in the later stages of legitimate and peaceful protests, availed themselves of the opportunity to act illegally. As for Portland and Seattle, while the longer term actions of protesters were unacceptable, they were not a coordinated effort to inflict harm on our democratic institutions. January 6th was materially different in that this was a concerted and organized effort to inflict physical injury and property damage and, at least in the minds of some, to interfere with the operations of our government.
The summer violence was generic and not directed at any particular person. The January 6th violence was directed at specific individuals, whose names were written down and who were being hunted down (mentioning several members of our political leadership by name). This fact was caught on tape.
I don’t know many people in government who believe the violence during the summer was justified and to be lauded. In the case of January 6th, there are people within our government and among our leadership trying to recharacterize the insurrection as something that it was not (a mere group of unruly tourists, etc.) and these same people are threatening support of future behaviors.
But the main thing lost in the criticism of my earlier statement is that the insurrectionists maintain they were are “real Americans” and patriots defending American values. In many quarters they are being celebrated as such. My original words were commenting on the fact that many people wrapping themselves in the flag as justification for their bad behaviors have no right to do so and we ought not confuse their actions with the actions of true patriots. To claim that they represent the values behind the flag and the fact that they carry the flag in their treasonous acts is a desecration of the flag.
WORDS TO MAKE US SMILE
A while back I commented about words that are fun to say (like “Lake Titikaka”…). Adam Torson notes, “My grandfather was good at funny nonsense words and names. Someone doing something stupid was often labeled a "stoopnagle." Strangers doing funny things (usually things that marked them as bumpkins or elderly, such as struggling to park), where called "Charlie Clapsaddle" or "Martha Clestersail.” Then there were some highly specialized words, e.g. "snorkel-dorkel," I guess as a stylized term for snorkeling.”
Mark DiMaria adds onomatopoeia (always a favorite) and Popocatepell for a geographical fun word.
Another I like is the French word for grapefruit: Pamplemousse (which strikes me as an affectionate pet name). And then there are made-up names from my childhood: Marmaduke Bilgewater and PinkyGribbledinger.
Maria Terrazas Norman shared that in her fifth grade class the name of “Lake Titikaka” received a lot of snickers. As she noted, her classmates were delighted about a name with “both boobs and poop.” They were equally mesmerized with the name of the explorer Cabeza deVaca (loosely translated as “cow head”). Her class concluded that Cabeza de Vaca likely discovered Lake Titikaka.
MORE SONGS WITH NUMBERS IN THEIR NAME
When I listed several songs with numbers in their name, I included songs like “Nothing from Nothing.” Michael Blacher takes me to task, noting, “Nothing is not a number. If it were, you would need to include ‘everything’ songs. And Prince’s ‘Nothing Compares 2U’ would need to be on the list.”
Peter Bain adds “500 Miles” by the Proclaimers and also cites “Nothing Compares 2U” (yes, again!) sung by Sinead O’Connor.
Harvey Englander, in completely ignoring the premise and the rules (!), suggests special mention to Frank Sinatra for “It Was a Very Good Year.” I make a point never to disagree with the Chairman of the Board (either Frank or Harvey).
Paul Kanin adds “Hope You Have a Million Dreams,” by Pink.
Have a great day,
Glenn
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