#425 Musings Beyond the Bunker (Tuesday August 9)
Good morning,
Some potpourri of thoughts from friends:
FREEDOM FOR ALL
Mark Farrell had some interesting responses to his query on Facebook, “What's everyone doing for Juneteenth?"
"Maybe I should clarify my reason for posting this question. I used to be unaware of Juneteenth, but now that it's a national holiday and I understand why, I wanted to celebrate something as wonderful as the emancipation of the last remaining enslaved people in our country — something that should be celebrated by *anyone* who values freedom. So, having never celebrated it before, I wanted to get some ideas as to how Rebecca and I could celebrate it. I appreciate your thoughtfulness."
After some people writing back that he was challenged by some folks writing that holidays for freedom already existed, he then replied:
"I remember a quote, but don't know who to attribute it to. It was something like, ‘No one is free until everyone is free.’ I agree with that. To me, that sort of goes hand in hand with the preamble to our Constitution…”
…Whereas Independence Day is about independence from England established by the Declaration of Independence, Juneteenth marks legal freedom for all "We the People of the United States."
Exasperated, he finally wrote:
…"I say, never pass up a holiday. Any chance to celebrate, I'm in. Stay tuned for my next controversial question: "What's everyone doing for Christmas?""
ON THE STATE OF OUR DEMOCRACY
From Tony Canzonerri, articulated his unified theory of where we are:
“First, I live with a profound sense of Fate as a life element to know, accept and embrace. How people, events and circumstances outside my control set the stage for my life, for knowing you, reading your musings and now writing this. We can be very lucky or unlucky in how we encounter the resulting twists and turns on our lives. Some of us are fortunate to have had a life filled with the wonder and gestalt of very positive interactions between the Fates and our ability to manage, create and exist. Others are not so fortunate…it is in our self-interest to assist them in finding the most positive world synergy possible. Of course the devil is always in the details of definition and methodology but let’s leave that to the next two elements of life as I see it.
Second, is my belief that the key to our survival as a species is the search for and commitment to truth. Amidst the infinite complexity of our physical and spiritual lives, after time, truth is the essential element…
Third, is my belief that at their core individuals are primarily driven by their self-interest. And that is the source of the best and worst of us…
The political turmoil that profoundly troubles is rooted in a perfect storm of Fate and the evil side of the most evolved population the world has ever seen. When Trump first appeared in 2016, the stage had already been set by the Russian propaganda machine for the potential to dismantle our Constitutional democracy of its checks and balances and its essential principles.”
Tony cited a Rand study that concluded the game plan of the organized Trump right was telling big lies until they became the '“truth.” He goes on, “What I didn’t fully realize was that [these people] had for a long time been using the NRA and other means to ‘own’ the Republican leadership and to commandeer judicial appointments. The good news was that many of the Federal judges they appointed actually were people of principle and have consistently rejected the outrageous attempts to thwart truth and justice. You have been all over the biggest issue, which is the Supreme Court that seems to show no shame for its sophistry and corruption.”
“The Dems don’t seem to understand that the the dogmatic lock step strategic unity of the Republican party will beat them at the polls if they don’t immediately learn how to compete at that level. Selling the truth, justice and public safety will ring true with thinking people who strive to live in a better world…”
SHOULD TRUMP BE INDICTED?
Sue Meltzer articulates the difficulty many of us are having in reconciling what Trump has done and the advisability of seeking justice:
“I want to see Trump brought down. I want to see the horrible people associated with him, who have destroyed the ethics, the fabric of this nation punished. To me, what happened on January 6, along with everything associated with it is far worse than Watergate. Nixon and his people realized what they had done, and they were prosecuted; Nixon finally realized his damage and resigned. Trump and his group have yet to learn from their horrible behaviors. How can we allow this? It sets the worst of the worst examples to everyone, especially young people who will soon be leading this republic. I understand that you can make the case that we need to prosecute everyone around him…let Trump fade into oblivion. But I cannot justify allowing that horrible man to get away scot-free. And so far, he just turns his head, rakes in millions from people who are dumb enough to support him, and laughs. I just keep shaking my head and asking, “How does this happen in the United States of America?” Where are our morals? Where are our ethics? How do we hold our heads up proudly? Unbelievable.”
I empathize with Sue. In the end, however, I am motivated by the value of publicly laying out the case and then not prosecuting him (or reserving the right to prosecute), moving instead after his lieutenants, enablers and sycophants. We no doubt will have another person of Trump’s limited moral and intellectual heft occupying the White House in the future. We need to send a message to those around him or her that they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Plus, getting indictments and convictions against that rogue’s gallery should be easier than the uphill (and likely unsuccessful) battle to convict Trump.
AND THE FBI RAIDED MAR-A-LAGO
And then there’s this… I think stealing from the government and destroying records—particularly classified documents—is bad. Let’s not forget that the current FBI Director is a Trump appointee…
Have a great day,
Glenn
From the archives: