#631 Musings Beyond the Bunker (Tuesday April 11)
Good morning,
It’s Tuesday and a little sharing…
I set out three years ago to try to suggest thinking in ways that are rational, centrist, reasonable and without anger or vitriol—a peaceful place to consider ideas and policy. I wanted to share thoughts on who we are, where we are, and where we might be headed. I wanted to share impressions of art, music, poetry, history, road trips, and the more prosaic of life’s pleasures. And I wanted to help generate greater community and communication amongst friends.
One great pleasure of the Musings has been not only to be educated by many of you, but to discover friends and relationships among acquaintances with whom I have had less interaction, whose thoughts contribute to my thinking. One such person is Tony Canzoneri, with whom I’ve known by reputation and had a relationship through shared interest in continuing legal education. But over the past several years since the onset of the pandemic, I have benefited (and to some extent, you have as well) from his wise observations. Here are two:
MORTALITY
“Been wondering if your recent discussions with end of life issues relate to illness or, how, at age 76, I realize more and more the importance of overcoming denial of mortality. Beyond the need to love and be loved I strive to find and embrace the rational reality of our existence.”
As they say, live every day like tomorrow will never come and live every day as if it might be your last—make the most of it.
TRUTH, MANIPULATION OF TRUTH, AND GEORGE SANTOS
Tony has written often about the fraught political times within which we live. I agree with much of what he says, but not all of it. I don’t have to agree with all of it, and neither do you. That’s the beauty of rational discussion. For instance, I don’t believe the Republican party is rallying behind Santos (see below). I believe they’re trying to figure out how to get rid of him. Yet Tony speaks a good deal of truth:
“Bravo for featuring Bob Held’s concern about Santos and the disregard for Truth. That disregard is at the core of what ails civilization. The Republican Party’s core strategies and values are uncannily similar to those studied in the 2015-2016 Rand report “The Russian Firehouse of Falsehoods Propaganda Model.”
“The essential ingredient to social order and the better good for civilization, is respect for the Truth. Without that the fascist underbelly thrives in a world of false realities constructed to suit their quest for power. Murdoch, Sinclair, Bannon, Putin, Jinping etc. understand and use misinformation with sociopathic disregard for consequences that don’t serve their quest for power.”
I’m still hoping for a rejuvenated conservative party, adhering to traditional conservative and libertarian principles, able to afford us a rational choice in future elections…
A STORY THAT’S JUST FUN
In a week of story-telling, here is a more light-hearted remembrance from Mark DiMaria:
“As you know, I am a life-long Mets fan. When I was 10 or 11 years old back in 1965 or 1966, I attended a Saturday night game between the Mets and Giants, at the then-new, but since-demolished, Shea Stadium. At that point, the Giants, who had left New York less than ten years before, were still popular locally among National League fans… It was a hot and steamy summer's night in New York, and the beer was flowing, with many loud and profane arguments and fights breaking out in the stands from time to time. As a relatively small-town kid down from Poughkeepsie with my Dad, this all was very exciting (and a bit frightening).
Things ultimately got sufficiently out of hand that drunken fans began to run on to the field during the game, which was relatively unheard-of at the time, and long before the advent of security crews lining the stands to prevent such escapades. Matters were careening out of control, when one such celebrant ran on to the field and made a beeline for the great (and still beloved in New York) Willie Mays in center field. The crowd roared. I was afraid for Willie (one of my childhood heroes). However, when the miscreant reached Willie, he merely reached out to shake his hand. Willie obliged. Then the runner turned, ran to the 410-foot sign at the center field wall, and attempted to vault it. At the sight of this poor sot throwing himself at a 10-foot (and obviously unscalable) edifice, Willie fell to the ground, pointing and laughing. Ushers then arrived, chasing the scofflaw as he ran, dodged, and twisted, evading them, leaping into the stands, and then running up the aisle and away to freedom. Once the uproar subsided, the crowd was sufficiently exhausted from the excitement to settle down to yet another drubbing of my heroes by the prodigal sons of Coogan's Bluff.
GREAT WORDS FROM THE GREAT ABOLITIONIST
“With reasonable men, I will reason; with humane men I will plead; but to tyrants I will give no quarter, nor waste arguments where they will certainly be lost.” –William Lloyd Garrison
Have a great day,
Glenn
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