Music is incorruptible.
No matter how politicians and hucksters try
to co-opt music to their own, selfish ends,
music resists. It perseveres to reach us all.
Some like this bit, some prefer that, but music engages all:
Homo sap's universal language spanning our Babel-ious world.
No, not I: the UNDHR.
Today is the 76th birthday of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, three generations old and still forceful despite numerous, often systemic, violations. It is primarily but by no means solely the work of the greatest of our three Roosevelts, Teddy, Franklin, and Eleanor.
"Greatest?" Well, at least Eleanor's work is the longest lasting (unless one counts Teddy's FTC, Sherman Anti-Trust Act, and Robinson-Patman Acts; or Franklin's SEC even though these are observed more in violation that in compliance.) The declaration is often violated, certainly, but nonetheless, UNDHR has the widest impact of any of the other Roosevelts' legacies. It's thirty articles continue to inspire men and women and some government leaders throughout the world. She also inspires women by her example of hectoring her husband to respond to society's needs; of out-maneuvering Andrei Gromyko, The Soviet Ambassador to the UN; and of forging alliances with domestic Republicans and leaders from different cultures and political systems.
Now it is up to us the remind our present generation of leaders of the foundational importance of the UNDHR, May we assure its survival for another 76 years.
Many friends and I are astounded at the inappropriateness of nearly all of Trump's nominees. My hunch (only that) is that those who are pulling the strings on The Don Marionette are intentionally showing their disdain for and contempt of our democratic-republican governance institutions. By putting in place totally unqualified persons they strengthen their case for turning over government to a competent, capable autocrat and his cabal.
My prediction (only that) is that they will talk him off his tariff limb; into reductions of corporate and capital gains tax rates; into repeal of the surcharge tax on high incomes; into entitlement cuts; into a work-visa plan that exempts holders from wage and benefit minimums and assures a steady supply of low-wage labor; into restrictions on unionizing; into cancellation of student debt forgiveness and Pell grants; and into large DOD cost-plus contract appropriations. This group of confident, self-interested elitists will increase income and wealth inequalities, not reduce them.
No sense my writing my two resistor Senators, Cantwell and Murray. As for other states', only constituents can get through to them. So, please, if you of a mind and live in another than Washington State; write or leave a voice mail for your Senators -- especially Republican ones -- urging them to stiffen up and re-assert Senate responsibility to advise and consent only to nominees who are qualified to manage these complex institutions of government. There is too much at stake for Senators to cave-in to the (cabal-directed?) MAGA threats and intimidation -- and cave they will if their constituents do not speak up.
When you aspire to do more than energy and will can deliver,
despair not.
Regret is but a waste of time and a poison to the spirit.
Rejoice.
Rejoice in partial achievement
~~~~
and never diminish your aspirations.
A sincere, deeply concerned friend of mine asked, by e-mail, for my advice on and assistance in launching a last-minute campaign to forestall the incoming administration's abandonment of Ukraine. The idea is to advertise and use social media networks to position Ukraine as "Good" in a fundamentalist Christian way, i.e., as having voluntarily given up their nuclear arsenal in the name of Peace; as having faith in the protective guarantees of the Budapest Memoranda signed both by the Russian Federation and the United States; and as being an innocent victim of Vladmir Putin, the "Evil" in this scenario. The hope is to gin up an irresistible tide of public demand for continued support of Ukraine.
Here is how I replied:
Every time Pres. Trump calls “fight”, I wince a little. (Just as I wince at “President Trump” but that’s another story.) And every time Harris or Walz calls “fight”, I am filled with regret. We shout “fight” too readily, too eagerly, altogether too often. Teddy Roosevelt coached us to speak softly but carry a big stick. Instead, we shout “fight” at every opportunity, whether wielding a big stick or no.
I know: that sounds really preachy. But my God, wouldn’t you
agree that our society has become steeped in conflict, in violence? Teens would
rather strike out than talk; adults trash talk to the point of assault; violence
in our neighborhoods doesn’t alarm us; the daily morning papers’ reports of last
night’s homicides no longer shock us. We simply shrug , shake our heads, say OMG,
and peruse on. Fight is a worldwide affliction – in Gaza and the West Bank, in
Ukraine, in Beirut, in Abuja and Asmara, in Karachi and Maungdaw and Manipur,
and on and on.
From both Democrats and Republicans: “next time, we must fight
harder”. “when we fight, we win”, “worth fighting for”, “you won’t have a
country unless you fight for it”. . . fight, fight, fight. Our sports teams
fight. Television is full of fight: Mixed Martial Arts and the Ultimate Fighting
Championship and tonight's 58 year-old Mike Tyson's return to the ring: brutal, gladiatorial violence in full view from your
couch. You don’t have to go to the Coliseum to see the blood ooze and sometimes
spurt.
Churchill, or was it Harold Macmillan, said “jaw, jaw is
better than war, war.” And wasn’t Churchill as warlike as could be? But he knew
when to war and when to talk. Perhaps we need more willingness to war in Crimea
and Donetsk, and more willingness to talk in Taipei and Teheran. And better
yet, perhaps less jaw, jawing and more listen, listening.
If each of us were to abjure “fight”, to banish it from our
vocabulary, might we not move the needle a little? It wouldn’t hurt to try.
Born in Ohio (seven years) and raised in Maryland (ten
years), I call Minnesota and Washington home. I lived 23 years in the land of
Hiawatha and Paul Bunyon, and now have lived in Tyee country (Chinook for boss)
for 39 years. And I am proud to be an Minne-Washing-sotan.
Minnesota went for Harris: the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party took 51% despite Republicans, Greens, Libertarians, We The Peoples, Socialist & Libertarians. Socialists, Justice for Alls parties and Independents being on the ballot.
 |
| Paul Bunyan's girlfriend, Lucette; I've paid my respects to Lucette, in Hackensack, Minnesota (walleye country!) |
And what of Washington? Washington went more blue this year than in 2020, the only state in the Union to do so. The Harris/Vance ticket took 58% (! ! !) of the vote.
 |
| The Tyee of Salmon, by Preston Singleterry Roll on Columbia! |
All I can surmise is that sons and daughters of Minnesota and Washington (and, yes, adopted sons, too) are wise, aware, thoughtful, loyal to our Republic, and prepared to defend the election processes that protect us from autocrats.
PS If you haven't yet watched Tim Walz's speech to supporters when back in Minnesota, do so. It is a classic in consoling, empathizing, motivating and energizing. Here's the link: note but do not discount the source -- it's reliable.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/tim-walz-speaks-after-2024-election-full-speech/vi-AA1tLt08?category
(Stick that in your eye, Rupert.)
