Blog 1867 – 11.03.2020

The Emperor’s New Clothes

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dE6c7lFg8GT3OvwsuJEz9ZZ5HDAps5qh/view?usp=drivesdk

The Emperor’s New Clothes

Today classic children’s story is especially appropriate for Election Day as it is not just my hope but the hope of many that a certain vain President who touts the unified executive theory and thinks it means that as President he can do anything he wishes and many who have enabled him in his attempts to do that, are voted out of office today. We shall see who gets their wish today. But win or lose history will not be kind to the Trump Presidency and all those politicians who enabled him to dismantle so many of the safe guards of our democracy. South Carolina’s Senator Linsey Graham and Kentucky’s Senator Mitch McConnell are chief among Trump’s enablers in my book.

I am sure that some of you perhaps do not like that I have have used this blog to share my particular political views, well all I can say is that if you have different views perhaps you should write your own blog. I admit that it has often been challenging to find an encouraging word in dealing with politics. But unlike so many I do not hold that government, even big government, has to always be a problem. The problem is bad government. Some think taxation is the problem it is not. Taxation without representation is the problem. Laws can indeed be subverted to favor the rich and powerful few over the many and also to oppress minorities but government can in its highest and best moments make great strides of progress for the people.

I am currently streaming a once popular TV series that I never got around to watching when in first aired, The West Wing. I am almost through the first of its seven seasons. An astute man of color is being vetted for a Presidential appointment to Attorney General. At issue is a dust jacket favorable comment he made regarding a book written by a friend on the subject of reparations to the descendants of former slaves. This was and still remains a hot button political subject for many on both sides of the issue. The Jewish White House staffer who was vetting him said that he would like the Germans to return his uncle’s wallet that they took from him and never returned at Dachau. The man being vetted said that was a matter he should take up with the Germans that he was referring to earned wages denied his ancestors that even conservative estimates list at seven trillion dollars.

After a sometimes heated conversation the would be AG says he was only trying to start a conversation that needed to be had and offers to buy lunch for the man vetting him. As long as we are talking there is hope yet that we may arrive at a better understanding. When we quit talking and fill our hearts with hate and war the illusionary divide only seems worse.

We can see things from more than our own point of view if we just listen and try to put ourselves in the other person’s shoes. It is called empathy, an article of attire that kings and some in positions of power all too often do not wear well if at all.

I am encouraged that many seem to be taking today’s election seriously. High time. May the best women and men win. I sincerely hope more women than men win. We men have made such a terrible mess of things and are by and large slow learners and are usually quite reluctant to ask for directions even when we are clearly lost without a clue of where we are, where we are headed, or how to get there. And most of the wise women and a few wise men said, “Amen!”

Your friend and fellow traveler,

David White

https://drive.google.com/file/d/19CDkk3iq8QB_Ccty1QLes7I1EQ0_K7cX/view?usp=drivesdk

No Night So Long