Youthful Wisdom

 Given the 68% support for Democratic candidates in the mid-term election among the 18-30 demographic, it is imperative that the party’s leadership prioritizes the issues important to young voters in order to sustain their support well into the future. This point was emphasized during a recent MSNBC interview by the excellent Mehdi Hasan of the newest (and youngest) member of Congress, Maxwell Alejandro Frost from the 10 Congressional District in Florida. When asked if Frost foresaw his generation’s continued affiliation with the Democratic Party, Frost quickly, clearly, and emphatically responded by saying that it was likely ‘if the Democratic Party does not take our vote for granted’. 

This echoes the sentiment expressed by older progressives who have been given only tacit acceptance by the party’s hierarchy in recent years. The abrupt dismissal of the Sanders candidacy during the Democratic primaries in 2020 still resonates with an air of abandonment after Representative James Clyburn of South Carolina rallied a cadre of moderates to fall in lock-step support of Biden at a time when the outcome of the delegate count was still in serious question. Many of us will not soon forget the pronouncement of media spokesman James Carville when he arrogantly announced on the same MSNBC network that ‘it’s past time to put this puppy to bed’. The meaning was clear: the Democratic establishment had decided to end the democratic process whereby genuine inter-party debate could be carried out through the primary season. In a heathy democracy, robust and extended debate is encouraged; not feared. In a healthy democracy, all votes are counted so that all voices can be heard.

In his first prime-time interview, Representative Frost has issued an implicit warning that to regard this new wave of progressives in the manner described above would be done so at the peril of the Democratic Party going forward. The issues of global climate change, domestic gun violence and control, universal health care, the full embrace of the reality of a vibrant multicultural society, gender equality and reproductive rights, a reassessment of how our resources are distributed, the installment of a fair and just judicial system, a rethinking of the rate and manner of incarceration as well as authentic prison reform, and serious scrutiny of the military industrial complex, which has robbed/wasted trillions of dollars better spent elsewhere for the common/collective good of the society as a whole. These young citizens are serious about the above issues and bring asense of urgency and an unequivocal desire to implement policies designed to address them. In the years to come, the Democratic Party is well-advised to follow the lead provided by its youthful vanguard. The party’s future viability and political relevance will be determined by their acceptance of its junior members.

The Mid-Term Election, Speculation on the Near Future, and a Hopeful Look Ahead

The recent historic mid-term performance by the Democrats should properly be viewed as more of a repudiation of Trump (where a large number of his endorsed candidates seriously underperformed) than an endorsement of the incumbent president whose unfavorable ratings continue to hover at low-40 per cent levels. Nevertheless, the Democratic establishment is likely to view it as an affirmation of a centrist ideology and ride Biden (or his surrogate) to another victory in 2024 as the Republicans remain tethered to the sinking political vessel captained by a hapless neo-fascists whose political vision is best characterized by his narcissistic need for self-aggrandizement and unconditional fealty from a cadre of sycophants.

Emboldened (and possibly blinded) by their success in capturing that sliver of the electorate (former blue dog Democrats, moderate Republicans, and Independents), they will continue to run the risk of alienating its younger and more sustainable base of support going forward. Meanwhile, the Republicans will be hard at work to reconstitute themselves in 2028, using Liz Chaney as a model, to court the aforementioned group in the middle away from a Democratic Party unwilling to genuinely embrace wildly popular policies regarding gun violence/control, women’s body-sovereignty, the realization of a multi-cultural society, the urgency of climate change action, reshaping the criminal justice system, and universal health coverage as a human right, all of which directly appeals to mainstream Democrats and, vitaly, is supported by an eager and vast new generation of voters in desperate need of proper representation. Implicit and ongoing neglect of this essential element of the political landscape threatens to leave the Democratic Party tragically devoid of the very fabric they will need to create a sustainable and viable political tapestry well into the middle of the 21st century.

This rather dire forecast is in no way inevitable and can be averted by a serious and concerted effort by the Democrats to genuinely incorporate the ideas and passions of established Generation X progressives (AOC, Keith Ellison, Cory Booker,et al) and the increasingly influential representatives that will certainly emerge from Generation Z (please see the recent election of 25 year old Maxwell Alejandro Frost in Florida’s 10th Congressional District) all of whom will provide the energy, vision, and impetus to deliver new vitality to an archaic political structure and to a nation in urgent need of an existential paradigm shift.

Mad As Hell

 In response to recent angry commentary regarding inflation, taxes, and gas prices, allow me to provide the following perspective…It also might be advisable to direct one’s anger to the political actors promising to subvert the will of the people in a national election by seeking to violently install an undemocratic, authoritarian, and distinctly unAmerican regime in its stead. Need a place to channel anger? Start there!

A Baseball Nightmare

 It’s probably an indication that I have been watching too much news lately that two nights ago I had  a dream (nightmare?) that the baseball team I was coaching had a rather disagreeable player on the roster by the name of Donny Trump. For some reason, the team was in a position where he had to be included in the lineup although it was well known that he would be a liability to our chances of winning. Meanwhile, he kept insisting that he needed to pitch in a critical upcoming game, claiming that he was far and away the best option to be on the mound. My distinct challenge was to hide him somewhere in the lineup where he might do the least amount of damage to our winning chances while enduring his endless insistence that he was the best pitcher in the league. The dream ended with the feeling that we were stuck with this guy as we prepared to play the most important game of our lives.

The unconscious holds many truthsq; in this case, it provided the perfect metaphor for the recent American political experience!

Reflections on James Baldwin

James Baldwin once famously observed: “I imagine one of the reasons people cling to their hate so stubbornly is because they sense, once hate is gone, they will be forced to deal with pain.”

Among so many other insights, JB also was aware of the collective American psyche and its need to defend against the pain/truth of its original sin through the practiced perpetuation of hate. Time is up for a national mass therapeutic intervention for the purpose of uncovering the layers of self-deception, false narratives, myth-making, and all other forms avoidance of the underlying cause of our malaise. Thank you, James Baldwin, for reminding us to never forget the truth about ourselves and for continuing to inspire succeeding generations to effect genuine, meaningful change.

Reshaping Identity

 Jane Campion’s Power of the Dog is at once an expose’ of homophobia, an exploration of bulling mentality, the mutual love of the mother/son bond, familial influence and expectations, a deep examination of the concept of real strength and courage, and finally a re-thinking of male identity and the liberation of the soul. 

Benedict Cumberbatch (Phil) gives a nuanced performance of the bulling and haunted older brother of George, portrayed with subtle stoicism by Jesse Plemons. Phil’s bulling is first projected onto George and subsequently to George’s bride the once widowed Rose and her son Peter, brilliantly portrayed by Kristen Dunst and Kodi Smit-McPhee. The story evolves through the relationship Phil develops with Peter, a sensitive and seemingly frail young man whom Phil attempts to mentor as he simultaneously torments Rose, a person he suspects has married George for financial gain. It is through this relationship that Phil’s underlying confused identity is revealed by reference to Phil’s connection to his former mentor and likely lover, the unseen Bronco Henry. As Phil’s torment of Rose continues, Peter is seen to take careful mental note of both Phil’s cruelty, his own developing sense of agency, and the mounting need to protect his vulnerable mother. As Phil is stricken with anthrax poisoning, we realize that Peter has prevailed in his defense of Rose and, in the final scene, gazes from his window in silent triumph.

Campion’s patient direction and carefully crafted script has rendered a fable for our times wherein the veneer of strength and its accompanying swagger is shown to be mere edifice masking an underlying mixture unfulfilled desire and unrealized identity. Exceptional performances by Cumberbatch, Dunst, Smit-McPhee, and the understated performance by Plemons combine to make this film a memorable cinematic experience. In the end, the erstwhile weakling stands tall in manful expression of loyalty and love while a mother is liberated from torment and revitalized in the process. In so doing, the soul is delivered from the confines of convention and the sword of misplaced identity. The Power of the Dog has restored the possibility of a reimagined mode of being and the freedom entailed therein.

Those Who Practice To Deceive

 It comes as no surprise that the same people who have supported and perpetuated the falsehoods regarding an alleged fraudulent 2020 election are now rallying around the notion that somehow Russia is justified in invading the sovereign nation of Ukraine. Each instance has required a level of submission to deliberate attempts to misinform, obfuscate, distort, and downright lie about otherwise knowable facts surrounding the respective cases. It also gives grim testimony to the extent to which human beings will engage in the practice of deception in the service of dubious, misplaced, and sometimes evil endeavors. Shame on those who would abandon the opportunity to embrace the independence of Ukraine and its people in favor of pursuing narrow and spurious political ends. You’re correct Tucker Carlson, we are speaking directly to you and your ilk...here and around the world.

Physician Heal Thyself

 Note to self and to those listening: Instead of judgement, try appreciation; otherwise, engage in silence and await inspiration.

America’s Special Day

Enjoy this year’s Super Bowl as it presents a clear insight into the current state of Americana: the fly over represents our ongoing love affair with militarism, the TV commercials celebrate an enduring culture of consumerism, the halftime show always seems to outdo itself in terms of a gaudy, over-the-top entertainment spectacle, the game itself allows us to witness careful strategic planning in a context of controlled and sanitized violence, and the seemingly endless procession of pyrotechnics exalt our beloved bombs bursting in air! In brief, the Super Bowl is the embodiment of the unique American mentality in all its raging, hilarious, and grotesque glory. Love it, leave it, embrace it, critique it...see it for what it is and then wake up Monday morning to somehow carry on yet again.

The Matter At Hand

 As predicted, the dinosaur’s destructive tail of a dying culture, in the ensuing years after Trump’s rise to power, has left a wasteland in which encroaching fascism seeks to establish a permanent foothold. We are now confronted with the question regarding how best to turn back the dark tide of authoritarian rule and thereby preserve the democratic experiment here in America. Erstwhile policy issues will now have to yield to preserving the basic institutions of free and fair elections, basic human rights, and an impartial judiciary. Recent experience has demonstrated with chilling effect that a democratic mode of political existence is not guaranteed but rather must be cultivated, nurtured and actively practiced through the real-time application of its principles. A failure to do so will certainly give rise to the merchants of hate, fear, division, and cynicism that have emerged from their hiding place and are now presenting themselves as a very real threat to an otherwise vibrant and emerging multicultural society.

In Defense and Praise Of Jimmy G

 To all the writers and critics (especially those residing in LA) who really think that they have landed on some special insight here when proclaiming the end of the Jimmy Garoppolo Era....talk about total command of the obvious!

Everyone associated with the San Francisco 49ers, including Jimmy G, have known that Trey Lance was the heir apparent and that Garoppolo was playing on borrowed time. That is one of the reasons that he is such an inspiration...a player that could garner the universal respect of his teammates while mentoring his replacement without a hint of resentment, anger, or ill-will. Not to mention is ability to play this year with a strained throwing shoulder, a broken thumb and a detached ligament on his right hand to lead his team to the conference final. And finally, it might be useful for these writers to quickly glance at Jimmy’s overall record as a starter in the NFL: 35-13. In his only two complete seasons with the Niners, he’s taken his team to the conference final and the Super Bowl. He’s a proven winner as a player and a person, something his critics can only dream about becoming. The team that eventually signs Jimmy will be lucky to have him as their leader.

Daily Practice, Bob Dylan, and the Blessing of Friendship

As I engage in my daily yoga/gym/running practice, I am invited into the moment (and frequently accompanied) by my long-time friend, Mr Tambourine Man, with whom I might share a walk to Ocean Beach and where he will occasionally ‘take me disappearing through the smoke rings of my mind, down the foggy ruins of time; far past the frozen leaves, the haunted frightened trees; out to the windy beach, far from the twisted reach of crazy sorrow’. With each breath, stride, and footfall I touch the earth and am reminded of my connection to it; and on it I am allowed to ‘dance beneath the diamond sky with one hand waving free, circled by the circus sands with all memory and fate driven deep beneath the waves’ so that I may ‘forget about today until tomorrow’. 

Although sorrow can also be our constant companion here on this plane of reality, so too can joy be at our side. Holding the two within our heart with understanding, compassion, and love is at once a challenge and an opportunity to participate in the fullness of life. Affirming both sides of a contradiction can be a pathway to liberation. 

As for joy, the blessing of friendship affords the possibility to experience happy connection, empathy, and a level of deep understanding, which, in turn, brings light into the darkness of sorrow. A heartfelt thank you to all whom have shined this light on my life. It will always be my loving intention to respond in kind to your gift of friendship and the blessing of our connection.