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It is Sunday as we are mere days away from Christmas 2020. We knew all along this coming Christmas would be different for finding the usual jubilant spirit. We started out OK on the days immediately following Thanksgiving. Just thinking of Christmas had an uplifting effect. Maybe it was a mirage.
At present the situation does not seem joyful. We get up in the morning and continue to hear news reports of Donald Trump's dangerous state of mind, his clutching onto "conspiracy theories," and now word that discussion has been countenanced of a military coup. A literal military coup.
"Saturday Night Live" has a ready-made satirical script handed to it every week. The blessing right now is that we are still prompted to laugh. Never mind that it's the nation's top political leadership that is behaving in such an absurd way.
We hear about Russia's extensive hacking and then wonder about Trump's disturbing bond with Putin. We have heard over and over: "Putin has something on Trump." Does anyone doubt the importance of asking the question? But the answer lies in some murky place out of public view. Republicans and their lap dog media like Fox News fought tooth and nail against investigative efforts. It was only because of a bizarre fealty that seemed to feed on itself, to get bigger and bigger, to where the likes of Lou Dobbs and Maria Bartiromo could go on TV and get a wide audience for their conspiratorial contortions.
In absentia
What exactly is Trump doing in the White House as we speak? Could we expect him to do anything constructive at all? He fantasizes about election manipulation. He fancies himself a leader by entitlement. He'd love to see his family as royal with permanent presence in our leadership. This would mean harassing leaders that emerge from the Democratic Party, in concert with right wing media biggies, Mark Levin et. al. Don't underestimate their power to simply harass.
The bizarre right wingers were marginalized when I was young. We knew they were out there and we could name some names. The difference today is explained by the nature of the media. The old gatekeepers have eroded away, leaving a situation now where "the loudest voices in the room" can rule. The loud voices have had an effect on our Morris MN. Still this morning, I saw the big blue "Trump-Pence" sign along the highway between Subway and Greeley Pluming. Why do these people persist? Why are you all so antagonistic toward Joe Biden?
Is the Russia hacking a means of setting booby traps that will detonate when Biden takes power? Is the idea to torpedo Biden and Harris, setting the stage in some way for Trump to thump his chest from his still-bully pulpit? His protestations would not matter much if there weren't teeming masses all across the U.S. so receptive to it. Such as, so many of our Morris MN residents. Our churches have greased the skids for this. The majority of our churches stand firm with Trump and would cuss at any mention of the new president/vice president.
What if widespread suffering breaks out, beyond what we've seen thus far? Look at the lines already at numerous food banks. Civil disorder could be on the horizon.
The worst scenario could be avoided if we had a normal and civil transfer of power now, where the loser actually goes out of his way to facilitate the changeover. In other words, to help his successor. Why is that asking so much? It's called being magnanimous. It's called being mature. It's called showing humility. These are traits we put forward as examples for our young people.
Such traits have been the norm in the past. Our proper collective response to our current situation would be to condemn Trump. Would such a chorus of voices change the man's attitude? We never expect the best outcome with Trump. We take for granted the most crude, the most unprofessional, the most outlandish response. Talk of a military coup getting attention at the highest level? Promoted by Michael Flynn, he of "lock her up" chant fame?
We have a president and first lady who use foul language. The situation will change once we breathe the sigh of relief with the inauguration. We're counting the days off one at a time now, slowly, laboriously and with anxiety. We are forced to consume news reports about the "coup" thing, the declaration of martial law. Can this really be happening? In the United States of America?
What was the point of me taking "civics" classes in school, if our nation was going to take such a horrible tumble? A tumble into abject crudity and ignorance, led by the likes of the people who put the "Trump-Pence" sign on the outskirts of our Morris MN? What are you people really thinking? What do you think can be accomplished now? To support a president who has called our military service people, even those in the ground, "losers" and "suckers?" I'd like to hear next year's Veterans Day speaker at the school respond to those Trump statements. Oh never mind, the speaker will probably be someone who voted for Trump. Yes, a virus in the brain may be going around. Thank God yours truly has been immune.
Strength, anywhere it's available
Maybe I have stayed strong because of my daily bagels from Caribou Coffee. We can look at the brilliant red poinsettia to try to get our spirits lifted. Johnny Carson was intrigued by how to pronounce "poinsettia." Remember how he'd give his monologue starting at 10:30 p.m.? Remember how we'd be aggravated by the "guest hosts" on so often? Someone like McLean Stevenson? Joey Bishop? Even Lorne Greene?
Remember how Ed McMahon was God's gift to the "foil." He had a real laugh when with Johnny, never manufactured. So much humor reflected the light attitude we had about alcohol consumption. Our society has had a sea change since then.
"The Tonight Show" was escapist entertainment. If a guest got too "serious" or deep about something, Carson steered the tone back to the innocuous. Remember "Carnac the Magnificent?" "I hold in my hand the last envelope" (McMahon's words).
Carson told jokes about the standard and proper U.S. presidents of his era. It is hard to imagine how Carson would approach Trump. Making light of Trump is different because Trump does this to himself, he is his own parody. Anytime a subject becomes its own parody, attempts at parody can fall flat. They are redundant, pointless. Carson's humor was best when he targeted presidents who were acting stiff and proper.
Subdued Christmas
We are at the winter solstice as I write this. Our cherished Christmas Eve and Day are nigh. I will be frank here and divulge I do not feel the Christmas spirit, really not at all. I'm too preoccupied just worrying about the state of our nation and our zeitgeist. The right wingers and all their churches would rather see the nation fall than to see Biden/Harris get positive reviews.
Remember the days when Tip O'Neill and Ronald Reagan would exude charm with their comradeship even as political adversaries? Isn't that the kind of nation we should want? Am I so out of line on this?
Well, celebrate Christmas as best you can. I have my own beautiful red poinsettias, thanks to the University of Minnesota Foundation. Bless those people. How is UMM going to emerge from all our current distress? The anti-intellectual crowd has gotten so much power, especially out in rural and "red state" America. I'm not sure saying a prayer will even do any good.
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
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