Monday, September 07, 2020
"The Man Who Would be King" (Title of book by Rudyard Kipling)
Once Upon a Time there lived a man in what formerly was held to be a great country. Though it did not offer equal opportunities for all and had other flaws, still it had many features that made it respected by both its own citizens and those of other countries. It had a so called "Bill of Rights" that guaranteed such freedoms as freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom to bear arms (meaning a blunderbus rifle, not modern weapons of war) and still other precious rights in accordance with democratic notions of justice and equity.
However, because of a flaw in its election procedure, a candidate was put into the highest office who had no respect for the founding principles which the early fathers had put into place at the country's beginning. When journalists or commentators expressed opinions contrary to his desires, he attacked them bitterly. When those in various government posts spoke in ways the did not like, he fired them. He regularly chose people for high office who had no real qualifications for their positions, but were major donors and supporters of him. He consistently used his own position to make personal financial profit. He made use of the Whitehouse grounds for political reasons, though such use is prohibited by law (Hatch Act). He sent unidentified military agents to certain cities where legitimate peaceful protests against police brutality were underway with the result that law abiding citizens were snatched off the streets and held without their consent (kidnapping). His administration sought to undermine the U.S. Postal System to prevent those he saw as his "enemies' from voting.
He encouraged violence and dissent, with the result that a 17 year old supporter with an assault rifle shot and killed 2 people and wounded a third. Then, to top it all off, instead of condemning this action, he condoned it and furnished the services of his own core of lawyers to defend this murderer in court.
In his acceptance speech for the Republican nomination, he boasted that he had handled the covid19 virus wonderfully well, even though the death toll has now risen to over 180,000 because of his failure to set up a national program. Experts agree that thousands of lives could have been saved if he had acted in a timely manner.
He boasted about our economic prosperity, even though the number of those currently unemployed is almost as many as were jobless during the "Great Depression."
He demands 'law and order' though he himself creates chaos and dissent by his acts and opinions.
Sinclair Lewis said earlier in the twentieth century that the next dictator would arrive wrapped in the flag and carrying a Bible. This man takes Lewis' words as advice for him to advance to the highest office. He supports fascism, not democracy. He even refuses to share his tax returns, lest his ties to Vladimir Putin be known. I could continue with this list of crimes and offenses, but time restraints do not allow.
Oh, America, what is happening to our democracy? When will you realize that the emperor has no clothes?
