The first event of Inauguration Day happened at about 5:30 p.m., a memorial to the now-400,000 Covid-19 deaths since last January.  There were 400 lights, each signifiying one-thousand deaths.  It was brief and very impressive.  A nurse sang “Amazing Grace” – her singing has gone viral.  Here’s tonight on YouTube.  Note the second song at the same space, sung at the same event.

TV Screen Shot Jan. 19, 2021

3:30 a.m. Jan. 20: This initial comment on soon-president Joe Biden and vice-president Kamala Harris will be very brief.

They are the perfect team to lead this country at a time of incredible crisis in many areas.  There’s will be an extremely difficult job.  All presidents have extremely difficult jobs – impossible to please everyone – but Jan. 20, 2021, is near the top of any list I can imagine, including WWII.  But that’s a conversation for later.

I have liked Joe Biden since the beginning.  His strengths are just exactly what our country needs.  I’ve mentioned them before: he’ll change the tone of our country; he has far more relevant experience than most anyone who’s ever run for the office, local office, U.S. Senate, Vice-President.

His life experience has amplified his empathy for others.

His mantra will be, I think, helping the United States of America, which includes all states and all of us.

I don’t know as much about Kamala Harris, but the fact that Mr. Biden chose her has great meaning; and she is the first woman, to have ever held the office and for this and many other reasons everyone knows will bring a new and fresh perspective to governing this country.

The critical link, now, will be every single one of us.  To continue to be for, and not against.  As the sidewalk sign I saw at the beginning of the Covid-19 epidemic said so well on April 8, 2020: “Smile.  We will get through this Together!”

Forward.

At entrance to Carver Park walking trail, Woodbury MN April 8, 2020.

POSTNOTE: Yesterday, I took the hour and 50 minutes to watch, on-line, the 2011 film “The Wave”, about a high school teacher who did an experiment with autocracy.  The film is German, subtitled, and is very powerful and appropriate, especially for today’s unrest in the U.S.  I rented it through Amazon for $3.99.  I think it is available at other places as well.  Tomorrow night a group of us will do an on-line conversation about it.  If you are interested, check the website for Global Solutions MN, and scroll down to Third Thursday films.  This is a continuing program and you are invited to participate from wherever you live.

POSTNOTE 2: One of the headlines in The Washington Post columns this morning says “Joe Biden’s fundamental challenge is to root out the domestic insurgency” by David Ignatius.  I agree, but only to the extent that the task really falls to each and every one of we citizens where we live.  We know these people in our own environments.

COMMENTS (more at end of post):

From Mary K: Smile, we will get through this. God Bless America  I will look for “The Wave”. Ciao.

from Fred: Nicely stated. I agree with your depiction of Joe Biden and, as the shadow from the last four years lifts, look hopefully to the future.

from Lydia: [See] link to April 1961 Speech by JFK on the press (you can read or listen to it). I immediately thought you’d find it of interest/inspiration.

from CNN’s “Reliable Sources” for Jan. 17, 2021: Remember how presidents used to speak?

With Biden about to take over, it’s a good day to read or re-read inaugural speeches, and other compelling addresses by past presidents. I re-read John F. Kennedy’s 1961 speech to newspaper publishers, which contains a lot of wisdom about democracy, national security, and the power of the press. Kennedy spoke of “our obligation” — both his and the news media’s — “to inform and alert the American people, to make certain that they possess all the facts that they need, and understand them as well — the perils, the prospects, the purposes of our program and the choices that we face.” Read or listen to the speech here…

Screen Shots: Jan 20, 2020, White House, Bidens

Vice-President Kamala Harris and her husband. about to enter the Vice-Presidents office, Jan. 20, 2021

White House, Jan. 20, 2021

The Inauguration of President Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris is Wednesday January 20.  If you are interested, check here.

About noon today (Saturday) I took the short trip over to the Minnesota State Capitol, just to see what was happening in our state’s possible ‘war zone’ in the wake of The Capitol insurrection on the 6th of January.

The trip is a short one, albeit on slick winter roads, and near the Capitol on the wall of the Minnesota History Center I saw this sign.  Nothing could be more appropriate for today.

.

Indeed, every instant of our lives is history.

Over 20 years ago, in the first year of the then-Newseum in Rosslyn, VA, I saw the quotation, “news is the first rough draft of history“.

We – all of us –  make history every instant of every day by what we do, or not.  History is far more than the President or the favorite celebrity we love to love…or hate.  History is US…every single one  of us…all of the time.

To my left, today, as I took the above photo, down the street perhaps a half mile at the most, stands the Minnesota State Capitol.  This day, the major streets into the Capitol area were blocked off, and supervised by an unknown number of law enforcement personnel.  The morning paper said that people could walk in to the Capitol area.  There were few of these this dreary day.

I turned to my left and took a photo.  This was the scene from my History Center vantage point shortly after noon today.

Minnesota State Capitol about 1 p.m. Saturday Jan. 16,2021.

Where Rice crosses John Ireland Blvd was a single highway patrol vehicle, a military tactical vehicle, and ordinary wooden barriers.  This was also true across the way at Cedar St., which is also the site of the National Guard facility; and likely the same at other access points around the Capitol area itself.

In the distance, by the Capitol steps area, one could see people who probably were security personnel, and that was about all.  But no doubt this piece of real estate was covered.

Here’s what the Minneapolis Star Tribune had to say this evening about what was happening at the Capitol steps area about the time I was there.  There may have been a few protestors there while I was.

What will transpire the next few days?

I don’t know.  Nobody does.

There’s plenty of speculation, and loads of preparedness everywhere.

I’m going to go out on a long limb and predict that the next few days, everywhere, will essentially be non-events, at least in terms of crisis.  Photos of empty streets will dominate.  And that quiet will be a good thing.  But that doesn’t mean that the problem of violent anarchists is over.  I could as easily be wrong.  Sure, there could be incidents.  Try to keep them in their proper perspective.  Don’t empower hate.

For the moment, the thugs, including the President, Guilani and Brooks, have had their awful fun.  Several people lie dead; our government officials and we, too, are traumatized.  But remember there were less than 10,000 Americans – a tiny fraction of the 330,000,000 of us – attacking and violating our national Capitol building.  We need to keep this in mind.  It was quiet in my neighborhood on the 6th, and likely in yours, too, and has been since.  Peace outnumbers War by many times over.  But this is no time to rest easy.

The soldiers from this point on have to be each and every one of us, refusing to be cowed into silence.  Each and every one of us know people who are susceptible to, perhaps even supported, the violence we’ve seen on television.  People who’ve bought the false stories.

We need to be witness to sanity, in all of the many peaceful ways available to us.  We cannot stand by and tolerate the insanity we watched unfold.  We cannot be silent, or depend on somebody else to be our voice.  We need to be our own voice.

I saw this Gandhi quote in a book I’ve been reading, and it fits our history, now: “The only tyrant I accept in this world is the still voice within.”

It is time to begin the march towards sanity.

Previous related posts on Jan 6, 13 and 15, 2021.

POSTNOTE Jan. 17: I took another drive to state Capitol area today, essentially the same situation as yesterday.  Lots of news in the Sunday Minneapolis Star Tribune.  Here’s a particularly relevant and distressing article that appeared only in the print edition (click to enlarge): StarTribune front page Jan. 17 2021

Minnesota State Capitol steps about noon, Sunday Jan. 17.  Appeared to be a rehearsal by security people.  Telephoto from south end of the Capitol Mall near Veterans Service Building and the USS Ward Memorial.

Overnight Jan 18, 2021: Just Above Sunset, “Quite Dangerous People”.

COMMENTS (more at end of post):

from Jerry: Thanks for your blog, Dick.  I read it saying “yes” a number of times.  The old Japanese proverb “may you live in interesting times” is certainly true today.   On Martin Luther King day we realize how far we still have to go to assure  equality and justice for all.

from JoAnn: Right on!

from Barry: Thanks for the report Dick.  For some of those folks I think they are a bit surprised that they are in trouble and may actually/hopefully face consequences. Trump however is as always delusional. Will he ever suffer a negative consequence?

from Brian: This is one of your best posts. I love the picture of the state capitol building. Thanks so much for sharing. And I agree with your spirit.

from Florence: Thanks, Dick.  Good food for thought.  Peace and joy this week and throughout 2021.

from Julianne: I read the [Star Tribune] article twice. Waterbury was indeed calling on the crowd in MN to move to the governor’s home to get him. She had asked for him to talk with her one on one. What the intent was to move to the governor’s mansion is unclear. Were they going to storm into his house and was the crowd deflected by the police? Not clear in the article what their intent was but the police removed the governor’s son to protect him, so it appears that the threat was real. What was the purpose of the threat? She says she is willing to die for her goal. What goal? Was it to keep the “Republican president” in place despite the results of the election? Was this a government takeover to prove – what? My family in Wisconsin feels threatened by living in a Republican dominated community in a Republican state. They are planning to hunker down even more than what the pandemic requires because the threat feels real to them. The multiracial daughter of one of her friends feels threatened anywhere in her community and even with her friends. Fear rages and anger is widespread and is growing within this country. The anger is diverse and the fear it generates is spreading. I am at a loss for words. Trump has fed on this anger and has become the focal point of the anger from many sides. He loves it. He owns it. He has become its leader. Our whole country is at a loss as to how to define it. But it is real. We are clearly divided into many different parts until the anger has become one anger. We all lose because of it and our country loses because of it. And the world looks on in shock, bewilderment, and sometimes cheers at our fallen country. I really don’t have words express my personal feelings of loss and of fear.

Overnight very early Jan. 19:  Just Above Sunset nicely sets the stage for the next chapter of America:“Somehow Making History”.  Regulars at this space know I’m a fan of the retiree in Hollywood who composes the column most days, I think was his hobby.  I encourage folks to subscribe.  The price is really right!

Kathy, out in Oregon writes last evening: Am so enjoying the break from last 4 years of over 11,000 tweets that were constantly broadcast daily on even NPR.

Initiating Post here.

For your thought, consideration and conversation

The day after the carnage at our nations Capitol Jan. 6, I was participating in a regular meeting of a group I’ve long been part.  It was Zoom, of course, and there were ten or so of us.

In the gathering time, I asked my colleagues about the previous day in Washington D.C., to the effect: “We all know people who reflect the attitudes & opinions of those who invaded the Capitol yesterday.  Does anyone know of someone in their acquaintance who would participate in such an act?  Personally, I don’t.”

One member on the call responded almost immediately.  She said she knew five – all people she knew well.

We didn’t have time to go into detail, and the regular meeting proceeded to conclusion.  But the early interaction has stuck with me.

My colleague misinterpreted my question (more likely, I didn’t clearly ask it).  Not unusual in any spur-of-the-moment conversation like ours had been.

The following morning I followed up with my colleague by e-mail: “I think I mis-phrased my question to you and the others.  I was wondering how many people knew anyone who’d be the type who’d actually invade the capitol like the insurrectionists did on Wednesday.  I said I didn’t know anyone; I think you mentioned several.  Actually, if I went by your criteria, I’ve actually counted a couple of dozen people I know who are [strong Trump supporters] – they’re all people I know, mostly well – but I don’t think any of them would even think of invading even the local state capitol, or maybe not even demonstrate.  But they are absolutely devoted to [the current President, for varying reasons].

Awful as Jan 6 and following events have been, and whatever similar happens going forward, the events should be “a shot across the bow” for all of us.

Every single one of us need to confront, in the many assorted – and appropriate and non-violent – ways, this primary and in many ways evil legacy of the soon to depart President.  It won’t be easy, but we can’t sit it out.  We all can make a difference.

Q-anon et al.

For context, the last weeks have caused me to reflect on two past events.

The first was a conversation with a woman about my kids age in the coffee shop I frequent.  This was some months before the Super Bowl in Minneapolis, which was in Feb. 2018.  She was concerned about child sex-trafficking, and how Super Bowls were super-spreader events for such exploitation of young people.  It was a legitimate question, not connected to politics…I thought.  [Postnote Jan 17.  Much to my surprise this person was front page material in today’s Sunday Star Tribune. She’s apparently front and center “Alley Waterbury” is the name she goes by.  There’s more, but enough for now.]

The second was an e-mail I received in 2019 from a woman my age, forwarding something from her son, my kids age, which speaks for itself.  It is the only “QAnon” stuff I have ever directly received.  Here is the two-page pdf (click to enlarge): Q-anon 2019.  I had heard of Q-anon, but this was my first knowing brush with what has generically become Q-anon.

I checked out the book.  I noted back to my friend that the book was published in 1991, at the end of 12 years of Republican presidencies of Reagan and George H.W. Bush.  The Orion project mentioned was quite likely during the Eisenhower administration. “The deep state” was in the times Republicans were President of the United States.

I’m no expert.  But here’s what seems to be a credible article about the author of the book referred to above. Here is more about the history of what might be what has come to be dubbed the Orion project of the CIA.

It is worth your time to learn more about this dangerous movement which thrives on misinformation and conspiracy theories and out and out deliberate lies.

[POSTNOTE JAN 21, 2021: Brookings Institution.  “How to respond to the Qnon threat”]

Second, there’s “Christianity”, the faith I espouse which is a very ragged collection of denominations and leaders with a not always pristine history.

Some years ago, somehow, I got on the mailing list for a right wing group whose mission is to reform the Methodist Church in its own image – to purify its practices.  It is apparently well-funded by someone(s) who think Methodism is too liberal.

The newsletter, “The Christian Methodist”, posited its Christian position, before the 2020 election, giving a so-called “Christian” perspective.  I think the 4-page newsletter is well worth a read to get a perspective from a particular point of view.  Note especially “Dr. James Dobson’s Concerns” on pp 2-4.  I have actually been to Dobson’s Focus on the Family operation in rural Colorado Springs.  It was about early 1990s, and about 100 of we visitors were given a talk on the evils of sex education in the schools, as I recall.

(I use “Christian” in quotations because there are endless “Christian” points of view, including my own, often in opposition to each other.

There are many people, like Dobson, and the editor of the newsletter, who declare in various ways their own supposedly superior positions on what being “Christian” means.  And control the microphone and the printing press.  Ultimately, this gets down more than the sanctity of belief, to the even greater lust for temporal power, in my opinion.)

There are very serious problems within the very ragged bunch who call themselves “Christian”, among whose numbers I count myself.

Trumps most reliable base is the evangelical Christians group.  But all is not happy these days.  David Brooks of the New York Times wrote a very interesting column on Jan 14: “Trump Ignites a War Within the Church”.  You can read it here: Christians & Trump.

Yesterday, a friend called attention to an interview on National Public Radio of an evangelical leader, Ed Stetzer of the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College.  You can listen to the 7 minutes here.  

I only ask that regardless of your “brand” when it comes to the beliefs noted above, that you seriously think about the implications for al of us who live in this hopefully continuing great country.  And that you not be silent.

COMMENTS:

from Jermitt: A very important message.  I agree, it has been long in the making, even longer then the Author believes. Thanks for sharing.

from David: When I read anything about Q-anon, it just sounds so bat-shit crazy that I can’t get my head around how anyone could believe it. I mean, really, a cabal of Democratic pedophiles operating a child sex ring in the basement of a pizza parlor? We all believe, I guess, that what we know as the truth must be true. So, we look at the Q folks and say, how can they believe that insane stuff? They look at us and ask how we’re able to believe the things we believe. Both of us lay claim to “facts.”

It’s the Cruz and Hawley in leadership who know the truth yet still spout the lies are the ones who are sustaining the danger to our country. Trump will slither off to Florida. Biden becomes president facing strong headwinds. However, he does have the advantage of a bar set very low. His Covid/economic plans announced today truly offer hope for a better tomorrow. You wonder if even the most dedicated of the MAGA mob might find their fury slaked a bit if Biden manages to turn things around on the virus and create conditions for an economy that works for those left out in both rural and urban America. Heck, it’s hard to imagine him doing worse than Trump.

from long-time friend in London (first portion of this letter at Jan. 13 post):  As for QAnon, conspiracy theories are spreading fast & can threaten entire societies. They aim to be attractive regardless of how difficult to believe & how obviously false. Who would not want to protect children from paedophiles? Thus QAnon is attractive especially to women. These theories have political agendas so QAnon for example points to Democrats as the perpetrators again with no attempt at supplying proof – as in the case of “Stop the Steal”.

When Buzz Aldrin was questioned by someone who didn’t believe men had landed on the moon, Aldrin who had himself landed on the moon punched him in the face. A bit of an extreme reaction for my taste but . . .

As in finance there is the supply side & the demand side. Shutting the supply of conspiracy theories (e.g. Trump’s Twitter account etc) can work but has the problem of going against free speech – Holocaust denial is punishable in Germany.

Taking the fight to the demand side which is extremely high at the moment due to various causes is important: children should be given lessons in scepticism & verification. Echo chambers should be challenged. Conditions that encourage the proliferation of conspiracy theories such as extreme inequality, poverty, people’s dignity being trampled, feelings of powerlessness & not having voices heard . . .

I continue to update the Jan. 6 post.  Check in once in awhile.

*

Last evening our neighbor, 91, called.  He lives almost literally across the street.  He lives alone, and he’d fallen twice and was in distress.

We went over.  It resulted in a 911 call and an ambulance trip to the hospital where he spent at least an overnight.  At this writing, I’m not sure of next steps.  He has increasingly severe cognitive problems, and he’s afraid of losing his independence.  But that issue will be forced at some point.

*

About now, you’re saying, “so what else is new?”  If you have family reasonably close by, you’ve experienced something akin to what I’ve just described.

As I told my wife, we’re on deck for the same experience ourselves.  We’re older.  Stuff happens.

*

With all its messiness, humans tend towards empathy for each other.  We care.  And that’s where the infrastructure – society itself – comes in.

The 911 operator last night was very helpful; the ambulance arrived in appropriate time; the EMT persons were professional; as were the people at the hospital in St. Paul.

Of course, Covid-19 makes room visits impossible at this point in time.

My wife is arranging a visit with our friends brother, who’s in his mid-80s himself, and live a half hour from here, to begin arrangements for an in-person meeting to decide on next steps if will be needed sometime.  Our friend has three other friends who in their own way will be involved in this as well.

Our society in general is inclusive.  So far, kindness trumps selfishness; caring for each other is valued as much as caring for our own well-being.

There are many ragged edges, granted, including the one we are not living through.

But I can sit here less than 24 hours after a crisis across the street, and know that society is directly involved with caring for a neighbor who cannot at this moment care for himself.

Thank you.

For about 234 years now America, the United States, has been experimenting with citizen management of government.  (It’s called “elections”.). I’ve been alive for about one-third of that time.  We have survived so far.  We are now testing Abraham Lincoln’s concern expressed at Gettysburg in 1863 – whether, or how, our nation will endure.  We’ve become careless.

The battlefield today is the state of Georgia; tomorrow at Congress in Washington D.C.; January. 20, again in Washington….

Last night, while watching the news I scribbled my recollection of Presidencies in my adult life, beginning with the election of 1960.  It is pictured below, and typed in a somewhat neater form in this pdf (click to enlarge): American Presidents since 1940 (any errors are inadvertent, corrections etc are solicited).  In the last 56 years, Republicans have been President for 32 years, Democrats have been President for 24.

The simple process of scribbling those few words from memory generated many thoughts, probably similar to how Abe Lincoln’s own scribblings caused him to think back to the history of his (and our) own young nation.

All the rest I have to say is my own opinion.  What do you want our future to be?

A great summary of the last three days of our history is once again captured by Just Above Sunset: “Sinking in”, hot off the press, hours ago..

Postnotes:

“Armageddon”, the title, is intentional.  I was actually to this place in Israel in January 1996.  It has historical context.

A brief, recent and related post about President Jimmy Carter is here.

I’d really recommend a film and activity my Citizens for Global Solutions group is going to discuss on Jan. 17.  All details here. Scroll down to Featured Events, Third Thursday Global Films.  This is a new activity for us, this is the 4th film.  We plan to continue these virtual gatherings every Third Thursday.  Publicity will always be at the web site noted above.