Created as a spin off of the older Spoken Sprocket Cycling blogs that I've written, Stubbornly Optimistic is all about life, philosophy and positivity in the face of our everyday challenges. The intent is to kindle thought, discussion and exploration of ideas through my own musings and those of yourselves, the readers. Have any feedback? hit the twitter link and let me know!
So, The last 7 days has seen the "unthinkable". Genuine, openly National Socialist and white supremacist marches on the streets of America.
It has left a young woman dead. Heather Heyer. One of 20 people hit by a person who thought it wise to drive a car into a group of protestors because he felt his rights were threatened. Heather was 32, and exercising her own right to protest. That decision cost her far too much.
Over the last 206 days since Donald Trump took office there has a been a insidious creep in the kind of separatist, "blame all our ills on others" talk that the world has seen on a number of occasions throughout human history.
Whether that be a north Korean dictator, LGBT people, blacks, hispanics "immigrants, or whoever else comes to the mind of 45 at the time, it seems there is always someone to point the finger at.
In recent years much of the worlds human right abuses have been in what we like to call the developing world, or places that have vastly different moral codes to our own western "enlightened view" Yet here we are in 2017, 99 years on from the end of the "great war" & we seem determined to walk a path towards yet more conflict. One that seemingly will originate not in a small unknown country but in the very heart of our own western society.
Those of you who know your history will know it was an assassination, that of the arch duke Franz Ferdinand, that sparked the conflict a century ago. Yet what kept it going over four bloody, grief stricken years were the allegiances and divisions, nationalism and some measure of imperialist doctrine. It is these sentiments that we now see coming to the fore.
Led by a mouthpiece who has an indefinable hold over a large number of people, with an agenda that is only partially exposed to the harsh light of publicity, the 45th president of the USA is systematically undoing that which - publicly at least - put him there in the first place.
Democracy, freedom and the simple premise that all humans are equal.
Truthfully at his inaugural speech I had grave concerns over the language used. I wrote about it back then in January . Twice.
Jumping forward in history - if you'll forgive the contradiction in terms - to a situation that arose from the ashes of the great war, I am reminded of a speech by the then UK Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain. 1938 "peace in our time...."
The single biggest danger that Trump now represents is not "who he is" but "where" By which I mean he is placed within a tolerant and forgiving "civilised" society that will seek to make reparation and to "work with" rather than "oppose"
Sadly 1938 showed us that this approach has some flaws. The rise in openly separatist and nazi rhetoric is testament to the influence that trump has. Perhaps in time we may see this as a knee jerk reaction to the 44th present and the fact that along with a myriad other qualification and qualities the man happened to have darker skin than his predecessors. Whatever the driving force, this is not an over night problem.
45 is the now visible symptom of a festering sore that has failed to heal in American society. This situation is the manifestation of years of covert under ground malice. Sleeping, waiting for that chance to rise again, when the world just starts to get comfy and thus averts its gaze long enough to allow the infection to spread.
Trump is perhaps a sacrificial lamb. The man himself is too great a buffoon to have any real power willingly vested in him by those who do have an agenda. He has little real skill, save one. He can control or at least incite the mob, as a self publicist and narcissistic showman, and THAT is his greatest asset. and should be our greatest fear.
For once that mob starts to move, and I believe we are seeing the slow gatherings of speed, events will spiral. 45 has been invested with an authority he deserves less than he understands. So when events begin to spin out of his control as they inevitable will, those who could manage the situation will be left powerless by virtue of the office of the President of the USA being held by someone with none of the required skills. Some might even say that 45 lacks will to calm the coming storm, since it is he who brought it forth.
It could be said that the democratically elected ruler of Germany in 1932/3 was the ruin of both his country and it's reputation for generations thereafter.
Donald Trump may yet prove to have a similar destiny and place in history. One can hope not of course, but if it is to be so, then the question is: how much of the rest of the world will the US take down during its own implosion?
Anglo german relation were important in 1938. In 2017, are the US/UK relations any less so? The most powerful nation on our planet is - currently at least - the greatest threat to humanity.
If you're not worried by that, then I suggest you take a closer look.
This is very quick, short blog, in the writing of which i find myself quite frankly at a loss for words to adequately express my utter dismay at the drastic turn of events that the world has seen in less than 2 weeks.
Trump America "officially puts Iran on notice, for firing a missile, AFTER the TRUMP ADMINISTRATION needlessly closes its borders with Iran and its main sphere of influence countries.
What does that mean? Telegraph media net had this to say..
The exact meaning of being “on notice” wasn’t defined, but Trump already is on record as being critical of the various promises, payments and commitments made to Iran by both the U.S. and the United Nations as “being weak and ineffective.”
I had a very quick internet search for "on notice" in the same vein that "representation" has a strong diplomatic message when referring to political language. I am sad to say I can find no reference to the term at this time, so i'm going to conclude that this is something of a "Trumpian" truth and very much a knee jerk PR related statement. However, watch this space.
Its also worth noting that the USA and IRAN are both still bound by treaties, despite what The Trump sputters in outrage into his evening coffee, thus at this stage it is the USA not IRAN that would be in major breach if they start hostilities.
All in all we've figuratively taken a few steps closer to midnight... and that after 30'seconds just recently...
...with any other individual incumbent in the Whitehouse this might be seen as unfortunate. With The trump its down right terrifying. America may yet rue the day....
As ever stay vigilant and keep it #stubbornlyoptimistic
That is currently where the UK find itself, and by extension Mrs May our PM.
Brexit: Uk is out in the cold from the European family.
America: In the hands of a fascist manipulator who promises much but changes his mind with the ratings.
I commend the chutzpa of Mrs May for walking into the lions den, perhaps as a mediator between The Trump and the right thinking world, or as one seeking trade deals etc. I genuinely feel for her being wrong footed by his subsequent, almost immediate, release of an indefensible immigration ban, regardless of how much or how little she she knew privately.
International relations rely on shared national interest. Or to put it another way "mutual benefit" what then of shared Morality, or shared values.
Britain does business with many. Democracy, Autocracy, Principality, or Theocracy. Business often crosses boundaries of how we humans live. Laws for instance are not universal. What someone does quite freely in the UK can get one arrested or jailed in Saudi Arabia. Indeed "normal" in America is very much not so in the UK. Gun laws being one easy example.
But one thing did come out of Mrs Mays visit. the "apparent" commitment to Nato that The Trump publicly promised.
This is clever, and I'm cautiously optimistic (see what i did there?) First of all the statement is public, and thus Trump can be called out on it should he change his pan...mind...
Secondly it seeks to re establish the principle of multi national effort in the mind of the US administration. By extensions it also d=send quite the stark message that action by a nato congruity in isolation would be viewed rather critically.
Of course Mrs May is a politician, by which I mean a diplomat and Practiced negotiator well versed in the rules of that particular game. Her "stony expression" when most of us would fail to keep the sheer incredulity off our faces is quite remarkable.
The worry is Trump isn't playing the same game. The "normal" rules don't seem to apply.
Also, have to commend the BBC's Laura Kunesburg for a brilliant question. Trumps response was all to predictable. Some say it was in jest. I Suspect not so much. he turns and says to Mrs May "this was your choice of question?"
Forgive me but I suspect Mrs May had little to do with a free press question freely asked. Yet Trump assumes it to be a specifically set question..? Intriguing insight into his mind set of normal media relations and their control.
All in all, the latest events point towards an anti Iran stance and an American administration very much against the Islamic world as a whole. I am drawn to that statement regarding "wiping Radical Islamic terror" off the face of the earth. Note the word radical. Not "extremists" as has been previously used. Radical simply means "to change" it does not necessarily means to change by force. Some dictionary definitions even include "progressive" in the definition.
So if The Trump had stood up and said "wipe progressive islamic terror" off the face of the earth then that wouldn't make sense. Neither would "islamic terror" since it is for to broadly inclusive.
I have always been the type of person who judged things based on experience and observation, creating an understanding to link the two via research. I used to drive my school teachers mad, by constantly asking "why"
Why why why?
Why did the UK PM go to see The Trump so quickly? because she had to. It's too late after he leaves nato or cuts funding. She as many I think would agree, knew we cant trust trump beyond his last press conference. So quick remedial and pre emptive action was needed. As state visit however, was perhaps a little too much reward, too soon.
Of course theres the trade deals and all that stuff, but its predominantly window dressing. without NATO all else becomes somewhat moot. The will tell if Mrs May has made a lasting impact. Sadly being a woman i suspect Tump privately is wondering just how she escaped the washing up, rather than giving long term credence to her views.
We now wait for The Trump's next move, to announce an appointment to the supreme court. But for the next few days I'm turning my eyes to those who react to the breakneck acceleration of his runaway train of poor political policy.
Iran, and the other six countries. Europe, UK, and its devolved assemblies. HRH Queen Elizabeth and perhaps more importantly the mechanism and personalities of the US government. The law makers, and ordinary people who now see just what they have to deal with.
America/the world is teetering on a sociopolitical edge. It wont take much of a lever to tip it. Hence why I replied to the Israel ambassadors tweet directly...
Iran fired a test missile today. Aggression, or reaction? you decide.
A friend asked me today if we have another war, say if America goes after the oil or resource and strategic location of Iran (that Trump thinks the US should have retained control of in Iraq), will it involve British troops. It might. our "special relationship" might end up with "British boots on the ground"
But consider this.
If we go in in support of Trump America we truly are aggressors. Post Brexit Europe may well be pitched against us, politically and militarily.
If we stand with our NATO allies, discourage trump America yet he ignores us and go it alone, we could be looking at American soldiers, people we have stood beside and fought with for so long, across different side of a conflict zone.
Whatever motivation and beliefs that driving this agenda, be they Trumps, Bannon's or Pence's, it is highly likely that if left unchecked he will destroy America, and possibly much of what we used to call "the free world" along with it.
You doubt that he can achieve such a feat in 4 years? Look at the effect 8 days of Trump have had on the world.
I'm sat at the computer, a blank page in front of me. I am wondering just exactly how to put my thoughts and opinions into words on the screen.
How does one articulate ones observations, concerns and fears, with a nod to critical thinking, objectivity and solid research.
Also, I confess a pervasuive sinking feeling. The title of this blog is "Stubbornly Optimistic". Yet I think you'll forgive me if I say that currently one has to be uncommonly stubborn to be all that optimistic regarding world events. The entirely justified, yet unending stream of negative news spewing forth regarding The Trump's actions is demoralising.
I asked myself if that is because of my own political opinions and beliefs. In truth perhaps so, although thats also an over simplification.
Take the latest direct action by the Trump. Blocking ingress of people from certain countries for various time periods. The countries concerned being ones in which the residents have not instigated any succesful terrorist action in or on America. So, even if one agrees this is the right action, it is against the wrong countries.
Is it the right action? Well where does the actual real threat of terrorism come from? Not from the refugees, thats well known. So even were the action against the "right" countries it's proven to be ineffective via already held data.
So, I refer back to my last few blogs. Is The Trump an idiot or a genius? We know he is fical to say the least but one has to ask why these countries. If not for security, as the "alternative justification" would suggest, then why?
I had suggested that it may be a republican christian fundamentalist policy enacted by proxy, so they can distance themselves as a party from political fall out. Allowing The Trump to take the fall as it were. However that doesn't hold up. Pence, has previously tweeted....
Pence may be a fully paid up Christian fundamentalist and have his own litany of faults, but he is a politician. Very much not a loose cannon. It would however seem his views are flexible to political expediency. The pursuit of power, perhaps for entirely legitamate reasons from his POV, may ultimately be via a means that he comes to regret. (especially if it leads to war with Iran....now thats a proper OOPSIE)
The civil right act has outlawed discrimination based on race in the US since 1964. But here's another angle. Last year we saw racial tensions rise. We saw black and white Americans killing each other based predominantly on their skin colour.
Ww have also had 8 years of an erudite, educated and liberal, but also black US President. There are some in America who only see the 4th item on that list as anything of consequence.
"We, the citizens of America, are now joined in a great national effort to rebuild our country and to restore its promise for all of our people."
Donald J Trump...
So the current immigration block. Is it race discrimination dressed up as security? The alt right links that Trump had (has?) do rather suggest a racial motivation. His former CEO Steve Bannon now holds a position in the administration as chief advisor no less, and a high level security post. based on what experience? Ideology?
It begs the question. Who was Trump talking about when he referenced "our" people? Not "American people" but "our" people?
Whoever holds The Trumps ear, be it Pence, or Bannon, will shape the "tone" of American domestic events for good or ill. Latterly we haven't seen much of the former.
However...
The ACLU just gave us the first and perhaps most significant silver lining. Trump is facing battle in the courts. In congress, and on the streets, ordinary Americans with the legal skill sets are working pro bono to arrange the freeing of those detained. Most significantly legal action has been taken and succeeded stating this action by The trump is unconstitutional. Effectively the law courts reversed the president's order.
America is slowly turning it gaze inward, and if not yet at war with itself, is seemingly having some pointed internal discussions.
The second "possible" sliver lining came from an unexpected direction. Teresa May. Seemingly attempting to reign in the worst of The Trumps hyperbole. I say "possible" as it is early days and there may yet be other motives behind the PM's apparent eagerness to meet with the new president's office. It is fair to say that the UK and the USA do need to cultivate a working relationship, regardless of the personalities in office. Though quite how symbiotic this one is likely to be is unclear at this point.
Perhaps the most Stubbornly Optimistic observation of recent days is this.
President he maybe, but The Trump is still merely one man. Granted he has a team of like minded group think behind him. However there are far more people in influential positions willing to oppose his transgressions than extend them. Ordinary people too, alternative communication accounts springing up in answer to the national parks twitter shut down....
The more People in all walks of life mobilise, speak out and act, the weaker he will become. That may be scant comfort, given that the world will keep spinning whilst that happens, with Russia and others dropping into at the power vacuum whilst the US has it eyes elsewhere... but in the current climate it is a comfort that I for one will take.
The Trump may yet make America Great Again. However I doubt he envisaged that he and the white nationalist agenda would the common enemy that brought them to that end.
The process however may be far from pretty, or peaceful.
I had promised myself that on the back of my last two articles I was going await events and see what transpired.
But, sometimes it's hard to switch off from what you see building up. I was looking for comedy videos on you tube last night, funny memes, anything, to distract me from the frankly overwhelmingly negative vibes coming from the epicentre of the American political establishment. I found Russel Howard.
So, as someone once said, "A week is long time in politics".
With Pence's Trump fowling up the place its a lifetime. As of 18hrs ago this was the reckoning;- (Thank's to Kelly Tonks for the research)
For those finding it difficult to keep up - here's a run down of the week so far To recap: January 19th, 2017, DT said that he would cut funding for the DOJ’s Violence Against Women programs.* On January 19th, 2017, DT said that he would cut funding for the National Endowment for the Arts.* On January 19th, 2017, DT said that he would cut funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities.
January 19th, 2017, DT said that he would cut funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. January 19th, 2017, DT said that he would cut funding for the Minority Business Development Agency. January 19th, 2017, DT said that he would cut funding for the Economic Development Administration. January 19th, 2017, DT said that he would cut funding for the International Trade Administration. January 19th, 2017, DT said that he would cut funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership. January 19th, 2017, DT said that he would cut funding for the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. January 19th, 2017, DT said that he would cut funding for the Legal Services Corporation. January 19th, 2017, DT said that he would cut funding for the Civil Rights Division of the DOJ. January 19th, 2017, DT said that he would cut funding for the Environmental and Natural Resources Division of the DOJ. January 19th, 2017, DT said that he would cut funding for the Overseas Private Investment Corporation. January 19th, 2017, DT said that he would cut funding for the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. January 19th, 2017, DT said that he would cut funding for the Office of Electricity Deliverability and Energy Reliability.
January 19th, 2017, DT said that he would cut funding for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. January 19th, 2017, DT said that he would cut funding for the Office of Fossil Energy.
January 20th, 2017, DT ordered all regulatory powers of all federal agencies frozen.
January 19th, 2017, DT said that he would cut funding for the National Endowment for the Arts. January 19th, 2017, DT said that he would cut funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities. January 19th, 2017, DT said that he would cut funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. January 19th, 2017, DT said that he would cut funding for the Minority Business Development Agency. January 19th, 2017, DT said that he would cut funding for the Economic Development Administration. January 19th, 2017, DT said that he would cut funding for the International Trade Administration. January 19th, 2017, DT said that he would cut funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership. January 19th, 2017, DT said that he would cut funding for the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.
January 19th, 2017, DT said that he would cut funding for the Legal Services Corporation. January 19th, 2017, DT said that he would cut funding for the Civil Rights Division of the DOJ. January 19th, 2017, DT said that he would cut funding for the Environmental and Natural Resources Division of the DOJ. January 19th, 2017, DT said that he would cut funding for the Overseas Private Investment Corporation. January 19th, 2017, DT said that he would cut funding for the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. January 19th, 2017, DT said that he would cut funding for the Office of Electricity Deliverability and Energy Reliability. January 19th, 2017, DT said that he would cut funding for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. January 19th, 2017, DT said that he would cut funding for the Office of Fossil Energy. January 20th, 2017, DT ordered all regulatory powers of all federal agencies frozen.
January 20th, 2017, DT ordered the National Parks Service to stop using social media after RTing factual, side by side photos of the crowds for the 2009 and 2017 inaugurations. January 20th, 2017, roughly 230 protestors were arrested in DC and face unprecedented felony riot charges. Among them were legal observers, journalists, and medics. January 20th, 2017, a member of the International Workers of the World was shot in the stomach at an anti-fascist protest in Seattle. He remains in critical condition.
January 21st, 2017, DT brought a group of 40 cheerleaders to a meeting with the CIA to cheer for him during a speech that consisted almost entirely of framing himself as the victim of dishonest press.
January 21st, 2017, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer held a press conference largely to attack the press for accurately reporting the size of attendance at the inaugural festivities, saying that the inauguration had the largest audience of any in history, “period.”
January 22nd, 2017, White House advisor Kellyann Conway defended Spicer’s lies as “alternative facts” on national television news. January 22nd, 2017, DT appeared to blow a kiss to director James Comey during a meeting with the FBI, and then opened his arms in a gesture of strange, paternal affection, before hugging him with a pat on the back. January 23rd, 2017, DT reinstated the global gag order, which defunds international organizations that even mention abortion as a medical option. January 23rd, 2017, Spicer said that the US will not tolerate China’s expansion onto islands in the South China Sea, essentially threatening war with China.
January 23rd, 2017, DT repeated the lie that 3-5 million people voted “illegally” thus costing him the popular vote. January 23rd, 2017, it was announced that the man who shot the anti-fascist protester in Seattle was released without charges, despite turning himself in. January 23rd, 2017, it was announced that the man who shot the anti-fascist protester in Seattle was released without charges, despite turning himself in. January 24th, 2017, Spicer reiterated the lie that 3-5 million people voted “illegally” thus costing DT the popular vote. January 24th, 2017, DT tweeted a picture from his personal Twitter account of a photo he says depicts the crowd at his inauguration and will hang in the White House press room. The photo is curiously dated January 21st, 2017, the day AFTER the inauguration and the day of the Women’s March, the largest inauguration related protest in history. January 24th, 2017, the EPA was ordered to stop communicating with the public through social media or the press and to freeze all grants and contracts. January 24th, 2017, the USDA was ordered to stop communicating with the public through social media or the press and to stop publishing any papers or research. All communication with the press would also have to be authorized and vetted by the White House.
January 24th, 2017, HR7, a bill that would prohibit federal funding not only to abortion service providers, but to any insurance coverage, including Medicaid, that provides abortion coverage, went to the floor of the House for a vote.
January 24th, 2017, Director of the Department of Health and Human Service nominee Tom Price characterized federal guidelines on transgender equality as “absurd.”
January 24th, 2017, it was discovered that police officers had used confiscated cell phones to search the emails and messages of the 230 demonstrators now facing felony riot charges for protesting on January 20th, including lawyers and journalists whose email accounts contain privileged information of clients and sources. And today: the wall and a ban on Muslims entering from a large number of countries and the end to accepting Syrian refugee
January 24th, 2017, DT ordered the resumption of construction on the Dakota Access Pipeline, while the North Dakota state congress considers a bill that would legalize hitting and killing protestors with cars if they are on roadways.
And now we have:
The USA to UN funding is to be revisited and a moratorium conducted under two presidential executive orders. A worrying development to be sure .. but I'll come back to this.
So. Where to begin? Objectivity. There are a number possible causes for the actions we see from the Whitehouse:
1) Trump is a self obsessed Liability, and nobody knew so we're flying blind here
2) Trump is a self obsessed Liability, Pence et al knew and colluded hoping to limit damage.
3) Trump is a self obsessed Liability, Pence et al knew and agree with what he's doing and/or the way its being done.
Now the 4th option.
4) Trump is not an idiot and we've all missed something.
Ok. lets explore option 4: Sure Trump is a challenging character, brash, moneyed, uncultured and blunt. Not particularly likeable. He does however resonate with the presentation of a "get stuff done" vibe that strikes chords with the blue collar under belly of much of America. After all its often said "nice guys rarely win fire fights" So perhaps, just perhaps, his business acumen may lend him some currency in areas of government that he might have passing knowledge of. After all bankruptcy isn't un common in business.
If that were true, and his differences aside from those of policy, were mainly ones of style when compared to the past presidents, democrat and republican alike, then many could look beyond his unpleasantness. (should?, no. but could? yes) waiting for him to prove his competance. One can after all separate the "man" from the "office", we are no stranger to unpleasant politicians in either side of the pond.
However it is his Character that worries and frightens. Shown time and again demonstrably as a pathological liar prone to egomaniacal behavioural traits. Quick to make up spurious comment on the fly, fabricating facts to suit theories and presenting himself in a positive light at the expense of either fact or truth. When called out on the flagrant errors of these statements he attacks the credibility of those who argue against him rather than dealing with the accusations, refusing to take questions from specific reporters etc.
In short the "Man" cannot be trusted. Thus the "office of the president of the USA" cannot at present be trusted.
OK, taking that forward, what next? "The Office of the president of the USA" is more than one man. its a group effort. Press officers, Sean Spicer being one who has been on screen quite a bit. Even his reserve cracked with a rueful smile on one occasion when "defending the claim of 3 million illegal votes" that lost The Donald a majority electorate vote. His statement "That is what the president believes" being as close as any press officer can get to "i know its crap but i cant say that" in public.
Today the Entire state departments senior team resigned. Why? could that be a moral and ethical stand in refusing to serve an administration and by association government that does not value facts or truth?
As I alluded to in my blog "Trump card" I cannot believe this all happened because the establishment was blind to Trump's faults. So option 1) is out. This leave options 2/3.
If someone or a group of someones planned this, then there must be an end goal in sight. What is that goal? How will it be achieved? Does Trump believe he will do it? Does the republican party and Pence think they can guide him sufficiently to neuter his worst faux par's? Do "The Donald" and "the Republican party" Actually have the same goals? (see option 5)
Senior republicans have already told "The Donald" to knock it off regarding the 3 million illegal votes. Yet he has ordered some form of enquiry as yet to be determined. (mind you that could be yet another alternative fact to save face, one which never bears fruit)
"The Donald" seem to be governing as a CEO presently, expecting state and others to simply do as he wishes. Mexico could be a problem though since he doesn't run that, and I wouldn't want to be the white house staffer to explain that "inconvenient truth" to him. One gets the impression that "No" isn't a world he hears often, hence his incomprehension that someone might actually disagree with him and refuse to budge. Ego says 'wall will be built and paid for by Mexico". Thus The Donald believe it to be so.
Time will ultimately tell if the republican party can direct their loose cannon, minimise collateral damage and hit their intended targets. For now much of "The Donald's" agenda and "the republicans" are aligned. Once it is no longer so I would venture that an impeachment will happen between now and 2020. Which side of the house it comes from is anyones guess.
There is however an option 5. This is the real scary one. The one where a "perceived fool" with unlimited resource fools us all, gains power and thus gets to reshape the world as we know it for many many years to come.
5) Trump is an egomaniac, and a facist believing in breeding, racial superiority and a few other choice "theories". One with whom the republican establishment knowlingly makes a bargain to get into power. Yet they under estimate the dragon they have unleashed. The dragon refuses to be constrained and having weakened the international checks and balances of a US funded U.N and NATO.... America can once more act Militarily independently and somewhat unchallenged. All he needs is time....One single successful terror attack is the excuse the dragon need to set the fire.....just one....
And who then will stand in the way? Who then will tell "The Donald" to "knock it off" ?
Were Pence and his ilk were looking inward, to their "'christian doctrine agenda, old skool right and proper ideology" Bathroom bills etc with all its "great inclusivity" of marginalised peoples...?
Whilst The Donald was looking outward, to a global power base, unencumbered by accountability and the need to work with others... growth, expansion resource, redraw the map...
Will 2017-2020 be remembered as the 21st century's equivalent to the lead up in 1936-39? will fascism wear a suit and play its trump card?
Will good honest people fact check, shake heads and then wonder how?
It's happened before...
Until next time, keep your eyes open and stay #stubbornlyoptimistic
Tonight I had hoped to write something that was a little more "uplifting" than my last article. After all it was, as one reader rather succinctly put it, "Bleak".
But.....
America's Trump continues to reverberate around the globe, and the smell doesn't get any sweeter.
Pipelines being built, environmental protections reversed. Climate change monitoring has its funding frozen. Suposedly "The Trump" has won awards for "Environmentalist Trump".... I'll just leave this here...
Soon theres going to be line of merchandising dolls no doubt to go with the cinematic drama...
President Trump (Certified Free from vested interests)
Environmentalist Trump (Including awards certificate - missing from box)
Businessman Trump (with 6 certified bankruptcy proofs. Please send off the coupons enclosed for the tax returns..we'll get them back to you honest)
Making America great again Trump..(with free red hat)
Truthful Trump (production cancelled due to lack of ...well.... truth)
And of course not forgetting....
LGBT Trump with free Mike pence Doll and & day pass to a reparative therapy Spa of your choice.
(All made under license in China)
In short the uplifting article i was hoping to pen this evening has taken a battering.... However all is not lost.
In the face of what some might dress as outright lies, but other's recognise as bone fide "alternative facts". The day after this infant(ile) American administration began it's long 4 year march to ignominy and ridicule, we have a refreashing dose of law, order and good old fashioned common sense from the UK Supreme court.
Due Process. Love or loathe Brexit, the proper process and legal frame works must be adhered to. A fact "The Trump" would be wise to pay heed to. The UK parliament must now debate the issue and satisfy the UK constitutional requirements. Proof that, even now, no man, (or woman) is above democracy or the rule of law.
I hope you'll forgive another Tolkien indulgence as i quote everyone's favourite Grey Wizard
"There are other forces at work here besides the will of evil - and that is an encouraging thought"
So. What to bring as a counter foil to the bleak and dreary?
How about a tribute to a funny guy, whilst poking fun a the whole European "thing" circa 1939 style.
Allo Allo ran for a good number of years when i was a kid and even though some of the humor has dated a little, the cheeky take on the serious business of occupied France in the war complete with dodgy accents and terrible french from English agent come Police officer "crabtree" still makes me Chuckle...
But I'm gonna leave the final word to Ronnie Barker. When boxed in, be it figuratively or literally, there's three things to remember:
So it's goodnight from me...and its goodnight from him
