I have flashbacks from my work years so often. Seeing this on TV reminded me of a time when I was covering the outdoor portion of the Memorial Day program. Always looking around for a nice feature photo, I spotted a 100 percent wholesome American family with a young daughter standing in front and wearing a hat just like I described.
Just to show you the kind of minefield I faced in my work, a totally innocuous photo-op like this led to some contention. The family was delighted to have me come over. I had known the father since my childhood. He was from the Alberta area. Moments after taking the photo, a well-known Morris resident, a man of course, accosted me and said "you'll get in trouble if you publish that." He explained that the hat was a violation of the proper handling of the flag symbol.
I should have told him (initials S.D.) to go sit under a cow. But of course I didn't, so I listened and feigned interest and then walked back to my friends and told them I'd been advised not to publish the photo. The father gave an expression of some chagrin. The TV show from the nation's capital had no problem with a scene like this.
This year we couldn't have the standard Memorial Day program. Or at least I assume that. We are conditioned to avoid public gatherings, although resistance is voiced to this.
We have Republican state legislators, of course, who appear to reflect the general skepticism about curtailment of normal activity. Republicans concern me greatly these days: their avoidance of normal and sensible critical thinking, their lack of restraint in lashing out against members of the other party who at least mean well - don't they? - and their allegiance to national figures almost irregardless of what those leaders are selling. Is this Germany of 1933? This would have been constructive speculation a couple months ago, now it seems nearly established fact.
Donald Trump is the biggest problem and this would be manageable if more members of his own party would be inclined to assess and opine with their own faculties. But they don't. It hardly matters at all what comes out now. Any serious blemish that comes out re. Trump is met with spin and a tortured defense or excuse-making by members of his political party. Exceptions are Jeff Flake and Mitt Romney.
Our Torrey Westrom argued that we should all be "disgusted" with Governor Walz - a Democrat of course - for not allowing normal graduation ceremonies. The language can be so confrontational and disrespectful. It's hard to deal with that way.
Republicans talk about government "regulations" as if these were just foisted on society with evil intent by Democrats. When I read of regulations being scrubbed, I want to know the details of them and with what rationale they were enacted. For certainly there are credible justifications for such things, although you can always argue that some are unnecessary. But the broad brush "cut regulations" cry is offered as if we should all just nod our heads.
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| Jeff Backer |
Did you get the flyer from Mr. Baldy recently? Nice to know his political party is the most committed to "making health care more affordable for families." And, "lowering your taxes." It must be nice having such a neat and simple world view as those of Backer's ilk have: Republicans are smart, valiant and intelligent. Democrats are the opposite of these things, period. No need to ponder further.
If you really believe Republicans are most likely to provide relief on health care, I have some land south of Florida I'd like to sell you.
I will listen to Republicans if they really have particulars on these matters. I am happy to talk with Republicans and conservatives at any time if they wish to talk in terms of real facts. How could I not be? There are definitely times when "real" Republicans like those in the Lincoln Project have truly constructive things to offer.
And I swear that if Democrats seize a majority of power, they can drive you crazy with their excesses too. Not enough vigilance with being prudent about the public purse etc. I feel quite irritated listening to Elizabeth Warren talk about "free college for everyone." It's folly.
What about taxes? What about property taxes? Don't you find the latter to be the crux of the matter? What would Backer and Westrom say about that? What about relief in the form of more state aid for local government?
A reasonable conservative might express caution because the more "aid" that gets thrown around, the more we see a runaway gravy train. Even well-known progressive Lawrence O'Donnell, a very wise person on MSNBC, referred to "conservatives, who play a very important role in our political system." I couldn't agree more.
I "discovered" conservatism in my mid-20s after having been denied such knowledge in my college years at a state college. It's nice to know that one of the two leading political philosophies in America is not simply one of pathology. So it was nice gleaning that background, then in subsequent years I found so much that was unpleasant about the conservative/Republican crowd. In defining this I need only cite Donald Trump. Secondarily, his sycophants on Fox News.
Rush Limbaugh was confronted about the national deficit and responded "there are no conservatives in Washington D.C. any more." Well to hell with Washington, Rush, isn't that a place people like you have decried for a long time?
How can Limbaugh complain about his Republican masters now, after having basked in glory with the "award" Trump personally bestowed on him? Talk about "the swamp." Limbaugh asks "what has happened to the Drudge Report?" Well Rush, Matt Drudge is in league with yours truly as a real journalist, seeking facts and using them as grist to advise the American people on what's going on. Journalism stands for nothing if not for this. So Drudge readers are advised constantly about danger signs being put forward from Trump and his sycophant crowd.
Germany 1933. Keep that in mind. Nuremberg-type rallies like the one in Tulsa, although we can feel heartened by the failure of that one. So there's hope? We must always put forward hope.
We obviously did not have the standard high school graduation in Morris. It was the safe decision.
Pandemic is hardly abating
The headlines now are all about the virus erupting around the U.S. to a degree we could not have expected. Yet there are "conservatives" who wish to diss Dr. Fauci. Why can't the more intelligent strain of conservatives like the Lincoln Project get more traction and take over in the debate more? Instead they are on the outside throwing stones.
Fox News is nothing but scared, scared that the American public is going to wake up to the true facts about everything. So they lead off a typical hour with a report on the "autonomous zone" in Seattle.
I covered the Morris graduations for countless years for the Morris paper. I was there when the earthquake happened - sounded like a train rumbling just outside. The student speaker at the time was Mr. Lopez. I believe he said later that he wasn't immediately aware of what happened.
My career lasted long enough that I covered one graduation at the new gym. I was struck by how much easier it was to hear at the new place. I had great difficulty for many years hearing well enough at the 1968 gym. Perhaps the administration should have rolled up its sleeves making sure the best possible sound equipment was employed.
I got exasperated to the point where I went to the school office just before graduation and asked if I might obtain the class speakers' speeches in writing. I got them, but there's always a risk of these kids "riffing" or departing from the script.
The graduation was on Friday and our paper came out Tuesday. We had lots of space in the paper to do justice. These were "the good old days" for consuming the Morris paper. When the paper became a mere weekly and came out Saturday, coverage of the graduation could not appear on Saturday so a whole week would go by. The Forum people tried fooling us by getting copies of the speeches to type in advance, but this all got processed before the event even happened. My heart is warmed thinking of the old way we did it.
My first year covering the Morris graduation was the last year the school even attempted to have a visiting "celebrity" speaker. It was our lieutenant governor and he did not show. He had an explanation deemed lame by many, having to do with weather, but we suspected that more important things came up for him. Last name of Wangberg.
There was no disappointment over his failure to show - we seemed actually to rather cheer that. Is that still our attitude? Or might we go back to the tradition of a celebrity visitor? Worth thinking about.
I was at graduation the year we had a student speaker - last name Korth as I recall - who got humor out of George W. Bush's tendency to abuse the English language. Remember "Bushisms?" I saw a whole desk calendar based on that once. I wonder if that portion of the speech had been approved by administration. Thing is, George W. Bush is no longer held in a favorable light by most of the Republican Party. He's more in line with someone like Mitt Romney.
So the crazed Republicans of today might not care if some disrespect was shown Mr. Bush. They show such vicious disrespect toward so many people including people who are inclined to wear masks. 1933 Germany yes. A cult of personality around Trump.
There is outward support toward Trump on both ends of my neighborhood, east and west. Those properties both have connections to the Apostolics. I doubt they will cool on their mania even with evidence that Trump is a horrible overt racist.
We should feel concern about the state of our Morris community in the year 2020. Trump was asked about the wonderful health care plan that he feels his party will bestow. Wouldn't it be wonderful to know the details about that? Wouldn't such details help the GOP in the next election? Given this golden opportunity, Trump responded: "Well, first we need Republicans to take back the House." Non-stop combativeness, finger-pointing and the like.
Barack Obama, America turns its lonely eyes to you. Rand Paul, go sit under a cow. My 2004 Malibu has a "Kamala" sticker on the back, for Kamala Harris.
Addendum: A headline from "Bluestem Prairie" about Backer has this headline: "Jeff Backer hates liberal homosexual money, solicits socially conservative campaign cash." My God, is THIS the kind of person we have chosen to be in the legislature?
I have a podcast episode to share with you today: a recitation of the July 1 devotional entry for my ELCA Lutheran church. This is on my new "Morris Mojo" podcast. Get a taste of how the supposedly "liberal" ELCA Lutherans view life and spirituality. We are the opposite of the Apostolics. Please click on the link below, and thanks so much.
https://anchor.fm/brian-williams596/episodes/A-July-1-devotional-message-eg6gmf
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
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