Former Socialist, Former Republican, Former Contributor to The American Spectator, Former Resident of Canada, Back in Boston Area After Stints in New York City & Atlanta, Current Mustache Wearer & Aficionado of Baseball, Bowling in All Its Forms, Cats, Music & Healthy Living
Friday, September 30, 2022
Mariners End 21-Year Playoff Drought; Join Jays & Rays as AL Wild Cards
Tuesday, September 27, 2022
Cardinals Beat Brewers to Win NL Central
Bronx Bombers Clinch AL East Title But That Won't Be Enough for Yankees Fans
Sunday, September 25, 2022
Who Will Marlins Reel In To Be Their New Manager With Mattingly Departure?
Biden Administration Should Halt Nuclear Negotiations with Iran Amid Protests
We’re talking about diplomacy to prevent Iran from ever getting a nuclear weapon. If we can succeed in that effort, and we are determined to succeed in that effort, the world, America and our allies will be safer. And that will not stop us in any way from pushing back and speaking out on Iran’s brutal repression of its citizens and its women. We can and will do both.
As I seem to recall, American diplomacy with North Korea did not prevent that regime from developing a nuclear weapon. So I dispute Sullivan's thesis that another Iran nuclear agreement will make us safer. But the fact the Biden Administration is continuing to pursue a nuclear agreement with Iran at a time when Iran is publicly suppressing dissent effectively rewards the regime's behavior.
I say this with the understanding that the Iranian regime has been behaving like this since it took power in 1979 and there are probably tens of thousands of Mahsa Amini's in graves all over the country. But with this uprising there is a chance the Iranian regime could fall. Continuing to pursue the agreement only prolongs its legitimacy. Should there be more public bloodshed at the hands of the Iranian regime continuing negotiations would be untenable.
Under the present circumstances, the time has come for the Biden Administration to halt negotiations with Iran.
Cleveland Guardians Clinch AL Central Exceeding All Expectations
Saturday, September 24, 2022
When Bill Blaikie Spoke About My Future
I was saddened to learn about the passing of Bill Blaikie, who served as a Member of Parliament from Winnipeg under the NDP banner for nearly 30 years. Blaikie succumbed to kidney cancer on Saturday at the age of 71.
A Unitarian Minister by vocation, Blaikie was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons in 1979 and would be re-elected eight times until retiring in 2008. In 2003, Blaikie sought the NDP leadership but was defeated by Jack Layton. During his last years in the Commons, Blaikie served as Deputy Speaker. He also served a single term as a NDP member of the Manitoba legislature from 2009 to 2011 before retiring from politics for good. His son Daniel is currently a MP from the same area while his daughter Rebecca served as President of the NDP for a number of years.
When I lived in Ottawa attending Carleton University during the early 1990's, I served as a parliamentary intern for several NDP MPs. Although I did not intern for Blaikie, I came across him regularly. He was a large bear of a man who could come across as gruff. But he also possessed a dry sense of humor.
When I interned for Nelson Riis in the fall of 1994, I did some research into corporate taxation and had found the Royal Bank of Canada had not paid any corporate tax at all which the NDP saw fit to use. Blaikie congratulated me during a NDP caucus meeting stating, "Aaron, you have a bright future ahead of you, but it won't be with the Royal Bank."
I don't know if he remembered uttering it nor can I say how bright my future turned out to be, but it is one of the nicest things anyone has said about me. R.I.P.
Friday, September 23, 2022
Louise Fletcher, R.I.P.
Two Cheers for Albert Pujols' 700th Career Home Run
On Friday night, Albert Pujols became only the fourth player in MLB history to record 700 career home runs. The St. Louis Cardinals slugger joined Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds in this exclusive club when he took Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Phil Bickford in the fourth inning much to the delight of the crowd at Chavez Ravine. Of course, Pujols wore a Dodgers uniform during a portion of last season. It was actually Pujols' 2nd HR of the night along with 5 RBI in an 11-0 rout of the Dodgers. The win puts the Cardinals' magic number to clinch the NL Central to 4.
Pujols, 42, is having a remarkable final act in his return to St. Louis. In 287 at bats this season, Pujols has hit 21 HR and 58 RBI. While Pujols might not eclipse The Bambino's 714 HRs, he does have a chance to pass Ruth for second place on the all-time RBI list. Pujols has 2208 RBI and needs only 7 more RBIs to go ahead of The Babe. Hank Aaron is MLB's all-time RBI leader with 2297. For good measure, Pujols, Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright have a chance for a third World Series ring together before their impending retirement. The trio won World Series rings with the Redbirds in 2006 and 2011. I was excited about Pujols return to St. Louis when he signed a one year deal back in March and he has exceeded all expectations.
Well, almost all expectations.
The reason I am only giving Pujols two cheers is because back in April he announced divorce proceedings from his wife of 22-years only days after she had surgery to remove a brain tumor. There might have been a myriad of reasons why the marriage of Albert and Deidre Pujols has come to an end. But to initiate divorce proceedings in the immediate aftermath of a life and death medical situation strikes me as incredibly cruel and makes me view the future Hall of Famer in a different light.
Yes, Albert Pujols deserves to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame come 2028. He is among the greatest of the greatest players to ever wear a baseball uniform. But being among the greatest baseball players doesn't make you among the greatest human beings much less a good person.
I am more than happy to acknowledge Pujols' on-field achievements. But I am not prepared to turn a blind eye to this act of indecency at home.
Is The COVID Pandemic Over as U.S. Passes 96 Million Cases?
The pandemic is over. We still have a problem with COVID. We're still doing a lotta work on it. It's-- but the pandemic is over. if you notice, no one's wearing masks. Everybody seems to be in pretty good shape. And so I think it's changing. And I think this is a perfect example of it.
In the final sentence, President Biden is referring to his and Scott Pelley's presence at the Detroit Auto Show - the first in three years. I think his second sentence as is important as the first. Saying the pandemic is over doesn't mean COVID doesn't pose a public health risk. However, community spread has been mitigated by therapeutics, vaccines and gradually declining hospitalization rates. Unfortunately, some people don't read past the first sentence and many of those do so in bad faith.
In my personal experience, I still wear a mask on the MBTA and when I go on long bus trips whether it's to New York or when I went to Western Massachusetts a week ago to celebrate my 50th birthday. These days I would say it's about 50-50 between mask wearing and no mask wearing in these settings.
Of course, I always wear a mask if I'm at a medical facility and there are certain public venues in the area which still require one such as The Brattle Theatre here in Cambridge. I also recently had to wear a mask at work and also had to get tested when my colleague with whom I share an office tested positive and had to miss some time from work. Aside from that I don't wear a mask nearly as much although I keep one close at hand out of an abundance of caution. Many Americans exercise no such caution and have put COVID in a rearview mirror. While that in of itself doesn't mean the pandemic is over because of the aforementioned tools now in our possession the lack of such restraint is less fatal than it was a year ago.
Still, whether the pandemic is over is a matter of public debate. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus disagrees with President Biden's view. While Ghebreyesus says "we are beginning to glimpse the light at the end of tunnel" he adds the end of the tunnel is still "a long way off." Of course, they could both be right as President Biden is speaking of the pandemic in America whereas Ghebreyesus is speaking of the pandemic throughout the world.
Despite America's progress in combating COVID, President Biden may have been imprudent in declaring the pandemic to be over. But when you consider his Republican opposition especially defeated, former President Trump prudence is hardly the first thing which comes to mind particularly when it comes to COVID.
Thursday, September 22, 2022
Former DNC Chair Calls Tlaib Anti-Semitic For Claiming Progressives Cannot Support Israel
In an online seminar sponsored by Palestinian groups which took place this past Tuesday, Michigan Democratic Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib declared:
I want you all to know that among progressives, it has become clear that you cannot claim to hold progressive values, yet back Israel’s apartheid government. We will continue to push back and not accept this idea that you are progressive, except for ‘Palestine,’ any longer.
A number of Tlaib's Democratic congressional colleagues were unamused with Tlaib's comments beginning with former DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman-Schultz who took to Twitter to characterize Tlaib's commentary as anti-Semitic:
The outrageous progressive litmus test on Israel by @RashidaTlaib is nothing short of antisemitic. Proud progressives do support Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish and democratic state. Suggesting otherwise is shameful and dangerous. Divisive rhetoric does not lead to peace.
Meanwhile, several other Democratic members of Congress such as Jerry Nadler, Ritchie Torres, Grace Meng, Brad Sherman and Brad Schneider were also critical of Tlaib's litmus test though they emphasized that supporting Israel is a progressive value as opposed to accusing her of anti-Semitism. I wish they had echoed Wasserman-Schultz in declaring Tlaib to be anti-Semitic. The more Democrats air this view the greater the chance Tlaib and others like her are to be marginalized in the party.
Of course, I would prefer the likes of Tlaib not be welcome among Democrats at all. But the more Democrats who come and out say that Tlaib and other squad members like AOC, Ilhan Omar, Cori Bush and Ayanna Pressley do not speak for them the better.
Wednesday, September 21, 2022
My Impressions of Ken Burns' The U.S. & The Holocaust
Last week, I went to Symphony Hall and saw some excerpts from the documentary film The U.S. & The Holocaust which was produced by Ken Burns, Lynne Novick and Sarah Botstein. A short time ago, I finished watching the third and final installment of The U.S. & The Holocaust and would like to share my impressions of it.
First and foremost, human nature is unchanging. Most of us will go where the wind blows and we choose to block out the foul stench. A few of us will stick out our necks to help those in need even at the risk of their own lives, but some of those few will also resent others who try to do the same. Americans were OK with a few Jews, but not that many while many other Americans wished they were never here at all. Americans were aware of what was happening to Jews in Europe, but did not wish to believe it and even when they did come to believe it that didn't mean they were any more welcoming to Jews than before. We can look to the past and say never again, but too many among us do not think this could happen to us. With this in mind, the conclusion of tonight's installment showed images of the Mother Emmanuel Church killer, Trump bragging about building a big beautiful wall, Charlottesville, the Tree of Life Synagogue mass killing and the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6th and how these seeds could be harbingers of things to come.
While it is important to keep a look out for the warning signs, there is a crucial piece of the discussion which the film misses - how Americans misappropriate the meaning of The Holocaust. A significant example which comes to mind are anti-vaxxers who wear a yellow Star of David in opposition to vaccine mandates. Unlike the anti-vaxxers in this country, no Jew in Europe willingly wore a yellow Star of David nor could they remove it of their own free will unless they wished to be shot on site. But when the Arizona chapter of the ADL objected to a Republican State Senator likening vaccine mandates to the Holocaust, the GOP State Senator told the ADL to "learn their history." This country is all too aware of the Holocaust, but a critical mass among us learn the wrong lessons.
The film is, of course, subject to reasonable criticism where it concerns Burns' favorable disposition towards the Roosevelts. Historian Rafael Medoff, who has written extensively both about the Roosevelts and the Holocaust, accuses Burns of limiting FDR's culpability by placing blame on the American public and also disputes Burns' statement that the U.S. took in more Jewish refugees than any other country in the world. At no point in the documentary does Burn mention how FDR told his Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau, Jr., “You know this is a Protestant country, and the Catholics and Jews are here under sufferance.” Nor does he mention how Eleanor Roosevelt stated after Kristallnacht, “I think it is important in this country that the Jews as Jews remain unaggressive and stress the fact they are Americans first and above everything else.”
No doubt Medoff would also cast a skeptical eye on Burns' sympathetic treatment of Rabbi Stephen Wise who in wanting to have FDR's ear wanted the American Jewish community to keep quiet about what was happening to their families in Europe as well as whether FDR should have bombed Auschwitz. In this regard, I do have some sympathy for FDR's dilemma. As with Harry Truman and Hiroshima, our Presidents aren't presented with good options and bad options but what will be the least of the bad options.
I don't wish to leave you with the impression this isn't an important film. It most certainly is as it brings us the personal stories of those who escaped Hitler's wrath and accounts from the descendants of those who did not survive. This is worthy of our undivided attention.
Unfortunately, I suspect most people who watched The U.S. and The Holocaust are those who are already interested in our history - good, bad and ugly. Somehow I doubt it will reach the people who need to see it the most and if they do see it then there's a very good chance they'll show up at a city council or school board meeting wearing a yellow Star of David because they oppose vaccine mandates or don't want their children reading The Diary of Anne Frank.
If there is any solace in all of this is that Ken Burns won't have the last word on The Holocaust. So long as The Holocaust and what led to it and how we can prevent another one remains in the public domain then there is hope for us however faint and fleeting.
Tuesday, September 20, 2022
Maury Wills, R.I.P.
Maury Wills, the first player in MLB history to steal 100 bases in a single season, passed away on Monday. No cause of death has been released. Wills was 89.
A native of Washington, D.C., Wills signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1951. The Dodgers twice traded away Wills as a minor leaguer first to the Cincinnati Redlegs in 1956 and the Detroit Tigers in 1958 only to reacquire him.
Wills would finally make his MLB debut with the Dodgers in 1959. By this the Dodgers were in Los Angeles and that year would win their first World Series title on the West Coast. The following year Wills would become the team's everyday shortstop and would lead the NL in stolen bases for six consecutive seasons.
Wills would have a season for the ages in 1962 when he became the first player to record 100 stolen bases in a season when he swiped 104 bases. For this, Wills would be named the NL MVP though the Dodgers would fall short of a NL pennant to the San Francisco Giants. However, Wills would win two more World Series titles with the Dodgers in 1963 and 1965. During the '65 campaign, Wills would steal 94 bases finishing third in NL MVP balloting behind teammate Sandy Koufax and Willie Mays, the man he bested for the award three years earlier.
Following the 1967 season, the Dodgers traded Wills to the Pittsburgh Pirates in a deal for Bob Bailey. Wills lasted two seasons in Pittsburgh before he was selected in the expansion by the Montreal Expos in 1969. But Wills' stay in Montreal was short-lived as he would return to the Dodgers in mid-season along with Manny Mota for Ron Fairly. Wills remained with the Dodgers through the 1972 season after which he retired. In 14 big league seasons, Wills collected 2,134 hits for a .281 lifetime batting average with 20 HR and 458 RBI along with 586 stolen bases which ranks him 20th on MLB's all-time list, was named to 7 NL All-Star Teams, earned three World Series rings and bestowed with two Gold Gloves. Between 1978 and 1992, Wills appeared on the BBWAA Hall of Fame ballot but never earned more than 40% of the vote. The Golden Era Committee considered Wills' candidacy for Cooperstown in 2015 and again this year but did not induct him.
After Wills hung up his cleats, he spent several years as a color commentator for NBC while managing in the Mexican League. During the 1980 season, Wills became the third African-American to manage a big league club when he replaced Darrell Johnson to skipper the Seattle Mariners. However, the Mariners would dismiss Wills early in the 1981 season and he would never manage again. During this time, Wills' son Bump played in the major leagues with the Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs and would later play in Japan.
Wills was also an accomplished guitar and banjo player. While Wills was never enshrined into the Baseball Hall of Fame, his banjo has a place in the Country Music Hall of Fame. I leave you with Wills playing guitar and singing the folk standard "Wayfaring Stranger". R.I.P.
Monday, September 19, 2022
Astros Clinch Fifth AL West Title in Six Seasons
For the fifth time in the past six years, the Houston Astros have won the AL West division. The Astros clinched the title with a 4-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg.
After some initial competition from the Los Angeles Angels in the early part of the season, the Astros took over first place on May 17th and have had a double digit lead in the division since coming back from the All-Star Break on July 21st. Houston is 13-4 thus far in September having won 8 of their last 9 games. At 97-51, the Astros have a plausible shot at eclipsing their franchise record 107 wins set in 2019 when they won the AL pennant.
Not surprisingly, the Astros currently own the best record in the Junior Circuit. Even if the New York Yankees should eclipse them, they will get a bye in the first round of the post-season. Whether that time off works against them remains to be seen. But as with the Dodgers in the NL, the Astros will go into the post-season as heavy favorites to win their fourth AL pennant since 2017.
Saturday, September 17, 2022
On Turning 50
Yesterday, on Friday, September 16th, I reached the age of 50. I'm going to reflect on this milestone in two parts. Part I is Celebration at the Magical Queendom and Part II is Acceptance.
Part I - Celebration at the Magical Queendom
I first gave serious thought to what I would be doing on my 50th birthday when I turned 45. Having gone to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York for my 40th birthday, I wanted to do some equally special if not more so. My initial thoughts were to travel to Northern California to see the Redwood Forest. I wanted to have a birthday that was serene yet grand and few things are grander than Redwoods.
Then the chaos came. Within a year I would move from Boston to New York City. Eighteen months after I had moved to New York, the pandemic ensued. Seven months after that I was off to Atlanta. By the time I had come to Atlanta my 50th birthday wish had changed to coming back to Boston as a visitor. I missed Boston terribly. My wish to return to Boston would come far sooner than I had expected. As much as I was delighted with this development there remained the question with how I would spend my 50th birthday.
The seeds to that answer were planted in June 2020 from the moment I clicked on the YouTube video of Fanny's live version of "Ain't That Peculiar". Although all four members of the classic Fanny lineup were a force of nature, it was lead guitarist June Millington to whom I was most drawn. Over time, I began communicating with her online as well as her longtime partner Ann Hackler particularly through Facebook and her Livestream broadcasts. Although her cancer diagnosis would curtail those Livestreams, it did not curtail our communication. Then along came several opportunities to meet in June in person at several showings of the documentary Fanny: The Right to Rock in Boston and in New York.
When I saw June in New York over Memorial Day Weekend, I broached the idea of spending my 50th birthday at the Institute for Musical Arts (IMA) in Goshen, Massachusetts which is about two hours west of Boston. June was receptive to the idea and in time arrangements were made with Ann to make it happen.
Aside from the relatively close proximity to Boston there was the desire to immerse myself within the Magical Queendom even if only for 24 hours. While I have seen pictures, video and film of the grounds at IMA I knew that I needed to experience it for myself. I also cannot remember the last time I had a home cooked meal.
To get there, I took a Peter Pan bus on the circuitous route from Boston to Hartford, Connecticut and then back into Massachusetts to Springfield and then to Northampton where I was picked up by Ann. From there, it was a 30 minute drive to Goshen. Driving through Western Massachusetts is a site to behold.
When I entered the front door of the Magical Queendom, I heard June playing guitar. She was practicing for a forthcoming Fanny gig next month in Kansas City. After June concluded her practice, she took me on a walk through their 25 acres of land including the barn which houses their two studios and performance area. In an instant, I was enthralled with the atmosphere which certainly had the feel of an artists' colony. I can see and hear why musicians, particularly young girls and women, are drawn to this space. In separate conversations with June and Ann, I told them how blessed they are to have this view almost everyday.
Ann prepared a lovely, home cooked dinner consisting of grilled fish, grilled veggies, grilled mushrooms, grilled pineapple and salad. The birthday boy got the added bonus of blueberry pie topped with cashew based ice cream with a single candle. This was most satiating.
Several other people joined us for dinner including Mia Huggs who will be playing bass with Fanny in Kansas City. She first came to IMA in her teens seven years ago. While Mia expressed concern about learning Jean Millington's bass parts with the show less than three weeks away, I asked her if she envisioned playing with Fanny when she started with IMA all those years ago and she had to say that did not cross her mind. Having heard Mia's bass playing on a LiveStream, I'm sure she will do Jean justice in Kansas City.
I ended up spending the night in a yurt which included a wood stove. It tends to be cooler at night in Goshen so Ann started a fire for me. The fire combined with several layers of blankets included a wool blanket knitted by Jean Millington kept me warm through the night.
June is generally a late riser so I did not see her this morning. Knowing this I had made a point of saying my farewells to June before I retired for the evening. I spent the morning with Ann walking the grounds of The Magic Queendom before she drove me back to Northampton. On the way to Northampton, we briefly stopped at DAR State Forest and at Smith College.
Ann said I was welcome to come back to the Magical Queendom. While I do hope there will be other opportunities to return to the Magical Queendom, I shall remember my time there on my 50th birthday with great fondness.
Part II - Acceptance
As I begin my 50s, I can state definitively that my life as it is more positive than negative. I have not always been able to say this with confidence but I can now.
Returning to Boston has helped this considerably as I find myself in my best employment situation in a decade. Although my living space isn't as vast as it was in Atlanta, I am in a location near numerous amenities and that my life is a comfortable one. In this respect, I can only hope for continued good health and for the strength to deal with any bad news which does come my way.
Over these years, I have come to accept certain things. For starters, I have accepted that I'm a Records Clerk. I tried to go beyond this in the paralegal field but I am simply best suited to being a Records Clerk. It is a job at which I excel. I might as well stick to my strengths.
I have accepted that beyond this personal blog, my writing opportunities will be few and far between. Very few people are interested in what I have to say. It won't stop me from trying if I think I have a good idea. But I know the likelihood of those ideas seeing the light of day beyond this blog are slim to none.
While I like to think that I would have been a good husband and father, I have accepted that women do not view me as such and it is highly unlikely that will change. Some people are better suited to being alone and I am among those people. While such a future does not fill me with unbridled joy I am not heartbroken over it and have made my peace with this state of affairs.
In making my peace, I have also accepted that prefer to keep my own counsel and to stay out of people's way as much as possible. Spending time at IMA as I did yesterday is quite unusual for me these days. Frankly, when I seek the company of other people, regardless of gender, I feel like I'm in the way and taking up their space. This is the last thing that I want. As such I have accepted that less is more and that in group settings to keep my appearances to a minimum so as to not wear out my welcome.
Although I might not get what I want, I have accepted that in the grand scheme of things that I am very fortunate. While I might desire more for myself I know full well I could be in a far more precarious position. I could be a Ukrainian displaced from my home not knowing where I will stay, where to find my next meal while on the lookout for Russian soldiers.
While I do fear for the future of America and the world beyond particularly where it concerns defeated, former President Trump and Trumpism at large, I have accepted there is not a great deal that I can do about it. I won't hesitate to raise my voice I know full well very few people hear it or want to hear it. To maximize the limits of my effectiveness, I can pick my spots and choose my battles. I say all this with the realization that where there are people that problems are sure to follow.
Naturally I do not know what the future holds for me. While it might be easier to forecast the next seven days than the next seven years, I am all too aware how things can change in an instant and that there little or nothing that can be done to undo it. The best I can do is to maintain the positive outlook that I currently have regardless of any challenges which will invariably come my way.
If I am fortunate then I can eventually to start to think what I am going to do on my 60th birthday come Thursday, September 16, 2032.
John Stearns, R.I.P.
Former New York Mets catcher John Stearns passed away on Thursday after a long battle with the cancer at the age of 71. Stearns had made his final public appearance less than a month ago during Old Timers' Day at Citi Field where he appeared noticeably frail and thin.
It was a far cry from his aggressive disposition which earned him the nickname "Bad Dude" following home plate collisions with Dave Parker and Gary Carter. A two sports star at the University of Colorado, the Philadelphia Phillies made Stearns the second overall pick in the country in the 1973 MLB Draft just behind David Clyde of the Texas Rangers and ahead of future Hall of Famers Robin Yount and Dave Winfield.
After playing a single game with the Phillies in 1974, Stearns would be sent to the Mets in a deal which included reliever Tug McGraw. Stearns would play for the Mets for the next 10 seasons earning four NL All-Star Team selections between 1977 and 1982. His best overall season came in 1978 when he hit a career high 15 HR and 73 RBI along with 25 stolen bases which set a NL record for catchers which stood broken in 1998 by Jason Kendall of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Stearns' playing career came to an end in 1984 at the age of 33. In 810 big league games, Stearns collected 696 hits for a lifetime batting average of .260 with 46 HR and 312 RBI along with 91 stolen bases.
Stearns would spend the better part of the next 30 seasons employed as a coach, minor league manager and scout with the Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays, Cincinnati Reds, Baltimore Orioles, Washington Nationals, Seattle Mariners and New York Mets organizations before health problems forced him to bow out of baseball in 2014.
I leave you with Stearns recounting his collision with Parker which resulted in broken jaw for The Cobra and a Mets win. R.I.P.
Wednesday, September 14, 2022
Dodgers Win 9th NL West Crown in 10 Years
Tuesday, September 13, 2022
Katie Hobbs Must Debate Kari Lake in Arizona Governors Race
Monday, September 12, 2022
Ramsey Lewis, R.I.P.
A Sneak Preview of Ken Burns' The U.S. and The Holocaust
This evening, I went to Symphony Hall to see a preview of Ken Burns' The U.S. and The Holocaust as well as a discussion with Burns and his collaborators Lynn Novick and Sarah Botstein with Pam Johnston, the general manager and news director of GBH, the PBS affiliate here in Boston which sponsored the event. The U.S. and The Holocaust premiers on PBS stations beginning on Sunday night and will air two more installments on successive evenings.
Sunday, September 11, 2022
Why I Believe Trump Supporters Will Commit a 9/11 Inspired Attack Against Their Fellow Americans
It was 21 years ago today that 19 al Qaeda operatives carried out Osama bin Laden's fatwa to kill as many Americans as possible and succeeded in killing nearly 3,000.
A majority of those casualties came as a result of the two airplanes which were navigated through the North and South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. There were other deaths at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. and in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Passengers aboard United Flight 93 had thwarted the hijackers' goal of navigating that flight into the U.S. Capitol.
In the years that followed there would be other attacks perpetrated on U.S. soil by radical Islamic terrorists albeit on a smaller scale - the Boston Marathon Bombing in April 2013, the San Bernardino attack in December 2015 and the Orlando Nightclub Shooting in June 2016. The threat of radical Islamic terrorism against U.S. civilians has receded over the past several years I suspect this is a matter of buying time. After all, it was only last month when author Salman Rushdie was attacked on U.S. soil by a man carrying out a fatwa issued by the government of Iran ten years before he was born. There will come a time when radical Islamic terrorists will again attack U.S. soil and that of our allies.
However, I believe the next 9/11 inspired attack on American soil won't be committed by radical Islamic terrorists, but rather by supporters of defeated former President Donald Trump. Before I go further I do believe that most people who wear MAGA hats will manage to go through life without taking another as is the case with most Muslims. But there is a critical mass in both groups who are willing to kill innocent people in the name of a false idol, ideology and grievances mostly imagined or greatly exaggerated.
On September 11, 2001, al Qaeda terrorists failed to breach the U.S. Capitol. On January 6, 2021, supporters of defeated, former President Trump succeeded in breaching the U.S. Capitol at the behest of the defeated, former President in the name of preventing the peaceful transfer of power. I believe this is only a harbinger of things to come in the not too distant future.
Prior to the 2020 election, I feared Trump supporters would commit violence at the polls. When this did not come to pass, I let my guard down and thus underestimated the events that would follow on January 6th. I will not do so again.
As such I do believe there is a distinct possibility of Trump supporters deliberately murdering people at the polls either in the 2022 midterms and more likely during the 2024 presidential election. I can envision simultaneous attacks at polls in Atlanta, Detroit, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Phoenix and perhaps other cities. If Trump supporters feel comfortable asking, "When do we get to use the guns? How many elections are they going to steal before we kill these people?," then how long will it be before they give us an answer?
Let us also keep in mind how Trump supporters view Kyle Rittenhouse, a man whose only claim to fame is killing two people and getting away with it. Trump supporters treat him as a hero and give him standing ovations. Don't be surprised if he is received with another standing ovation at the 2024 Republican National Convention. If Trump returns to office what is to stop him from giving Rittenhouse a Presidential Medal of Freedom?
Trump supporters do not view the men Rittenhouse killed as fellow Americans, let alone human beings. Given that adulation Rittenhouse receives there is a powerful incentive among Trump supporters to go even further. And why stop at election violence? Supposedly "woke" companies such as Disney could be targets. In which case, it is not inconceivable there could be an attack at Disneyland or Disney World.
Then let us also consider the FBI. Last month, a Trump supporter tried to shoot up the FBI's Cincinnati office. Keep in mind that radical Islamic terrorists tried to destroy the World Trade Center in 1993. Who can say another set of Trump supporters won't try again and next time succeed?
Naturally, I hope none of this comes to pass. But given the rage with which Trump and apologists have driven his base with conspiracies and lies I have a very bad feeling we have only seen the beginning. January 6, 2021 joined September 11, 2001 as a day of infamy and more infamous days will soon follow.
Saturday, September 10, 2022
Canada's Tories Embrace Trumpism By Picking Poilievre as New Leader
Thursday, September 8, 2022
When Queen Elizabeth II Visited Thunder Bay
I have some thoughts on the passing of Queen Elizabeth II at the age of 96.
For most living people, she was the only monarch they knew. As Canada is a member of the Commonwealth, she was our Queen too. During her reign, there were 12 Canadian Prime Ministers, 14 US. Presidents and 15 British Prime Ministers including Liz Truss who she swore into office only two days ago in what proved to be her final public appearance. Indeed, her physical appearance alarmed many observers. When the Royal Family was summoned to Balmoral one had the sense the end was near.
The closest I ever came to being in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II was at Hyde Park in London on on the 50th anniversary of V-E Day in May 1995. From a distance, I could see the Queen, Prince Philip, the Queen Mum, Prince Charles and Princess Diana along with William and Harry who were young boys. Other luminaries included British Prime Minister John Major, Labour Party leader Tony Blair, Vice-President Al Gore and wife Tipper, Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien along with Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin only six months before his assassination.
Under the circumstances, I choose to remember a lighter moment which happened when the Queen and Prince Philip visited my hometown of Thunder Bay, Ontario in July 1973 - the year after I was born. Legend has it that the Queen's posterior was touched by Thunder Bay's Mayor, the aptly named Walter Assef. The City of Thunder Bay's official website notes that Assef "made news when photographs appeared to show him exercising a certain familiarity with Queen Elizabeth during her visit in 1973".
If this breach of protocol did occur, it did not prevent Prince Philip from referring to Assef as "that jolly mayor in Thunder Bay". Perhaps Prince Philip was amused because Assef introduced the couple as "his Royal Highness and his lovely wife." The same could probably not be said for the Queen who never did return to my old neck of the woods in Northwestern Ontario.
However, the Queen and Prince Philip did visit the area in 1959 when Thunder Bay was known as Fort William and Port Arthur. The occasion was the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Royal Couple would have lunch at the Royal Edward Hotel as described in this local news report broadcast in 1980.
In the final analysis, I must agree with John Lennon. Her Majesty was a pretty nice girl even if she didn't have a lot to say. R.I.P.
Wednesday, September 7, 2022
No One Has Ever Told DeSantis That Florida is Like West Berlin
U.S. Passes 95 Million COVID Cases as Biden Admin Proposes Annual Boosters
Monday, September 5, 2022
Can Truss Gain The Trust of UK Voters?
10 People Stabbed to Death in Saskatchewan
Saturday, September 3, 2022
Earnie Shavers, R.I.P.
Boxing legend Earnie Shavers passed away on September 1st, the day after his 78th birthday. No cause of death was released.
Although Shavers never won a title during his lengthy career in the ring, he was regarded as the hardest puncher in the sport by the likes of both Muhammad Ali and Larry Holmes. While Ali successfully defended his title against Shavers in 1977, Ali said of Shavers, "Earnie hit me so hard, it shook my kinfolk in Africa." Shavers would twice come out on the short end against Holmes, but in their second fight in 1979 for the WBC Heavyweight Title Shavers actually knocked Holmes down. Although Holmes quickly got up he has stated that he had never been hit so hard in the ring. Shavers would earn that second fight against Holmes as a result of a first round knockout of former world heavyweight champion Ken Norton six months earlier. Shavers was nearly cast as Clubber Lang in Rocky III but Sylvester Stallone thought better of it after a sparring session with Shavers which he would later remark brought him close to death.
Shavers may have never won a championship, but he certainly made an impact and an imprint with his fists. He was one tough hombre.
Thursday, September 1, 2022
President Biden: Extremism of Trump & MAGA Republicans Threatens Liberty of Our Republic
MLB Notes for August: Is This The Greatest Dodgers Team Ever?
The 2022 edition of the Los Angeles Dodgers could be the greatest ever. If not for the passing of Vin Scully last month this year could have been perfect.. After a 22-6 August, the Dodgers enter September with 90 wins and an 18.5 game lead over the San Diego Padres in the NL West. Their magic number to clinch their 9th division title in 10 years is 14. The Dodgers play the Padres six times between September 2nd and September 13th and could very well wrap up the division by then. Then again the Padres are no pushovers. Although Josh Hader proved to be ineffective as the team’s closer after being acquired at the trade deadline from the Milwaukee Brewers, the Friars have won 7 of their last 10 games and have a 2.5 game lead over the Brew Crew for the third NL Wild Card berth.
The Dodgers only need to go 17-16 in September to eclipse their franchise record of 106 wins which they set in both 2019 and 2021. Of course, 106 wins last year wasn’t enough to win the division after the San Francisco Giants’ franchise record 107 wins. In 2022, the Giants are a shell of their former selves. They haven’t had a winning month since April and finished August with 7 straight losses with losses in 8 of their last 10 games. They are now tied for third in the NL West with the Arizona Diamondbacks who last year lost 110 games. A year ago, the D’Backs finished 55 games back of the Giants. This year, the D’Backs and Giants are both 29 games back of the Dodgers. Baseball is indeed a funny game. Perhaps not so funny to the last place Colorado Rockies, but barring a complete disaster in September they will very likely avoid losing 100 games.
The NL East has remained remarkably stable. A month ago, the New York Mets led the Atlanta Braves by 3 games and the Philadelphia Phillies by 9.5 games. Entering, today the Mets lead over the Braves is still 3 games while their lead over the Phillies is now at 10 games. The Mets have led the division the entire season, but the Braves remain ensconced in the first and second NL Wild Card berths. Unfortunately, things have got worse for both the Miami Marlins and Washington Nationals. Entering August, they were 17.5 games and 30 games back of the Mets. Now they are 27.5 games and 38 games back of the division lead. The Marlins went 8-20 in August and might very well have fared worse if not for likely NL Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara who had 3 of their 8 wins last month. Meanwhile, the Nats, less than three years removed from winning the World Series, own MLB’s worst record.
The biggest swing in MLB has occurred in the NL Central. Entering August, the Milwaukee Brewers held a 3 game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals. Entering September, the Redbirds now lead the Brew Crew by 6 games. As mentioned previously, the Brew Crew have a greater chance at a NL Wild Card berth. If the Brewers fail to reach the post-season for the first time since 2017 will Brewers manager Craig Counsell be on the hot seat. His contract expires after next season. Unlike the Brewers, however, the Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates have no chance for post-season in 2022. The Cubs actually have a winning record since the All-Star Break (21-18) while the Reds have escaped the fate of eclipsing the 1962 New York Mets. The Pirates, however, have the worst record in MLB since the All-Star Break with a 10-27 record. The Bucs were annoyed when Boston Red Sox broadcaster Dennis Eckersley referred to the team as “a hodgepodge of nothingness”. While they might not have enjoyed hearing that they have not demonstrated otherwise.
While the New York Yankees remain atop the AL East their lead has shrunk considerably. Their 10-18 record in August was nearly as bad as that of the 9-19 “hodgepodge of nothingness” known as the Pittsburgh Pirates. Although the Yankees have managed to win 6 of their last 10 games their lead now stands at 6 games. A month ago, it was 11.5 games and it is enough for Yankees fans to want Aaron Boone fired immediately. The Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays have exchanged spots in the division but both currently own two of the three AL Wild Card berths while the Baltimore Orioles are only 2 games back of the Jays for the third AL Wild Card berth. Despite trading away Trey Mancini and closer Jorge Lopez, the O’s proved their 16-9 July was no fluke by going 17-10 in August. However, if they don’t make the post-season how much of a factor will those trades have made? But at least the Orioles still have September. The Boston Red Sox, while in little danger of losing 100 games, are already looking to 2023.
Over the past month, the division lead has switched in the AL Central. At the beginning of August, the Minnesota Twins led the Cleveland Guardians by a game. Now the Guardians lead the Twins by 1.5 games. A month ago, it was a three team race. Now the jury is very much out on the Chicago White Sox who have lost 10 of their last 13 games going from 1 game back of the division to 5 games off the pace. Now manager Tony La Russa is out indefinitely with health problems with bench coach Miguel Cairo taking the helm. Will the Chisox have a September surge under Cairo? Or is the White Sox organization in denial? However, the Chisox have a chance. The same cannot be said of either the Kansas City Royals or the Detroit Tigers, the latter of whom is only marginally better than the Oakland A’s who own the worst record in the AL.
The A’s find themselves 35 games back of the Houston Astros who will invariably clinch their sixth AL West title in seven seasons. The Astros are 11.5 games ahead of the Seattle Mariners. But barring a complete sinking, the Mariners will end their 21-year post-season drought. The Texas Rangers are an organization in transition having fired both manager Chris Woodward and longtime GM Jon Daniels last month. So too are the Los Angeles Angels amid news last week that owner Arte Moreno is planning to sell the team. As for the A’s, their team is such that there is more action going on in the stands than on the field.
So what will come of September and early October? Will the Dodgers break the MLB record for games won in a single season? Can the Padres hold off the Brewers for the last NL Wild Card berth? Can the Braves catch the Mets in the NL East? If they do will it matter to the Phillies? Or for that matter to the Cardinals? Will Yankees fans still call for Aaron Boone’s head if they regain a double digit lead for the AL East? Can the Orioles earn an AL Wild Card berth? If they do will it be at the expense of AL East rival Jays or Rays or will they prolong the Mariners post-season drought? Can the Chisox get back into the AL Central race with the Guardians and Twins? We shall see come Game 162.