Paul Reubens (a.k.a. Pee-wee Herman), R.I.P.

Actor/comedian Paul Reubens, best known to the world for his Pee-wee Herman persona, passed away yesterday of cancer, a diagnosis he kept secret for the last six years of his life. Reubens died a month shy of his 71st birthday. 

Reubens was the son of Milton Reubenfeld, a fighter pilot for both the Royal Air Force and the U.S. Air Force who became a founding member of Israel's nascent Air Force who played a critical role in keeping the Egyptian Army from reaching Tel Aviv. 

The younger Reubens found his flight of fancy on stage and in the early 1970's would become part of L.A.'s top Improv group The Groundlings. While with The Groundlings, he developed the Pee-wee Herman character. After being rejected by SNL, Reubens put on a full-fledged Pee-wee Herman show in L.A. which became an underground sensation. By the early 1980's, Pee-wee Herman would appear on HBO as well as in Cheech and Chong's Next Movie and was a frequent guest of David Letterman. By the mid-1980's, Pee wee Herman was a household name with the hit movie Pee-wee's Big Adventure in 1985 and the Saturday morning show Pee-wee's Playhouse which ran from 1986 to 1991.

During this period, for all intents and purposes, Paul Reubens and Pee-wee Herman were one in the same even though many people knew Reubens had a small role as a waiter in The Blues Brothers. Still, it was jarring to hear his own voice. I remember one interview with Letterman in which Letterman told Reubens something to the effect of, "You know you're going to have to dress this way for the rest of your life."

In that respect, perhaps his arrest for "public indecency" in an adult theatre in Sarasota, Florda in Juy 1991 was a cry for help. Many came to Reuben's defense including the late comedian Gilbert Gottfried who said, "If masturbation is a crime, I should be on death row." There were also questions as to whether the Sarasota Police Department had anything better to do with its hands. Nevertheless, Reubens was out of the public limelight for several years.

When Reubens did return, it was as Paul Reubens and he would make appearances on shows like Murphy Brown, Everybody Loves Raymond, Ally McBeal and 30 Rock and in film playing characters very unlike Pee-wee Herman such as a rapist and killer in the Dwight Yoakam film South of Heaven, West of Hell and a drug dealer in Blow. Reubens' career was dealt a second blow when in 2002 he was accused of possessing child pornography though those charges would be dismissed in exchange for pleading guilty to one count of misdemeanor obscenity though he was not permitted to around children for several years without supervision. Considering no one ever accused Reubens of behaving inappropriately with a child, this did seem out of proportion. 

At the end of the 2000s, Reubens revived the Pee-wee Herman character doing stage shows and one last film on Netflix titled Pee-wee's Big Holiday, but most of his employment in this period was as a voice actor. 

Now that it has all been said and done, Paul Reubens will be remembered for his creation of Pee-wee Herman, a child-like man whose innocence and improvisational skills entertained and amused children and adults alike bringing the world much joy. That is a worthy epitaph. R.I.P.

It Has Been At Least 110 Degrees in Phoenix For 31 Straight Days (Or Why I'm Glad To Be in Boston)

I feel sorry for the people of Phoenix, Arizona who have now endured 31 straight days of temperatures above 110 degrees. 

However, that streak appears to come to an end tomorrow when the high is expected to reach only 108 degrees. 

I cannot fathom living in such conditions and am not sure how the people of Phoenix can do it. Now, I realize this can be done by minimizing one's time outdoors. But people commute and some people have to work outside. Then what of people who are homeless or lack air conditioning? 

If these conditions persist for the foreseeable future, I'm not sure how much longer Phoenix will be fit for human habitation. Climate refugees are spoken of, but we could very well see migrations within the United States due to oppressive heat in places like Phoenix, Dallas, Atlanta and other cities in the Sun Belt. 

Needless to say, I'm glad to be living in Boston having just experienced a 75 degree day near the end of July. To be sure, there have been humid days which have not been comfortable, but it is mitigated by the fact we've had all of four days of temperatures over 90 degrees this summer. Boston has had a relatively mild summer in part due to the unseasonably cool weather in June. Last summer, Boston had a 6-day heat wave in July 2022 and another 6-day heat wave in August 2022. It was part of a 3-week stretch which was the hottest in the city's history. Despite the humidity, this summer has been more manageable than the one we had a year ago. With that said, I'm not sure how wise it was for the City of Boston to close pools for renovations during the summer. The pool which I use here in Cambridge is also closed for renovations.

It has been predicted that by 2050, Boston could average 40 days a year of temperatures of 90 degrees and above. This remains to be seen. The summer with the most days above 90 degrees in Boston was 1983 with 30. However, since 2010 the number of days with temperatures 90 degrees and above has been in double digits in every year except for 2014. 

Still, to the people of Phoenix, a 90-degree day right about now would seem like a cold snap. 

Thoughts on The Rangers Acquiring Max Scherzer From The Mets

Yesterday, the struggling New York Mets traded 3-time Cy Young Award winner and future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer to the Texas Rangers for outfield prospect Luisangel Acuna, the younger brother of Atlanta Braves superstar Ronald Acuna, Jr. 

The move greatly shocked Mets slugger Pete Alonso while Justin Verlander said he was "a bit surprised." No doubt Verlander is thinking if he will be shipped off between now and the trade deadline on August 1st. 

From where I sit, I cannot say that I am shocked. Although I have not been paying attention to the minutia of the 2023 MLB season, I have paid sufficient attention to the standing to see the Mets are the biggest disappointment in all of MLB. A Mets team with Scherzer and Verlander at the top of the rotation was not expected to be 18 games behind the Braves in the NL East. Shortly before his trade, Scherzer expressed displeasure with the Mets trading closer David Robertson to the divisional rival Miami Marlins and wanted to talk to the Mets front office. Well, we can see how that conversation ended. 

All of this on top of the fact that Scherzer had a player option at the end of the 2023 campaign, something had to give. So why not get a long-term asset in return? If the younger Acuna is anything like his older brother, the Braves-Mets rivalry could get very interesting in the years to come. 

Let us also keep in mind that Scherzer turned 39 this past Thursday. Although Scherzer went 9-4 for a sub-.500 team and fanned 121 batters in only 107.2 innings pitched this season, his 4.01 ERA is the highest he has posted since 2011 when he was member of the Detroit Tigers. As part of the trade, Scherzer has opted to remain with the Rangers for the 2024 season. There is only so much Scherzer has left to give, but what he has to give might be enough to help put the Rangers over the edge and win their first ever World Series.

The Rangers have been in first place in the AL West since May 6th but have lost 7 of their last 10 games and are only a game ahead of the defending World Series champion Houston Astros. Texas was just swept by the San Diego Padres, a team which has been just as disappointing as the Mets in 2023. Under the circumstances, reinforcements were needed and Scherzer along with the subsequent acquisition of starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery and reliever Chris Stratton from the St. Louis Cardinals (yet another disappointing team) might be just what the doctor ordered.

As of this writing, Scherzer has a career record of 210-106 with a 3.15 ERA with 3314 career strikeouts against only 731 walks. There is a good chance that Scherzer will pass both the late Phil Niekro (3342) and Greg Maddux (3371) and finish the season 10th on MLB's all-time strikeouts list.

Why I Don't Plan on Seeing "Barbie"

As previously noted, I saw Oppenheimer last night at the Somerville Theater and for all of its accolades, Oppenheimer will inexorably be linked to Barbie. 

Indeed, when I went to see a screening of Midnight Cowboy at the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline earlier this month, the trailers for Oppenheimer and Barbie were played back-to-back. To me, it was a classic case of going from the sublime to the ridiculous. 

Of course, we are stuck with the Barbenheimer portmanteau for the foreseeable future. I have little doubt that when the next Oscars ceremony is broadcast in March 2024 that we will have some sort of Barbie and Oppenheimer mash-up for laughs.

As for me, I have no plans to see Barbie. For this there is a very simple reason - I am not interested in seeing it. Just as I have no interest in seeing the blockbusters for the Marvel or D.C. Universe. 

Until seeing Oppenheimer last night, I had never seen any film directed by Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan although I did see Man of Steel which he produced a decade ago. And the only reason I saw Man of Steel owes to Superman being the first movie I remember seeing in a movie theatre as a child. Otherwise, the superhero genre generally leaves me cold. 

Now I must the admit the fact that Ben Shapiro felt the need to devote "pages and pages of notes" as to why he hated Barbie and the fact that Ted Cruz sees the film as Chinese propaganda without having seen the movie does pique my interest a little bit. But their disdain isn't quite enough. 

The only scenario by which I plan to see Barbie is if someone were to invite me to go along with them. Alas I do not envision such a scenario coming to pass and I would hate to go to Barbie alone surrounded by teenaged girls feeling like a dirty old man. 

Barbie might very well be a good film, perhaps even a great film. However, I will leave that determination up to others - for now.

Eight Observations On "Oppenheimer"

On Saturday night, I went to see Oppenheimer at the Somerville Theater. Here are some observations.

1. A Long Line & A Large Crowd

Oppenheimer opened last weekend and, by the looks of it, its ignition has not dissipated. The line to the Somerville Theater extended beyond the Davis Square T station. 

Although I have been going to the movies fairly regularly since returning to the Boston area more than two years ago, this is by far the biggest crowd I've been a part of for a movie since before the COVID pandemic. So, I must admit I felt a little uneasy being around so many people jockeying for seats. My uneasiness wasn't so much the emerging COVID surge which at least one prominent virologist is blaming on the popularity of Oppenheimer and Barbie (a.k.a. Barbenheimer). I just generally to prefer to keep my distance and, for the most part, I have been able to do so because for some of the movies I have seen I have been able to count the number of audience members on one hand. Just over a year ago, I had an entire theatre to myself when I went to see the documentary Gabby Giffords: Won't Back Down. In a few days, I plan to see a 50th anniversary screening of Serpico at The Brattle Theatre. I am sure I will have all the space I need.

2. Imagine Everything, Everywhere All at Once Set in the 1940s

At the conclusion of the film, a young woman who had seen the film a few seats away from me with her boyfriend randomly asked me what I thought of the film. I told her it reminded me of Everything, Everywhere At All Once set in the 1940's and both of them understood where I was going. 

Don't get me wrong. Oppenheimer is a great film with stunning visuals. However, these visuals were at times overwhelming and the way in which director Christopher Nolan structured the story was difficult to follow. At times, there was too much going all at once. It was kind of bombardment. Then again, given this was in part the story of the development of the atom bomb I suppose it is fitting for Oppenheimer to feature heavy bombardment of images and dialogue. 

Oppenheimer differs from Everything, Everywhere All at Once in one respect. Notwithstanding its Best Picture Oscar, I thought Everything, Everywhere All at Once was at least 30 minutes too long and that the last third of the film was weak. Conversely, the last third of Oppenheimer was at its best. 

3. Cillian Murphy Shines as J. Robert Oppenheimer, But Robert Downey, Jr. Became Lewis Strauss

Irish actor Cillian Murphy's portrayal of J. Robert Oppenheimer will be a career defining role. No doubt he will be nominated for an Academy Award along with Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Matt Damon but especially Robert Downey, Jr. who portrayed Lewis Strauss, the Chair of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission who was the driving force in having Oppenheimer's security clearance revoked due to alleged Communist sympathies and unsubstantiated ties to the Soviets. Yet in doing Oppenheimer dirty, his actions ended up costing him Senate confirmation for Secretary of Commerce. 

For starters, I did not recognize Downey, Jr. He looked so old. I remember him when he had spiked hair in the 1980's and can only ask where has all the time gone. Aside from his appearance, his portrayal of Strauss went from being a friend of Oppenheimer to a man who quietly engineered his downfall to the ultimate revelation of a man so full of hate.

4. Florence Pugh Reminds Me of AOC

British actress Florence Pugh portrayed Jean Tatlock, a Communist Party member with whom Oppenheimer had a romantic relationship. Ultimately, Tatlock would take her life. 

Yet what stood out about Pugh (aside from her nude scenes) was how much she reminded me of AOC and not because she was portraying a Communist. Well, you be the judge.

5. Oppenheimer Might Have Created The Capacity For Us To Destroy The World, But We Have Always Been Able To Destroy Ourselves

In designing the atomic bomb, J. Robert Oppenheimer developed the capacity to enable humanity to destroy ourselves and end life as we know it. Yet at the same time, humanity has had the innate capacity to destroy other human beings just as Strauss did with Oppenheimer and ultimately to himself. 

In this country, we have a political party led by a man who does not believe in democracy and a critical mass ready to go along with him. That critical mass believes a virus which killed more than 1 million Americans is a hoax. America could very well destroy itself from within in a way no nuclear weapon could. 

6. If Oppenheimer Hadn't Designed The Atom Bomb Then The Nazis Would Have

And while Oppenheimer created the capacity to destroy life as we know it, if he hadn't done it then someone else would have. Indeed, The Manhattan Project was conceived to develop an atomic weapon before Nazi Germany could. If the Nazis were prepared to kill 6 million Jews and millions of other people, then imagine what they would have done with an atomic bomb?

Of course, two atomic bombs were deployed in Japan rather than Germany. While the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki killed hundreds of thousands of people, there is little doubt millions more would have died as Japan was not prepared to surrender. Who knows how many years WWII would have lasted if not for President Truman's decision to deploy the tools Oppenheimer designed for the U.S. military.

7. Oppenheimer's Efforts to Stop The Hydrogen Bomb Were Futile

Oppenheimer's opposition to the development of the Hydrogren Bomb was sincere and not motivated by any allegiance to the Soviet Union or to communism. Yet even if his opposition was understood in those terms, it was ultimately futile. Once the genie is out of the bottle there is no going back. More destructive weapons were sure to follow. 

While it is true that arms control agreements can mitigate the proliferation of nuclear weapons, such agreements are only as good as the actors who negotiate and implement those agreements. It goes back to humanity having the innate capacity to destroy others even while pretending to be friends. 

8. Oppenheimer Has Been An Explosive Success But Will It Spark in Interest in American History?

Oppenheimer has been an explosive success at the box office, but I doubt will spark an interest in American history or at the very least American history concerning WWII and the Cold War. 

For all of the box office success of Oppenheimer, Barbie grossed more than twice as much in its opening weekend. To the extent Americans are interested in history most will consume it through documentaries and in Hollywood films rather than in books. In stimulating interest in American history, Oppenheimer will be a dud.

Ron DeSantis Basically Tells African-American GOP Congressman Byron Donalds To Know His Place

Florida Governor and GOP presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis might support an education policy which claims slavery had its benefits, but it isn't benefiting his flagging presidential campaign.

Byron Donalds, a two-term African American GOP Congressman representing Florida's 19th District, largely praised DeSantis' education policies, but thought Florida should back off on extolling the virtues of slavery. Donalds tweeted on Wednesday:

The new African American standards in FL are good, robust, & accurate. That being said, the attempt to feature the personal benefits of slavery is wrong & needs to be adjusted. That obviously wasn’t the goal & I have faith that FLDOE will correct this.

Donalds was direct yet restrained in his criticism of DeSantis' policy. DeSantis and his allies, however, showed no such restraint in his criticism of Donalds. DeSantis spokesperson Jeremy Redfern and Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz called Donalds "a supposed conservative" and "supposedly conservative", respectively (or disrespectfully as was the case here) while DeSantis' press secretary turned rapid response director Christina Pushaw asked, "Did Kamala Harris write this tweet?", in reference to her speech last week condemning the policy. 

Reinforcing Pushaw's rhetoric, DeSantis chimed in, “So at the end of the day you’ve got to choose. Are you going to side with Kamala Harris and liberal media outlets or are you going to side with the state of Florida?”

Mind you, a great deal of this hostility towards Donalds is because he endorsed Trump over DeSantis back in April. But for all intents and purposes, DeSantis and his allies were basically telling Donalds, "Know your place, boy!"

On Friday, Donalds replied to DeSantis and his team's criticism stating, “This is a dumb story and it’s brought to us by the DeSantis campaign. They’re the ones who made this an issue.”

Mind you, Donalds isn't the only African American Republican that DeSantis has gone after on this issue. South Carolina Senator and rival GOP presidential aspirant Tim Scott said of DeSantis' policy on Thursday, "There is no silver lining in slavery." DeSantis was slightly more restrained with Scott but not by much linking him with "D.C. Republicans" and Vice-President Harris:

I think part of the reason our country has struggled is because D.C. Republicans all too often accept false narratives, accept lies that are perpetrated by the left. And to accept the lie that Kamala Harris has been perpetrating even when that has been debunked – that's not the way you do it.

Michigan Republican Congressman John James, who is also African American, took DeSantis to task for his criticism of Donalds and Scott on Twitter:

@RonDeSantis, #1: slavery was not CTE! Nothing about that 400 years of evil was a “net benefit” to my ancestors.

#2: there are only five black Republicans in Congress and you’re attacking two of them. My brother in Christ… if you find yourself in a deep hole put the shovel down. You are now so far from the Party of Lincoln that your Ed. board is re-writing history and you’re personally attacking conservatives like @VoteTimScott and @ByronDonalds on the topic of slavery. You’ve gone too far. Stop.

But DeSantis won't stop. He will keep digging and the next pile of dirt will be headed towards James. DeSantis feels he must continue digging because he must maintain his so-called anti-woke credentials and keep to Trump's right.  At the same time, DeSantis will also try to have it both ways as he has also claimed he "wasn't involved" in developing the slavery curriculum. But that curriculum was written at his behest.

DeSantis' presidential campaign is flailing, and it would seem fit that developing an education policy which teaches children slavery had its benefits would be the hill on which DeSantis' aspirations for higher office would die. And while DeSantis' campaign deserves to die an awful death, that death will clear whatever obstruction is left between Trump and the GOP nomination regardless of his far worse transgressions.

Thoughts on The Three Additional Charges Against Trump in The Classified Docs Case

Many were expecting the next set of charges Special Counsel Jack Smith was going to bring against defeated, former President Donald Trump would pertain to the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol and those could come very soon. However, tonight, Special Counsel Jack Smith brought three additional charges against Trump in the classified documents case at Mar-a-Lago bringing the total to 40.

Trump is being charged with two new counts of obstruction concerning attempts to destroy security footage and an additional count of willful retention of a top-secret document, namely revealing war plans against Iran to unauthorized individuals in Bedminster, New Jersey. These revelations had been released on tape shortly after his original indictment last month, but Smith's team has since located the document in question. An additional accomplice has also been charged in the case. A trial date had been set for May 2024, but there is a good chance the superseded indictment could delay the start of proceedings. 

Many were expecting the next set of charges Smith was going to bring would pertain to Trump's role in the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol and those could soon come. 

Of course, for a significant number of Republicans it doesn't matter how charges are brought against Trump or how many times he is convicted. Their support for him won't budge. Trump will be the Republican nominee. While I don't wish to underestimate President Biden, so long as he is the GOP nominee, then there is a chance Americans voters will send him back to the White House. And this time he might never leave. 

Randy Meisner, R.I.P.

Singer, songwriter and bass player Randy Meisner, best known as a founding member of The Eagles, passed away yesterday of COPD. He was 77.

A native of Nebraska, like many baby boomers, Meisner fell in love with rock 'n roll after watching Elvis Presley on The Ed Sullivan Show. He soon took up guitar lessons and eventually switched to bass taking up music full time by the time he was 15. 

Like many aspiring musicians, Meisner headed for California for fame and fortune. It would take him awhile to get there though. Meisner was in bands such as The Poor and Poco before joining Rick Nelson's backup band, The Stone Canyons. 

But Meisner would get his big break as part of Linda Ronstadt's backing band and playing on her eponymous solo album. This is where Meisner would meet Don Henley, Glenn Frey and Bernie Leadon and form The Eagles in 1971.

Meisner appeared on The Eagles' first five albums. He is most notably remembered for co-writing and singing lead vocal on their 1975 hit "Take It To The Limit" on their fourth album One of These Nights. Meisner would depart the band after Hotel California and would be replaced by Timothy B. Schmitt, who also replaced him in Poco eight years earlier.

During the 1980's, Meisner released several solo albums and was also part of Black Tie with Jimmy Griffin of Bread and Billy Swan and later formed the Roberts-Meisner Band with Firefall's Rick Roberts. Meisner would be excluded from the lucrative Eagles reunion tours but would reunite with Poco. He would only reunite with The Eagles once when they were inducted into the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.

Meisner had long had a problem with alcohol and by the early 2000s, it caught up with him as he had a series of mild heart attacks which would curtail his career by 2008. Meisner did make two appearances in 2020 in a livestream concert organized by his former Poco bandmate Richie Furay. 

I leave you with a live performance of Meisner singing "Try and Love Again" which originally appeared on Hotel California. It would be the last Eagles song on which he would write and sing. R.I.P.

It Would Seem That Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick is Above Criticism

One of our G-d given, inalienable rights as Americans are our freedom to criticize our elected officials. 

However, it would seem that G-d given, inalienable right does not apply in Texas at least where it concerns Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick. 

You might remember Patrick as the fellow who in April 2020 during the early days of COVID wanted to reopen the economy declaring there were "more important things in living". So much for Republicans being pro-life. 

Well, evidently Lt. Governor Patrick is above criticism. Consider the case of Texas A&M professor Joy Alonzo, a pharmacist by trade who is an expert in the area of opioids. According to the Texas Tribune, during a lecture Alonzo gave at Texas A&M back in March, she allegedly criticized Patrick for opposing policies which could have prevented opioid deaths. (Again, so much for Republicans being pro-life). Within hours of the lecture Alonzo was formally censured and placed on administrative leave with the following statement issued:

UTMB (University of Texas Medical Branch) does not support or condone these comments. We take these matters very seriously and wish to express our disapproval of the comment and apologize for harm it may have caused for members of our community.

Yet it is unclear precisely what Alonzo said. What is clear is there is pervasive fear at Texas A&M when it comes to criticizing state officials:

When students at UTMB received the email hours after the lecture, several started texting each other, trying to figure out what Alonzo had said that was so offensive.

According to one student who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation from the school, some students wondered if it was when Alonzo said that the lieutenant governor’s office was one of the reasons it’s hard for drug users to access certain care for opioid addiction or overdoses.

A second student who also asked to remain anonymous for the same reason said Alonzo made a comment that the lieutenant governor’s office had opposed policies that could have prevented opioid-related deaths, and by doing so had allowed people to die.

A third student who also spoke on the condition of anonymity said Alonzo talked about how policies, like the state’s ban on fentanyl test strips, have a direct impact on the ability to prevent opioid overdoses and deaths. A push to legalize the test strips died earlier this year in the Patrick-led Senate despite support from top Republicans, including Abbott.

When I was a political science student at Carleton University in the early 1990's, you would have been hard pressed to find a professor who didn't criticize an elected official. Let me put it another way, if criticizing an elected official was grounds for being put on administrative leave then no one would have had a job. Moreover, if it was objectionable for students to criticize public officials then I would have been kicked off campus on the first day of class. 

I would like to know the substance of what Alonzo said. If Patrick and/or his allies at Texas A&M think what she said was wrong, then put forward the facts. Don't suspend Alonzo, claim she caused harm and not tell us about the harm which was done. As long as Texas A&M can suspend academics or retaliate against students who criticize government officials with impunity and without explanation then people can be branded with a scarlet letter for commentary real or imagined. 

While it is certainly possible that criticism of public officials might be substantively wrong, it remains a fundamental right which cannot be infringed. If we cannot criticize our public officials without fear of punishment or reprisal, then it means our democratic values have been cast aside in favor of embracing authoritarianism. 

Let me put it this way. If you go into politics, then you must expect criticism - fair or not. If Dan Patrick cannot abide criticism from a lecturer in a university, then he is in the wrong business. The best that we can hope for is for Texans to elect a Lt. Governor who can take the heat and dish it out like a happy warrior instead of having his friends ruin someone's life for having the temerity to disagree with him. 

Sinead O'Connor, R.I.P.

As you probably know by now singer-songwriter Sinead O'Connor passed away today at the age of 56. 

No cause of death has been released. To paraphrase Laura Nyro, one can only hope she went naturally. However, given her long history of mental illness and multiple suicide attempts along with the suicide of her 17-year old son Shane last year, such an end unfortunately cannot be ruled out. It was only a few days ago that O'Connor wrote about her son on Twitter stating, "We were one soul in two halves. He was the only person who ever loved me unconditionally. I am lost in the bardo without him." Whatever the circumstances of her death, one can only hope she finds a peace she never had while living on this mortal coil. 

I remember Sinead O'Connor's 1987 debut album The Lion and the Cobra particularly the video for the lead single "Troy".  O'Connor's distinctive appearance set her apart as did her voice which had astonishing emotional range. Of course, she would hit the stratosphere in 1990 her with cover of Prince's "Nothing Compares 2 U". 

Perhaps that success was the worst thing that could happen to her. Trying to handle that pressure on top of all which had troubled her from childhood was too much to bear. While she can certainly be lauded for trying to get public attention concerning sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, the way she went about it didn't help matters most notably ripping up a picture of Pope John Paul II on Saturday Night Live. I remember seeing it live and wondering what she could have been thinking as he was beloved by many for standing up to Communist repression in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. 

In retrospect, her anger may have been justified as reports have recently emerged alleging that he covered up sexual abuse among Catholic clergy before he became Pope in his native Poland. Nevertheless, however good her intentions might have been she gained few converts in the process. It would be left to others to expose the wrongdoings of the Catholic Church.

When O'Connor announced her conversion to Islam in 2018, I wondered how that would square her support for feminism and legalized abortion in her native Ireland with her new faith. At the same time, I also wrote:

It was just over a year ago that O'Connor, now 51, posted a tearful Facebook video in which she declared thoughts of suicide after losing custody of her teenaged son. If her embrace of Islam has helped her overcome suicidal thoughts and bring her peace of mind then it is certainly a positive.

Sadly, this would the very same son who took his own life last year. Given the very public grief she shared about her son a few days ago, whatever inspiration she took from her new faith it might not have been enough to sustain her will to live. If that is the case, then one can only hope this faith helped prolong her life even by a few short years. Now that Sinead O'Connor has left this mortal coil the best that we can hope is that she finds the other half of her soul. R.I.P.

Gutfeld Claims Jews Had To Be "Useful" To Survive The Holocaust

Last week, when commenting on Florida's new education policy extolling the "benefits" of slavery, I stated, "I shudder to think how the Florida Board of Education plans to approach The Holocaust."

Well, earlier this evening, a friend drew my attention to Fox News' Greg Gutfeld getting a head start on the subject. Last night, on the Fox program The Five, the lone liberal panelist Jessica Tarlov objected to Florida teaching their children slavery was beneficial on the grounds the same could be done with The Holocaust. Gutfeld jumped in with both feet:

Did you ever read Man’s Search for Meaning? Vik Frankl talks about how you had to survive in a concentration camp by having skills. You had to be useful. Utility! Utility kept you alive!

Though Frankl survived the Holocaust, he minimized the complicity of the Nazis and would later become something of an apologist for Kurt Waldheim and Austrian neo-Nazi leader Jorg Haider. So, it's interesting that Gutfeld chooses to cite Frankl. 

Whether one chooses to claim slavery brings about benefits for African-Americans or claims that Jews had to be useful to survive the Holocaust, then one has also chosen to minimize these catastrophic events. The minimization comes in the form of either claiming the events themselves weren't so bad in the case of slavery because it had its benefits for African-Americans or by blaming Jewish victims of the Holocaust for not being useful. These are the first steps to legitimizing such discourse in society at large. Such discourse, left unchallenged, leads to either denial that these catastrophic events ever happened or provides justification for such evil. 

Gutfeld's remarks earned him a rebuke from White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates who stated:

Let’s get something straight that the American people understand full well and that is not complicated: there was nothing good about slavery; there was nothing good about the Holocaust. Full stop.

While I am in full agreement with the above, I suspect the likes Gutfeld will wear the Biden Administration's disdain as a badge of honor. Ditto for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Department of Education. The shuddering has begun.

There's Nothing Reasonable About Israel's Judicial Overhaul

Despite massive public opposition to it, Israel's Knesset passed the so-called Reasonableness Bill today neutering the country's Supreme Court by a margin of 64-0 with the opposition boycotting the third and final vote. Decisions made by the Netanyahu government will no longer be subject to judicial scrutiny and have carte blanc to behave how they wish. There is nothing reasonable in that. 

There have been massive public demonstrations in Israel with business, labor and even military leaders publicly opposing these measures. For a time, Israel's Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant opposed the measures and was sacked by Netanyahu only to be reinstated a fortnight later. It was around this time that Bibi put the measures on hold. But clearly, he was biding his time as the measures have passed less than three months after they were paused. This time around Gallant voted in favor of the "reasonableness" measures. 

Nothing good can come of this decision which I have previously argued is motivated by Netanyahu's self-interest as a "get out of jail card" amid his ongoing bribery case. Unless the government somehow collapses and a new government is voted in, Israel is on its way to becoming an authoritarian state like Turkey and will no longer be able to claim it is the only democracy in the Middle East. 

Naturally, this will embolden who oppose Israel no matter what (i.e. the AOC and Ilhan Omars of the world). Their opposition is in bad faith, must be recognized as such and they must be vigorously called out for their anti-Semitism. 

None of this, however, changes the fact this is a self-inflicted wound by Netanyahu and his coalition which will have the further effect of doing long-term harm to its relationship with the United States with the Biden Administration calling today's developments "unfortunate." While I think it is also unfortunate Mahmoud Abbas is still President of the Palestinian Authority when his term expired in 2009, Netanyahu's stripping the judiciary of its independence is far more brazen and, as of today, Israel has effectively ceased to be a democracy. That I cannot defend.

Kelly Ayotte Fears New Hampshire Could End Up Like Massachusetts; So Why Is That a Bad Thing?

Former New Hampshire Republican Senator Kelly Ayotte today threw her hat into the ring to seek the GOP nomination in next year's Granite state gubernatorial race following Republican Governor Chris Sununu's decision not to seek a fifth two-year term last week. 

After being elected to the Senate in 2010, she was unsuccessful in seeking re-election in 2016 losing narrowly to Maggie Hassan, then the state's Governor. 

Here is what struck me about Ayotte's announcement during an appearance on Fox & Friends. She declared:

We are one election away from becoming Massachusetts in New Hampshire, and I'm not going to let that happen.

We have something very special in New Hampshire — no income (tax), no sales tax, education freedom is so important in our state. So I'm running for governor to make sure that New Hampshire remains safe, prosperous and free.

So Ayotte is trying to convince people that New Hampshire Democrats are going to try to implement a state income tax and a state sales tax. It is true that Democrats in the New Hampshire Senate did try to implement an income tax in 2020 though it was vetoed by Governor Sununu but remains something still bandied about. 

Whether one thinks implementing an income tax in New Hampshire is a good idea or not, Ayotte speaks of Massachusetts like it was Mississippi. Earlier this year, a survey by WalletHub named Massachusetts tops in the nation to raise a family. So why exactly is ending up like Massachusetts a bad thing? Not that New Hampshire did badly mind you, ranking 6th in the survey. 

Notwithstanding the good quality of life in Massachusetts, Ayotte might be able to score political points in New Hampshire with anti-Bay State sentiment. If you've ever heard the term "Masshole", you can thank the people of New Hampshire for inventing it. 

Then again there's no guarantee that Ayotte will win the GOP gubernatorial primary. After all, Ayotte did make a point of not voting for Donald Trump in 2016 after the emergence of the Access Hollywood tape opting to write in Mike Pence. Ayotte's name had been floated for Secretary of Defense, but Trump put the kibosh on that idea and I would not be surprised if he did the same regarding her aspirations for state office no matter how many appearances she makes on Fox.

An Eerie Coincidence About Tony Bennett, Glenda Jackson, Gordon Lightfoot & David Crosby

As most of you will be aware 2023 has seen the passings of David Crosby, Gordon Lightfoot, Glenda Jackson and, most recently, Tony Bennett who died on Friday. 

However, these public figures share one other thing in common. My Dad and I saw all four of them live in New York in 2019. 

We saw Tony Bennett at Radio City Music Hall on April 13, 2019 (the day before my Dad's 78th birthday). Sixteen days later, we went to the 92nd Street Y to see Glenda Jackson in conversation. And then sixteen days after that, we saw Gordon Lightfoot at the Town Hall in Times Square. Just under three months later, in August 2019, Dad and I attended David Crosby's concert at Damrosch Park outside of Lincoln Center.

Like I said, I find this eerie. But however eerie it might be there is no causal relationship between seeing these people in person in 2019 and their deaths this year. It is a coincidence. Indeed, I also saw The Monkees at the Beacon Theater in March 2019 by myself.  Micky Dolenz is still with us, but Michael Nesmith passed away in December 2021. I'm mindful of the fact these four people were over the age of 80 at the time of their deaths with Bennett just shy of his 97th birthday. Save for Jackson, all of them had well documented health problems and it is astonishing that they lived as long as they did. 

I'm sure Spinal Tap members Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer along with director Rob Reiner and their special guest Elvis Costello who we saw at the Beacon Theater for a 35th anniversary screening of This is Spinal Tap exactly two weeks after we saw Tony Bennett and exactly two days before we saw Glenda Jackson have absolutely nothing to worry about. Ditto for now 20-year old jazz pianist Joey Alexander who we saw at the Blue Note Cafe in Greenwich Village that June. 

Well, at least I hope so.

Mike Ivie, R.I.P.

Former MLB player Mike Ivie passed away on Friday of "ongoing health issues". He was 70. 

The Atlanta native would be the number one pick in the 1970 MLB draft by the San Diego Padres as a catcher straight out of high school. 

Ivie would have cups of coffee with the Padres in both 1971 and 1974 before becoming a regular player in 1975. By this time, Ivie was playing first base as he had trouble throwing the ball back to the pitcher. Ivie was not the only catcher during this period who couldn't throw the ball back to the pitcher. Dale Murphy had a similar problem with the Atlanta Braves before being moved to the outfield and would reward the Braves with back-to-back NL MVPs in 1982 and 1983. 

Alas Ivie would not be so fortunate. The Padres would trade Ivie to the San Francisco Giants prior to the 1978 season for outfielder Derrel Thomas. Ivie would have his best success in a Giants uniform. His most memorable moment as a big leaguer took place on May 28, 1978 when he hit a pinch hit grand slam HR off future Hall of Famer Don Sutton as the Giants battled the Dodgers for the NL West. Ivie enjoyed his best overall season in 1979 when he hit .286 with a career high 27 HR and 89 RBIs in 133 games.

However, Ivie would fall out of favor with the Giants prior to the 1980 season when he injured his hand in a hunting accident. After losing his job at first base to Enos Cabell early in the 1981 season, the Giants traded Ivie to the Houston Astros for Dave Bergman and Jeff Leonard. Ivie would ask for his release early in the 1982 season and would sign as a free agent with the Detroit Tigers where he was primarily used as a DH before being released early in the 1983 season. His MLB career would end at the age of 30. Had he held on one more year, Ivie would have earned a World Series ring with the Tigers. Alas, Ivie finished his 11-year big league career collecting 724 hits in 857 career games for a lifetime batting average of .269 with 81 HR and 411 RBI. 

Ivie was reportedly relieved at his baseball career ending as he had trouble coping with the pressure put upon him. One can only hope the last 40 years of his life were happier than the life he had before and during his MLB career. I leave you with Ivie hitting a HR in a 1979 game against the Montreal Expos. R.I.P.

Thoughts on The Negro League Baseball Museum's Traveling Exhibit "Breaking Barriers - From Jackie to Pumpsie: 1947-1959"

On Saturday afternoon, my friend and former roommate Christopher Kain I met up at Emerson College in Boston to attend a traveling exhibit from The Negro League Baseball Museum based in Kansas City called "Breaking Barriers - From Jackie to Pumpsie: 1947 to 1959". This event is co-sponsored by the Boston Red Sox and the Boston Public Library. 

While even most non-baseball fans know who about Jackie Robinson, Pumpsie Green is a less familiar name outside of Boston. Green was the first African-American player to take the field for the Boston Red Sox in 1959. Sadly, this made the Red Sox the last team in MLB to integrate. Ironically, the Red Sox could have been the first as they held a try out for Robinson in 1945, but never had any intention of signing him nor Sam Jethroe nor Marvin Williams. Of course, Robinson would debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947 while Jethroe would debut with the crosstown Boston Braves in 1950 while Williams would finish his career in the Negro Leagues in 1945. 

The exhibit covered Robinson and other well-known players who broke the color barrier for other big league teams like Larry Doby, Minnie Minoso, Ernie Banks and Elston Howard. But the exhibit also covered lesser-known players who did the same such as Robert Trice with the Philadelphia A's in 1953, Nino Escalera and Chuck Harmon with the Cincinnati Redlegs in 1954, Tom Alston with the St. Louis Cardinals also in 1954. Hank Thompson broke the color barrier with two different teams - the St. Louis Browns in 1947 and the New York Giants in 1949 along with Monte Irvin. Although their big league careers might have been brief, they made history just the same.

The exhibit runs at Emerson College until August 4th before moving on to Washington, D.C.

The Friends of Eddie Coyle Is Full of Easter Eggs For Bostonians

 

On Friday night, I went to the Brattle Theatre to see a 50th anniversary screening of The Friends of Eddie Coyle starring Robert Mitchum and Peter Boyle. 

This was my first time seeing The Friends of Eddie Coyle though I have been curious about since I knew I was going to move to Boston the first time more than 20 years ago. Now having watched it, although it is unsentimental film full of suspense with a great performance by Mitchum and supporting cast members Richard Jordan, Steven Keats, Alex Rocco and Joe Santos (whom one might remember for his portrayal of Lt. Dennis Becker on The Rockford Files, the main attraction of the film was how many places in and around Boston I could recognize. 

Among other places was the Hynes Convention Center stop on the Green Line on the corner of Mass Avenue and Newbury Street. In fact, I remember a lost long friend telling me he saw The Friends of Eddie Coyle at that exact location years later. I had a similar feeling when watching Ted in a theater right across the street from the Boston Common and lo and behold pops up a scene in Boston Common. I also recognized spots on both Massachusetts Avenue and the Midtown Hotel on Huntington Avenue. 

In The Friends of Eddie Coyle, there was a scene from the Common albeit closer to the Park Street T station which connects the Green and Red Lines. There were a couple of shots taken at Government Center where the two ugliest buildings in Boston still reside - City Hall and the JFK Federal Building. There was also a scene on Memorial Drive near Mass Avenue. It was freaky to see a skyline with the Hancock Tower (now known as 200 Clarendon Street) under construction (it would not be complete until 1976). 

There were some places outside of Boston I recognized such as South Weymouth and Sharon - the latter of which is about halfway between Boston and Providence, Rhode Island.  Then there were some places which no longer exist and some places which still stand but under different names. Towards the end of the movie, there is a scene at the old Boston Garden during a hockey game between the Boston Bruins and the Chicago Blackhawks when men didn't wear helmets on the ice. At the risk of giving away the spoiler, it would be the last place where Eddie Coyle would be seen alive. 

Poor Eddie Coyle would end up in the parking lot of a bowling alley which had a sign for both tenpin and candlepin lanes. There's only one place in this immediate area which offers both tenpin and candlepin and that is the Boston Bowl in Dorchester on Morrissey Boulevard. I have only bowled there once as it is very expensive and bit off the beaten path. But having seen how it used to be, it might be worth another trip so long as it isn't my final stop. 

For me The Friends of Eddie Coyle is full of Easter Eggs for Bostonians. I mean how many movies namedrop Quincy, Milton and Randolph? Never I have enjoyed a movie more for its urban scenery. It made me feel right at home. 

I Thought Tony Bennett Had a Chance To Go On Forever

When I learned of Tony Bennett's death on Friday morning less than two weeks away from his 97th birthday, my thoughts immediately turned to when my Dad and I saw him perform at Radio City Music Hall on April 13, 2019 - a day shy of my Dad's 78th birthday. 

In looking back at the evening just over four years ago, two things stand out. First, neither of us had been to Radio City Music Hall before. Second, we were both gobsmacked at Bennett's remarkable energy at the age of 92:

I have seen several acts of Bennett's vintage perform (i.e. Dave Brubeck and Toots Thielemann). They had to be helped to the stage due to their advanced age. The same cannot be said of Bennett who not only walked unassisted, but walked around stage to various members of the band throughout the night. He sang about two dozen songs one right after the other without taking a break. At the end of the show, he walked on and off the stage about half a dozen times teasing the audience with an encore. Let's just say his level of energy is atypical for a 92 year old man. But it's easy to see and hear why. He loves what he does and why should he stop what he loves to do? How else can you explain someone who can keep pace with Lady Gaga?

Tony Bennett has resonated with live audiences for generations. It would come as no surprise to me if in 20 years from now he will be alive, well and continue to resonate with a new generation of an audience at the ripe old age of 112. One can only hope.

There was nothing which would have suggested that he had been dealing with Alzheimer's for three years. After all, I had seen Glen Campbell in concert after his Alzheimer's diagnosis and while he could play guitar without missing a lick and he needed a teleprompter to remember the words to his songs. Bennett did not need any accommodation and it would be another two years before the rest of the world knew.

In the grand scheme of things, it was perhaps fitting that Bennett would end his performing career at Radio City Music Hall with Lady Gaga in August 2021 which would air on CBS that November.

Tony Bennett won't go on forever, but his music will. R.I.P.

Jim Jordan Amplifies RFK, Jr's Smear Against Hank Aaron & COVID Vaccines

Republican Congressman Jim Jordan, who is the Chair of the House Judiciary Committee had an audience with Democratic presidential aspirant Robert Kennedy, Jr. before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government.

During the hearing, Jordan amplified RFK, Jr's smear against the late Hank Aaron. After Aaron's death in January 2021, RFK, Jr. claimed, "Hank Aaron’s tragic death is part of a wave of suspicious deaths among elderly closely following administration of COVID vaccines."

This is, of course, a load of fatuous nonsense. There was no wave of suspicious deaths of older Americans after taking the COVID vaccine. That's as nonsensical as his recent claim that Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese are mostly immune from COVID. But Jordan is as much of a demagogue as RFK, Jr. Jordan claimed:

When you look at Mr. Kennedy’s tweet, there was nothing there that was factually inaccurate. Hank Aaron, real person, great American, passed away after he got the vaccine. Pointing out, just pointing out facts.

That Hank Aaron died after receiving a COVID vaccine is a long way from the COVID vaccine causing his death. Surely, Jordan can understand the distinction and is being willfully obtuse. Or perhaps he is really that stupid and wouldn't know a fact if it was injected into his arm. 

Yet I'm inclined to believe the former. Jordan knows what RFK, Jr. says is bullshit and is more than happy to smear Hank Aaron if it helps him fill his fundraising coffers, makes RFK, Jr. a useful idiot while trying to undermine President Biden and, worst of all, discourage Americans from getting COVID vaccinations.

Florida To Indoctrinate Its Students That Slavery Benefitted Black People

The year before he was elected President, Abraham Lincoln said, "I think Slavery is wrong, morally, and politically."

However, in Ron DeSantis' Florida, schoolchildren will be told slavery was a "personal benefit" because they "developed skills."

I shudder to think how the Florida Board of Education plans to approach The Holocaust.

In December 1848, an editorial appeared in Frederick Douglass' North Star which began with this sentence, "This institution of slavery is an evil which has not a single redeeming feature."

This is what schoolchildren in Florida and in all of America ought to be taught where it concerns slavery. 

Sadly, in the so-called "Free State of Florida" totalitarian concepts such as slavery are being embraced. If such concepts are openly embraced in public education in Florida, then such concepts will be embraced in other states.

It's just the sort of thing which could cause a civil war. 

One can only hope that reason prevails, and the guidelines are jettisoned. But reason is precisely what is lacking when it comes to DeSantis and most of the Republican Party. Ron DeSantis is on a crusade against wokeness and evidently the idea that slavery is evil is embracing wokeism. 

The Republican Party has come a long way from Abraham Lincoln to Ron DeSantis. Unfortunately, it come a long way down and there is likely no going back.

Thoughts on the 9 House Democrats Who Voted to Declare Israel a Racist & Apartheid State

Yesterday, amid anger from Democratic Congresswoman and Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus Pramila Jayapal calling Israel "a racist state", the House of Representatives passed a resolution declaring Israel to be neither a racist nor Apartheid state by a count of 412-9-1.

The lone member of Congress who voted present is Minnesota Democrat Betty McCollum, who has long harbored hostility towards Israel and skipped Israeli President Isaac Herzog's speech before Congress today. 

Then there were the 9 Democrats who voted against the resolution and the names do not come as a big surprise: Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, Ayanna Pressley, Jamaal Bowman, Cori Bush, Andre Carson, Summer Lee and Delia Ramirez. 

If I lived a hundred or so feet down my street, Pressley would be my Representative. Instead, Katherine Clark is my member of Congress, and she is part of the House Democratic leadership which publicly condemned Jayapal's remarks. Let's just say that I am grateful for short distances. 

NBC News curiously described these members of Congress as "Nine progressive Democrats of color." Now if calling Israel a racist state or an Apartheid state is an act of progressivism, then I'm afraid progressivism has lost all meaning. They would be more aptly described as being regressive in their attitudes towards Israel and towards Jews. 

In the grand scheme of things, these members of Congress are on the fringe when it comes to Israel. But fringes have a funny way of becoming the norm. In a generation from now, it is possible that you won't be able to find 9 Democrats who don't think Israel is a racist or Apartheid state. 

With that said, I realize that not all of the 412 members of Congress who voted in favor of the resolution introduced by Texas Republican August Pfluger aren't all on the up and up when it comes to their attitudes towards Israel and Jews. Indeed, Pramila Jayapal herself voted in favor of the resolution.

Yet from where I sit, Jayapal firmly believes Israel to be every bit as racist as she did on Saturday. After all, consider what Jayapal actually said - "We have been fighting to make it clear that Israel is a racist state!" This is a fight she has been fighting for years. Almost exactly four years ago, Jayapal voted against a resolution condemning the BDS Movement. Guess what? The BDS Movement calls Israel racist. Had she not been the idiot who ran her mouth, she would have surely joined AOC and company in voting against the resolution.

It is also hard to take Republicans who voted in favor of this resolution seriously when they turn and around and welcome Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to testify before Congress with all of his history of anti-Semitism. Most, if not all of these Republicans are going to back Donald Trump for his third White House despite questioning the loyalty of American Jews and supping with neo-Nazis. 

Republican hypocrisy and some Democratic insincerity notwithstanding by voting against this resolution, 9 Democrats are on the record as declaring Israel to be a racist and Apartheid state. And in so doing they are engaging in defamation. And defamation is anti-Semitism to its very core. Sadly, we can expect a lot more defamation to come from these 9 Democrats.

Trump Praises RFK, Jr. Amid Spreading Racist & Anti-Semitic COVID Conspiracy Theories

In an interview which aired this past Sunday on Fox News, defeated former President Donald Trump praised Democratic presidential aspirant Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. as "a very smart person":

He’s a very smart person. I know a lot of the members of that family, and he’s a very smart guy. And he’s hit a little bit of a nerve. And a lot of Democrats I know want to vote for him.

As usual, I don't believe what Trump says. But there is a reason he is praising RFK, Jr. It's because it is convenient for him to do so. Mind you, Trump's praise comes amid RFK, Jr's claim that COVID-19 was "ethnically targeted" to spare Jews and Chinese people. Well, Trump never met a conspiracy theory he didn't like either. 

Then again, the feelings are mutual. RFK, Jr. recently likened Trump's debating skills to that of Abraham Lincoln. Of course, if one is apt to subscribe to theories that COVID was "ethnically targeted" then it's entirely plausible one would be inclined to liken Trump's debating skills to those of Lincoln though I don't recall Lincoln impugning Stephen Douglas' son during their debates.

One must keep in mind that Trump praises RFK, Jr. because he does not represent a threat to his ambitions. Indeed, RFK, Jr isn't targeting Trump, he's targeting Biden and thus doing Trump's bidding whether he knows it or not. And as long as RFK, Jr. continues to do Trump's bidding then we can expect Trump to lavish more praise upon RFK, Jr. This praise will only cease once RFK, Jr. is of no further use to Trump or begins to represent a threat to him.

At least for now, Trump and RFK, Jr. will continue to offer the country conspiracy theories. Meanwhile, President Biden will continue to spend his time governing and getting things done to improve the lives of Americans.

Tlaib Joins Omar, AOC, Bowman & Bush in Boycotting Israeli President Herzog's Speech to Congress While Jayapal Calls Israel a "Racist State"

In recent days, the so-called progressive wing of the Democratic Party in the House of Representatives is falling all over itself to demonize and ostracize Israel. But in so doing they are saying a great deal more about themselves than they are about Israel.

On Wednesday, Israeli President Isaac Herzog will speak before Congress. Five members of the Squad have announced they will boycott Herzog's speech - Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush and now Rashida Tlaib.

In one way, I am fine with them not attending Herzog's speech as they will not be present to sully the proceedings or pull a Boebert or a Marjorie Taylor-Greene like stunt and heckle the Israeli President. Mind you, in Herzog they are boycotting a fellow socialist who was once the leader of Israel's Labor Party. But as Omar says, "No way in hell." It was Tlaib who last year stated one cannot be a progressive and be pro-Israel. 

Of course, what Tlaib really means to say is one cannot be a progressive and Jewish. During a Netroots Nation conference on Saturday in Chicago, pro-Palestinian protesters shouted down longtime Illinois Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky despite her support for their cause. Schakowsky can support the Palestinians to her hearts' content, but they only see her as a Jew worthy of derision and disdain. 

It was during this incident that Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal said, "We have been fighting to make it clear that Israel is a racist state!" This drew a rebuke from the House Democratic leadership of Hakeem Jeffries, Katherine Clark, Pete Aguilar and Ted Lieu who said, "Israel is not a racist state." Jayapal subsequently said, "I do not believe the idea of Israel as a nation is racist," and then claimed she was referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 

Nice try, but I heard Pramila Jayapal loud and clear. It's probably best for all parties concerned that she join the Squad and stay away from President Herzog's speech before Congress. 

My Thoughts on Johnny Bench's Anti-Semitic Remark Directed Towards The Late Gabe Paul

Normally when I learn of a public figure making an anti-Semitic remark, I feel anger. 

However, when I learned that Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench had done so, I feel sadness, disappointment, disillusionment and despair.

Perhaps it is foolish to put athletes, musicians, actors and other public figures on a pedestal, but Bench is someone I put on a pedestal when I was a kid not only for his play, but as the host of The Baseball Bunch. More recently, I gave Bench kudos when he made a point of announcing he had been vaccinated against COVID-19 back in 2021.

I like to think that Johnny Bench is a good person and does not harbor prejudice against Jews. But evidently not.

Yesterday, the Reds held a team Hall of Fame induction and one of the honorees was the late Gabe Paul who had served with the team for nearly a quarter century including a near decade stint as GM between 1952 to 1960. Paul would later serve as GM for the expansion Houston Colt-45's, the Cleveland Indians and the New York Yankees. 

During the ceremony, Pete Rose noted that he had been signed by Paul for $400 a month (about $4,125 in 2023 dollars) to which Paul's daughter Gabbie said, "That's cheap." To which Bench quipped, "He was Jewish."

Evidently, Gabbie Paul did not hear Bench's remark and it was Bench who drew it to her attention and apologized. Bench then issued a public apology to her for taking the spotlight away from her father and his achievements with the club although not to the Jewish community at large. 

Apology or no apology, I see Johnny Bench in a much different light now. Keep in mind, Paul left the Reds five years before the club drafted him. The fact he would make a point of saying such a thing must mean he harbors some ill feeling towards Jews. Has he always felt this way? When did he acquire his negative attitude towards Jews?

What I find equally disturbing was the reaction to his remarks. You can see fellow Reds Hall of Famer Tony Perez laughing uproariously at Bench's remark along with chuckling from Rose and others on the dais and in the audience. I also see them in a different light as well.

Apart from further estranging me from baseball, what this tells me is this is yet another sign that anti-Semitism is socially acceptable and tolerated in this country.