Reductio:
Antonio Stradivari
In 2009, Barack Obama had just become President. My loved one and I were excited about the televised ceremony. The new President had specifically invited Yo-Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman to play after the oath. Perlman famously was to play his Stradivarius violin.
I had to leave the room. Itzhak Perlman is one of the most acclaimed violinists in the world, and the few surviving Stradivarius violins are considered by many to be the absolute finest.
But Perlman’s violin was carefully constructed in 1737. Antonio Stradivari was born in 1644. See the problem?
Antonio was 93 when he made that violin. No matter how wonderful the final product, he was too damn old.
Keith Richards
The Rolling Stones broke every Rock and Roll mold. The energy was everlasting. They could do no musical wrong.
But now I refuse to listen to any of the songs I love.
You see, Keith Richards was born in 1943, which makes him too old.
Joe Biden
As President, Joe Biden has managed a host of accomplishments that are hard to argue with. The economy has revived and roared. Unemployment is at 3.9%. Prices are too damn high, but inflation has at least stalled. Child poverty has dropped.
International respect for Biden helped him rally a unified world to back Ukraine against Putin aggression.
Important steps are in effect to slow climate catastrophe, while boosting employment.
President Biden is making all the right moves.
He represents us well, better than anyone expected.
But if history has taught us anything, it is that performance doesn’t matter.
All that should matter to us is his age.
I was tired of the Stones, like The Beatles and Dylan, fifty years ago …
Indeed. 80 years of age with seasoned maturity and compassion is obviously inferior in every way to an emotionally and intellectually stunted 77 year-old sociopath.
It just makes SENSE.
perfection, Dave!
This is perfect, thank you.
Old is not the problem. Corruption, bribery, senility, and devout leftism… those are the problems, my friend.
Hope you are feeling better, Burr.
Kudos to Darrell for his compassion and empathy for Burr.
However, his view of “the problems” can be quite flexible, as in tilting towards his bias, misinformation and born-again Trumpism.
Darrell wrote at my blog on Jan 8, 2021:
“Dave, Trump was wrong to give encouragement and a wink and a nod to the protestors and delaying any attempt to rein them back. He was complicit. Sadly this ego maniacal narcissist tarnished the myriad of good things he has done for our country with this latest escapade.”
Darrell on May 15, 2021: “Trump instigates a riot according to the left and the media, but then I repeat myself. (He didn’t.)”
He was morally and factually correct the first time.
It is my earnest hope that Darrell listens to his inner voice of compassion and empathy more than to the lies and hate from Trump. He lost, lies about it, and criminally attempted to overturn our election. He tried to CANCEL the votes of 81 million Americans.
Sadly, he may never accept this reality.
But it would probably be too “leftist” for him to consider healthcare as a basic human right and legitimate Constitutional provision for the general welfare. The precedent was set back in July of 1798, Congress passed – and President John Adams signed – “An Act for the Relief of Sick and Disabled Seamen.” The law authorized the creation of a government operated marine hospital service and mandated that privately employed sailors be required to purchase health care insurance.
Of course Darrell is as free to disagree with the founders on healthcare as general welfare as we are to disagree with the slave states’ demand for state electors deciding the presidency.
One issue definitely requires an element of compassion and concern for the general welfare, while the other was appeasement of slave owners. Compassion compels us to reject all vestiges of slavery and white supremacy and to demand equality, as in one person, one vote.
A tribute to Norman Lear, the Jewish “woke” TV producer of “All in the Family” and the first shows starring Black families, was on the other night. The Right HATED him.
A quote from Archie Bunker stood out as the “code of conservatism”:
“Equality is UNFAIR!”
I still love you, Darrell, and I acknowledge your difficulty in understanding us. When you realize people like Burr and myself are not communists who hate America, you’ll be back on the track of compassion and understanding.
Revisit your first opinion above, please. I pray you listen to your better angel instead of a hateful, narcissistic liar and criminal like Trump. I promise it won’t make you a “RINO” and may even make you a better Christian.
Burr, for the record, I don’t think you are a communist who hates America. 😉
I do hope you are healing nicely and will be back at it in full force with your insights soon.
Huzzah! Darrell is getting back on the track of compassion and understanding, albeit only on one rail so far. 😉
The first step for getting on the track of compassion and understanding is getting off the Trump train.
I have faith in you Darrell. Your conscience isn’t completely in Trump’s back pocket, and wants to break free of his lies and hate.
Your thoughtful reaction is understandable and, as always, appreciated, Dave.
At the risk of betraying a confidence, Darrell has been a behind-the-scenes friend for years.
His wise counsel has helped us in rough times, including his private emails of wisdom and patience during family illnesses. I am still especially grateful for his calming reassurance, based on his own military history, when our young US Marine went out of communication in Afghanistan during, and for days after, a Taliban attack.
It is not a friendship of which most folks outside our immediate circle would be aware.
But there it is.