Today's MOZEN: Just Thinking

Photo F LoBuono

Thief #1:"You're afraid again.

Thief #2: No - just thinking.

Thief #1: "Same thing."

  - from the French film, Beauty and the Beast, 1946.

Today's MOZEN: Stirring The Pot

When I make my world famous (well, in my mind anyway) tomato sauce, I only use the freshest ingredients. Most of them, including the fresh tomatoes in season, I also grow in my own garden. Besides the tomatoes, I add olive oil, garlic (lots of garlic), oregano, thyme, basil, sage, parsley. rosemary, a little sugar and a touch of red wine.

Once I get them in the pot, I begin to cook it under a very low flame. The key is to let the ingredients meld together, each adding their unique flavors over the course of time. It also helps to eliminate extra water so that the sauce thickens enough for me to have a spoon stand alone in it. This can take several hours.

However, even though you can let it simmer for long periods of time, it is also important to stir the pot frequently. This prevents the sauce from burning at the bottom of the pot AND by blending the ingredients you insure that the flavor of each is adequately mixed and combined to create the true, unique flavor of the sauce.

Of course, STIRRING THE POT can also be used as a metaphor to describe what I try to accomplish with my writing and Social Media posts.

I often write things of a controversial nature. Some might even see them as outrageous. However, I do so not merely for shock value. That might be the initial impression, but there is much more beneath the surface.

First, I believe in total honesty. I feel that it's the only way to communicate. Sometimes, this may make others uncomfortable but rarely me. I'm sure that I've lost friends over it. But, I've probably made a few from it, too.

Second, thoughts and opinions are like ingredients of the mind; there are many different kinds and every one has its own flavor. Taken individually, each has a unique characteristic. However, when combined, the sauce takes on a totally new personality.

Just like my sauce, the only way to achieve this new mixture is to stir the pot - regularly.

So, that's what I do.

When I cook my sauce, the results have been far more appetizing than not. It may taste a little like others but in truth it is uniquely my own.

The same can be said of my writing.

I toss a lot of ingredients into the post hoping to achieve a final result of a concoction of opinions, each unique when tasted separately, but when blended, form a mixture that's most palatable.

Now, as strange as it seems to me, not everyone likes tomato sauce. I have a friend who loves tomatoes but hates their conversion to sauce. And, so it is with ideas - some will be glad to taste my Word Sauce while others will simply spit it out. Well, so be it - no food is universally liked. I get it. But, like any other chef, I will continue to cook by stirring the pot - because that's what I do.

BUON APPETITO!

Today's MOZEN: What Honor?

 

F LoBuono

Human beings live by a certain code of conduct. Without that code, cooperation would collapse and human society could not exist. In fact, most higher life forms could not. Even wild animals follow a certain pattern of behavior that allows for the individual to survive within a group setting. If every member of your tribe/pack/herd, etc. is only saying ME, ME, ME, there is no collaboration and that species is doomed to extinction.

No Man Is An Island.

Because of our social nature, that code of conduct is so key to our survival that we have given it a variety of labels: ETHICS - MORALS - SCRUPELS - PRINCIPALS - INTEGRITY to name a few.

The very evolution of man is directly connected to observing the behaviors associated with these concepts. So, it is essential that we hold people to them - especially our LEADERS. Without their guiding principals we would remain primitive savages where only the strong survive.

One of the most important tenets of these principals is HONOR.

Honor is partially defined by Webster as:

Noun -

1. honesty, fairness, or integrity in one's action

Now, with that in mind, please apply that concept to the latest round of boorish behavior by our LAME DUCK President, Donald J. Trump.

How can ANYONE still possibly see ANY honor in the President's latest actions, i.e. The Pathetic Pardon Parade of what I like to call The Villains, Thieves, and Scoundrels Union?

These pardoned men are themselves without honor - thieves like Charles Kushner and Paul Manafort. Liars like John Flynn. And, murderers like The Blackwater bunch.

This President still seems a man who would be more than King but even Emperor. He is only interested in consolidating his own power - at all costs. And, if that means the loss of honor, so be it. Mr. Trump NEVER had any to lose in the first place!

This was true today, yesterday, and from the beginning of his public career.

The Marines live by this credo: DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR.

Its meaning is plane. They exist within a code of honor that is more powerful than even their fear of death.

We can never expect Mr. Trump to live by this code. It is simply not within him. He has no sense of shame. Therefore, he can have no sense of honor.

But, what we can do resign him to the irrelevance he so fears but still so richly deserves.

Today's MOZEN: ANGER

 ANGER

It's as powerful as any emotion a human being can experience. It can be every bit as compelling as compassion. In fact, for many if not most, it is even more so because it seems to come so quickly and easily. Anger is often our very first response to even the most minor transgressions, actual or simply perceived.

At least that's the case with me.

And, it seems I'm awfully angry these days.

I'm angry at BIG things, like the state of the world, especially here in America. Our national ethos has been hijacked by a bilious, bellicose, bloated, bloviating, blowhard of a man and his equally degenerate minions. Donald J. Trump's reign of ineptitude, cruelty, and misanthropy is due to end in just a matter of weeks. However, I feel the damage is done. And, sadly, his vindictiveness has only accelerated in the fading light of his failed administration.

I'm outraged that over 70 million of my fellow Americans found ANYTHING worthy in voting for that egomaniacal bully. I've lost friends over it. Long time friends. And, because I AM so angry, I don't give a shit. Fuck them.

THAT'S ANGER.

And, I'm pissed at this fucking virus, too.

COVID-19 and its corresponding pandemic has affected everyone and I believe it safe to say none for the better. All have suffered at least some. And, some have suffered all - the loss of livelihoods and loved ones. I'm sick and tired of staying mostly alone, cooped up in my small, lonely little apartment because of it. I want to get back to my life. Small as it my have been before, at least it was something. If I never hear the word COVID ever again it will be too fucking soon.

But, I'm also get enraged over smaller, more personal things, too.

I'm sick and tired of my failed personal relationships. I'm angry that, in my heart, I give a lot to people and don't get all that much in return. I'm resentful that I spend hours writing my heart out to only have a handful take the time to read my shit while others churn out commercial crap to great accolades. I'm resentful of their success and tired of being jealous.

Greedy, selfish fucking people can go to hell, too.

And, just to get even more petty, I even fume with the fact that the couple who live in the apartment next to mine have a toddler which means I virtually have to make an appointment if I want to do a laundry in the COMMUNAL washroom.

And, you'd better not even think of taking my parking spot which I took hours to clean the snow from. They'll be hell to pay.

Even my cat grooming too much can send me into a rage!

It all seems so trivial and trite.

Yet, at the same time, it is so REAL.

I'm even angry that I'm SO ANGRY!

Drinking and drugging don't help (well, actually they do - a little). Even writing it out only provides limited, temporary relief. Isolation only sinks me deeper into this funk. But, at least it keeps me from inflicting my wrath upon others. That's got to be worth something.

Look, no one gives a shit for my problems. Nor should they. We all have are own little crosses to bear. And, because I'm angry, I don't give a shit if they do or they don't. And, there within lies the ol' Catch 22 - in other words, you're damned if you do and damned if you don't.

Anger becomes a self-perpetuating emotion. The more we feel it, the more angry we become until it overwhelms all other emotions and it devours us.

And, I don't want to be consumed by my own anger. Anger only leads to hatred. I believe in love, light, and compassion. Transcendence to enlightenment is the only true path.

Now, if I could only find a fucking way to get there. . . 

Today's MOZEN: An Eye for an Eye

 

Brandon Bernard - courtesy of his defense team

On Thursday, December 11, 2020, at 9:27 pm in the United States Federal Penitentiary, Terre Haute, Indiana, 40 year-old Brandon Bernard was executed for being an accomplice to a brutal murder committed by another individual when Bernard was just 18.

He became the ninth person executed by the Federal Government since the Trump administration, under the guidance of US Attorney General William Barr, reinstituted the penalty this past July.

Previous to that time, the death penalty on the Federal level had not be exercised in the previous 17 years.

This fact should come as no surprise to those who support Donald J. Trump as the Law and Order President.

Still, there are a number of factors involved that makes this entire incident such a tragedy.

First and foremost, it is most important to remember the original victims of the crime, the married couple Todd and Staci Bagley. They were brutally murdered by Christopher Vialva in a car-jacking gone bad in Killeen, Texas. Ironically Vialva was also executed at Terre Haute in September. There was never any doubt that it was Mr. Vialva who shot the Bagley's execution style and stuffed them into the trunk of their car which was then set on fire. 

This is where Mr. Bernard comes in.

There is no doubt that he was an accessory to murder as there was ample evidence that he actually started the car fire. However, Bernard was not even present for the original car-jacking or shooting. During the trial a State sanctioned forensic specialist suggested that Staci Bagley was not killed by the gunshot but rather by smoke inhalation from the car fire. This was strongly disputed by another forensic expert for the defense who reviewed Ms. Bagley's autopsy report. If the fire had indeed killed her, Mr. Bernard would then be reasonably called a killer. However, there was serious doubt that this was indeed the case. So, in essence he didn't murder anyone.

Bernard was also just 18 at the time, barely of legal age to be eligible to receive the death penalty. And, he was under the influence of a gang that he turned to to escape a traumatic childhood. He did what he was told to do by other gang members. He was not in a position to challenge them.

Furthermore, as so often happens to poor, black men he could not afford a high-powered attorney for his defense. Instead, he was inadequately represented by a court-appointed lawyer with absolutely no death penalty case experience. He was subsequently convicted and sentenced to death by an almost all white jury.

Perhaps most importantly, Bernard was remorseful for his actions from the very beginning and never waned in his efforts to make his life, even in prison, be worth something to atone for the pain he inflicted on the families of the victims. Robert Owen, Mr. Bernard's lawyer for the last 20 years said this about his client and friend: 

“Brandon made one terrible mistake at age 18. But he did not kill anyone, and he never stopped feeling shame and profound remorse for his actions in the crime. And he spent the rest of his life sincerely trying to show, as he put it, that he ‘was not that person.’ Brandon showed us that and so much more, carrying himself with grace and generosity, and always treating everyone around him with kindness and respect. He worked to help other troubled kids avoid similar devastating mistakes, and he lived every day his commitment to serving both God and humanity.” 

Many, including a former prosecutor in the case as well as some of the former jurors begged the government to reconsider Mr. Bernard's fate and institute a stay of execution. However, it was not meant to be. The Supreme Court rejected his last minute appeal and President Trump refused to grant him clemency.

In keeping with his simple ways, Bernard ordered a meat-lovers pizza and a brownie as his last meal.  Although some could sense his fear, he was also described as spiritually poised. He was ready to meet his fate. His last words were to the families of those who had lost their loved ones those 21 years ago, saying:

"I'm sorry. That's the only words that I can say that can completely capture how I feel now and how I felt that day."

In written statements, the victims' families thanked President Trump. Todd Bagley's mother, Georgia, also wrote this response:

“Please remember that the lives of family and friends were shattered and we all have grieved for 21 years waiting for justice to finally be served.”

While giving the families all the respect due those whose lives have been shattered by senseless violence, I can't help but continue to grief for ALL that has been lost here. Executing Brandon Bernard was NOT justice but, rather, vengeance. What closure could this man's death really provide? He was remorseful. He was contrite. And, he did everything he could possible due to atone for his crime (which he readily admitted committing). He was just 18 at the time of the killings. How many of us are the same as we were at that age? He was a changed man whose life could have been used to better others by helping them avoid the mistakes that he made. Now, there is nothing. The victims' families don't get their loved ones back and another begins it's own grieving process.

In the end, the death penalty accomplishes nothing. It has been proven that it is NOT a deterrent to murder. It does not bring closure. It does not provide justice. Murder at anyone's hand, even the State's is still simply murder. By its very nature it is indefensible. Where is transcendence? Where is compassion? They certainly do not lie within any society that supports the death penalty.

An eye for an eye just leaves the whole world blind.

F LoBuono

Today's MOZEN: Groundhog Day

 

Like some perverse version of Bill Murray's cult classic, Groundhog Day, the Trump election fiasco goes on and on spewing endless rounds of lies, misconceptions, and outright bullshit. With its cast of clowns like Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, Jenna Ellis, Sebastian Gorka, Michelle Bachmann, and a host of others, this reality show might be funny if it wasn't so fucking tragic.

The reason it's not funny is the fact that tens of millions of people are actually buying this shit show!

Groundhog Day was fiction. This is a sad reality. And, that reality is this entitled man who we elected king* can say virtually ANYTHING, even the most bizarre, nonsensical shit, and his minions would eat that shit with a silver spoon. Furthermore, like petulant children, they become violent when he/they don't get their way, even when his claims have been PROVEN to be false.

Like a spoiled, entitled child Mr. Trump screams, cries, pleads, implores, lies, steals, cheats, stamps his feet, and shakes his fists until he gets what he want. And, like poor parents whose indulgence not only enables but encourages this poor behavior, the Republican Party has showed itself to be no friend of the American People. In fact, their total capitulation to this arrogant sham of a leader, will forever doom them to a legacy of cowardice and shame.

Illustration by Kaya Mar

In the film, Bill Murray's character eventually wakes up a new man in a new day. The lesson was learned and he was better off for his experience. We can only hope that on 1/20/2021 my fellow Americans will also wake, acknowledge the error of their ways and dedicate themselves to ridding ourselves of a legacy that nearly destroyed our democracy.

Well, I can hope anyway. It may be all that we have left . . . 

*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYCTlqK9m78

Today's MOZEN: Finding The Path

No one ever said that the Road to Enlightenment would be easy. In fact, according to the prophets, it can be so difficult that it can take many cycles of death and rebirth (i.e. reincarnation) to finally reach that destination. I know that my own path has been paved with the stones of limited, joyful success and a lot of those that bear the weight of failure. My ego gets in the way. My pride gets in the way. My arrogance gets in the way. And, so does my anger. The path of that which makes us simply human and that which makes us divine is on a slippery slope. It's all so frustrating!

Still, I remain resolute in my pursuit of Spiritual Consciousness.

However, lately, that goal seems further away than ever!

The fact that over 74 million of my fellow Americans voted for a man whom I contend embodies the worst of human vices, i.e. greed, arrogance, sloth, avarice, mendacity, and a host of other negative traits simply makes the already difficult goal of achieving that enlightenment seemingly impossible.

In response, I must take comfort in two major counter points:

1. The knowledge that over 81 million OTHER Americans stood up to a bully and empathically said, "NO THANKS".

2.  So-called Idiocracy in America has ALWAYS been there and probably always will be. Ignorance, racism, bigotry, greed, and hate have been with us since the inception of this Nation. In fact, some would say that it is so much a part of our ethos that it has become part of our DNA. The KKK has never died (and, never will). McCarthyism has never died (and, never will). And, now, we have Trumpism, a new blight on our National Character that I fear will also never die. And, yet, we as a Nation survive.

This, I suppose, is the way of the world, the Yin and Yang of the human experience. They are two sides of the same coin. On one side, where we often find not only many others but, sometimes, our selves, lies the baser angels of our nature, i.e. the place where fear and ignorance lie. On the other, is the more sublime, i.e. where the better angels, those of tolerance and compassion, reside.

I see my job as to acknowledge the existence of the former while working to live within the latter. This is NO easy task, especially when I would love to simply grab some of these people and smack some sense into them.

So, when I see others on Social Media denying facts like Mr. Trump LOST the race for the Presidency or that Covid 19 is a killer, I have to remind myself not to fall victim to the same level of idiocy of the person who posted in the first place.

And, there within lies the challenge.

So, what I try to do is stick to the facts as we know them and avoid the pejoratives and ad hominem attacks that often follow strong disagreements, especially those that occur under the protection of the relative anonymity that is Social Media.

It's not easy.

That's why the road is long and hard. It can be much more satisfying to lash out and fall victim to our baser emotions. Those are the ones that seem to come to us first - anger and then retribution. I'll admit that I often want to pummel those folks. But, those emotions, although human, are contrary to the path that we call Enlightenment.

And, that's why it is so difficult to get there.

Now, that doesn't mean that I'm just gonna' sit back and allow someone to spew the hate and vitriol that seems to be the staple of so many Trump supporters. I feel it is not only my duty, but EVERYONE'S, to deny fear and loathing whenever and wherever we encounter it. We just need to avoid being a prick when we do. . . 

Today's MOZEN: When Will It End

Illustration by Kaya Mar

 After so many months of dealing with the chaos created by the Covid-19 virus, virtually all of us are suffering from some version of so-called Pandemic Fatigue. It has been so taxing in one form or another to everyone that we just want it to be over.

However, we cannot simply close our eyes, think hard and true, and make this horrible malady go away. We may be tired, but the virus is NOT. It is relentless in its attacks. Therefore, we must remain vigilant. However, if we do remain so and practice what science tells us we must do to survive, we will get our lives back.

The same can be said for lame duck President Donald J. Trump and his entire corrupt administration.

I am so fucking sick and tired of his relentless bullshit that I'm finding it difficult to wait and see him booted out of the White House, kicking and screaming if necessary, on 1/20/2021.

I want him/them gone NOW.

Mr. Trump's mendacity knows no bounds. And, I use the word mendacity because it means more than simply lying - calling it just lying would be like saying the Titanic was merely a cruise ship. We all tell small white lies. It makes us human. But, mendacity is willful lying to the point where it becomes a way of life, a means to an end, any end, just as long as it benefits only you.

And, his constant fabrication of election law misdeeds with NO supporting facts is ripped right from the pages of the Joseph Goebbels' handbook:

 “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”*

I have resisted from the beginning of this corrupt administration's origins to compare them to the Nazis. Although there was sufficient evidence to at least suggest a connection I felt it, perhaps, too great a leap. Well, not any more!!

If the god damned shoe fits, they must wear it.

This abhorrent man, nothing more that a Reality TV Show Host, is mustering every falsehood, every exaggeration, every flat out fabrication in a desperate effort to hold on to power - a power that was NEVER his to begin with. THAT power belongs to the people and it's time to GIVE IT BACK.

Trump supporters, if you have ANY decency left, you will demand that this sham of a leader cease his indiscriminate assault on OUR DEMOCRACY. It's simply a disgrace from a man history will label as such.

*https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/joseph-goebbels-on-the-quot-big-lie-quot

Today's MOZEN: GET THE FUCK OUT!

 

Illustration by Kaya Mar

Have you ever been in a relationship that became so toxic the only words left to say were; get the fuck out - just get the fuck out!? Perhaps, the vitriol was accompanied by a gentle shove towards the closest door. I know that I have been - more than once.

Now, I don't see myself as a cruel person and I think that most folks who know me would tend to agree. However, there comes a point where, unfortunately, every reasonable attempt at reconciliation has failed and you're left with an emptiness that is often replaced by anger. The only recourse left is separation - by any non-violent means necessary.

Well, that can be easily used as a metaphor for what is happening with lame duck President Donald J. Trump and his attempts at hanging on to what he now longer has. All of his crying, whining, tweeting, and frivolous lawsuits can no longer save him. Despite his cadre of duped minions, his relationship with over 77 million of his fellow Americans is permanently fractured. And, it can never be repaired.

So, Mr. FORMER President, I will say to you and your entire entourage of toxic flunkies and phonies:

IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO GET THE FUCK OUT!

That is all . . . 

Today's MOZEN: The Clown Show

 

Photograph: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

During a press conference the other day, soon to be ex-President Donald Trump's lead attorney for post election affairs, Rudy Giuliani's hair was actually bleeding. Two black lines were running down from the hair around each of his temples to below his chin. REALLY!!

It was SO embarrassing that it was actually painful to watch. It was so pathetic that I really felt kind of sorry for him (well, sort of, anyway). It was obvious that he was sweating profusely, diluting the dark colored dye he must use in his hair, causing it to run down his face.

Just how far can the mighty fall?

Well, obviously pretty friggin' far!

Rudolph Giuliani, former Federal Prosecutor, was also once so lauded as he led a devastated New York City through the dark days after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center that he became known as not just the Mayor of New York City but as AMERICA'S MAYOR.

Then he joined the Clown Show that is also known as the Trump Administration. In addition to the latest embarrassing incident, Mr. Giuliani was also recently punked by the slap-stick comedian, Sacha Baron Cohen, a.k.a. Borat , in Mr. Cohen's latest madcap film. How he could so easily fall prey to a comic who makes a living by exposing charlatans speaks to the fool that Giuliani has become. And, this doesn't even take into account the ridiculous press conference he held at The Four Seasons - no, not the glamorous hotel but the landscaping company between the adult book store and the crematorium.

Now, take it one step further -

Mr. Giuliani is the LEAD attorney for the President, as Mr. Trump makes a desperate attempt to hold off the inevitable, i.e. that he LOST the election. Think about that. The President is so delusional that the man most responsible for these efforts has hair dye leaking down his face as he addresses the world.

Come on, Trumpsters - just how bad does it have to get to realize that you not only backed the wrong horse - it ain't even a horse - it's a JACKASS.

That is all . . .

Today's MOZEN: What Do YOU See?

F LoBuono

Perhaps, if by some bizarre chance, an actual Trump supporter is reading this, may I ask a few questions:

What is it that you actually see in Donald Trump so that you would CONTINUE to support him?

Is it his appearance?

I see an obese figure, with a bouffant hairdo that looks like a dead animal sitting on his head, fake teeth, and a spray-on tan that gives him an unearthly orange glow.

Is it his personality?

I see an egomaniac who identifies with bullying, bluster, belligerence, mendacity, and bullshit as leadership skills.

Is it his communication?

I see a bumbling fool who can't spell, doesn't write well, and doesn't speak with any level of intelligence.

Is it his policy?

I see no Health Care plan, no great Border Wall, no environmental protections, a raging, unchecked Covid pandemic, and no tax break for the Middle Class.

Is it his plan for the future?

I see a man without any coherent plan to lead us forward. In fact, despite the fact that he lost the election convincingly, he is keeping the ENTIRE Country from moving forward with a NEW President for his own selfish means.

So, someone, please refute my assessment of this horrible man. I'm willing to listen to any reasonable, fact-based retort. After all, over 70 million of you STILL voted for him. There must be one who can adequately explain WHY.

Thank you. 

Today's MOZEN: Taking It To The Streets

 

F LoBuono

Because of my position with a major news outlet, I have had the great privilege to witness some of the most important political events in our Country's history. To name just 2, I was front row-center to experience the joy when Barack Obama accepted the Democratic nomination for President in 2008. I was also at the Javits Center in New York when Hillary Clinton got the heartbreaking news that she had lost the 2016 Presidential election to Donald Trump.

However, I must admit that I've never seen the unadulterated joy of millions of people, not only in this Country but from around the world, at the defeat of our current (but, not for much longer) President, Donald J. Trump. Bells were ringing, horns were blaring, and people were dancing in the streets. It was as if a huge, debilitating weight had been lifted off the collective shoulders of so many Americans. After 4 years of a President and Administration that I'm confident history will declare as the worst since the inception of America, The People could once again breath the clean, fresh air of a new birth of freedom!

I was in the lounge, taking a lunch break from working in our the newsroom on W57th St. in Manhattan when I heard a mighty commotion. It surprised me because it was SO loud. Cars were beeping their horns, people were flooding the streets, cheering and banging on pots and pans. I couldn't imagine what it might me. That was until my phone started ringing to alert me to return to the newsroom ASAP: Joe Biden had broken through to become the President-elect. As you can imagine, the newsroom exploded with activity!

Of course, the newsroom chaos lasted well into the night. However, so did the street celebrations. In my little village of Nyack, NY, Main Street had to be literally shut down to accommodate all of the revelers!

Now, I know that 70 million people actually voted for Mr. Trump. That's a number simply too large to ignore. I may NEVER fully understand exactly WHY they did so, but that's irrelevant for this post. Over 74 million Americans DID vote for Joe Biden and their joy was made most apparent in the most celebratory of ways - the American way - taking it to the streets - with NO hint of violence. Perhaps, NOW we can truly Make America Great Again.

Because the Country has been so wounded by Mr. Trump, Mr. Biden's road will not be an easy one. We are still seriously fractured and Republican opposition, led by the likes of Mitch McConnel, is bound to be fierce. But, if the conciliatory tone taken by President-elect Biden in his speech made immediately after he was officially declared the winner is any indication of what we can expect over the next 4 years, we are most certainly in good hands. And, as he said in that speech:

If Americans come together, there is nothing we cannot do.

Order will be restored.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE

Today's MOZEN: 1/20/2021

Illustration by Kaya Mar

OH MY FRIGGIN' GOD!!! WHEN WILL IT EVER END????

 - the lying, the cheating, the willful ignorance . . . 

Perhaps, one day, after years of study by social scientists, someone will be able to adequately explain how 60 MILLION PEOPLE voted for a man with the character of a snake oil salesman. That is the approximate amount of Americans who continue to support soon-to-be EX-President Donald J. Trump. What bewilders me is that after 4 failed, miserable years where Mr. Trump talked and talked so much and yet accomplished so little, so many still buy his line of shit.

If that isn't enough, he is contesting the election by making outrageous, baseless claims of fraud and deliberate malfeasance on the part of those who had the audacity to exercise their rights as Americans, i.e. VOTE for the candidate of THEIR choice!!! And, in doing so he is, once again, fragmenting our society and incited his most fanatic minions to violence.

It boggles my mind that so many people, yes, many of them presumably good people, actually drank Trump's Kool-Aid. That is until you realize where the term comes from. It refers to the Jonestown Massacre* when cult leader Jim Jones convinced 919 of his most fanatical followers to kill themselves by drinking Kool-Aid laced with cyanide. And, even more astounding and tragic is the fact that one third of the victims were children, given the elixir by their own parents.

That was 42 years ago.

Today, we have a new Cult of Personality led by Donald J. Trump whose minions appear ready to drink whatever libation he should choose to serve them. Whatever he tells them, no matter how outlandish or outrageous, they will believe simply because they want to. Facts play no role in the process. They have an endless supply of excuses to justify his mendacity. As a comedian friend of mine put it:

Trump could walk into their homes, shoot their dog, and they would STILL BLAME THE DOG!

Donald Trump is going to lose this election. And, despite his whining, crying, and bloviating, he will be going, by force if necessary. He can file all the lawsuits his tiny, little heart desires. The Constitution, you know that little article that he and his followers supposedly worship, is very clear in the procedure. It's called the 20th Amendment**.

Well, I guess I answered my own question. Yes, it WILL end:

and, Noon, 1/20/2021 can't come fast enough.

*https://time.com/longform/jonestown-aftermath/

** Section 1. The terms of the President and Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January, and the terms of Senators and Representatives at noon on the 3rd day of January, of the years in which such terms would have ended if this article had not been ratified; and the terms of their successors shall then begin.

Today's MOZEN: Dead Shark

 

F LoBuono

When I think about the state of near anarchy our Country is in, my feelings range from extreme depression to raging indignation.

I've never seen anything like it - and, I'm old enough to have experienced the deceit and heartbreak of Vietnam, the lies and deception of Nixon, and the greed and avarice of Reagan. All of those eras saw the Country nearly torn apart by the intense differences in opinions by Americans on exactly what America herself was, and is, supposed to be.

On the one hand, we have so-called Conservatives and on the other, Liberals. One group is dedicated to preserving the status quo while the other seeks more progressive change. Generally speaking, Republicans represent Conservatives while Democrats are associated with Liberals. If you would like to know the difference in the two platforms, go to a dictionary and look the two words up.

Go ahead. I'll wait.

Now, that you've done that, let me ask you this question: which description would YOU rather be defined by?

I know where my heart lies.

That's what so disturbing about where we are now. The fight is on for the very Heart AND Soul of this Country. 

In the past, our Republic has been strong enough to survive the blows inflicted upon it by people who stubbornly cling to the past as if it were some shield to protect them against the change so necessary and inevitable to keep our Country growing and, therefore, strong. To paraphrase Woody Allen in his movie Annie Hall: relationships are like sharks. They have to keep moving forward or they die. What we have on our hands is a dead shark. Just replace relationships with Country and you'll get my meaning.

Those people who continue to support Donald J. Trump and his entire Administration are dealing with a dead shark. His/their very slogan, Make America Great Again, is a harkening to the good ol' days, forgetting that often meant segregation, intimidation, degradation, and blind ignorance. These things are to be left behind, not yearned for!

We must continue to make progress (i.e. be progressive) and not cling to the past, but build a brighter future. In my mind, that is impossible under the likes of Mr. Trump who has managed to dupe so many into believing that his ethos is dedicated to improving anyone or anything besides himself and his family. In fact, convincing working people that the Republican Party is actually on their side is one of the greatest marketing feats in the history of the world. It could also be considered one of the world's greatest jokes if it wasn't so sad.

Yes, I must admit that it actually makes me angry to think what's so obvious to so many - that Mr. Trump would do and say almost ANYTHING to stay in power, even at the cost of our personal freedoms. And, yet, their are millions of others who have been blinded by his Cult of Personality. You see them in their pickup trucks, horns blaring, Trump banners proudly flowing, spitting their hateful rhetoric wherever they go.

So, let me close by repeating a popular slogan: Vote like our life depends on it. Because it does . . . 

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT: I'd Rather Be Alone

 

Now that the most important, and divisive, Presidential election in my lifetime (65+ years) is imminent, I've witnessed a surge in social media memes that are asking people to be more civil in their discourse. Of course, this is an admirable goal. Even when we vehemently disagree on policy issues, we should always keep our humanity in mind - and, that means, in the end, we need to respect one another.

However, there are limits. At least there are to me.

Disagreements on so-called political issues are one thing. There have been, and always will be room for differing points of view in my life. However, when those views express feelings of turpitude, I am going to call you on them. 

Politics are one thing. Morality is quite another.

So, if you wish to defend bigotry, racism, xenophobia, homophobia, misogyny, mendacity, greed, sloth, cruelty, malevolence, fear, loathing, and hatred as part of your political ideology, I'm going to call you on it - EVERY TIME. There is absolutely no room in my life for people who espouse these traits as part of theirs'.

People will often offer that we can agree to disagree or we can still be friends.

Well, that depends.

If your moral compass lies in my Red Zone (literally as well as figuratively), the answer to those questions is a resounding NO. I will NOT agree to abhorrent moral behavior OR ideals. And, NO, I will not accept immoral people as friends.

So, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, I'd rather live alone than be surrounded by people lacking in even the least in moral courage.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT: Reprehensible

Illustration by kaya Mar

Let's be fair and give the man his due when it is warranted. So, just when you thought the bar couldn't be set any lower, Donald J. Trump has set a new standard in abhorrent behavior.

Making ridiculous, child-like facial gestures to mock not only his political opponents but anyone who may have had the audacity to question his integrity or acumen, may be his idea of just having fun at someone else's expense. However, inciting violence against ANYONE, particularly against a sitting governor of one of the Country's largest States, is beyond deplorable - it's downright despicable.

His recent campaign rally (aka, Super-Spreader event) in Michigan set the bar lower than the *Mariana Trench. And, put in the simplest terms, that is lower than whale shit. His criticism of Michigan's Democratic, and lawfully elected governor, Gretchen Witmer, was so vitriolic in its presentation that it whipped his minions into such a frenzy that they began chanting, LOCK HER UP! And, for what - her efforts to keep her citizens safe? Really?

And, the worst part is that he not only refused to calm the crowd, his smiling, applauding approval actually encouraged them to become even more enraged! Considering the fact that the FBI just foiled a kidnapping plot by White Supremacists against Governor Witmer, the reaction was simply vile. Shame on him AND those people who roared with delight!

This man is supposed to be not only the leader of our Country, but also that of the entire Free World. And, here he is making faces and grinning like a buffoon. Worse still, his rhetoric emboldened his howling minions towards violence against not only a political adversary but a woman, wife, and mother.

So, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, Hillary Clinton was wrong; his hardcore supporters are not a basket of deplorables. It's beyond that - they are REPREHENSIBLE (and, just about any other negative adjective you care to add) - and, so is Donald J. Trump - soon to be FORMER President of the United States.

*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariana_Trench

Today's MOZEN: Dead Man Walking

Illustration by Kaya Mar

This post, especially at this time, will be like virtually all of my others regarding President Donald J. Trump and his entire Administration: it will be relentlessly negative and will not change a single mind. Those vehemently opposed to Mr. Trump need no more prompting to vote his sorry ass out of office. Those in favor of rewarding him with another 4 years will exercise their right as well and cast their votes for him.

I suppose the difference with this post is that I've become more convinced than ever that Mr. Trump, despite the unwavering support among his minions, is heading for a crushing defeat on November 3rd.

My reasoning is two-fold. First, virtually every National poll has the President trailing challenger Joe Biden, often by double digits. Furthermore, he trails Biden in key, so-called swing States that delivered an Electoral College win for him in 2016. But, as we saw in that election, polls can be inaccurate or, at least, misleading. Therefore, now is not the time for complacency.

Second, and perhaps more importantly, Mr. Trump's already controversial behavior has taken an even deeper decent into the realm of the unhinged. One need not be a psychologist or social scientist to see that he has become so desperate with even the thought of his defeat that not only his words, but his actions too are those of a madman.

He and his Administration's plan (or, more accurately, LACK OF one) to deal with the COVID pandemic has backfired on him to the point that he actually became infected with the very virus he earlier called a hoax. And, his reaction to contracting COVID-19 can only be described as bizarre. His return to the White House after a short stint at Walter Reed Medical Center was right out of the Benito Mussolini handbook! And, we all know what became of il Duce.

His vicious attack on Democratic Vice President candidate, Kamala Harris, calling her a monster and a communist, is the language of a man who has lost not only his cool, but, quite possible, his mind, as well. This, on top his lack of morals and/or scruples, is the mark of a man who is losing his grip on reality.

Unfortunately, the cult of personality which guides his followers cannot be shaken. Despite his obvious meltdown, they will never leave his side. As a comedian/friend said to me, Mr. Trump could walk into one of his follower's homes, shoot their dog, and they would blame the dog. There is no reason or logic as the foundation of their support. I suppose that they are as damaged emotionally and spiritually as he is.

But, that doesn't matter. This Country still has a conscience. And, if that man has done one thing right, it has been to awaken our sense of duty, honor, and compassion - all things Mr. Trump lacks so completely and, to his lasting shame, will prove his undoing. Think of him as the proverbial dead man walking. . . 

F LoBuono

Today's MOZEN: Karma Can Be A Bitch

TRUMP>COVID>KARMA 

Today's MOZEN: The Buck Stops Here

One of the most notable things associated with President Harry S. Truman was a sign on his desk that read THE BUCK STOPS HERE. It was made at the Federal Reformatory in El Reno, Oklahoma and sat on the President's desk from October 1945 until he left office.  It's a term that was first used in frontier poker games. A buckhorn knife on the table was pointed at the man whose turn it was to deal the cards. When a player wished to pass on his turn as dealer to someone else, the knife was moved, thereby passing the buck.

Harry Truman

Truman referred to the slogan on more than one occasion to emphasize the enormous responsibility that sits squarely on the shoulders of the President. He simply CANNOT pass the burden of leadership on to anyone else. No matter what the pain my be, the President must stand alone, resolute in his convictions and decisions.

This is what leaders do.

At least that's how it use to be.

We now have a blustering bully for a President that only takes responsibility for his own perceived greatness. According to him, he has never made a mistake in his life. If anything has gone wrong in his administration, it was not by his ineptitude but rather at the hand of others lacking his great insight and skills: China is responsible for the death of hundreds of thousands of Americans. The Press is always lying about him. His staff deserts him because they are corrupt and inept. Health care has not been passed because Congress acts against him. Woman accuse him of sexual misconduct because they are after his money. Businesses sue him because they are jealous of his success.

And the list goes on.

Illustration by Kaya Mar

The Buck Stops Here means that the for better OR worse, the President is ultimately responsible for EVERYTHING that happens on his watch. Excuses be damned. OWN UP or SHUT UP - this President is incapable of either. In fact, it seems that for Mr. Trump, based on a recent NY Times article claiming that, in fact, he is in a great deal of debt, the buck stops NOWHERE - literally as well as figuratively.

Today's MOZEN: Lipstick on a Pig

 

Illustration by Kaya Mar

We New Yorkers (New Yawkas in the local dialect) are often seen as arrogant by other Americans. I believe that's because we have never had an issue with speaking our minds and telling others exactly how things are - take it or leave it. The choice is yours.

And, THIS one is telling you:

No one knows Donald J. Trump better than we who live and/or work in his hometown. He is a liar AND a thief. He was never anything more than that. And, he never will be - title or not. You can put lipstick on a pig and it's still a pig (no insult to pigs). You can package Mr. Trump as King Midas in a made-for-TV unreality show and what you're left with is still a sad, broken, lying sack of shit.

You can prove yourselves to be like minded if you vote for him. That is your right and privilege. However, we in New York have this for you: FUCK THAT. . . 

F LoBuono

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT: Does Good Always Win?

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In the end, good will always triumph over evil.

This is certainly a positive concept that it used by most of the world's great religions to encourage people when times are tough. 

But, is it accurate? Really?

I say, NO, it is most certainly not true. And, I'm not being overly pessimistic when I make that statement. It's not an emotional response, either. It is based on logic and reason.

Hear me out.

Yin and Yang is the ancient Chinese concept that when simply put explains that a balance between all things was created from the chaos evident at the beginning of the universe. It is represented by a symbol that melds an equal amount of both black and white within a circle. It means that for everything that is seen in the light, there is an equal amount of darkness. In other words, where good exists, evil must too.

And, this concept of balance is not only found in the philosophical/religious communities but within the scientific as well in such concepts as Newton's Third Law of Motion (for every action there is reaction) and the Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium in genetics.

So, When You Think About It, good does not ALWAYS triumph over evil. They are forces of EQUAL power. And, in a sense, one cannot exist without the other - except, perhaps in nirvana or heaven, or whatever we decide is paradise. But, in THIS world we had better get used to the fact that evil has always lived side-by-side with good. And, that evil deeds do, in fact, occur in equal measure as good ones.

So, in my mind, we must accept evil for what it is. However, at the same time, as have been given minds that think and emotions that make us human, we must do whatever we can to accentuate the good and minimize the bad. Then, the world will turn . . . 

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT: Hillary Was Almost Right

 

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During the 2016 campaign for the Presidency, Hillary Clinton, when describing her opponent Donald Trump's hard-core base, used the unfortunate phrase basket of deplorables. For as many people it pleased, I also believe that it alienated a significant amount of others who were undecided at the time, prompting them to vote for Mr. Trump. That's why I call it unfortunate.

However, those of us who knew EXACTLY what she meant have seen that deplorable behavior demonstrated over and over again by Mr. Trump and his ardent supporters.

The President lies incessantly and his base marches in lockstep behind him, finding every excuse possible to dismiss his mendacity. It's so blatant that it can only be described as, well, deplorable. No wait, let's make that even more accurate - it's fucking deplorable.

The latest example can be found in the death of legendary Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the political game being played in the US Senate to name her successor as quickly as possible, i.e. before the November elections.

Of course, the Republican led Senate is leading the charge to make this happen, conveniently forgetting the statements, oaths, and promises they made in a similar situation under the Obama administration when then President Obama nominated Merrick Garland to fill the vacancy created by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. There was still nearly a year left for the Obama Administration.

So, with a full 11 months to go before the 2016 election, GOP Senators like Mitch McConnel, Chuck Grassley, Lindsey Graham and a host of others claimed that The People should have a say in the process and that would be expressed by their choice in the coming Presidential election. Because they were in the majority and led by Mr. McConnel, they successfully blocked the appointment of a man whom virtually everyone said was extremely well qualified. And, ALL OF THEM are captured on tape claiming that, by a matter of principal, they would not bring the nomination to the floor of the Senate. In other words, Mr. Merrick would not even be considered for the post despite his impeccable credentials.

Now, with a mere matter of weeks to go before the big election and with Justice Ginsburg not even officially laid to rest, the GOP canaries are singing a different tune. Suddenly, they have an urgency to do the jobs they were elected for and are rushing to confirm her replacement as soon as Mr. Trump gives it to them - no matter whom it may be.

It is simply unprecedented and reeks of political contamination. Even the VERY few GOP Senators who had doubts about the process, like Utah Senator Mitt Romney, have all adopted the party line and will go along for the ride. Honor, honesty, integrity be damned. Their hypocrisy knows no bounds.

Look, it's Washington and political expediency is part of the everyday vocabulary there. Democrats are also on tape during the Garland affair saying that the nomination should be pushed through. It was certainly in the best interests of THEIR party to have it so.

However, the moral equivalence between the two is not the same.

The average time for the entire Supreme Court process is 71 days or 2.3 months*. With Merrick Garland the time frame was 11 months (about 330 days) before the election. This time the GOP wants it accomplished in  just 42 days or about a 1 and 1/2 months (as of this writing 9/22/2020).

Do the math! The two things are NOT equal. They're not even close.

Certainly, this entire course is being charted by Mr. Trump and his cabal of supporters within his Administration and Congress. I fully understand that this is a grab for more power to implement their vision of American. I get that. What I don't understand is how many Americans can still support the deceit and wanton hypocrisy of Mr. Trump and his ENTIRE Administration.

So, when you think about it, Ms. Clinton was almost right - they are deplorable, but they simply don't make a basket large enough to hold them all. . . 

* Congressional Research Office.

 

Today's MOZEN: The Time Draws Nearer

f LoBuono

Perhaps, you may have noticed that lately I haven't posted any of my usual diatribes over the gross negligence and blatant stupidity of our current President and his entire Administration. It's not for lack of content or enthusiasm to see Mr. Trump and his entire entourage sent packing to the shit pile of history. No. Quite to the contrary, every time that he opens his mouth he provides me with a plethora of morainic statements, falsehoods, and outright lies as grist for my mill.

My reasoning is this: it's highly unlucky that ANY of my writing, or anyone else's for that matter, has changed even one mind - especially among his base. You could shove a stick of dynamite up each one of their asses with Trump written all over it and, if you gave them a match, they would light the fuse themselves - and, thank him for the blast!!!!

For me, the choice was clear from the beginning - as it was for the MAJORITY OF AMERICANS (remember, Mr. Trump lost the popular vote by over 3 million). The man is not only unfit for the historic office of President, his poor character makes him unworthy as a human being.

So, even though I know most of my readers are conscientious citizens and, therefore, consistent voters, I urge all of you to stay involved. Be committed to the cause of not only preserving the ideals that are the truly American, but to work towards making a better America through compassion, understanding, truth, justice, inclusion, education, and vision. And, condemn the hatred, racism, greed, and sloth that have always existed in the dark heart of America but have now been given free reign under a man who cares only for himself.

VOTE    VOTE    VOTE    VOTE

The time to make the change will soon be upon us. We must not fail in our mission. STAND UP AND BE COUNTED. 

Send a resounding NO to Donald J. Trump on November 3rd.

 

Today's MOZEN: Unconscionable

F LoBuono

unconscionable

adjective

not guided by conscience; unscrupulous.

not in accordance with what is just or reasonable:unconscionable behavior.

excessive; extortionate:

an unconscionable profit.[ uhn-kon-shuh-nuh-buhl ]

e.g. Donald J. Trump

In a weird sort of way, I almost hoped that the President's latest exposure of another of his extreme personality flaws, i.e. his unconscionable behavior in choosing his hair over the opportunity to honor America's war dead and the subsequent mocking of their sacrifice, wasn't true. I mean NO ONE could sink that low - not even an bilious blowhard like Mr. Trump - Right?

WRONG!!!!!

The man is simply that vile. The evidence presented by the author of the article published in The Atlantic* accusing him of this heinous behavior is both shocking and incontrovertible. Despite what his mindless minions scream about "Fake News", Jeffrey Goldberg, has had his sources checked by virtually EVERY reputable news agency, including Trump ally, Fox News, and they all vouch for the accuracy and authenticity of the information contained within the article.

Perhaps, the only thing more deplorable than the President's behavior is the defense of it by his mindless cadre of worshipers. I only hope that they come to their senses and get on the right side of history. But, I doubt it - that would take fortitude, independence, and some modicum of intelligence, things his followers simply seem to lack.

Unconscionable. Indeed.

That is all . . .  

*https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/09/trump-americans-who-died-at-war-are-losers-and-suckers/615997/