On Kindness, Prez Libraries Warn Our Democracy Is in Danger, Ramaswamy Crazy for Guns, Palin Calls Insurrectionists "the Good Guys," Why the Church Hated the Fork, Review: "Bottoms," CSN&Y Sing

My take on news, pop culture, sports, and whatever else interests me.

Kareem’s Quote of the Day

The highest form of wisdom is kindness.

Don Juan de Palafox y Mendoza, Spanish bishop and viceroy of New Spain in the 17^th century.

Many attribute this quote to the Talmud, but research I’ve read indicates otherwise. What I like about this quote is the juxtaposition of wisdom and kindness. Some may argue that wisdom is about the accumulation of knowledge and kindness is merely an expression of emotion. But the beauty of the quote is that it suggests the culmination of great knowledge is the understanding that all that matters is kindness. For me, I’ve come to understand that political opinions (like fashion choices) may shift over time, but the ability to express genuine (not obligatory) kindness transcends most other learning. I’d rather be kind than to have read all of Shakespeare. On the other hand, having read Shakespeare has helped make me kind.

Related to Quote: Why Seniors Don’t Care About Technology

It’s a common joke in pop culture how inept seniors are when it comes to technology. They mispronounce GIF (it’s “jif,” according to GIF creator Steve Wilhite). They type their names at the end of text messages. They need help programming anything that needs programming. Ha ha. Silly old coots. (Remember, this is just a stereotype; many seniors are very capable when it comes to tech.)

Some defend seniors’ lack of tech-savvy as a result of how quickly technology changes. Today’s iPhone is tomorrow’s Blackberry. No sooner do you learn how to transfer data from your old computer to your new laptop then they change the ports and cables and you have to start all over again.

I have another explanation. Technology symbolizes optimism for the future. It exudes the promise, however hollow, of solving any and all our problems—eventually. Plus, using the latest tech is a kind of rite of passage into the generation on the fast track to the wondrous future. It is tribal fetishism. Like using slang that old folks don’t understand.

But oldsters like me aren’t interested in acquiring, we’re in the process of decluttering. Youth gathers mementos, gadgets, trendy clothes—the flotsam that both memorializes and invigorates their journey through life. We, on the frozen shores, waiting to step aboard our inevitable ice floe, wish to shed ourselves of the distractions and digressions. Sure, an app on my phone can make life easier, but will it be that much easier than the hassle of learning how to use it, update it, understand the new functions? Usually not.

This is not a screed against new-fangled technology. I actually enjoy the technological innovations. Any song, any time. Love it. Favorite movies in an instant. Wonderful. But, while I once was the first in line to purchase new tech products like the VCR, 8-track tape, flip phone, etc., I have seen them float by on the river of time like the conquered soldiers of a relentless army.

I am no longer delighted by new tech. It doesn’t make me hopeful for the future. It’s one more object that is born to be obsolete. Instead, like so many my age who are indifferent to technology, I focus on what does make me hopeful: kindness when someone doesn’t have to be and having no expectation of reciprocation. That is what 76 years of life, of reading, of studying, of thinking, of relationships has taught me. That is my simple wisdom.

And that’s why I like that quote so much.

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Why Divisiveness Is Healthy to Democracy

Presidential centers from Hoover to Bush and Obama unite to warn of fragile state of US democracy (AP)

(Photo by: Visions of America/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

SUMMARY: Concern for U.S. democracy amid deep national polarization has prompted the entities supporting 13 presidential libraries dating back to Herbert Hoover to call for a recommitment to the country’s bedrock principles, including the rule of law and respecting a diversity of beliefs.

The statement released Thursday, the first time the libraries have joined to make such a public declaration, said Americans have a strong interest in supporting democratic movements and human rights around the world because “free societies elsewhere contribute to our own security and prosperity here at home.”

…The joint message from presidential centers, foundations and institutes emphasized the need for compassion, tolerance and pluralism while urging Americans to respect democratic institutions and uphold secure and accessible elections.

MY TAKE: You know the situation is bad when these partisan institutions join together to issue an unprecedented warning about the state of our democracy. Of course, in the spirit of compromise and working together, it’s tempting to say there’s blame on both sides. But that’s really not the case. And the stakes are way too high to pretend otherwise just for the sake of sensitive egos.

First, let’s understand that divisiveness is not the villain here. Some divisiveness is what keeps a democracy healthy. Disagreement causes us to reexamine our beliefs and seek research-backed evidence to better form rational opinions. That’s the theory anyway: an informed populace creates a strong government and stronger society.

So, every time a politician accuses opponents of “causing divisiveness,” they are saying that we shouldn’t have robust discussions but rather blindly fall in line behind them without question. Do not vote for that person. Ever.

The problem here is intractable people who refuse to look at facts because those facts contradict beliefs they would prefer to hold. That ends all debate. The division isn’t between factions hashing out reasonable positions with each other. It’s between those who embrace logic and those who don’t. For example, a recent SSRS poll found that 72% of Republicans think there’s strong evidence Biden didn’t win the election or suspect he didn’t win. For the past three years, this issue has been hashed out in the courts and studied by experts. There is no evidence that Biden didn’t win. None. However, there is significant verifiable evidence that Trump and his cronies tried to illegally overturn the election results.

This is not divisiveness. This is a horror movie in which the killer embodies what we as humans fear most: an entity that can’t be reasoned with. Roy Scheider didn’t debate with the shark in Jaws. The shark’s goal was to consume him—which is what the Republican Party has been doing with its opponents through voter suppression. No amount of logic or facts will deter them. Like Jason, Michael Myers, or the shark, they can’t be reasoned with or negotiated with.

The fragile state of democracy that these presidential centers warn against is because we have given credence to these cretins. Trump, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Matt Gaetz, Jim Jordan, Tommy Tuberville, Ron DeSantis, George Santos, Vivek Ramaswamy, and so on have Trojan Horsed us by hiding inside the Statue of Liberty, then sneaking out during the night to slaughter democracy while it slept.

People of reason, which includes millions of Republicans, must join together to send the mindless shark back to the silent depths where it belongs.

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This Week in Dumb (and Dangerous) Stuff Said by Politicians

Ramaswamy: Former felons should be allowed to carry guns (Politico)

SUMMARY: Vivek Ramaswamy says convicted felons should be allowed to carry weapons.

Appearing on former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s podcast, set to air on Thursday, the Republican presidential candidate was asked to flesh out what it meant to be a “Second Amendment absolutist,” as Ramaswamy has labeled himself.

“Everyone has a gun?” asked Cuomo, once a prominent figure in Democratic Party politics. “Everyone has an assault weapon? A former felon? No background check? Concealed carry?”

“Has the right to,” Ramaswamy responded. “And I do think concealed carry is important, constitutional carry is important.”

He said background checks are “absolutely a legitimate part of the process” but that “law-abiding” gun ownership “deters many violent criminals from being able to roam the streets with guns as they do today.”

MY TAKE: The lack of logic here is astounding in anyone who can walk upright. Here’s why:

• There is no such thing as an “absolutist” in almost anything. Elon Musk calls himself a “free speech absolutist,” but we have seen numerous instances in which he has stifled, inhibited, and banned free speech, all while helping foreign governments suppress free speech in their countries.

• The Second Amendment says only this: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” If Ramaswamy were indeed an absolutist, there would be no restrictions for anyone to carry any weapon. Bazookas under every trench coat since they are “Arms.” But wait!! He said background checks are “absolutely a legitimate part of the process.” Any background check would be an infringement. Absolutely.

• He claims that “law-abiding” gun ownership “deters many violent criminals from being able to roam the streets with guns as they do today.” What evidence does he offer as proof? None. Not even the 2022 study that showed that “right-to-carry laws increase firearm homicides by 13 percent and firearm violent crimes by 29 percent.” Or the study that found “that states weakening concealed carry laws and allowing individuals convicted of violent misdemeanors to obtain a license to concealed carry was associated with a 24 percent increase in the rate of assaults with firearms” (“Fact Sheet: Weakening Requirements to Carry a Concealed Firearm Increases Violent Crime”). Or the studies of David Hemenway of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health who found that “scientists who conduct research on gun violence overwhelmingly agree that firearms make society more dangerous” (“Scientists agree: Guns don’t make society safer”). Or the 2023 Rutgers University study that concluded: “We found no evidence that homicides are reduced where there are more concealed carry licenses. On the contrary, we found that more concealed carry permits issued in a given county are linked to a greater number of homicides in that county the following year” (“Study confirms link between concealed carry weapons and gun homicide rates”).

Ramaswamy isn’t just pandering to gun lovers, he’s spreading misinformation and supporting legislation that results in unnecessary death. He’s willing for innocent people to die so he can get votes. How does that make him a leader?

Sarah Palin on Jan. 6 Sentences: ‘What’s the Use in Being a Good Guy?’ (The Daily Beast)

 (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

SUMMARY: Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin on Tuesday gave a mind-boggling take on the lengthy sentences recently handed down to several people who took part in the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot. Newsmax host Eric Bolling said he was personally “blown away” by sentences of “15, 17, and 18 years for nonviolent crimes,” and asked Palin: “What do you say to all these lefties?” “It’s so disheartening,” Palin replied. She went on to say that such sentences make “the populace lose a lot of faith in our government” and claimed they were evidence of “the two-tier different justice systems.” “It makes the good guy think: ‘What’s the use in being a good guy?’” Palin added. “We’re gonna be punished, you know, we’re picked on, is what we are under this system.” In the face of such perceived injustice, Palin said “we can’t feel helpless and hopeless” and said congressional Republicans “can’t sit back and just let all of this happen because it is dismantling our traditional judicial system.”

MY TAKE: For years, insurrectionists and their apologists have been trying to frame themselves as underdog victims of an unfair judicial system. Yet, Trump, Bannon, Meadows, and most of the other Republicans hauled in for crimes against the country are billionaires and millionaires who will not see any prison time or, at most a few months. As opposed to Markus Lanieux, a Black man in Louisiana who was sentenced to life without parole for a crime that usually carried a maximum sentence of two years. His crime: aggravated flight from an officer. He was part of the “three strikes” rule that allowed longer sentences for twice-convicted felons. But this rule is generously applied to Blacks: Louisiana has a population that is 33% Black, yet 79% of those getting longer sentences under the rule are Black. A study of 95 million police stops found that “Black drivers were less likely to be stopped after sunset, when it is more difficult to determine a driver’s race, suggesting bias in stop decisions.” For a comprehensive examination of systemic racism in the judicial system, read “Racial and Ethnic Disparities in the Criminal Justice System.”

So, yeah, Palin, there’s definitely a two-tier justice system. And you and the rest of these politicians are in the upper tier. Sure, a bunch of average folks foolishly followed the urgings of this upper tier, only to find out they were just collateral damage to those attempting to promote their political party.

She’s right that the population does lose faith in our government, but that’s because people like her are elected into office, spew their misinformation, and defend those who would overthrow our government. Yes, it’s disheartening. But maybe the people attacking the Capitol Building, which resulted in deaths and injuries, aren’t the “good guys.” And neither is she.

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Kareem’s Video Break

Today’s video combines two of my favorite things: jazz and Sammy Davis Jr. Sammy was a childhood hero of mine because the range of his talent was staggering. He could sing, dance, act, do impressions, do fast-draw tricks, and much more. His autobiography, Yes I Can, about his struggles growing up Black and fighting to become an entertainer, was very inspiring to me. This video from 1962 is a little longer than my usual posts, but it is phenomenally entertaining. Like a big bowl of Halloween candy left outside a closed door, take as much as you want.

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Black history is ‘being attacked.’ These parents found alternatives. (The Washington Post)

SUMMARY: After Florida banned an AP African American history class earlier this year, Akil King scrambled to find a way to bridge the gap for his 16-year-old daughter.

Taking a Black history course in college had raised his self-esteem, said King, and he wanted a similar experience for Abyssinia, who is named after the ancient term for Ethiopia. He signed her up for a new 10-week course over the summer that served up lessons on African kingdoms and the Black Panthers — the civil rights group, not the movie characters.

“Not a lot of people know that there were great ancient African kingdoms with riches and with huge civilizations and power and culture,” Abyssinia said. “It was really, really cool to get a better understanding of that.”

Across the country, the teaching of Black history has been put under a microscope. In Florida, new standards require teachers to say that enslaved people may have benefited from skills learned in slavery, and the state banned the Advanced Placement class on African American history after determining it “lacks educational value.” Texas has banned the teaching of critical race theory, and nationwide, libraries are pulling books off the shelves that contain diverse characters. Conservatives say they are protecting White children from feeling guilty for racist acts and from being indoctrinated with liberal ideology.

But Black parents who object to the changes say they worry their children aren’t learning enough about their history, an important part of building their self-esteem. Some have begun signing up their children for extra classes, buying supplementary textbooks or giving at-home lessons.

It’s part of a long-standing tradition of Black parents looking outside the public school system to churches, civic organizations and fraternal organizations to teach what won’t be taught in schools, said LaGarrett J. King, an associate professor of social studies education at the University of Buffalo.

“Black people have understood that school systems, particularly school systems led by White people, weren’t going to teach their history,” King said.

MY TAKE: When I was in K-12, Washington Carver was the only Black person mentioned in any of my classes, except for slaves. When I found out one of my White teachers also loved jazz, I excitedly approached him to talk about some of my favorites, like Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk. Only to discover he didn’t know them, he knew only White musicians. Schools back then reflected the general attitude of society that Black history was a dark void and that Blacks were only given meaning and purpose when they were exposed to the superiority and beneficence of White civilization. We were withering flowers, and White culture was the sun that allowed us to grow.

We teach what we value.

Sixty years later, Black history and culture are back to square one. Unvalued.

Black parents, who pay the same taxes as other parents and whose children should reap the same benefits, must now pay extra money for books and lessons to teach their children about their culture and history. But the damage to the children isn’t just that they aren’t being taught the full facts in schools, it’s that White kids aren’t being taught these important lessons in the cultural diversity of our history. This creates the same racial barriers that promote systemic racism.

A society thrives when its education system encourages each generation to strive to be smarter than the last. Not just more knowledgeable, but also able to recognize and rise above the prejudices handed down by previous generations. That’s why we wash our hands to prevent the spreading of disease (doctors used to be against it). That’s how we got rid of slavery. That’s how women got the vote. Yet, there are those insistent on shoving us backward through time while the rest of the world marches forward.

When has that ever worked out for the general good? If those spearheading this devolution had actually read the history books they want to ban, they’d know the answer: never.

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Kareem’s History Bites

Using Forks Was Once Considered Sacrilegious

The Devil’s flatware: 15th Century Italian fork.

That fork we’ve all been using to stuff our faces was once shunned as an immoral instrument of the devil. It actually gets its name from furca, Latin for pitchfork, which contributed to its demonic reputation.

Forks used for dining originated in the Middle East and Byzantine Empire, but they were mostly of the two-pronged variety. Most Europeans ate with their fingers, spoons, and knives and were shocked when the niece of the Byzantine emperor married a Venetian duke and brought forks to their wedding in 1004 CE. When she died two years later from the plague, St. Peter Damian declared her death punishment for using a fork: “this woman’s vanity was hateful to Almighty God; and so, unmistakably, did He take his revenge.” Thus ended the fork’s ascension to high-tech status for the next 400 years.

The humble fork made its triumphant return in the 15th century in Italy because of the popularity of candied fruit among the elite. Difficult and messy to eat with a spoon, knife, or fingers, the fork came to the rescue. But those tradition-bound Europeans took another hundred years for the fork to become acceptable for daily dining. Elizabeth I refused to use a fork because she considered “spearing an uncouth action.” Thirty years after her death, Charles I gave each of his children a set of dining utensils that included a silver knife, spoon, and fork. He declared, “It is decent to use a fork.”

Whenever I read something like this, I can’t help but wonder what opinion I hold with such conviction today might one day be dismissed along with our ancestors’ fear of forks.

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What I’m Watching: Movies

Bottoms

For most kids, high school is a Gordian Knot of loneliness and insecurity in the pit of the stomach that they spend the next three years desperately trying to untie. Heathers (1988) was the most satirical and subversive teen movie to capture that struggle. The movie became so popular that it spawned a TV series and a successful Broadway musical. No movie since has come close to expressing that same balance of light teen romance and dark teen anger. Until Bottoms.

High school friends and outcast lesbians start a fight club to get close to the cheerleaders they lust after. That premise is just sturdy enough to hold up a series of very entertaining scenes that are funny, poignant, and insightful into the challenges faced by high school girls in which adults are useless, and boys are clueless. The movie is like a windshield wiper slapping back and forth between surrealistic social commentary and touching human connections, combining both so that we can see more clearly the obstacles they face. Very memorable.

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Kareem’s Jukebox Playlist: Protest Songs

Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young: “Ohio”

On March 5, 1770, the infamous Boston Massacre took place in which British soldiers fired upon an angry crowd of colonists, killing five and wounding six. This was the culmination of months of social turmoil as colonists declared their opposition to taxation without representation. Colonists hurled snowballs and hit soldiers with clubs, but it was the armed soldiers who opened fire. The Boston Massacre fired up colonists throughout the colonies, moving them one step closer to a bloody revolution.

Two hundred years later, on May 4, 1970, the Kent State Massacre took place. About 300 students of Kent State University gathered to protest the expansion of the Vietnam War into Cambodia. Twenty-eight National Guard soldiers, many the same age as the students, fired on the protestors, shooting 67 rounds in 13 seconds. Four students were killed and nine others were wounded, one permanently paralyzed. Chris Butler, who later formed The Waitresses, Gerald Casale, later of Devo, and Chrissie Hynde, later the lead singer of The Pretenders, were there. They were all deeply affected by the slaughter.

This was the deciding moment that radicalized many people. There was no reason for the National Guard to be there since it was a peaceful protest until they started firing tear gas. But the school and the politicians wanted to make a show of being in control, of exerting power. They wanted to spank the kids and send them to bed without supper. But once the kids realized those in power were willing to murder them for political points, the protests became much more intense. Even so, Nixon won re-election in 1972 by a landslide. Two years later, he would resign because of Watergate. Turns out, he was a crook.

Neil Young wrote “Ohio” in response to the shootings. Whenever I hear the opening chords, something deep in me stirs as I remember my own time protesting the war at UCLA. There are videos of CSN&Y performing the song live, but the sound quality isn’t good, which is why I selected this version. AM stations in Ohio refused to play the song when it was released. Despite that, it rose to number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100. It is an anthem of defiance in the face of death.

Every democracy has to come to grips with how it handles protests. This is especially true when most democracies were founded by activist protestors. Once in power, how will these same people treat those protesting against them? Usually, they draw a line between those who wish to protest an injustice (BLM, right to choose, environmental destruction, etc.) and those who wish to violently overthrow the government (Jan. 6). Yes, even the most peaceful-meaning protests can turn violent when provocateurs are involved, whether they are opponents or police. And violence can piggyback off peaceful protest when some may wish to exploit the situation by looting. But those are mere distractions.

We have the capacity to allow protest—even those we disagree with (especially those we disagree with)—as long as a reasonable peace can be maintained. Yes, there will usually be some idiot wanting to escalate, but we can’t let that taint the ideals of protesting—on which this country was founded. A country that not only encourages peaceful protest, but cherishes it, is a country you can encourage and cherish.

This week, Cleveland showed how much it cherishes political protest when it dedicated a historical marker to the Cleveland Summit, which I attended in 1967 when I was only twenty years old. It changed me personally, but more importantly, it helped change the country. A little. Thanks, Cleveland, for valuing that.

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