Fredericks MIND Thing

The Threat From Within

The United States presidential election is going take place in a couple of days. While all elections are important, this one feels particularly freighted.  Donald Trump and the twisted remains of the Republican Party seem committed to a program of revenge, violence (“one rough day”), and serious diminishment of citizens’ rights. His primary supporter is a billionaire who was raised as an entitled child in apartheid-era South Africa and has shown a decided lack of empathy for others. Vice-president Harris, while somewhat of an unknown quantity, has shown herself to be a fairly normal and reasonably competent individual. She seems committed to the democratic process while her opponent appears wholly focused on undermining that same process. I fear that a number of guardrails that we have counted on have been weakened or are no longer in place and a second Trump presidency could lead us farther into oligarchy. That is not what the majority of Americans want. Let’s hope that enough liberty and justice oriented citizens turn out and let their voices be heard. So many voices that even the compromised Supreme Court cannot ignore them.

 

Fascism,     Enemy within,     Bull shit,     The healthiest president,

 

Hitler said that,     Can you believe we’re saying this?     I won; I lost,

 

Our little secret,     Russians,     Unbelievable,     Piece of amphibian,

 

Crazy,     This guy,     President Xi,     Watching suckers on television,

 

Environmentalists,     The wind is bullshit,     Jasper County rant,

 

Our government needs stop,     The final destruction of America,

 

The worst president in history,     It’s true,     Should be in jail,

 

One rough hour,     Hang Mike Pence,     Nothing done wrong,

 

The others had guns,     Beat her badly,     Our little secret,  

 

Shut Up     

So Unpresidential

 

So many things have happened in the last couple of months, it was difficult to decide what to feed into the Mind Thing. I chose some of the most important and some of the most fun. Hop on. Let’s go for a ride.

 

Immunity,     Assassination,      Ha ha ha,      The debate, 

 

Hello,     I’m Talking Now,      Sound Familiar?

 

Cats Eating People,     Unpresidential,     Geese on Steroids,

 

This Former President,     Not Too Nice,     Shot,

 

Blow Up,     Loser,     Can’t Do Anything,

 

Star Strangled Banner,     Lost By A Whisker,

 

He Lost,     Can’t Do Anything For Black People,

 

Fake News,     Laughing,     Trump’s Addled Brain,

 

Battery vs Shark,       Genius,      Connect The Dots,     

 

Rambling,      Gettysburg,   Wow,      Fight,

 

What The Hell?       The World Ended,       

 

Think Of It,        Execute the Baby,       Kill The Birds,

 

Fraud,     Failing Nation

 

Crows vs Hawk

A tree in my neighbor's yard became a stage for a dramatic confrontation between a single hawk and dozens of crows. The best I could figure out was the hawk had his eye on some fledgelings in a crow's nest. The crows seemed to understand the hawk's intention and weren't going to let it fulfill its desire. It was very noisy and intense. The little ones were obviously in serious danger. It was wonderful to watch the much smaller crows work together to thwart the much larger predator's attack. No written plans just a committed group of volunteers working together with purpose. Beautiful.

Madness/Stupidity

According to the Cambridge Dictionary madness is defined as “stupid or dangerous behaviour” and one doesn’t need to look too hard to see it all around us.There is a seemingly endless list of stupid things Americans are doing, all of which seem destined to harm the country. Destroying the environment, ignoring the harm it causes and letting Trump have a chance to return to office are just some of them.  Living in a society where nominating and electing cowards and criminals to higher office is a common occurrence is nearly enough to drive a sane person to despair. It is important to remember that the mad and the stupid are not the majority. They are loud and flamboyant and the media tends to give them a disproportionate amount of attention. The sane and the sensible are the majority in this country. If we can avoid despairing and remain focused and motivated we can as a country overcome the serious threat of antidemocratic authoritarianism. Let us not forget to hope, nurture, and laugh.  Especially to laugh at the madness and stupidity and carry on.

 

Nietzsche on the madness of crowds,        Sea of Madness, 

 

Insanity is a great virus,     Rachel Powell’s media bubble,

 

Dumb or insane?     Rubio strongman,     Rebecca Lavernz is going to prison,

 

Michelle Goldberg on Trump’s projection,     Susan Glasser Tu Quoque,     

 

Ulysses S. Grant  and the dividing line,       Crazy pants bing bing,

 

Wrestle the deep state,        More projection         Madness is stupid.

 

Cambridge definition of Madness,     Guns and environmental destruction,

 

Crazy consumerism,          Riding and ranting in the van,        Derrick Bonhoeffer on Stupidity,

 

How ‘bout that? 

 

 

 

Hope (Goodbye DFK)

This one took a while, obviously. Learning of Dave from Knoxville’s death, one of this podcast’s most long term and enthusiastic supporters, took the wind out of my sails for a while. He is deeply missed, but one must carry on. So, I will.

 

Good luck, Dave from Knoxville,    

 

Trump, DeSantis and their supporters are relentless,     Merchandising,

 

The Republican debate,     Indict the M.F.er,      Christian Trump supporters,    

 

Christian or Communist,  Mug shots,     Wheels of justice,     

No violent response,     Wrong leaders,      Stress fear, morality,   

Fascism,     Failure of the Media,        Fascism, top of the list,     

DeSantis - cruel, selfish, stupid,      Slitting throats,    

A.I. morality,      Mortality and Hope.

Fight The Woke

Fight The Woke

 

This episode has been extremely difficult to complete. It’s a depressing topic and Governor Ron DeSantis and his ilk are constantly doing more provocative things. DeSantis, in particular, with his constant desire to stay in the media spotlight ends up continuously pulling political stunts and passing laws that are harming the state of Florida and many other people as well. While the courts are rejecting most of the worst laws, many people react to them being passed because they don’t have the luxury of hanging around to see if they might be declared unconstitutional. The cruelty, bigotry and overt racism we’re seeing displayed by members of the far-right is intended to provoke their opposition into hating them with the same intensity that the hate others. It’s a trap best avoided. I’d like to ignore the abhorrent behavior, but that seems irresponsible and dangerous. The best thing to do, as far as I can determine, is to stay Woke and remember they are the minority no matter how much attention the media gives to their outlandish antics. Let's act accordingly.

 

 

 

Woke defined-No, not really.     Fight The Woke.     M.L.K.’s Deathversity.

 

Woke B.S..     Bethany Mandel.     DeSantis’ Woke-ocracy.     

 

Potter Stewart.     Wokism is destroying our country.   

 

 Persecution complex.      I’m Woke.     Intentionally vague language.   

 

 Parental Rights in Education.     Legalistic phase of fascism.  

 

Nazis like Desantis. Take back America by banning history.

 

Ignorance is bliss?      Is our children learning?

 

Being Woke is being liberal.      Tolerate?

 

CRT is anything that addresses race.

 

Bud Light-Symbolism and spectacle.  They are the minority.

 

Abortion ban.     Culture Wars distract attention from poor governance.

 

Wasting time.     Cruelty is the point.

 

Jeff Sharlet- Fascism is theater.      Performative non-sense.

 

Big money influence.     Amanda Marcotte- Goading the opposition.

 

Stay Woke!

Crapper’s Delight- The Interview

I recently had an opportunity to interview comedy writer Andy Breckman and the station manager of WFMU Ken Freedman. Together they host the stunt radio program Seven Second Delay on Wednesdays at 6 p.m.. We talk about music, fascism, politics, cancel culture and comedy. It was fun.

 

Podcasting.      The evolutionary ladder.     Fascism.

Kapo.     Johnny Thunders in Michigan.       Ken's Trump prediction.

Cancel Culture.     Dave Chappelle.      David Feldman.

Sweet memories.    Tony Shalhoub.        ChatGPT jokes.

Anti-Comedy.     High Radio Criticism.

 

Fear Falsity Fascism

It seems angry people with authoritarian tendencies are asserting themselves everywhere. What is driving their anger and divisiveness? The primary driver appears to be fear inspired by false information. Since the 1960s, the United States has made significant progress is advancing civil rights and acceptance of diversity. New technology has made it much easier to disseminate false information and stir up peoples’ emotions.  This is certainly not the first time things like this have happened in this country and odds are it is not the last. We, Americans, must stand together and resist the efforts of those who wish to disrupt our country and destroy democracy.

 

 

Bumper sticker guy.     Flag wrapped cross.         Let’s go Darwin.

 

Fear.     Fearful of what?      Tourist visit-Andrew Clyde.

 

Ignorance is bliss.      WOKE.      Feelings.

 

Fascism.     Anoracracy.       Paradox of Tolerance. 

 

Democracy and Fascism.      Failure of the Media.

 

They got the guns.     Not a Cult.     Qanon.

 

Comic books and Rock and Roll.     Moral Panic.

 

Frightened people want to frighten others.

 

Truth is Weirder than Fiction.

Come On America

Come On America

 

So much is happening so quickly that is is difficult to focus on what’s most important.  We are bombarded with endless threats both purely imaginary and dangerously real. How much faith should we have in our fellow citizens? Do they see what we see the same way? Lordy, I hope a lot of them do. And they vote Tuesday -if they haven’t already, that is. Come On, America.

 

Back in the van and recording.      Two weeks until the election.

 

The Trump Distraction.       Focus on Fascism.     He won’t run again.

 

Who is not sick of him?     The Grift.      Trumpheads.

 

Conserving what?     Reactionary republicans.     

 

So long mangroves.       Goodbye rainforest.      Zombie ideas.

 

Trickle down.      The Rise of Fascism.     God, Guns and Trump.

 

The Party.     Positive signs.     How Bad the Scum?

 

Paul Pelosi Attacked.        Weird Sympathy.      Kari’s Gonna Win.

 

Doubt Priming.    Little Insurrections.        Trying to Rule by Spectacle.   

 

Could Lose Democracy.         Come On America.

 

The Bullying Minority

Democracy is designed to allow citizens to present arguments  and debate their merits in the marketplace of ideas. Words, ideas and evidence were to be used to determine policy. What we are experiencing currently is the result of one party being bereft of ideas. The lack of ideas forces them use other methods of persuasion. This explains the increase we are seeing in use of misinformation, disinformation, conspiracy theories as well as threats of/and actual violence. The Republican Party seems to have decided its best course, at this time, is to deny reality, break the rules as needed and threaten those that point out what they are doing. Fortunately, they are not the majority. Unfortunately, that may not be a guaranty that they don’t gain power over the levers of government. As they have been rather successful in gerrymandering, court packing and the taking of key state offices, particularly Secretaries of State, the likelihood of them achieving  victory is not slight. If such a victory occurs, it is certain they will take even more steps to reduce the power of the majority. 

 

We are all terrorists.   F.B.I. definition,       Brian in Palmetto wants the guns.    

 

Civil war over what?     Guns, pal.     Many shot, many die.     I want to kill.       

 

The Big Lie is working.     The Bully Minority.     

 

No policy, but a burning desire for power.       Riots in the streets.     

 

Not more people just a bigger megaphone.       The media is the message.  

 

Enragement.     Just say no.      I don’t want to know.   

 

Thought terminating cliches.     Theodore Roszak on violence.          

 

Most are not evil, just stupid.      Stupidity the same as evil.    

 

Performative  Moronics.      Vote in November while you still can.