Scars and All, &c.

On American history, ‘enemies of the people,’ stinking corruption, ‘One Tough Mother,’ and more

(Wikimedia Commons)

In the Niagara of news, little stories can be lost—even big ones. I will quote the opening of a report in the Washington Post:

The Trump administration has ordered the removal of signs and exhibits related to slavery at multiple national parks, according to four people familiar with the matter, including a historic photograph of a formerly enslaved man showing scars on his back.

I remember seeing this photo when I was a kid. It spoke a thousand words, or more.

According to legend, Oliver Cromwell said he wanted his portrait painted “warts and all.” That’s how I feel about the presentation of history: warts and all, scars and all.

***

The Department of Homeland Security put out a video, with a text reading, “This is our own, our native land.” On social media, there was some talk about this. In our country, we have the native-born and the naturalized. Responding to a comment of mine, a tweeter said,

Some of my ancestors came over on the Mayflower and all of them have been here for hundreds of years. All four of my wife’s grandparents were immigrants. I love how she defends our shared and deeply held American principles and exceptionalism with Sicilian passion!

DHS’s video uses a song—a great song, “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” by Rodgers & Hammerstein. Both of them were born in New York—but the composer’s parents were Jews from the Russian Empire. (The name was “Rogazinsky,” not “Rodgers.”) The lyricist was Oscar Hammerstein II—but the First? A Jew from Germany.

Anyway, this is all very, very American—classically so.

***

Many, many people have written about the FCC, ABC, and Jimmy Kimmel. For now, I will contribute a drop in the Niagara:

Too many people—too many Americans—are fearing our government. I want Putin, Xi, Kim, et al. to fear our government. I do not want newspapers, law firms, and comedians to fear our government.

***

Meduza, the Russian news organization in exile, reported the following:

Ramzan Kadyrov called legendary Russian pop singer Alla Pugacheva an “enemy of the people” for comments she made in her first extended interview since the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine.

“Enemy of the people”—a phrase with a horrid pedigree. Many people have died—been executed—for being “enemies of the people.” (That is, tyrants have labeled them so.)

Routinely, President Trump has called his critics “enemies of the people.” This has always made me uncomfortable.

One example: On Thanksgiving Day 2020, in the White House, Trump denounced Brad Raffensperger, the secretary of state of Georgia. “He’s an enemy of the people,” said Trump. Raffensperger’s crime? A refusal to falsify the election.

He and his wife had to have 24-hour protection.

A lot of people have rolled their eyes at me when I have complained about “enemy of the people.” “Jay’s a big priss,” you know. “He doesn’t understand how real men talk. Trump is just being Trump.”

Well, nuts to that. I don’t think an American president—I don’t care who he is—ought to call his critics, or people who have earned his disfavor, “enemies of the people.”

***

Here is something else I’m “prissy” about: the word “degenerate.” At least I have a certain sensitivity to it, given its pedigree.

“Today,” our president announced, “I have the Great Honor of bringing a $15 Billion Dollar Defamation and Libel Lawsuit against The New York Times, one of the worst and most degenerate newspapers in the History of our Country.”

The complaint filed on Trump’s behalf ought to be read in its entirety: here. For now, consider one line, concerning the 2024 election: “President Trump secured the greatest personal and political achievement in American history.”

Do even some Republicans blush at that? Or is that how “real men” talk?

***

Above, I spoke of the “Niagara of news.” Here is a report that, if the news were more like a steady, strong stream, would be country-rocking: “Anatomy of Two Giant Deals: The U.A.E. Got Chips. The Trump Team Got Crypto Riches.”

Teapot Dome. Watergate. Comparative trivialities ...

***

In years of reporting, I have dealt with exile communities in America, particularly the Chinese and the Cuban. People in those communities tend to say, “Don’t listen to so-and-so. He’s a government stooge. He’s a spy. He’s a pretend dissident.”

Well, sometimes it’s true. “Chinese dissident who led pro-democracy group in New York pleads guilty to spying for Beijing.”

***

For the past ten years—something like that—I’ve been on a hobbyhorse: the emasculation, the humiliation, of referees and umpires. The abuse heaped on them. I am so sick of it. Who would ref or ump today, starting at the Pee Wee level?

I have written about this matter repeatedly, with testimony from refs and umps themselves. “Who needs it?” is the prevailing theme.

Here is an interesting report: “ACC ref quits in frustration after bizarre replay review in UConn-Syracuse.” The referee in question, Gary Patterson, had worked in the league since 2002. He said, in effect, “Take this job and shove it.”

***

I know nothing about Jerri Green, a Tennessee politician running for governor in that state. Nothing but this: Her slogan is “One Tough Mother.” A good slogan.

***

Another hobbyhorse of mine—having to do with language. About ten years ago, people started to say “more so” when they mean, simply, “more.” I especially notice this with interviews of athletes. “I like to chip and run the ball, more so than loft it.”

In a tribute to Robert Redford, another of our great movie actors said, “More so than anything, he was a staunch environmental leader.”

Little language errors grow up like weeds, and spread. This is not very important. But thank heavens we can comment on things other than the very important.

***

Oh, I have so much more to tell you—I’m a Niagara myself. But I should let you go. Maybe I could conclude with some local news.

We moved to our block in New York in 1998. A few weeks later, You’ve Got Mail came out. That was the hit movie starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan (or one of the hit movies starring those two). An earlier version of the movie had been The Shop Around the Corner (1940). Well, the “shop around the corner” in You’ve Got Mail was at the end of our block. I mean, they used that particular shop as a setting in the movie.

I can’t remember what the shop was at the time, frankly.

It has been many things in the years since. And suddenly, it is something else. I don’t know what these people sell—I haven’t been in yet. But I like the name:

See you soon, my friends, and thank you for reading.