1) Thanks for the book recommendation by Mario Vargas Llosa.
2) I pray you never reach the bottom of your mother lode of anecdotes.
3) Two more choice Bear Bryant quotations: “If something goes wrong I did it. If something goes OK we did it. If something goes really well you did it. That’s how you get people to play football for you.”
When I was an intern a medical student who’d played at Alabama recounted the time Bear Bryant descended from his tower and spoke to the team on the first day of practice. “Boys, ah’m Bear Bryant, and you ain’t gonna like me and Ah’ll tell ya why. Because likin’ leads to lovin’, and lovin’ leads to f…ing and nobody f…s the Bear.”
The thought came to me that every royal court must have a Jester, and that in this court,
the Jester is the "King."
"Oh, he's just trolling:" does anyone take him seriously?
Certainly not Stephen Miller, who demonstrates just how to humour a fool.
Neither do this "dying" nation's most serious adversaries: Putin and Xi.
What do our allies, our neighbours and the rest of the world think about the individual the American people actually elected to be their chief executive.
I know this is going to sound overly simplistic, perhaps laughably so, but I think it's worth trying to do the right thing for the sake of doing the right thing. Do I need another reason? I want to vote for the candidate whose platform I think is best for my community. I want to say things I won't be ashamed to have said. I want to try to exercise compassion and empathy and mercy. I want to exercise good husbandry of my gifts and resources. The world we seem to be in, in which we do things to shock, to harm, to enrage, to defame, to misrepresent, and all for short term crassly political advantage, is not one in which we should be content to live. It is one we should work to change. It is not one to which I have any plans to resign myself. I appreciate Jay's words that unfailingly recall us to duty and aspiration alike. And a community of folks who appreciate Jay Nordlinger's work is one to cherish. Thanks Jay, and thanks all.
President Trump's vulgarity is, perhaps, unbecoming of a president. The fawning speech of his staff, too, perhaps unbecoming of their positions. But I found the performative kneeling of Congressional Democrats in June of 2020, its leaders draped in kente cloth, to be a vulgar political demonstration. I found the incident in June of 2023 of President Biden's transgender guests—they were filmed exposing their "breasts" on the South Lawn—to be an example of vulgar behavior unbecoming of anyone invited to the White House. And the staffer of Senator Ben Cardin, who in late 2023, filmed himself in flagrante delicto in a Capitol Hill hearing room—vulgar, vile.
You ask, Jay, "Who are we?" Wobbly, sure, and very crooked timber, across the political spectrum, up and down the halls of power and the sidewalks of Main Street. Vulgarity is en vogue. Perhaps Bertolt Brecht, informed that the People had lost the confidence of government, was on to something when he suggested that it might be simpler if the government dissolved the People and elected another.
I agree we are in need of a savior, but I don't envision him at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
His sons left an indelible mark on my hometown, light-years from the Big Apple. What a gift—how many generations of Americans will enjoy the fruits of that family's work? A nice thought.
I remember from the biography I read that his sons went into the landscapes and parks business, but I don't remember any details. I'm impressed with his vision of what a scene would look like decades later and his conviction that it was worth building it now.
Although I dislike numerous references to Nazi Germany, I find Stephen Miller’s comments chilling and I cannot help but think of Joseph Goebbels when I hear Miller speak.
I often smile while reading Jay's columns. The photographs are an extra benefit and there are few other people who can make NYC look good. Congratulations Jay! Jay makes me think, as with today's column. What did we get with Trump? Did we get a potential dictatorship and if so, what does that mean? Having lived abroad, a free America is critical to the well being of its citizens.
1) Thanks for the book recommendation by Mario Vargas Llosa.
2) I pray you never reach the bottom of your mother lode of anecdotes.
3) Two more choice Bear Bryant quotations: “If something goes wrong I did it. If something goes OK we did it. If something goes really well you did it. That’s how you get people to play football for you.”
When I was an intern a medical student who’d played at Alabama recounted the time Bear Bryant descended from his tower and spoke to the team on the first day of practice. “Boys, ah’m Bear Bryant, and you ain’t gonna like me and Ah’ll tell ya why. Because likin’ leads to lovin’, and lovin’ leads to f…ing and nobody f…s the Bear.”
"On Trump's court ..."
The thought came to me that every royal court must have a Jester, and that in this court,
the Jester is the "King."
"Oh, he's just trolling:" does anyone take him seriously?
Certainly not Stephen Miller, who demonstrates just how to humour a fool.
Neither do this "dying" nation's most serious adversaries: Putin and Xi.
What do our allies, our neighbours and the rest of the world think about the individual the American people actually elected to be their chief executive.
More to the point, what do they think about us?
I know this is going to sound overly simplistic, perhaps laughably so, but I think it's worth trying to do the right thing for the sake of doing the right thing. Do I need another reason? I want to vote for the candidate whose platform I think is best for my community. I want to say things I won't be ashamed to have said. I want to try to exercise compassion and empathy and mercy. I want to exercise good husbandry of my gifts and resources. The world we seem to be in, in which we do things to shock, to harm, to enrage, to defame, to misrepresent, and all for short term crassly political advantage, is not one in which we should be content to live. It is one we should work to change. It is not one to which I have any plans to resign myself. I appreciate Jay's words that unfailingly recall us to duty and aspiration alike. And a community of folks who appreciate Jay Nordlinger's work is one to cherish. Thanks Jay, and thanks all.
Two comments:
1) Stephen Miller is by far the most dangerous person in the Trump administration. More than Trump himself, I believe.
2) How many states will let Trump on their ballot if he tries to "run" in 2028? States control elections, not the federal government.
Thank you as always, Mr. Nordlinger.
President Trump's vulgarity is, perhaps, unbecoming of a president. The fawning speech of his staff, too, perhaps unbecoming of their positions. But I found the performative kneeling of Congressional Democrats in June of 2020, its leaders draped in kente cloth, to be a vulgar political demonstration. I found the incident in June of 2023 of President Biden's transgender guests—they were filmed exposing their "breasts" on the South Lawn—to be an example of vulgar behavior unbecoming of anyone invited to the White House. And the staffer of Senator Ben Cardin, who in late 2023, filmed himself in flagrante delicto in a Capitol Hill hearing room—vulgar, vile.
You ask, Jay, "Who are we?" Wobbly, sure, and very crooked timber, across the political spectrum, up and down the halls of power and the sidewalks of Main Street. Vulgarity is en vogue. Perhaps Bertolt Brecht, informed that the People had lost the confidence of government, was on to something when he suggested that it might be simpler if the government dissolved the People and elected another.
I agree we are in need of a savior, but I don't envision him at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Perhaps?
When you admire that view, you're seeing what Frederick Law Olmsted knew you wanted to see.
His sons left an indelible mark on my hometown, light-years from the Big Apple. What a gift—how many generations of Americans will enjoy the fruits of that family's work? A nice thought.
I remember from the biography I read that his sons went into the landscapes and parks business, but I don't remember any details. I'm impressed with his vision of what a scene would look like decades later and his conviction that it was worth building it now.
Although I dislike numerous references to Nazi Germany, I find Stephen Miller’s comments chilling and I cannot help but think of Joseph Goebbels when I hear Miller speak.
Read Hitler and you will understand Miller's resemblance to Goebbels.
I believe Bum Phillips was talking about Don Shula. Of course it was true of both men.
Here’s my “What if a Democrat administration did that?”
What if the Biden administration controlled our southern border?
What if the Biden administration provided full throated support for Israel? (the war would have ended sooner and fewer people would have died)
What if the Biden administration, and the Democratic Party, and the media, hadn’t lied about Biden’s health for at least 2 years?
Kamala Harris might be president today.
Would I have preferred Nikki Haley? Damn right. But we were presented with a Hobson’s choice. I made my decision with a clear conscience.
I often smile while reading Jay's columns. The photographs are an extra benefit and there are few other people who can make NYC look good. Congratulations Jay! Jay makes me think, as with today's column. What did we get with Trump? Did we get a potential dictatorship and if so, what does that mean? Having lived abroad, a free America is critical to the well being of its citizens.
Good stuff!