Opinion
Should you be worried about the new COVID strains originating in the UK, South Africa, and elsewhere, and recently identified in the US, as well as newly identified strains that originated in the US and quickly became predominant in Central Ohio?
In 1973, Dr. D. L. Rosenhan, a professor of psychology and law at Stanford University, published a ground-breaking psychiatric study in the January 19 issue of Science magazine. The article exposed a serious short-coming in the psychiatric hospital system at the time, and therefore it became very controversial. Dr. Rosenhan designed the study to try to answer the question in the title of this article: “If sanity and insanity exist, how shall we know them?”
The now famous (some of the offended or embarrassed psychiatrists preferred to call it “infamous”) experiment that was carried out involved 12 different psychiatric hospitals and 8 different people, mostly professionals (including the author). Each of the eight were totally and certifiably sane “pseudo-patients”.
The Republican plunge into Trumpism has made the party especially unhinged and dangerous, but its basic ideology has long been a shameless assault on minimal standards of human decency. Now -- while Democratic leaders and most corporate media outlets are suitably condemning the fascist tendencies of Trump and his followers -- deeper analysis and stepped-up progressive organizing are urgently needed.
Economic injustice -- disproportionately harming people of color -- constantly propels U.S. society in a downward spiral. Poverty, economic insecurity and political disempowerment go together. Systemic racism continues to thrive, enmeshed with the predatory routines of corporate power.
There was unexpected good news at the January 2021 Free Press Second Saturday Cyber-Salon! On Saturday night, January 9, about 45 local and national community activists met through Zoom from 7-8pm to hear about local and national social justice issues.
Showing Up for Racial Justice
The invisible hand
As everyone knows, Adam Smith invented the theory that individual self-interest is, and ought to be, the main motivating force of human economic activity, and that this, in effect, serves the wider social interest. He put forward a detailed description of this concept in an immense book, “The Wealth of Nations” (1776).
Since the insurrection at the Capitol Building, I keep thinking about my Dad and wondering what he would have thought. Frank J. Pace, son of Italian immigrants, joined the National Guard at 19 and almost lost a leg during World War II. Then he volunteered to fight in Korea when his unit was called up.
He didn’t have to go; with two small children he was exempted. But Dad went because he loved his country and thought it was his duty. Left at home with two small sons, his wife Kathryn also sacrificed in service to that sense of duty.
My Dad was a Roosevelt Democrat. When Truman was elected against long odds, my Dad wept for joy. Later he would become a Reagan Democrat, in search of the patriotic unity he had experienced during the wars.
My Dad left the US Army Reserves as a Sergeant Major at mandatory retirement age. When he died suddenly soon afterwards, his army buddies made sure he was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. His nation bestowed on him the same honors I had seen given to John Kennedy, a slain president. The ceremony was the same right down to the flag draped caisson and black riderless horse.
Unprecedented. Traumatic. Heartrending. 20XX* is the year many want to forget, never speak of again. It was beyond stressful. From a frightening pandemic to escalating poverty to police brutality to political drama. For cannabis, it was memorable. Let’s take a look:
The pandemic. A newly discovered virus called CO (corona) VI (virus) D (disease) 19 (year of discovery) – aka COVID-19, arrived in the U.S. on January 22nd. It was more than the bad cold caused by its cousins. And it’s effects can linger long into the future. Social distancing, masks and stay-at-home orders became unheard of norms.
I couldn’t resist putting together this little group of photos from two fascist-leaning nations from different eras that exhibited similar political leanings.
No comment should be necessary, but it needs to be understood that proto-fascist cults have a disdain for liberal education and their cult-leaders (who are amoral, paranoid, narcissistic, megalomaniacal wannabe dictators) readily use violence and terror to take and maintain power. In addition, fascist movements always try to silence their opponents and enemies and therefore make use of censorship in their attempts to take power. (GGK)
Right-wing Germans preparing for the book-burning of 5/10/33 Crowd of flag-waving German fascists at the book-burning of May 10, 1933
Berlin Germany Reichstag Bonfire (1933)
As the New Year asserts itself — a year that begins in global lockdown and political shock-and-awe — an extraordinary question emerges: Are we on the brink of real change?
Are we moving, politically speaking, beyond the small and stupid? Is the era of Trump really over? Assuming that to be the case is far too easy. Trump, after all, was and is part of the change, the breakdown of the status quo. You might say he’s been the coronavirus of American politics — he certainly has been infectious.
But simply “going back to normal” — swearing Biden in, returning to the political clichés we’re used to, appropriating another trillion dollars for national defense and corporate militarism, feigning concern over climate change but essentially ignoring it, yada, yada — leaves us wide open to the looming collapse.
Donald Trump has summoned the first violent fascist attack on the American government, which is now under way.
Thousands of Trump-inspired neo-nazi attackers have physically assaulted the Capitol with the explicit goal of stopping the Electoral College from certifying the election of Joe Biden to be the next President of the United States.
In US history, this is the first physical attempt by fascist forces to overthrow American democracy by force.
Under Trump’s direction, law enforcement has been virtually absent. Had this been a Black Lives Matter assault, or one coming from the Peace Movement, the Capitol grounds would be littered with dead bodies.
Media reports now indicate a woman has been shot and seriously wounded.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump has issued feeble tweets and is now allegedly calling out the National Guard.
Stay tuned….