Of Power, Love and Money
By Burt Siegel , Vice chair DJOP
My mother may well have been one of the most phlegmatic persons I ever knew. Nothing seemed to anger her, it is not as though she did not care about a wide range of concerns like the security of Israel, the fact that there were any number of people who lived in poverty in our hometown, and even in the early 50s she was upset by racial inequality. But she believed that if people were only made more aware of these problems most would want to “make things better.” I wish I was as hopeful as she was, but I am hardly optimistic about things getting better anytime soon, perhaps even in my lifetime. I have read enough histories of nations to know that under a dire set of circumstances and malevolent leaders the best of societies can fall into a brutal abyss. And typically, that has transpired because the “good people” have allowed that to happen. And I do not believe I am being at all hyperbolic.
My mother probably believed that like Anne Frank wrote in her diary “In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart. I see the world gradually being turned into a wilderness. I can feel the suffering of millions and yet, if I look up into the heavens, I think that it will all come out right, that this cruelty too will end, and that peace and tranquility will return again.”
I cannot help but wonder if Anne still thought that way while she and her sister were dying in a Nazi concentration camp. She probably was not familiar with Abraham Lincoln’s stirring phrase contained in his first inaugural address that we all must look to the “better angels of our nature” but it seems that she felt it described the essence of humanity. As I watch the craven behavior of far too many leaders of our nation, be they in politics, industry, education and the media I have come to the belief that perhaps too many of us have succumbed to what might well be a matter of naive and even dangerous wishful thinking, but perhaps they simply don’t care.
I also recall a line from Winnie the Pooh, in which he assures his dear companion Piglet that his little friend is “braver than he believes”. I now am convinced that the time is long overdue that we tell these mostly male decision makers that they are far more cowardly than they probably believe themselves to be. By now it is easy to understand what motivates Donald Trump. To him truth is flexible, compassion is a foolish luxury, kindness a sign of weakness and threats and sowing fear are useful techniques to bring about whatever result your desire. It is obvious that he is not motivated by concern for the common good but only by a lust for power, wealth, and adulation. And sad to say, it might well be the case that Trump understands our nature better than did either Lincoln or even Pooh.
And lastly, I have never forgotten the themes of both bravery and cowardly behavior that are at the heart of one of what many consider one of the greatest films ever made; High Noon. Since this came out 70 years ago many who are reading this may never have had the opportunity to view it. Basically, it is about a man who is knowingly willing to risk his life to save his community from a vengeful killer and his thugs. Our hero has every reasonable expectation that the decent people of his town will join him in defending what they no doubt would claim is dear to them. In fact, he goes to a packed church to recruit volunteers but like today’s Republican party, as well as too many others, all have good reasons to stay out of the fray. But at least none of them ran to kiss the ring of the sovereign or perhaps a part of his anatomy to not place themselves on an enemies list. Alas far too many supposedly moral people have turned in their morality to someone who has stated that he only intended to be a dictator for just his first day in office. And that seems to have assured nearly all Republican officials that they can breathe easier and sleep more soundly. And who cares if many, many thousands of our neighbors will lose their incomes, their health care and are sent to places that are foreign to them?
The silence of his party regarding Trump’s betrayal of the brave Ukrainian people is but one more indication of the deeply disturbing craven nature of his followers. Let us recall that Stalin and Hitler, the two most vile despots of the 20th century, divided up neighboring nations like they were pizzas for them to share. And much of the world accepted that with hardly a whimper.
But let us also keep in mind that during the American Civil War, approximately 100,000 southerners actually fought with the Union Army, and in almost all of the southern states there were members of state legislations who vehemently opposed secession. While not an overwhelming number, several southern members of Congress remained loyal to the Union. At least one county in Mississippi succeeded from their state. It should come as no surprise that opposing both slavery or even breaking away from the nation was often extremely dangerous. Violence was often the means to settle disputes in mid -19th century America. Yet there were countless numbers, including the sons and daughters of prominent slave owners, who were willing to say that a government that tolerated the owner of another human being was immoral. These Americans felt compelled to stand up to defend what they knew to be right. More than a small number of men and even women were murdered for this belief. Antislavery advocates were driven out of communities, and some were beaten and even lynched, farms were burned, livestock slaughtered and yet there were those who were willing to loudly state slavery was immoral and must be ended. Was this position difficult to espouse? Overwhelmingly dangerous would be a more apt description. But there were those decent, brave people who were willing to risk their lives on behalf of compassion, fairness, and justice.
I am sure I do not need to tell my readers of the profound harm that is likely to result from the draconian measures being promulgated by Trump and his wannabe Svengali Elon Musk. Of course, it is difficult to know if Musk follows orders from Trump or is it the other way around? I sometimes have a fantasy of Trump’s henchmen, AKA Cabinet Members and appointees sitting in a conference room coming up with allegedly cost saving ideas that deny benefits for the needy. These proposals will amount to robbing from the poor to make the wealthy even wealthier. Then they will do away with all measures designed to make our environment even slightly less deadly. Trump or Musk will share a draft of employment termination letters that will be sent to any Federal employee whose name appears on the voting rolls as a Democrat. The gathered crowd of obsequies flunkies will smirk and hope that they never find their own name on such a hit list for the sin of displeasing Trump and Company. Perhaps other members of the team will propose that African countries that are combating Islamic terrorism give us their diamond mines in exchange for our military assistance. Trump will s at the head of the conference table and grin with self-satisfaction. He might point out that the heads of some of these countries who, unlike him, were not elected by fair elections, as his comrade Vladmir Putin. Occasionally, he will text a message to one of his billionaire golfing buddies to tell them how many more millions he has provided them with and ask them to support his “Two Terms Are Not Enough PAC” which of course he has absolutely no knowledge of.
I also wonder if some of the religiously devout people who I imagine are part of this cabal have investigated their bible to see what it says about care for the poor, the widow and orphan. Or the lame, blind or maimed. Or perhaps how we are required to not spoil the earth and sea. And isn’t there the command to not stand idly by as our fellow human bleeds?
But I guess these people are too busy preventing certain people from being honest about who they love. But what is love of another human compared to love of power and money?
