WHY I Do What I Do

Written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, first published in 1845. We should note the historical context. President Lincoln, subsequent to a movement which began more than a century before, to abolish slavery, by executive order on January 1, 1863, declared,

That on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free; and the executive government of the United States, including the military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons, and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom.

Of course, there was also post Emancipation Proclamation context. Ramifications. Lincoln fully anticipated the rebellion of slave states. He made the proclamation anyway. Many people died in that rebellion, which Lincoln and the Union Army stood against. It took another century for major civil rights and voting rights legislation to be enacted. The struggle continues today.

This history must also be reflected upon when, in at least four jurisdictions, a tyrant who brazenly refused to honor the legitimate election of his successor now faces criminal prosecution. The weak among the pundit class suggest appeasement lest Trump succeed in his calls for "chaos and bedlam." If he is convicted, or even denied having his name appear on ballots for the 2024 presidential race some powerful people FEAR any such chaos. That's not reasonable cause to let Trump off the hook. But it IS for refusing to put his name on ballots in 2024 or any time in the future.

Historical context demands prosecuting that criminal to the fullest extent of what the laws of the United States and the states of Georgia, New York, Colorado and Maine permit. This includes election laws enacted to protect and defend democracy and the Republic for which the American Flag stands. 

Abbreviated punishment of Hitler for his attempted coup d'etat known as the Beer Hall Putsch was more like a respite for him. A Holocaust ensued in Europe. 

From the book: The Poetry of Longfellow 

Introduction:
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, "The Arrow and the Song," delves into the profound theme of the lasting impact of words and actions. Through the metaphor of an arrow and its subsequent ripples, the poet explores the consequences of spoken words, urging readers to reflect on the responsibility associated with communication.

Metaphorical Significance:
The central metaphor of the arrow serves as a potent symbol for the spoken word or action. Just as an arrow, once released, cannot be recalled, Longfellow suggests that words, once spoken, carry an irreversible power. This metaphor emphasizes the permanence of language, prompting readers to consider the weight of their verbal expressions.

Ripple Effect and Consequences:
The imagery of the arrow creating ripples in a body of water serves to illustrate the ripple effect of our actions. Longfellow suggests that our words and deeds extend beyond their immediate impact, creating ongoing consequences that resonate in ways we may not fully comprehend. This concept encourages readers to recognize the interconnectedness of individual actions within the broader fabric of human experience.

Reflection and Regret:
The reflective tone of the poem indicates a level of awareness on the part of the speaker. The realization that words have a lasting impact implies a sense of responsibility and accountability. This introspective moment in the poem encourages readers to consider the ethical dimensions of their communication, fostering a mindset that acknowledges the potential repercussions of thoughtless words.

Emotional Resonance:
Longfellow infuses the poem with a melancholic tone, evoking an emotional response from the reader. This emotional resonance enhances the poem's effectiveness in conveying the gravity of its theme. The poignant language and imagery serve to underscore the significance of the message, prompting a deeper contemplation of the implications of our words and actions.

Universal Relevance:
"The Arrow and the Song" transcends its immediate context, making it universally relevant. By addressing the timeless theme of the power of language, Longfellow's poem remains applicable across different cultures and eras. This universality enhances the poem's enduring value and ensures its continued resonance with diverse audiences.

Granted, I aspire for these words to transcend. It will be up to those who come later to determine if I was only spinning my wheels. Nevertheless, this is WHY I do what I do, write what I write, and say what I say on the Arizona Eagletarian blog and on social media. 

I hope to speak and write into being what my heart longs for.

As Nobel Prize winning poet and singer/songwriter Bob Dylan has said, The times, they ARE a'changin'.

 We Rise UP! with One VOICE, WE WIN, but I NEED YOU!.

Here's the FALLBACK strategy

We MUST not let the former president regain the power of the oval office. However, in the unlikely event that he does, and if you are pessimistic about the 2024 presidential election, THERE is a plan.

It IS working in Hungary. It HAS worked in Greece, in the Czech Republic, Barcelona (as capital of the autonomous region of Catalonia) and other nation-states. It will work in the United States of America. 

Tessza Udvarhelyi is to Hungary what (who) Heather Cox Richardson is to the USA. Prof Richardson is a historian.

 
Tessza Udvarhelyi is a cultural anthropologist and environmental psychologist by training. She attended universities in Budapest and New York. For more than ten years, she has been active in the Hungarian housing movement and she is also the co-founder of the School of Public Life, an activist school in Budapest. Since 2019 she has been the head of a newly created office called the Office of Community Participation in the 8th district of Budapest where she combines her experience and passion for social justice activism and her belief in the public sector as a vehicle for social change.

Tessza's training isn't what makes her special. Her insight and determination does. She is a genuine leader, but NOT an elected official. I make the distinction because years ago I realized news enterprises, including the Arizona Republic, intentionally mischaracterize elected officials. The result, intentional or not, is to effectively brainwash some readers into believing they don't have agency (the ability to influence/impact their society or government).

I digress.

Broadcast and cable/satellite news operations are increasingly beginning to recognize the danger Trump presents to the democratic order. Essentially the same as our republican governmental structure. The word "republican" derives from the root "res publica," for the good of the public.

So-called strongmen "govern" with a view of what is in their own interests, not that of the general public.

That news operations increasingly recognize and voice alarm at the danger Trump represents is a good thing (better late/now than never). I believe WE the PEOPLE (i.e. democracy) can and will triumph THIS year. But if it doesn't we have both the record of history (i.e. Beer Hall Putsch) and the current efforts in the face of autocracy in Hungary to light the way forward.   

Give a listen to Ms Udvarhelyi

We now know, by the clear words and tone of his rhetoric and his past practice, that Donald Trump fancies himself an authoritarian autocrat. A so-called strongman. Consider the historical record of the Beer Hall Putsch story from 1923, a full century ago. There very real lessons to be learned. We CAN prevent 20th Century history from echoing in the 21st Century.

The Beer Hall Putsch, also known as the Munich Putsch,[1][note 1] was a failed coup d'état by Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler, Generalquartiermeister Erich Ludendorff and other Kampfbund leaders in Munich, Bavaria, on 8–9 November 1923, during the Weimar Republic. 

Approximately two thousand Nazis marched on the Feldherrnhalle, in the city centre, but were confronted by a police cordon, which resulted in the deaths of 16 Nazis, four police officers, and one bystander.[2][3] [Does it sound at all familiar yet?]

Hitler escaped immediate arrest and was spirited off to safety in the countryside. After two days, he was arrested and charged with treason.[4]

The putsch brought Hitler to the attention of the German nation for the first time and generated front-page headlines in newspapers around the world. His arrest was followed by a 24-day trial, which was widely publicised and gave him a platform to express his nationalist sentiments to the nation. Hitler was found guilty of treason and sentenced to five years in Landsberg Prison,[note 2] where he dictated Mein Kampf to fellow prisoners Emil Maurice and Rudolf Hess. On 20 December 1924, having served only nine months, Hitler was released.[5][6] Once released, Hitler redirected his focus towards obtaining power through legal means rather than by revolution or force, and accordingly changed his tactics, further developing Nazi propaganda.[7]

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Not until I viewed the first episode of the Nat Geo limited series Hitler: The Lost Tapes on Hulu did I fully grasp the parallel between the Beer Hall Putsch and former Pres Trump's insurrection on January 6, 2021.

Nevertheless, I am optimistic that WE the PEOPLE will exercise our voices and our citizenship responsibilities in this election year. As we do, be confident. Trump lost mid-term elections (for Congressional control) in 2018 and missed his hoped for "Red Wave" in 2022. Trump lost the presidential election in 2020.

Trump WILL lose in 2024, whether he is on the ballot or not.

Former FBI director James Comey, in the Washington Post yesterday, firmly rebutted WaPo associate editor Ruth Marcus' warning* about Trump incited violence. 

In the implausible and very unlikely event Trump does win, we have consolation in knowing in the face of these times which try men's and women's souls, there IS a way forward. We will cross that bridge IF we come to it.

Founding Father Thomas Paine wrote, in his essay on the American Crisis.

These are the times that try men's souls: The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.

Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.

~~~~

*It would be extraordinary for any Supreme Court to declare that the front-runner for his party’s nomination can be barred from the ballot; doing so would unleash widespread confusion, and worse, on the nation. -- Ruth Marcus

In contrast, from Comey:

I doubt it. We should always worry about political violence, especially when violent rhetoric and behavior are embraced, even celebrated, by one of our political parties and its leader. The FBI’s domestic terrorism section is paid to worry, and hundreds of people at the bureau and its partner agencies are getting up every morning trying to spot potential threats and defuse them. It’s work they must do.

But I think we have a much bigger problem with threats of violence than we do with actual violence. Trumpist threats seem to be everywhere these days. Public officials at all levels regularly receive them by mail, email, social media or, quaintly, even voice mail. And there are the attempted “swattings,” where callers report nonexistent crimes to trigger a response by law enforcement, and other forms of harassment. Of course, these must be taken seriously because there’s always the chance that some disturbed person will act on a threat. But I know from professional — and, unfortunately, personal — experience that people mostly tend to threaten because they want to live rent-free in your head, impacting the way you live even if they never come near you.