We begin this week with Lester Levine, who channels the voice of Silent Sam to defend the Confederate monument: “I have been taken down as a symbol of bigotry. That is not all of who I am. My dedication reflected the conflicts of the American soul. The main speaker’s words suggested an important role for me, the university, and the state: ‘Ours is the task to build a State worthy of all patriotism and heroic deeds,’ he said, ‘a State that demands justice for herself and all her people, a State sounding with the music of victorious industry, a State whose awakened conscience shall lead the State to evolve from the forces of progress a new social order, with finer development for all conditions and classes of our people.’
“I have anchored the ‘front gate’ to UNC-Chapel Hill, the oldest U.S. public university, in a state that has sought to rise to the governor’s challenge, helping to forever change the South and the country for the better. We must use the potential healing power of monument again to fulfill the university motto: ‘Lux Libertas’—Light and Liberty, not just for UNC, not just for Chapel Hill, but for our fragmented country. Shunting me away is the easy way out. I should become a part of a needed dialogue about racism as an obstacle to fulfilling Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness for all, the meaning of America. Let’s not admit failure of our better angels; let’s enable it with honest discourse. This is not a new role for UNC or the ground where I was placed: UNC’s racial integration, the speaker ban, the death of MLK, the Vietnam War protests across the street, etc.
“The gate to UNC needs to have a place of permanent reminders, perhaps me and N.C. sit-in students. These pieces together can be a great space for open dialogue.”
Moving on. By the time you read this, the dust will have settled on this year’s midterms. But Rene delaVarre has some thoughts on the election’s waning days: “The party of the left has shown that there is no calumny it will not retail, no false or uncorroborated allegation it will not use to whip up ideological passions, and no depths to which it will not stoop to win and hold power. Let’s hope voters look at the noisome spectacle that has just taken place on Capitol Hill and deliver a resounding rebuke to the people who perpetrated it. Their behavior during the Kavanaugh confirmation process outstrips even the disgraceful conduct of their partisan forebears at the confirmation hearings for Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas.
“You left-wing political hacks purposefully victimized Kavanaugh, concealing Ford’s allegation from everyone, even in closed sessions with Kavanaugh, and then disclosing it as late as possible in the hope that it could delay or prevent a good man’s confirmation. Democrats simply used Dr. Ford. You didn’t give a damn about her, you simply wanted to keep a Supreme Court seat vacant for two years. Democrats are not interested in truth. They are only interested in power.
“I’ve always voted as an independent, sometimes Democrat, sometimes Republican. It’s my honor to stick it to the Democrats for their disgraceful behavior, and I will vote straight-line Republican, and in 2020, I will be sure to vote for President Trump. I have always disliked the man, but he is doing a great job as president. He has turned this economy around for sure. You Democrats are the ones that are intolerant, the ones who suffer a cognitive dissonance. Power to the Republicans; power to Trump; power to America.”
Finally, Nancy Mullin says our story last week on Marsy’s Law missed a big point: “While I appreciate the thoughtful article about this flawed law, the fundamental reason not to vote for the proposed amendment is that the constitution should never be used to legislate. Marsy’s Law is a law (or could be). This is yet another example of our legislature overstepping into the judicial realm. Once an amendment is passed, it can only be ‘tweaked’ or removed by passing another amendment. Missed the forest for the trees on this one!”
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There were Three media darlings during this voting cycle. Beto, Gillum, and the lady running for Governor of georgia. They all lost.
Well, while the mid-terms were not quite the sweeping validation that my wife had hoped for; it is STILL a much brighter day in the U.S. of A today.
Proof Positive of that is the snit that Petulant…er, ‘President’ Trump is in. Trump went rapidly through the Stages Of Grief ; Denial (with a bizarre tweet referring to “Tremendous success”), then Anger (Scrapping with reporters), Bargaining (Praise for Nancy Pelosi! “Let`s work together”)…..
I`m guessing that Depression & Acceptance will be along after January, when it sinks in that his Congressional Rubber Stamp has truly been taken away. (After of course, a monumental tantrum.)
For me, personally; this Mid-Term meant a lot.
When Trump was elected, I was stunned….I could not believe that anyone could possibly think that this shamelessly-self-loving arrogant, bombastic clown could be The President Of The United States of America, no matter how much he swore that, when elected, he would be “SO PRESIDENTIAL!”….
That is recalled (by me) as being The First Trump Lie…..(of an ever-growing number)
As the Mid-Terms approached, I dared to hope that the results would demonstrate that Americans do not want the nation to be governed by a hate-filled, misogynistic misanthrope whose delusions of grandeur make him believe that HE–and HE alone–can decide for all what the very nature of TRUTH is. ….That any inconvenient Fact can be disposed with by self-serving and fraudulent ‘Alternative Facts’, with no support from Reality.
I LOVE my country…I don`t buy into Slogans like ‘Make America Great Again’, because America IS Great. Sure, some aspects can and should be better–but that betterment comes from moving forward, not backward. A Free Press exists and it should not be made into ‘The Enemy of the People’ by someone whose fear of that press motivates their attitude. No One Man should have jurisdiction over The Truth, and no political party should allow itself to become a Cult Of Personality to hang onto power.
Clearly, there should be negative consequences for going down this path……
Seriously, if the Mid-Terms had validated Donald Trump`s twisted-truths and supported his dark vision for the U.S……I would have fallen into despair. I have long worn a jeans jacket bedecked with The American Flag ……. If the Mid-Terms had validated Trump, I do not think I could have continued to wear that jacket. I would have lost faith in the intelligence, compassion and basic Common Sense of my fellow citizens.
THANKFULLY…..
The Mid-Terms proved that America does pay attention, and does still CARE.
Now, with a little luck and some long-overdue Due Dilligence; the nation may yet be saved.