Brian, I was very lucky as a young woman in my 20s when I opted to leave musical theater to plunge myself wholeheartedly into jazz. Immediately, I crossed that bourgeoisie boundary of white suburban acceptance of the status quo and into the glorious Black community of musicians in Philadelphia. After being stopped, hassled, and threatened numerous times by police (and arrested once) for driving home from gigs with black musicians, the scales quickly dropped from my eyes and history came in close to smack me in the head. No MLK Jr. didn't fix Civil Rights. No, everyone did NOT have the same kind of opportunities I took for granted. I learned very quickly that I had an invisible backpack of wonderful get-out-of-trouble cards whenever I needed them. The experience changed my life.
Just to be clear: The world no longer believes America is an honorable country. By that I mean the world no longer thinks of Americans as "the good guys," but as bullies and mobsters.
Last year Japan refused a trade deal it called a shakedown by America, Canada said openly the old assumptions of American good faith had been proven false, Europeans prepared for war with the US, all once unthinkable thoughts now thinkable. What's now unthinkable is trusting America to honor its word, even for a day.
The new owners of America's press are rushing to buy the favor of those who destroyed America's honor, and the world sees this capitulation.
The status quo ante is history, the new reality is an America whose conservatives lack honor and liberals lack courage. MAGA elected Trump to BITFD, and he has, and America's press will spend Saturday pretending all is normal.
Why any non MAGA journalist, reporter or elected politician would attend the WHCD is beyond me.
It, debatable obviously, may have been something to celebrate in the past but now they’re just legitimizing these attacks on democracy, that the Benny Johnson’s belongs in their ranks, that this regimes constant barrage of abuse and lies is just a ‘laugh line’ and it’s pathetic.
Every last one of them deserves to go down in history as a willing enabler of fascism, helping to try to end democracy for access.
As for how Dems behave once Trump finally dies, I hope for the sake of the country you’re wrong, though I know you’re not.
It may be that the people describe carry on as if history has ended. I suspect, though, that these people view the world and its inhabitants through an historical myopia. They may be vaguely aware that their actions have consequences for other people (maybe even themselves) and for world-historical events, but the value that impresses them is the opportunity for personal gain. That gain may last only short term, but the satisfaction to be had in winning a point outweighs other consequences.
Should politicians really make decisions by guiding themselves to optimize the way future generations will see them? We are a democracy. The voters are the alive citizens voting right now. Elected politicians execute will of the people. The appeasement and early XX century lost cause rediscovery were stupid, but also very popular at the time. It's not politician's job to change people's minds, their job is getting elected now, by people who live in current moment. I am 100% sure that Republican politicians who grovel at Trump's feet now will see him as a traitor, RINO, idiot not more than a decade later. Not because it's what they truly believe, but because their constituents want them to do it.
The media and mindset ecosystem they operated in was more similar to Ancient Rome than modern USA. Nowadays, you either optimize for next election cycle or don't get elected at all. Also, what's the benefit from being remembered well in future (like Carter is, or Biden probably will be) if you lose.
I've learned that sadly most people are enablers. I've seen this repeat countless times through my own experiences in a dysfunctional family, toxic workplaces, and now this macro experience of living through an authoritarian regime. Most people are not driven by values; or rather their primary value is conflict avoidance, fitting in, and comfort. If they have to ignore that innocent people are being abused and brutalized around them to maintain their comfort level then they are quite content to make that trade.
Furthermore, these cowards will congratulate themselves on their pragmatism and ability to "see both sides" while they enable cruelty and savage enforcement of dominance. Many will do everything they can to excuse, justify, and deny the horrific actions of truly vicious people while shaming the victims into silence. Then the enablers and bystanders will congratulate themselves for keeping the peace and maintaining cohesion!
I've also learned that privilege is where empathy goes to die. People used to stability and support and unaccostomed to true desperation seem either totally unable or unwilling to process how unrelentingly merciless life can be for those who don't enjoy their protections and cushioning. Having things be too good without exposure to the harsher side of life seems to engender a child-like perspective in people where they truly believe that everyone is trying their best and things can only ever get better and better and better. Confronted with a colder reality they freeze, appease, and look for who they can scapegoat so that they can return to their complacency as quickly as possible. Protecting their comforting delusions is more important to them than protecting their friends or fellow citizens or often even their own family members.
History is a great vehicle for keeping one's perspective of current events on an even keel and keeping up one's hopes when things seem overwhelming or one has reached his of her nadir of despair.
My favorite Lincoln statement made at the end of the first year of the Civil War seems quite relevant today.
"Fellow citizens, we cannot escape history. We of this Congress and this administration will be remembered in spite of ourselves. No personal significance or insignificance can spare one or another of us. The fiery trial through which we pass will light us down in honor or dishonor to the latest generation. We, even we here, hold the power and bear the responsibility
The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew. We must disenthrall ourselves and then we shall save our country."
This weekends event should be re-named, ‘The Whitehouse Deplorables and half-truth correspondents dinner’.
All the while 4 million kids in this country will go hungry tonight and most nights, while we jack the taxpayers up to support an unnecessary oil war.
Someone explain why the most sensitive negotiations are being conducted by Kushner and a real-estate maven.
Thanks Brian for what you do 👏🏻 Your energy and your writing help me feel connected and give me hope.
Brian, I was very lucky as a young woman in my 20s when I opted to leave musical theater to plunge myself wholeheartedly into jazz. Immediately, I crossed that bourgeoisie boundary of white suburban acceptance of the status quo and into the glorious Black community of musicians in Philadelphia. After being stopped, hassled, and threatened numerous times by police (and arrested once) for driving home from gigs with black musicians, the scales quickly dropped from my eyes and history came in close to smack me in the head. No MLK Jr. didn't fix Civil Rights. No, everyone did NOT have the same kind of opportunities I took for granted. I learned very quickly that I had an invisible backpack of wonderful get-out-of-trouble cards whenever I needed them. The experience changed my life.
A very fine essay. Appropriate to our moment.
Love your article, so true!
Just to be clear: The world no longer believes America is an honorable country. By that I mean the world no longer thinks of Americans as "the good guys," but as bullies and mobsters.
Last year Japan refused a trade deal it called a shakedown by America, Canada said openly the old assumptions of American good faith had been proven false, Europeans prepared for war with the US, all once unthinkable thoughts now thinkable. What's now unthinkable is trusting America to honor its word, even for a day.
The new owners of America's press are rushing to buy the favor of those who destroyed America's honor, and the world sees this capitulation.
The status quo ante is history, the new reality is an America whose conservatives lack honor and liberals lack courage. MAGA elected Trump to BITFD, and he has, and America's press will spend Saturday pretending all is normal.
Why any non MAGA journalist, reporter or elected politician would attend the WHCD is beyond me.
It, debatable obviously, may have been something to celebrate in the past but now they’re just legitimizing these attacks on democracy, that the Benny Johnson’s belongs in their ranks, that this regimes constant barrage of abuse and lies is just a ‘laugh line’ and it’s pathetic.
Every last one of them deserves to go down in history as a willing enabler of fascism, helping to try to end democracy for access.
As for how Dems behave once Trump finally dies, I hope for the sake of the country you’re wrong, though I know you’re not.
It may be that the people describe carry on as if history has ended. I suspect, though, that these people view the world and its inhabitants through an historical myopia. They may be vaguely aware that their actions have consequences for other people (maybe even themselves) and for world-historical events, but the value that impresses them is the opportunity for personal gain. That gain may last only short term, but the satisfaction to be had in winning a point outweighs other consequences.
Serious parental failures re imparting values
Should politicians really make decisions by guiding themselves to optimize the way future generations will see them? We are a democracy. The voters are the alive citizens voting right now. Elected politicians execute will of the people. The appeasement and early XX century lost cause rediscovery were stupid, but also very popular at the time. It's not politician's job to change people's minds, their job is getting elected now, by people who live in current moment. I am 100% sure that Republican politicians who grovel at Trump's feet now will see him as a traitor, RINO, idiot not more than a decade later. Not because it's what they truly believe, but because their constituents want them to do it.
“Should politicians really make decisions by guiding themselves to optimize the way future generations will see them?”
Yes. That’s what Washington and Adams and Jefferson did. They pledged their sacred honor, which is 18th c. speak for how one is remembered.
The media and mindset ecosystem they operated in was more similar to Ancient Rome than modern USA. Nowadays, you either optimize for next election cycle or don't get elected at all. Also, what's the benefit from being remembered well in future (like Carter is, or Biden probably will be) if you lose.
“It's not politician's job to change people's minds”
It absolutely is part of their job if they want to actually win elections.
I've learned that sadly most people are enablers. I've seen this repeat countless times through my own experiences in a dysfunctional family, toxic workplaces, and now this macro experience of living through an authoritarian regime. Most people are not driven by values; or rather their primary value is conflict avoidance, fitting in, and comfort. If they have to ignore that innocent people are being abused and brutalized around them to maintain their comfort level then they are quite content to make that trade.
Furthermore, these cowards will congratulate themselves on their pragmatism and ability to "see both sides" while they enable cruelty and savage enforcement of dominance. Many will do everything they can to excuse, justify, and deny the horrific actions of truly vicious people while shaming the victims into silence. Then the enablers and bystanders will congratulate themselves for keeping the peace and maintaining cohesion!
I've also learned that privilege is where empathy goes to die. People used to stability and support and unaccostomed to true desperation seem either totally unable or unwilling to process how unrelentingly merciless life can be for those who don't enjoy their protections and cushioning. Having things be too good without exposure to the harsher side of life seems to engender a child-like perspective in people where they truly believe that everyone is trying their best and things can only ever get better and better and better. Confronted with a colder reality they freeze, appease, and look for who they can scapegoat so that they can return to their complacency as quickly as possible. Protecting their comforting delusions is more important to them than protecting their friends or fellow citizens or often even their own family members.
If only more people had actual character, integrity, empathy and a sense of history!
History is a great vehicle for keeping one's perspective of current events on an even keel and keeping up one's hopes when things seem overwhelming or one has reached his of her nadir of despair.
My favorite Lincoln statement made at the end of the first year of the Civil War seems quite relevant today.
"Fellow citizens, we cannot escape history. We of this Congress and this administration will be remembered in spite of ourselves. No personal significance or insignificance can spare one or another of us. The fiery trial through which we pass will light us down in honor or dishonor to the latest generation. We, even we here, hold the power and bear the responsibility
The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew. We must disenthrall ourselves and then we shall save our country."