Remember the sweet version of Cinderella we all knew in childhood, sang along with and told to our kids? Yup, that one, where there really was no deeper meaning other than being good will eventually pay off and tormentors will be punished. Uh huh. Right.
Then we came to know that there was a balletic version of Cinderella, a tad more political one might say. In this one political threads of justice for the poor, rightful ownership of land, governments that heeded the voices of the disenfranchised and of course all the accoutrements of a true fairy tale - handsome King and beautiful maltreated queen to be, a fairy godmother and some characters that received their dues but not really in so bad a manner. The fairy godmother even taught us a lesson - if one wants something, truly so, one has to participate in its creation. Interesting thought that.
This is the version of Cinderella that is now on stage at Broward Center. It is great and it is always lovely to see the little princesses in the theater, the princes to be, and the adults who clapped just as loud or even more so when the fairy godmother came along, at Cinderella who made sure her shoe was left for the prince to find, or the magic of magic - the coach, the gowns, and the wonderful ending of marriage, of justice done and forgiveness and atonement. I think adults clapped even more this year than before because we were all wishing on a star that this come true.
I came across a Facebook version of the statement that one must help themselves and it goes something like this. There is no remote in life so get up and change it yourself. If only more people would have realized that sooner, though credit given where credit due - the Trump campaign knew that a long time ago so off they went to enlist their dear friends Putin and the Russian hackers, the scum of society in the form of haters and bigots, and the magic dust to spill in the eyes of the blue collar classes as they failed to recognize the truth of what would be - no health coverage, Fat Cats in the White House and government, no ethics at all and a presumed president to be with barely any functioning brain cell above the level of a ten year old schoolyard bully and I believe I owe an apology to ten year olds!
SNL had a great skit, as usual, that did what democracy does and allows. It poked fun at our leaders, particularly those who got in the way due to their own actions and statements. So if Trump does not like Alec Baldwin's wig, why then get his own cut so he won't look so stupid. If he does not like "Tillerson" greeting his good friend Putie, why then choose some other guy for Sec. of State rather than one who is actually partners with Russia in an oil deal!! Talk of lack of ethics. Talk of conflict of interest! And all the while, "Trump" is worrying over his phone, reading Twitter and tweets and mumbling for revenge on Vanity Fair. And then of course, in real life we had that same attitude and his most brilliant statement, real mature, where he tells China to just keep the drone!! Sure, that will show them! That was a true masterpiece - NOT - of diplomacy and calculated to keep things on an even keel with a world power that basically owns up!
Cinderella and company sings of "things that are happening every day" and would that it were so in a positive way in real life. But what is happening is that there is a growing despair at the thought of what four years with this what? simpleton? fool? mean guy? amoral? one track? person, concerned with his own selfish and at times, many times, childish needs, and with his royal family running the show - what does this all portend? Can the Electors do something? Anything?
I really am not sure what will be and if it will be enough and what would be if the Electors did revolt. Scary thought, but just as scary is the thought of a Trump presidency. Will we even be here in democratic form four years from now under that regime? I doubt it and so does an op-ed piece by two Harvard professors of government. They believe that the right wingers of this regime, the extremists that have become the regulars of this regime, have questioned and challenged the opposition, particularly of the liberal wing. They have now become traitors to the country according to the crazies. So the question is whether the institutions of ours that are supposed to maintain our equilibrium will do just that but here is a question for you. What if they too are compromised? And just look at the Houses of Congress and at the plans for the Supreme Court and then ask again if the checks and balances are still there?
Many moons ago I mentioned the Manchurian Candidate in connection to Trump and I now find that more and more people are mentioning it as well. Trump is that stupid enough and that arrogant enough in that stupidity to become the legendary patsy. He thinks of naught between those ears other than his business, his princelings and princess though he appears to neglect his queen and another princess along the way, he is that vulnerable to becoming a puppet, a puppet of dictators and demagogues, of killers and defamers of what is human and humane in people. Just ask the people of Crimea or the people in the Philippines or the millions in Syria.
So will all the activists taking to the streets prevail? Will all the marches on Saturday, Jan. 21 make a point? I hope so but we will all have to keep on the case, stay the activists and despite whatever will be thrown our way, keep it up. That is the only way to keep our country democratic and on the right path. Elsewhere and otherwise? It will be a plutocracy, a business rules, a no ethics government, a war torn globe upon which we dwell, a dictatorship of America and if you think that cannot happen - think again and why not pop in on the series the Man in the High Castle and checkout how it works, what fear does to people.
Time to be strong, people. Time to be brave. Time to be honest and time not to despair and give in. Nor should we look at sops to keep our attention. In any case, one mystery has been solved right here in the Village, For years people have asked just what David Israel does all day every day in UCO, Sundays included. Well, the secret is out. He listens to some global streaming radio, looking for green dots to click on and admits it is habit forming, addictive. What a waste of time, especially when the Village is in such desperate straits. And Gracie, my foolish friend, though perhaps you cannot help yourself, I know that we pay for everything here in the Village and that is the point. We should not!! There are other people responsible for some of these payments and there are other people responsible for setting up payments we do not need for projects we do not want and for wasting literally millions of our funds on criminally negligent other projects. But you just keep trundling along, Gracie and hope you do not trip over your own feet and words.
In the meanwhile we will use our words to try to right the wrongs, to be our own Don Quixotes, successful ones. Cinderella had a fairy godmother and a handsome and good king. We do not. We are our own pathways and tools of justice and fair play and proper government. Things do happen every day and we must make sure that they are the correct things to happen and if not, to make it so as we correct the wrongs. If not - I fear greatly for the future of us all. Vigilance, people, vigilance and action.
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