Remember that song, a tune out of a more innocent age, an age when what is going on today would have been unthinkable. Sure, there were problems. Sure, there was always an ongoing case of disgrace among politicians, but never ever was there a question about treason or insurrection. The wildest groups of the 60's and 70's were angry at the government, true, but did not want to abolish democracy, only improve it, make it more responsive to the people. Went about it the wrong way, some people died, people could not hear them above the noise, but, they did force through some progress and changes. And the nation continued. Democracy reigned.
Today is different. The people involved in the insurrection, the people who plotted it out, who have plans for the oncoming week, the people who took on the responsibility of finding their chosen victims among the personnel within, well, they need to be hit with the full power of what the law has available. Benedict Arnold will not be revived among us. Not now. Not ever again.
There is an uncaring part of the herd who just went along, either looking for violence, or not understanding the true impact of what they messed around with. Did they not think? Did they not understand the ramifications? Did they not feel the shivering of our foundations , reeling under the impact of their behavior?
Truth is, I believe that many of those in the mob were transformed into mob zombies, under the spell of that demented man, Trump, under the misguidance shall we say, of the mob leaders who knew exactly what they were doing. Their inner brakes just imploded as they went along, beat those in their way, vandalized and shattered 250 years of a miracle.
There was no innocent song of the times, no bossa nova to blame, for this was a poisoned romance of violence and fascism, of hatred and death, of goals of returning to a time of the past that should long ago have lost its relevance and attraction. Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme were not now giggling youngsters who met and married, the nation's adored couple. The innocence of a nation, the remaining shine left on it, tarnished on Jan. 6 in a great hurry. Truthfully, there was not much left to tarnish after five years of a twisted campaign and an increasingly bizarre and dangerous administration.
No, today no one was dancing to the notes of the bossa nova. Today there is no longer that innocence, that sense of optimism, only a pall of despair and exhaustion. For the sake of us all, for all Americans, for the world, which longs to return to some former level of status quo, we need to hear some tonal music again, not the atonal and harsh note we move to now. We need to clean out the instruments so they ring loud and clear.
The task will not be easy. The notes will sometimes fall sour and harsh upon the ears and hearts, for there is so much invective out there. It will take time and hard work. It will take a regrowth of American optimism, a we can do it attitude unique to Americans. We need to be able to strut again once more, head high, shoulders back, confident in our goals and aims, in our roads to achieving them. We need to be honest with ourselves, to understand what we must leave behind and what new tunes must be written. We must be ever vigilant lest today recur tomorrow.
Unfortunately, in order to regain some footing, some room on the dance floor, we must respond harshly, chase some people off that floor, for there is no room for them. Not anymore. The criminal insurrection that took place, that remains viable, must be crushed. Punish the perpetrators, the planners, the rabble rousers. Force the resignation and/or firing of those legislators who clearly signed up for this, for overturning the election results, for inflaming the mob. They have no place in a government of democracy. Free speech, yes, Even hurtful speech, but no physical insurrection. No threats of nooses and plastic flex. No threats of doing more. No crushing of officers in doors. No more. Punishment to the fullest extent of the law is necessary if we are to prevent this again.
Once this is understood, we can begin with a new musician, with a new band , with a new orchestra, with new tunes, new music in the ears of those formerly deafened to it. That is the only way. Hypocrisy is dangerous and we have seen the results and now have the shame of 15,000 troops plus security forces in DC, all to guard the transfer of power. A third world banana republic. Shame on us. Hear the fracturing notes being played and then try to hear the better notes underneath. Truly a new life for Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture.
And back to life must come those otherwise intelligent people who fell under the mesmerizing words and tones of Trump et al. Never understood how they turned off their brains in that area, but unless they were actively involved in this travesty of history, we need to hope and pray that they return to sanity, rejoin the nation, drop their words filled with poison, and become American once more.
Maybe the bossa nova can be revived.
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