Hard Times

 

October 28, 2024

Church yesterday in borrowed Trinity. The jazz trio played “Hard Times Come Again No More.”  In the midst of M’s sermon I had a vision of myself dancing in my garden at night, to the sound of distant bells. I knew then that Harris is going to win the Presidency. It will still be necessary for millions to explain why they dedicated themselves-- often slavishly, idolatrously-- to the single most repellent man in American political history. I can see a cult of personality if there’s any personality. I can see enthusiasm and agreement if there are any policies or deeds to agree with. But there’s nothing but gluttony, malice, vengeance, ignorance, cruelty, hoggishness-- which term offends the relative delicacy of actual hogs. I cannot listen to Evangelicals on the subject, for fear I’ll burst into flames. THIS is God’s instrument? It is true, as they argue, that God uses the imperfect, but, referencing Abraham, David, Peter, at al, he uses the imperfect who are striving mightily for the right and miss, by dint of being human. The disgraced, impeached, and felonious ex-President has not striven for any end but his own gratification since he came out of the womb. For him to be in prison on November 6 is the one acceptable justice. There is still the matter of his followers. Did education fail? Near the end of the time when I was in it, education was intimidated enough that it hesitated to make distinctions between right and wrong, good and bad, for fear of giving offense. Certainly some points of view ought to be offended. The ignorant deserve their lives, but they do not deserve influence over the lives of others. One might forgive and move on, but some dark flux gave birth to this morass, and that dark flux must be discovered and investigated. Something went wrong. Somehow we failed to teach love of truth, love of mercy, love of honor. Failed to teach tolerance, let alone empathy. Failed to teach humility, let alone wisdom. We failed even to teach self-interest, which is threatened by every injustice done to another. It’s beyond my wisdom to know how to separate supporting a fascist from being a fascist. It’s hard for me to admit that plain good folks have such malice in their hearts, such ignorance governing their minds. Are they plain and good? If you intend mayhem and suffering, do you expect not to be blamed for doing so? I don’t know how to face them. I don’t know how to desire to face them, even if doing so is the only healing.