Boutet de Monvel: Un fou et un sage [A fool and a wise man] (1888)

"He might be the most significant land mass to hold office since Grover Cleveland left office."

I have a confession to make. I understand that our incumbent has been talking about arresting those who would criticize him and his [Administration]. (I was forced to place the word [Administration] within braces because the best evidence demonstrates that he and his cronies have yet to successfully administer anything.) I understand that, according to him and his minions, it should be a crime to take their lord's name in vain. I hereby publicly admit that I have committed this heinous act on more than one occasion, and often with evident satisfaction. Further, I've overtly encouraged others to do the same, sometimes even engaging in something akin to "Playing The Dozens", even resorting to gleefully engaging in bouts of The Dirty Dozens. Instead of "Yo Mama So Fat That … " I said, "Yo President So Fat That …". What's the prescribed punishment?

I'm old enough to remember when The American Way included what was then referred to as The Loyal Opposition, where our Justice Department would have never contemplated filing charges against any citizen accused of defaming any elected official, warranted or not. In fact, back in those days, it was considered Un-American NOT to poke insults at those holding high office. Even in the military, a proud tradition made fun of those in charge. The resulting sarcasm fueled this country's defense through the Cold War and beyond. Now, our Secretary of Defense might just as well assume the title of Secretary of Defensiveness, and his once-proud department now huddles, thin-skinned, in defensive postures, leaking like that proverbial sieve. The latest straw involves a clear violation of the Posse Comitatus Act under the obviously phony guise of suppressing a non-existent rebellion. Fortunately, this move was so poorly planned that the Marines mustered to perform these duties couldn't perform them, due to various shortages, perhaps related to the Commander in Chief's deteriorating mental condition.

From what I hear, our Attorney General, besides being a masterful inside trader, considers free speech traitorous. Committing public truths is now treated as more serious than any minor misdemeanor. People have been arrested and charged—others, merely publicly harassed for disclosing otherwise obvious facts that everybody has witnessed. I, too, must confess that I have engaged in this freshly illegal activity, for I have reposted credible reports and even added color commentary to make the attachments more attractive to lure in otherwise innocent witnesses. I have thereby helped spread the now widespread discontent that's put underwater every blessed (and damned) policy suggestion our sorry incumbent has proposed. As near as I can tell, he's officially hosed.

I understand that I now potentially stand as an insult to the budding power this incumbent feels he rightfully possesses. I accept that it might be my fate to spend a significant portion of my retirement years in some Central American Hellhole. I'd have to be an ingrate for not appreciating in anticipation of this compliment, for it suggests that my words found their intended target. Thanks for even considering rendering me a Christian martyr, even if I'm not, strictly speaking, a Christian. (I also never believed that this was ever a Christian country, and the movement insisting it ever was serves as one of the greater threats to our country. I also believe it's just silly not to separate church and state, and anyone promoting eroding that separation should be prosecuted as truly Un-American.)

Excuse me if I have not yet developed the necessary skills to properly inhabit a kingdom. I freely admit it. I'm one crappy peasant. I can't seem to keep my big yap shut. My mother warned me that this would get me into big trouble one day, and here, hopefully, it is. I don't want to abide by laws that are not worth abiding by. I don't want to stand silent as some television "personality" insults me and my intelligence. He's confused the Out Of Many, One Motto, but then he was never the sharpest knife on the tree. My incumbent's so damned fat, they'll have to hold his impeachment hearing in Yankee Stadium. They made an exception with him on the No Man's An Island homily. He might be the most significant land mass to hold office since Grover Cleveland left office.

©2025 by David A. Schmaltz - all rights reserved

Tags: #CHope , #PureSchmaltz