Month: October 2018

In the 10-29 New Yorker, Janet Malcolm reflects upon her personal history. Malcolm is of Czech origin immigrating to the United States on the eve of World War 2.

She writes, “After the Nazis marched into Prague, in 1939, it no longer mattered what kind of Jew you were, whether you spoke Czech or German, lit Hanukkah candles, or, as we did, ate carp soup on Christmas Eve. ALL JEWS WERE VERMIN TO BE EXTERMINATED..Anti-Semitism was a fixture of the Czech state, as it was of every other European state.”

On Oct 21, a misanthrope killed eleven Jewish worshipers in the Tree of Life Synagogue. He found comfort and support within the on-line social network GAB. Richard Spencer, a part time Whitefish white supremacist and provocateur is a member of GAB. What should you do if you hear of a GAB entry that is disturbing, to the level of yelling fire in a crowded movie theater? I suggest you act by informing law enforcement. I suggest that you do not assume someone else will do so.

Do you know about Red Flag laws?  A Red Flag law allows law enforcement to react to a very dangerous posting; along with other pieces of evidence. As radical as the following reads, the following might be a Red Flag law; law enforcement upon an order from a court may remove weapons from an individual displaying EXTREME anti-social behavior. It might include suicidal tendencies or violence that likely will be acted upon. The removal of weapons is temporary. A court appearance follows and a judge determines the threat and appropriate actions. It seems to work in Indiana of all places. Before we became so, so polarized, the NRA gave a pass to the near unanimous passage  of the law by the Republican legislature of Indiana. Maybe not appropriate for Montana? Don’t know. I do know that minus the hyperbole and partisanship, lawmakers must react to extreme acts of injustice. A killing in a house of worship is an assault on civilization and our constitutional rights.

Anti-Semitism is back with vengeance with recorded incidents off the charts. Based on lies, conspiratorial theories and social media as an outlet for such extreme anti social behavior, we are revisiting the polluted mind-set of Europe in 1939.

Political leaders must exhibit behavior that does not foster or give permission for such anti-social behavior. Political leaders must offer answers through state and federal laws. In doing so, they offer lasting comfort to the threatened and bereaved.

 

I found the Red Sox hat in the middle of Edgewood Place. I started wearing it on the campaign trail. The Team evoked a response from constituents, usually positive.  A wayward Yankees fan expressed respect as did I to the that ancient rival. The many miles and years from the east coast had mellowed the most ardent booster.

I sat in the bleachers for two world series games in 1967. The tickets arrived in the mail (can you imagine). We played the mighty St. Louis Cardinals with the likes of Gibson, Shannon and Flood. The game went seven games and what is called the impossible dream, one that saw the Sox recover from the doormat with the Washington Senators in 1966 to mastery of the game, ended in the great Gibson overpowering the Sox in his third start of the Series. In an era where relief pitchers are stringing together games, Gibson’s feat is historic. Maybe pitchers didn’t need Tommy John surgery at young ages back then because grade school kids weren’t over managed and in possession of an arsenal of pitches  destined to inflict future premature damage. The day of the seventh day was much like the mid-October weather in Northwestern Montana in this election year. Mounted police on horseback entered the field to maintain order following the last out. No need though.  There was a quiet disbelief that a team that could defeat the likes of the Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox in the old 10 team American League (no divisions)  just had to be entitled to a Series victory. So, it was a quiet, somber post game. Fans did’nt exit Fenway swiftly.

No long ago from that Series date, Updike  penned the famous article in the New Yorker about Ted Williams last at bat, a home run at 42 years of age (take that Tom Brady), and as characteristic to the iconoclastic Williams, and refused to recognize the standing ovation from the 8,000 or so fans in attendance.

The Red Sox were real losers back then. They were slow to integrate and had the reputation as an organization of a pampered, soft clubhouse.

The Red Sox cap was a constant companion. It was at times an ice breaker. Politics can be crappy. I’ve tried to make it right with a dose of sportsmanship and levity.  We win by being sincere and loyal to set of values that elevate the conversion around government and policy.

The impossible dream happened in 1967. May we be inspired to carry ourselves like mature adults and act on behalf of our constituents

In the last month of knocking on doors I’ve expanded my “universe” to include Republicans.  The data I use is not without errors but nevertheless it is valuable to risk rejection based on party affiliation to better understand House District 5.

A Trump supporter was defensive after answering his question on my party affiliation.  He says, “You can’t buy my vote. He’s done a lot of good things, like a tax cut…you Democrats have nothing to offer….What are Democrats offering?” A pertinent question and I started to answer, “I want a fair tax policy”. I was interrupted as  he interjected, “You know Hillary is a criminal, I’m reading a new book on Hillary” Now I interrupt, “I didn’t vote for Mrs Clinton, I chose to write in a candidate” (I did write in Bloomberg  who ironically re-joined the Democrat party last week).  “You wanna read the book when I’m finished?” he asked. “Sure, I’ll take a look, so let me give you my card. Here’s some priorities, a little about me and let me underline my phone number. Call me when you are done.”

Maybe he is a retired mill worker or one of the diminishing pot-line workers at the Aluminum Plant…the engine of a past era.  It’s worthwhile that we better understand one another. A friend comes in many political stripes.