1,212 words
Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo — The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly — is the title of the 1966 Italian epic Spaghetti Western film directed by Sergio Leone that starred Clint Eastwood as “the Good,” Lee Van Cleef as “the Bad,” and Eli Wallach as “the Ugly.” With Eastwood as the star, it was a fun movie to watch. Lots of macho action.
Fast forward to the January 20, 2021 Presidential Inaugural Address, a remake of the original with little action and no macho.
Of course, this production was much different from the Italian version: inferior direction, trite, hackneyed script, and a geriatric set of “stars” whose performance made a comedy out of what was intended to be a solemn ceremony. It was painful, certainly not fun to watch. But, like the 1966 movie, “the good,” “the bad,” and “the ugly” each made an appearance, though probably not as intended by the producers of this farce.
Let’s start with “the good.” It’s the easiest because, unlike Clint Eastwood in the original, it had a minor role. I’m talking about the masks. They were “the good.” Seeing our esteemed members of the ruling class clumped together on the podium with their faces covered with masks was the most enjoyable part of the whole event. Why? Because you didn’t have to look at their faces. Because maybe they weren’t even there: maybe they were using their body-doubles.
Hey, no sense in taking chances with this Covid-19 stuff, just to watch some stiff go through the drill. Who knows? In any case, I’ve seen the mugs of Obama, Bill, and Hillary enough to last a couple of lifetimes, especially Hillary’s. Plus, there was some mild entertainment afforded by trying to figure out who was who. Is that Hillary or is it Dr. Jill? Which one is Nancy? The hair — that’s got to be Bill. Not that it made any difference, but it helped to cope with the boredom.
Then there’s the irony at work with the mask-wearing, irony that cuts in two different directions. One of the main purposes of masks that differs from their alleged prophylactic value is to make people wearing them harder to identify when they are committing crimes. Seeing the members of this much-vaunted ruling class up close, huddled together and all masked-up — it’s hard not to view them as more than what they are: a criminal class. It seemed to be so very fitting to see them in disguise.
Speaking of “huddled together,” you couldn’t help but recoil from the hypocrisy. When we, “the ruled over,” venture out, we’re constantly tut-tutted to “social distance” — you know, six feet apart because it’s so very important. You might think that because social distancing is so crucial for defeating the progress of Covid-19, and because the DC gang is so important in leading the way, that these folks would be sitting apart. You would be forgetting that the rules they make for us don’t apply to themselves. Adding insult to injury is the arrogance: they either think we are too stupid to notice or they don’t care. Probably both.
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The other irony at work in the mask-wearing is “the virtue flip.” Bad guys used to wear masks; now it’s the good guys who don them. So, this was a grand opportunity for the masked-up boys, girls, and converts on the stage to collectively strut their superior virtue. “See how it’s done: be virtuous just like us.” Whatever the prophylactic service the masks might offer, the mask is first and foremost a visible badge of belief in the terror of the plague and the wisdom of the ruling class in defeating it. That’s why the moral opprobrium rains own on the refuseniks. Not wearing a mask marks a non-believer, a heretic, a “deplorable,” perhaps, who must be shunned, even punished. Authoritarian rulers must have their heretics to legitimize the repression they inevitably bring down.
On to “the bad.” Looking at the setting for Inauguration 2021, you might for a moment pinch yourself thinking you were watching some generals, post-coup, installing the chosen “strongman” in Bogota, Quito, Tegucigalpa, or in some other banana republic. You were not. This was taking place in the hallowed ground of “democracy” in Washington DC. An installation was underway, however, not of a strongman, but a cognitively compromised puppet reading his lines prepared by a gang of cynical scriptwriters, no doubt yucking it up as they churned out the “all for one; one for all” platitudes. Did President Biden believe in the words he was reading off the teleprompter? Given the low horsepower moving his thought processes these days, I’m tempted to think that he did. But whether he did not, the content of the speech was so far removed from the reality of the physical surroundings and the circumstances of the election and its aftermath that it could only be regarded as a pathetic curiosity.
Yes, a bit more on the physical surroundings. The ruling class was protected by twelve-foot fencing topped with concertina wire; thousands of military personal, heavily armed — vetted for political reliability — were standing around to protect them. Twenty-five thousand men, more than the combined troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. To do what? Protect the ruling class from its own people. “Fear” is the word that captures the ambiance of the event. You don’t have to be a deep thinker or a social psychologist to figure out that what you were looking at was a bunch of political bosses who are afraid of the people they rule over, pretend to care about, and thoroughly despise. This was, as another observer noted, a “Potemkin inauguration.”
Finally, “the ugly.” Here is where I take the risk of elder abuse. Giving this speech was a very old man who looked and sounded like, well, a very old man. Even some of the Democrats must have wondered to themselves: “Jesus, how were we able to pull it off with someone so devoid of energy and substance, someone who looks and acts like he should be enjoying himself in a retirement village?” As he moved around the platform before and after the speech, he looked fragile and unsteady. Oddly, from behind, with the bald spots and the limp, stringy hair hanging off the back of his neck, he seemed to look especially elderly.
No doubt, he makes his handlers very nervous. Kamala Harris, sitting behind him, must have begun crossing off those dates on her 100-day calendar. She is already making remodeling plans for the White House, compiling her enemies list. Under her breath, she says: “He’s not going to last long.”
That was it, and it was one lousy movie. Not recommended for children.
One star.
You can find Stephen Paul Foster’s newly published novel here.
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20 comments
Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t this the first presidential inauguration speech to mention the phrase “White supremacism”, or the term White in regards to race at all, for that matter? A truly shameful beginning of the last days of America as we’ve known it. It cannot officially end soon enough.
I noticed that he used the terms “white supremacists”, “domestic terrorists” and “systemic racism”. That should say us enough.
Even the snow was fake…then the huge old Bible was a prop from a HarryPotter movie, no I am not kidding you..Then a salute to American Workers..the UPS driver, sanitation workerss, farm laborers. etc. all NON white…the working class americans that are losing their economic standards to HB VISAS, OPEN borders, Chinese forced labor…It was a perfect disney version of a long disappered Americana..Nothing todo with reality…And NOW the whole world in a global LOCKDOWN…mass arrests of WHITES..conservative voices in UK AUSTRALIA CANADA FRANCE GERMANY…OMG whats going on???? Michael Corleone…..Barzini, Cunio, Mo Green THEY are all dead…
Garth Brooks, Amazing Grace: “I once was lost, but now I’m found. Was blind but now I see.” Biden is the messiah!
I had thought McCain’s state funeral a burlesque performance, but this attempt at solemnity with the installation of a man who is now obviously only slightly more intelligent than a ham sandwich outdid even that.
If you do comedy, (or tragedy), what a time to be alive.
Thanks for the review – I was never even tempted to watch the inauguration. Nothing has really changed. The Biden/Harris regime is cut off from various Departments of the Government as were all of their predecessors since “Baby” Bush. The DOD, DOJ, and the DOS are ALL controlled by different factions and often work at cross purposes. They protect their “pet” policies and “turf” against any elected officials that oppose them and against each other. The Congress has become an impotent farce and the Courts are ignored whenever their rulings are inconvenient. The President is largely a figurehead with the real power vested in the “Deep State” (the unelected lifelong bureaucrats that actually carry out the government’s functions). This is the result of the distain of the ruling elites for and the ignorance of the people of the United States Constitution (which has been a “dead letter” for decades, and like the Courts, is ignored whenever its provisions and/or restrictions are inconvenient). Just as the Romans called themselves a “Republic” long after our historians declare that their republic was dead, Americans STILL refuse to recognize that their own republic is dead (having been replaced by an oligarchy). Indeed, what was presented on January the 20th was just more political theater for the masses carried out under duress for fear that the masses are waking up and are ready to rise.
It is a Mandarin led regime.
Certainly one of the most bizarre spectacles I’ve witnessed in modern political life.
I speculated before that it was a little bit like a Mongol Horde lording it over a supine Kiev or Baghdad. The ruling Subutai or Hulegu talking to a city in hiding or dead.
It then made me think about 1066. When William was Crowned on Christmas day in Westminster Abbey the acclaim of the crowd outside lead William’s bloodsoaked retainers to go outside and kill hundreds of Londoners.
A truly dystopian mediaeval moment.
I had a bit of a chuckle this morning while reading some of the comments from National Guard members who were protecting Our Leader the other day. Once their usefulness such as the photo ops, the hand shaking and ‘thanks for your service’ was no longer needed, they were sent to the underground parking lot to rest, have their breaks, eat meals and presumably ingest carbon monoxide. “We feel betrayed” said one, probably echoing the sentiments of thousands and affecting recruiting targets for years to come. I could only smile to myself while making my breakfast.
For these soldiers, personally vetted for their loyalty to Resident Bidet, this may be their first Red Pill.
People — please wear masks and stop with all the nonsense about ‘government controlling you’, which is just Qanon spittle. You’re White (probably) and we need every one of you to stay alive and healthy to fight another day! I’m 77 and have been indoors for over a year — other than daily walks in my semi-gated community in an Asian area of So. Cal. Lucky me, to be in a crime-free setting, though that will end soon when our borders are recklessly thrown open sometime this week. L.A. is only 100 miles from that border.
I, too, didn’t watch the horror show of the inauguration — good, grief, the singers and their choice of songs alone were enough to keep me away — but I’m finding that I’m completely allergic to anything Democrat now. That’s not racism — that is serious allergic reaction! It’s also known as ‘protecting your psyche’.
People — please wear masks and stop with all the nonsense about ‘government controlling you’
YOU can stay locked up in your own home indefinitely, and wear masks until you suffocate, if that makes you feel safe. But it’s not right for you to support the government forcing this on everyone. There are a hundred things in this world that can potentially harm us, but this fixation on the SARS illness is beyond bizarre.
Maybe Cuba or North Korea would be more to your liking if you feel the need for a controlled environment. Oh, wait, we’re halfway there now.
Dementia Joe looks like he died already and they are propping up a corpse. Perhaps “Dr.” Jill mixed up some special elixir to keep Dementia Joe above ground for a while longer.
Dementia Joe better be careful around President Camel Toe Harris though. It would be a shame if Dementia Joe were to fall down the stairs or otherwise suffer an untimely “accident.”
Fear not though, President Camel Toe Harris is just waiting, waiting to get sworn in as the next Mr. President. That will be part deux of the clown show known as the U.S. Government/Biden Administration. Unfortunately it will be more tragedy than comedy.
God has allowed it all to happen for His purposes. Kamel-Toe May have her day, I fully expect it. But God’s glory will be served, not hers. Not any of theirs.
Just take pleasure knowing what it will do to Hillary Clinton’s already demented psyche, when Harris becomes president. Same goes for the other President wanna be’s like Warren and Klobuchar….
Tasks:
Discipline or Destroy the GOP.
Digital Separation as a prelude to political separation.
Advance the cause of Partition.
4 years was mostly wasted, but if any good came out of it, it was the purge of the manic, the kooky, and the unserious.
We are embarking on the greatest adventure in human history, a geohistorical War of the Spirit that will determine just what leaves this planet and colonizes the galaxy and beyond.
All the best!
Yeah, the mask-wearing stuff : It drives me loopy when I see a masked reporter addressing a camera even though he’s standing far away from anyone else.
Nancy Pelosi is the worst though. She mumbles her lines at the best of times but now she sounds like a dementia sufferer and I have to strain to catch her drift.
Where’s the DAMN Geritol dispenser ?
Nomen est omen.
“Kamala” is a much used Finnish word. Direct translation: “Horrible.”
Examples: I have a kamala hangover. The weather is really kamala. Have you seen that kamala Hollywood film? Etc, etc.
Here in Finland, if you follow the MSM, now even debts have become receivables, since the inauguration of Joe Biden. The amount of good news is just staggering. There was a brief lull of bad news regarding Trump, but he is on the front page again, as miraculously not all debts have yet changed to receivables…
It really amused me when Biden spoke of “Democracy making a comeback”…yet, 25,000 military troops were around him and hundreds of other security personal…LOL
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