Metastasis
Metastasis
Metastasis is a pathogenic agent’s spread from an initial or primary site to a different or secondary site within the host’s body; it is typically spoken of as such spread by a cancerous tumor. The newly pathological sites, then, are metastases. Wikipedia
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This morning I felt numb, unable to write in the aftermath of a discussion of the evening before. The subject of the evening was “justice” in society. In the free-form, un-directed discussion that followed it seemed to me that not everyone has a concern for a just society. For some of us the society which we now have is fundamentally just, and market forces, if left alone, free from government interference, will produce the optimum overall outcome. I struggled to find words to contribute to the thesis.
At mid day I came upon a quote in a publication by the Southern Poverty Law Center which I will share. I was reminded that we underestimate the penumbra of racism and Nativism that gathers around Donald J. Trump, President of the United States. The contagion will spread deeply in another three years.
“I propose a
government
that makes
counter-
semitism
central to
all aims of
the state.”California Republican
U. S Senate candidate
Patrick Little on his
Gab account, referring
to a white nationalist
euphemism for a hatred
of Jews on May 7, 2018
2 thoughts on “Metastasis”
The fact that Mr. Little has been able to garner enough supporters to hoist him to his current position in politics is telling, daunting, depressing and most of all, a wake-up call for all of us who have fought against this kind of hate filled thinking. My sense is that we don’t want to believe we are living in an age where the Patrick Littles, the David Dukes and the Donald Trumps of the country can speak for so many Americans. Those of us who oppose this march towards madness, in the form of scapegoating anyone who disagrees with the current administration and their supporters, must now act in a manner we never dreamt of acting. Perhaps it is overly dramatic to envision we are at a crossroad much like our ancestors were 150 years ago when brother took up arms against brother to stave off the dissolution this country, but we may be approaching a similar time. As John Brennan notes, we have an unhinged, infantile demagogue holding court via tweets on a daily basis. And we also actually have people we know personally who support this “thing” and his actions, calling him “strong because he says it like it is.” We are on a precipice my friend and I am extremely fearful of the darkness encroaching on our future.
I sometimes think that we are moving in the direction of a feudal arrangement in our society–with a strong man and his overlords that do as they please to exercise power. Their word defines what is meant by “truth.” Thought of this quote from Luigi Barzini’s 1964 book, The Italians, which describes the Mafia.