Plague Journal, Improvisation
Yesterday, we watched as an old willow tree was removed from the back of our property. The tree was just over our property line, and belonged to the Park District. A neighbor said she remembered when the tree was planted. The top of the giant willow was broken by a wind storm. A crane was used to aid a team of arborist to safely dismember the old tree with their chain saws. I and the Superintendent of Parks for the Batavia Park District watched at a distance from our back yard.
Did the professionals know what they were doing? That appeared to be the case. Taking down an old willow involves risks. They improvised to accomplish the task. Piece after piece the tree was cut up and lifted over the creek to a howling wood chipper parked in the adjoining lot. Now, there is a pile of sawdust and wood chips where the tree stood for thirty years.
We watched the Democratic convention last night. Disappointment came as our video feed kept timing out. We gave up before the keynote acceptance speech by Joe Biden. This morning I read a criticism in the NYT of last night’s speeches. “Not enough detail was given about Democratic solutions.” I thought of the old tree that was removed just a few hours before. A Democratic administration will improvise, doing what appears practical and effective to attack the racism inscribed into our society, change policies that exacerbate global warming, and cease the ad hoc incarceration of non-citizen immigrants living among us.
The Republicans on the other hand, will do everything they can to preserve the status quo. Professionalism, reliance upon knowledge is irrelevant if your goal is to wreck existing institutions. Supporters have said that Trump is a “disruptor.” Do they understand that the term is a compliment only if you want to destroy institutions that have sustained and protected us for generations?
They must be defeated by all means possible.
