Plague Journal, The Sun King
Another day in the reign of Trump. That seems the language suited to our condition. I wonder how similar our situation to that of the French man/woman-on-the-street under the reign of Louis the XIV? Louis XIV was concerned above all with the enhancement of his glory. He was called the Sun King (le Roi Soleil). Louis XVI was the last king of France. He lost his head in the revolution.
The coronavirus pandemic is accelerating. The plans for opening states in the south and the west grind to a halt. How can slowing and sequestering the spread of the virus be achieved at this late juncture? We continue to stagger along without national leadership or a unified plan. There are multiple hot spots of outbreak in Texas, Florida, and California.
That is my take on the “news” of the day.
Bee Balm! Walking around the yard, early morning I was delighted by a cluster of scarlet Bee Balm blossoms. The genus name is “Monarda” and it is in the mint family. Bee Balm leaves were used by the American Indians as an antiseptic for minor wounds. The crushed leaves yield fragrant, essential oils. The leaves taste like a mix of spearmint and peppermint with oregano and were used to season wild game.
St. Louis couple point guns at peaceful crowd of protesters calling for mayor to resign is the headline of the Washington Post article. The photo was shocking, iconic of the divide in our nation.
Do you know these people? Could they be your neighbors? The action of the couple, the male with the AR-15 menacing the peaceable marchers in the street, and the female waving the semi-auto handgun are not surprising. The actions are another manifestation of the presidents words about “getting tough” with the Black Lives Matter protesters. The male looks as if he is wearing a nice Izod polo shirt, and khaki slacks. A reminder that wealth, belonging to the rarefied “1% class” does not entail a corresponding elevation in moral or intellectual acuity.
A family member purchased this sign and placed it in our front yard. I have seen another sign like it in the neighborhood. It is an elegant statement of attitudes and practices that we support, and aspire to in our household. The assumption, no one in our household is better than anyone else, — indeed we have much in common with others, whoever they may be. There is reason, and hope to build a relationship upon what we have in common. For a start, everyone has his or her share of failure, and disappointment in life. To be alive is to feel pain. The journey which each of us has taken has been marked by pain. Of course there is much else besides.
In any case I like the sign. It expresses the framework of our lives.
