LOCKDOWN CHEER

 

I must confess it is rather difficult to keep one’s spirits up during this third Lockdown. 100,000 UK dead, an irresponsible media seizing on every scare-story, political point-scoring by the Imperial pint, the usual cold, wet and windy January weather, are all unfavourable factors likely to depress us. I suppose we could all “Whistle a happy tune”, “Climb every mountain” and “Keep right on to the end of the road” but I doubt if we feel sufficiently heroic at this precise moment.

                                                            The ever-present nightmare

Yet there are bright spots. My lovely wife and I (in our high 70s) were given our first Oxford AstraZeneca jab this week joining 7m others so far and rising fast. This is a great morale-booster though we know we need a second jab to give us real protection. The NHS process was calm and efficient in our civic centre car park – the vaccinations delivered through the car windows. May the UK vaccination programme roll out seamlessly to every adult resident! The moans, groans and arrogant threats from Brussels merely mask her procurement inefficiency and fortify our approval of the Brexit decision.

                    That will do nicely – protection is at hand

Another plus this week was Burns Night, an excuse for all Scots to get dewey-eyed over their incomparable country and its achievements and pie-eyed as they guzzle haggis, neeps and tatties washed down with a whisky or three. We certainly had the MacSween’s haggis (delicious), but I have to admit my rendering of My love is like a Red, Red Rose and later Auld Lang Syne was feebly unmelodious. I was rather upset by Woke Scottish academic demonisation of Rabbie as a seducer of young women (guilty as charged) and as a sympathiser with slavery (very far-fetched). He wrote much lovely poetry, for a’ that.

    Haggis and Burns forever!

In lockdown we read rather a lot, not always of the highest literary standard, but it has not been very cheerful stuff. I am still wading through volume 3 of Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall Trilogy, viewing the court of Henry VIII through the eyes of Thomas Cromwell. Mantel invests Cromwell with many attractive human qualities but we know that he is doomed and one day he will await “the sensation of a short, sharp shock, from a cheap and chippy chopper, on a big, black block!” For lighter relief I read a Maigret story by Simenon and a Sicilian Inspector Montalbano story too, rather sad to read the fertile author Andrea Camilleri has gone blind and needs an amanuensis. I have bought, but not yet had the courage to open, Booker Prize winner Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart, a heart-breaker about a boy growing up in impoverished, drug-ridden Glasgow. Instead, I have embarked on wholly escapist The Chanel Sisters by Judithe Little, all about the careers in fashion, high society and loves of Coco and her sister Antoinette, so I can keep up with the interests of my lovely wife!

              Thomas Cromwell by Hans Holbein

Really TV should provide a rich diet of entertainment but somehow it has not risen to the challenge. There have been some jewels but the general run has been uninspired. By the way, I did not realise that half the population of the UK is Afro-Caribbean or from the sub-Continent to judge by most advertisements or new series. I understand and support the wish to have an inclusive society but come off it, BBC and ITV, do not grossly distort the mirror of UK life you are holding aloft!

Goodbye and good riddance

A real bonus to the world since January 20, is that President Donald J Trump is history, slinking away in disgrace with future impeachment very possible. The world can breathe anew and we no longer have to read about Trump, his moronic opinions and his ghastly entourage. True, Joe Biden is no plaster saint, but he understands the art and necessity of compromise, a quality much to be valued in our woke-infested politics. I wish him well.

 

SMD

27.01.21

Text copyright © Sidney Donald 2021

TRUMP'S LAST STAND

We all knew that Donald Trump would end his term with a bang, rather than a whimper. In the event, he rather surpassed expectations by inciting a mob of maybe 3,000 of his followers to storm the Capitol and attempt to prevent the formality of counting the unfavourable Electoral College vote - Biden 306, Trump 232.The Capitol police were easily overrun, the mob enjoyed the Rotunda and trashed the offices of legislators, some yelling “Hang Pence!” the luckless Vice-President, who joined shaken senators and other VIPs sheltering in secure Capitol bunkers.  Bored, and after 5 fatalities, the mob drifted off and order was restored, the Electoral College votes were formally counted, long before Trump stirred himself to tell his followers to go home, while repeating claims that the election had somehow been “stolen”. Most US citizens were greatly alarmed and horrified, America’s friends were much saddened and her enemies were totally jubilant.

A Pro-Trump mob storms the Capitol 6.01.21

After the shock wore off, the reaction in the US has been furious and confused. The first instinct was to depose and punish Trump; he must, many said, be held accountable for his actions and their consequences. Two roads seemed possible. Apply the 25^th Amendment whereby the Vice President (Mike Pence) and a majority of the Cabinet can find the President unfit to continue in office and replace him with Pence. Unfortunately, Pence is a Trump loyalist, if also a respecter of the Constitution, and he has not shown any inclination to pursue this course, so it may be a non-starter.

There is a school of thought that America should not divide itself further and vindictive pursuit of Trump is a mistake. Certainly, many Democrats, including Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, are highly partisan figures, but letting Trump off lightly is basically a milksop policy. The man’s conduct has been outrageous and he must he brought to justice.

The nuclear option is Impeachment. The House raises charges against the President alleging abuse of power, “high crimes and misdemeanors” and a trial is held in the Senate, requiring a two-thirds majority, if found guilty, the President can be sentenced and would lose his pension and normal benefits and could be barred from future Federal office. Although the Chief Justice of the USA presides at the trial, the process is essentially political rather than judicial. As the Inauguration of Joe Biden is only 7 days away on 20 January, it is hard to see how much could be done before then.

The House, with its Democratic majority, will pass the required impeachment resolution today (Wednesday) but may not forward it to the Senate until after Biden is inaugurated. A trial of Trump would be a great distraction for the early days of a new Presidency and anyhow achieving a two-thirds majority in the evenly-split Senate is a high bar to jump, even though some Republicans may break ranks. Remember, this is second time round for a Trump impeachment – the last one, about corrupt dealings in Ukraine, failed as the Senate voted strictly on party lines. The impeachment road could easily fizzle out. Once Trump has left office, he could face criminal charges like any other private citizen, including presumably, incitement to insurrection and tax evasion, a long process.

Between now and 20 January, Americans worry about security from more marauding armed gangs, the reliability of certain police forces, control of nuclear codes, (especially if China, North Korea, Russia or Turkey pull some opportunistic stunt), inappropriate presidential pardons, and Biden’s personal safety. One hopes all these contingencies are covered and Trump’s malign influence can be contained.

So, the Trump Presidency ends in turmoil. How grievously mistaken was the reading of Trump’s character by the US electorate and by the Republican establishment. From the start, it was obvious that he was a blowhard ignoramus, made arrogant by great wealth and contemptuous of the traditions of his office. He had no qualifying experience, nor gifts of eloquence nor respect for his fellow-men. Acts of grace or kindness wholly eluded him. One soon wondered, as one heard his narcissistic ramblings and lies, if he was mentally ill – yet was that possible? For 4 years he has mis-governed America and overturned her alliances. He will not be missed. The famous lines of Sir Walter Scott seem apposite;

If such there breathe, go, mark him well;
For him no Minstrel raptures swell.
High though his titles, proud his name,
Boundless his wealth as wish can claim;

Despite those titles, power, and pelf,
The wretch, concentred all in self,
Living, shall forfeit fair renown,
And, doubly dying, shall go down
To the vile dust, from whence he sprung,
Unwept, unhonor’d, and unsung.

 

SMD

13.01.21

Text Copyright © Sidney Donald 2021

IDLE THOUGHTS

 

Well, the New Year duly arrived, bearing with it news of an even stricter lockdown.  Traditionally yesterday, (5 January), the eve of Epiphany, is Twelfth Night and the custom in the West is to take down your Christmas decorations. This dismal moment is just too much for our household in the current circumstances and instead, to lighten the gloom, we embrace the ancient habit of observing the 40 days of the Christmas and Epiphany festival finishing on 2 February, Candlemas Day, marking the Presentation in the Temple. Figures of Santa have now been removed but tree, lights and tinsel will continue to cheer us. A pragmatic compromise, I reckon!

                                                            A Candlemas display

……………………………

This talk of ancient religious festivals made me think of the nature of the EU, now that mainly Protestant Britain has seceded. An Irish commentator called it “The Holy Catholic Empire”, though of course Protestants, Lutherans and Orthodox remain within as relatively small minorities. Three early founders of supranational cooperation in Europe were Catholics for whom German was their first language, namely Konrad Adenauer from the Rhineland, Robert Schumann from Lorraine and Alcide de Gasperi from South Tyrol. Idealists and visionaries in their way. Although the power of the Catholic Church is waning, there is an affinity between the authoritarian world-view of Brussels and the dogmatic flavour of the Vatican. Neither party has a deep sympathy with liberalism or democracy.

…………………………….

We are counting the days until 20 January and, presumably, the peaceful departure of Donald Trump from the White House. He really has been an appalling advertisement for the United States, hopefully a one-off. Yet Joe Biden with untrammeled power in Congress is not a particularly tasty prospect. He acts older and more doddery than one might expect, and could imperil the world, when in control of the nuclear codes. He is a dyed-in-the-wool “Green” Irish-American swallowing whole every old myth the IRA peddles; he dislikes Boris and has no wish to offer a trade deal to the demonised UK. Even pushy Kamala Harris would be better!

                                                                                …………………………………

Boris has his hands full with the new fast-moving Covid variants and the closure of schools is a heavy blow. There probably was no alternative but lockdowns are eye-wateringly expensive and destructive. We can only hope we do not foul up the roll-out of the vaccines (as an over-70, I expect mine free in mid-February and will be hugely grateful). Soon after, our economy should start to bounce back, but I guess there will be a long re-adjustment process as the world finds its feet again.

……………………………

During the lockdown, I have watched far too much TV. I have seen some films at least 10 times, every episode of the BBC’s Pride and Prejudice serial at least 5 times and I confess to a low-brow addiction to Tipping Point, the daily quiz programme, where contestants win prizes from a coin pushing arcade machine after answering fairly simple questions. It is entirely formulaic and predictable but I enjoy it.

Another surprise to me is my enjoyment of André Rieu, the 71-year-old Dutch violinist with his talented orchestra. Based in agreeable Maastricht, he has over the years toured extensively and recordings of concerts in Sydney, California, Hannover, Vienna and London have recently be screened. The audience is of riper years, a neglected demographic ignored by the purveyors of pop with their raucous “gigs”. André in tails and his orchestra and choir in evening dress are a blessed oasis as the lovely music of Johann Strauss, Waldteufel, Lehar or Romberg wafts over his audience liberally interspersed with operatic “lollipops” and heart-stopping, sentimental songs bringing on many a tear. André is heir to a rich tradition once mined by Ivor Novello with his operettas, Mantovani with his lush orchestrations, the strings of Max Jaffa and the voices of Anne Ziegler and Webster Booth. André carries it off with huge charisma and aplomb and he has cheered up my lockdown Christmas. Thank you!

Bravo! André Rieu takes a bow

 

SMD

6.01.21

Text Copyright © Sidney Donald 2021