I was a senior in high school when Kent State erupted. The year prior, I took part in a student march against the war. Never during that march did I fear for my life even though there were hecklers and a police presence. In fact, the potential of being shot or injured never even entered into my mind. Kent State broke me. How could American kids fire on American kids? My trust in authority figures has never been the same since. In thinking back to all of Nixon’s madness as Watergate erupted, he doesn’t hold a candle to the current occupant of the White House. Nixon, deep down, although a troubled man, wanted to do good things. Trump, on the other hand, just wants to destroy anything that is in his path that does not personally enrich him. We did this to ourselves by not learning from the past. As Pogo said. “We have met the enemy and he is us.”
You bring it all back and remind us what we went through. My husband was 16 when Kent State happened. Afterwards he would wear a t-shirt with a target on it with the word student above. His mother wasn’t happy about him wearing that but she sat with him during the lottery for Vietnam and worried he might get selected. I watched the Watergate hearings on TV in US History class. I never thought we would live through the madness we now face.
This is the smartest thing I’ve read on the situation we are in. Indeed, Trump is having the time of his life. And the person who quoted Pogo is spot on: the enemy IS us. But it’s complicated— the savior is us, too. Inside each person wrestles the hero and the coward, the go-along-and-say-nothing and the brave-one-who-speaks-out: life that guy in the Detroit(?) factory, who yelled “Pedophile protector” at Trump!
Now his job is in jeopardy. But he says he’s glad he did it. May more of us have that courage!
What a powerful essay. Kent State has been in my mind this past week, the Viet Nam War Era, the way our country was angry, and torn apart. Comparisons for sure, but nothing can compare to the effects of the internet and 24/7 news-or-not-real-news that reports current events to politically-aligned audiences. It's 'entertainment' now.
ABC, CBS, and NBC were the national news organizations that gave us our news reports at breakfast and dinner times, then at 10 pm. It was presented with the gravity that news deserved. Everyone had the same set of facts. Now we are divided by algorithms and lies.
I am heart-sick over this, as well as the killing of an innocent woman turning the wheel of her car to drive away. "I'm not mad at you, Dude," she said.
The internet and social media have distorted everything. AI can only make it worse. I fear for our future.
Brilliantly structured piece connecting Nixon's calculated 'Madman Theory' to today. The key distinction you draw - that Nixon was performing madness strategicaly while Trump may actually embody it - cuts to the heart of why psychological warfare has limits. My grandfather was a Vietnam vet and he always said the scariest thing wasnt the enemy's tactics, it was when our own leadership seemed disconnected from reality on the ground.
Really sharp analysis here on the strategy aspect. Nixon's 'Madman Theory' was calculated theater but Ho Chi Minh called the bluff, which says alot about overestimating psychological warfare when facing determined opponents. I dunno, feels like theres this assumption that projecting unpredictability creates leverage, but history keeps showing that adversaries with real stakes dont fold like that.
I had this saved to read for later - when I had time and just this morning dredged it up again. You could have written it this weekend once again. But perhaps with a different ending. Time will tell, but I think this weekend's murder and the way Minnesotans are responding suggest that there has been a shift and that eyes that were once glazed are sparking and thumbs no longer scrolling. We shall see, but it feels like the tide is turning.
The invasion into Cambodia-and Kent State-was what convinced me to march. Before that I was holding onto my draft lottery number and praying I wouldn't be chosen. It takes something dramatic, often death, to show people when authority actually doesn't care about the people they claim to be working for. Maybe we'll get lucky as a nation and Trump will start flipping the finger at everybody. Maybe then we'll see then that he could care less about the citizens of this country. Maybe the citizens will then march on the White House and sit in front of the next phalanx of bulldozers tearing down our history....or maybe not.
You write another wonderful piece. I’m beginning to agree with you. tRUMP is definitely mad, and I’m really beginning to think that we are too. No one is doing enough to stop him. Pitifully shameful to dishonor those that came before us, fought for the future, and died for their country.
I was a senior in high school when Kent State erupted. The year prior, I took part in a student march against the war. Never during that march did I fear for my life even though there were hecklers and a police presence. In fact, the potential of being shot or injured never even entered into my mind. Kent State broke me. How could American kids fire on American kids? My trust in authority figures has never been the same since. In thinking back to all of Nixon’s madness as Watergate erupted, he doesn’t hold a candle to the current occupant of the White House. Nixon, deep down, although a troubled man, wanted to do good things. Trump, on the other hand, just wants to destroy anything that is in his path that does not personally enrich him. We did this to ourselves by not learning from the past. As Pogo said. “We have met the enemy and he is us.”
You bring it all back and remind us what we went through. My husband was 16 when Kent State happened. Afterwards he would wear a t-shirt with a target on it with the word student above. His mother wasn’t happy about him wearing that but she sat with him during the lottery for Vietnam and worried he might get selected. I watched the Watergate hearings on TV in US History class. I never thought we would live through the madness we now face.
This is the smartest thing I’ve read on the situation we are in. Indeed, Trump is having the time of his life. And the person who quoted Pogo is spot on: the enemy IS us. But it’s complicated— the savior is us, too. Inside each person wrestles the hero and the coward, the go-along-and-say-nothing and the brave-one-who-speaks-out: life that guy in the Detroit(?) factory, who yelled “Pedophile protector” at Trump!
Now his job is in jeopardy. But he says he’s glad he did it. May more of us have that courage!
What a powerful essay. Kent State has been in my mind this past week, the Viet Nam War Era, the way our country was angry, and torn apart. Comparisons for sure, but nothing can compare to the effects of the internet and 24/7 news-or-not-real-news that reports current events to politically-aligned audiences. It's 'entertainment' now.
ABC, CBS, and NBC were the national news organizations that gave us our news reports at breakfast and dinner times, then at 10 pm. It was presented with the gravity that news deserved. Everyone had the same set of facts. Now we are divided by algorithms and lies.
I am heart-sick over this, as well as the killing of an innocent woman turning the wheel of her car to drive away. "I'm not mad at you, Dude," she said.
The internet and social media have distorted everything. AI can only make it worse. I fear for our future.
Brilliantly structured piece connecting Nixon's calculated 'Madman Theory' to today. The key distinction you draw - that Nixon was performing madness strategicaly while Trump may actually embody it - cuts to the heart of why psychological warfare has limits. My grandfather was a Vietnam vet and he always said the scariest thing wasnt the enemy's tactics, it was when our own leadership seemed disconnected from reality on the ground.
Really sharp analysis here on the strategy aspect. Nixon's 'Madman Theory' was calculated theater but Ho Chi Minh called the bluff, which says alot about overestimating psychological warfare when facing determined opponents. I dunno, feels like theres this assumption that projecting unpredictability creates leverage, but history keeps showing that adversaries with real stakes dont fold like that.
God help us, indeed! Public service, civics, right and wrong. We have lost our grip on all of them.
Excellent analysis.
I’m selective about what l expose my raw emotions to. You’re posts are most appreciated!
I had this saved to read for later - when I had time and just this morning dredged it up again. You could have written it this weekend once again. But perhaps with a different ending. Time will tell, but I think this weekend's murder and the way Minnesotans are responding suggest that there has been a shift and that eyes that were once glazed are sparking and thumbs no longer scrolling. We shall see, but it feels like the tide is turning.
The invasion into Cambodia-and Kent State-was what convinced me to march. Before that I was holding onto my draft lottery number and praying I wouldn't be chosen. It takes something dramatic, often death, to show people when authority actually doesn't care about the people they claim to be working for. Maybe we'll get lucky as a nation and Trump will start flipping the finger at everybody. Maybe then we'll see then that he could care less about the citizens of this country. Maybe the citizens will then march on the White House and sit in front of the next phalanx of bulldozers tearing down our history....or maybe not.
"Like a virus that leapt from its host and mutated, the madness was spreading"
Such timely words for today... the madness is spreading...and it feels like it is spreading faster by the day.
A profound comparison.
You write another wonderful piece. I’m beginning to agree with you. tRUMP is definitely mad, and I’m really beginning to think that we are too. No one is doing enough to stop him. Pitifully shameful to dishonor those that came before us, fought for the future, and died for their country.