Scranton PA to Ithaca NY…a couple of hours’ drive, mostly on I-81 through what the state of Pennsylvania calls “The Endless Mountains.” And they are. Rolling, beautiful, rounded green mountains, seemingly never-ending. However, these were the same mountains through which I was driving in 2016 when it dawned on me…listening to AM hate radio of the political sort and dumb fundamentalist radio of the religious sort…that Trump was going to win the Republican primary and the presidency.
The talk was so virulent…so amped-up-and-ready-to-go…that I envisioned hordes of angry white worker types and their wives (correctly, it turned out) pouring out of their houses to vote for Trump. People who were convinced (also correctly to some great degree, at least about the Democrats) that the Dems were going to ignore their “deplorable” needs and Trump was going to be their economic savior. Lump them in with the usual s(t)olid Republican base and a self-satisfied Democratic electorate that had already been totally convinced by mainstream media that HRC was going to be a landslide winner?
You got trouble, with a capital “T”!!!
And here we jolly well are, aren’t we?
On the verge of a possible constitutional crisis with a conservative Supreme Court and a bunch of elderly folks…most of whom were part of the problems that led us to this state…jockeying for 2020 presidential position.
UH oh!!!
Well…cheer up, Bunkies!!!
I think.
Sorta kinda.
Read on.
The fire seems to have damped down considerably in the last two years.
AM radio in the heartland? Midday, in them endless mountains?
I heard the word “baseball” many more times than I did any kind of fiery political talk.
In fact…switch stations as as I did, I heard nobody chanting Trump’s praises.
Why?
How?
Damned if I know.
Maybe the fire’s gone out, or at least it’s been considerably reduced.
Maybe the audience got tired of all the yelling and the ratings dropped.
Maybe some goodly percentage of them have been so disgusted by the real Trump…the grab `em by the pussy Trump, the nasty financial hustler Trump, the angry Tweetybird Trump, the ass-kissing pro-Russian Trump…that they’re just not that motivated now.
Meanwhile, on the mainstream centrist news and leftiness kinds of stations like NPR?
The anti-Trump beat goes on and on and on and on and on.
We’ll see.
Tomorrow i am part of a band…the same band that played at the Scranton Jazz Festival mentioned in a previous post…that is playing for “The Governor’s Awards For The Arts” shindig in Scranton.
Yup.
Pennsylvania’s got a Democratic governor who…on the witness of any number of Pennsylvania musicians…apparently actually gives a damn about the arts.
Who knew?
Not me…I live in NY and shudder every time I see Governor Cuomo’s angry face.
The only arts he cares about are staying on as governor by hook or dirty crook, not getting busted along with many of his crooked Albany henchmen and getting into the White House. (Fat chance for the latter, which is I suppose why he always looks so angry.)
Anyway…the honoree roster:
Quiara Alegría Hudes, Philadelphia native – Distinguished Arts Award: Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning playwright, revered for her richly imaginative and intellectually rigorous work. Hudes’ plays and musicals include Water By the Spoonful, and In the Heights.
Mira Nakashima, New Hope – Lifetime Achievement in the Arts:Renowned furniture designer known for her unparalleled knowledge and mastery of wood; director and custodian of the George Nakashima Woodworker studio and property.
Tina Williams Brewer, Pittsburgh – Artist of the Year Award: Internationally-renowned fiber artist known for her artistic exploration of African American history and culture. Brewer uses symbolism and textiles to create story quilts that reflect issues of family, women and children, and spirituality of the culture.
C.F. Martin & Co., Inc., Nazareth – Special Recognition for Advancing the Arts: Six-generation, family owned and world-renowned guitar maker with a 185-year history of crafting hand-made instruments using innovative techniques. Martin guitars and Martin strings have been played by countless musicians, including Elvis Presley, Paul McCartney and Eric Clapton.
Scribe Video Center, Philadelphia – Arts Leadership & Service Award: National leader with a 35-year history of community-based film, video, audio, and new media programs. Founded by MacArthur “Genius Award” winner, Louis Massiah, Scribe is particularly known for exploring, developing and advancing electronic media to advance social change.
Not bad.
Not bad at all!!!
More after tomorrow.
Later…
AG
P.S. Look up Tom Wolf. (<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Wolf>) He sounds like the real deal.
P.P.S. Booman? What do you have to say about him?
