11 August 2017

AT THE EASEL - THE NORTH KOREA PROBLEM

AT THE EASEL - THE NORTH KOREA PROBLEM  
by Andy Weddington
Friday, 11 August 2017



In nuclear war all men are cremated equal. Dexter Gordon 


Early this morning, with first cup of coffee in hand and thinking about President Trump's dilemma with North Korea, I remembered S. C. Yuan's opinion (as recalled by one of his friends) about nuclear weapons ...

Big toy, big toy, everybody wants one. 

And that's right. Everybody wants one. 

Who was S. C. Yuan?

A Chinese-American painter. 

Fabulous with a brush. 

He painted boldly. He painted fast. 

His paintings beyond my means. I own, proudly, a single small ink sketch. 

For his extraordinary talent and drive, S. C. Yuan was a troubled man.

His painting career cut short - sadly by his own hand. 

After coffee and in the studio, with this nuclear weapons matter rumbling about the brain cells, I spotted a box of crayons. 

Missiles, I thought. 

Next to my brushes, a pair of pliers. 

Useful for unscrewing things. Leverage. And applying pressure. 

And a one-inch disposable foam brush lay atop a large pad of paper.

Yuan applied paint with most anything. 

So, symbolically, I haphazardly arranged them and painted; boldly and quickly ...





Then came to mind those dealing with this North Korea situation. 

24/7 they are (the box of 24 colorful "missiles" fortuitous).

Undoubtedly hours and hours seated around tables - thinking, talking, arguing, and drinking coffee. 

So, representationally, I painted; boldly and quickly ...




If the coffee drinker resembles anyone working and strongly (toughly) commenting about the situation it's purely coincidental (though arguably subliminally influenced).

Too the red attire of the foreground figure germane. 

And then came to mind first responders.

So, from a recent memory of watching a truck leave its Washington Navy Yard house, I painted; boldly and quickly ...




Kim Jong Un has a big toy or two. 

The scope of (his country's) toy capabilities uncertain.

Like his kin predecessors, he threatens the world.

The "crazy fat kid," as Senator McCain calls him, is toying with President Trump, et al. 

But Senator McCain is wrong. 

He may be a fat kid but crazy in what context? 

As compared to rational thought as we know it? 

What's rational? 

To some, intending to survive, ruthlessness and extortion are rational. 

Doing only what he knows (watching family rule), our foe is a big mistake making.

President Trump - not crazy, fat, nor a kid - has already demonstrated being a man of his word and action. 

North Korea, with big toy or not, is no match for the United States. 

In short, Kim Jong Un has painted himself into a corner. 

Might a rational (sane) solution be created over more coffee? Hold the cream, mate. And sugar.  

And pray the (nuclear war) alarm be false.

Wonder what S. C. Yuan might have painted, and had to say?!


5 comments:

Jim said...

McCain, McCain, McCain, can't get that "has been, never was" out of my mind of late. "Crazy fat kid"? Might he be speaking of himself? Tis time for that fence walking fellow to find a pasture in which to crawl and hide. I have no use for the man whatsoever. I spent three and one-half years at the Naval station from where he came when he became a POW. Met lots of Navy pilots who knew him well, and never heard a kind word uttered about him. Monikers were "Cowboy," "Dangerous," among others. Sorry Andy, you could have gone on for pages without mentioning him. President Trump was correct, he is no hero, at least not in my old eyes. As for the crazy fat dude, my heart goes out to the North Koreans who just might be the victim of something unthinkable unless they bury him with some Kimchi.

Robert Eames said...

We've a Big Dog on the porch now.

Tom Green said...

We sometimes assume the demonstration of valor to imply great wisdom or even leadership skills. Then along comes McCain and the assumption is proven to be in error.

Dave said...

Please go away John McCain. Go and get a JOB or just retire. Agree with Col Bathurst. I've seen the Hanoi Hilton. I'm sure it was a horrible stay. You're senile now and have been for some time.

Dave said...

Agree with Colonel Bathurst. I've seen the Hanoi Hilton. I'm sure it was horrible. But you're senile now John and have been for some time. Retire and please go away. Go and get a JOB. Just go. You are erratic and make one bad decision after the other. The most recent was health care. Horrible.