WHO HAS THE BACK OF THE PEOPLE?

WHO HAS THE BACK OF THE PEOPLE?

By Andy Weddington

Saturday, 16 January 2021

Life is like a prism. What you see depends on how you turn the glass.  - Jonathan Kellerman

Yesterday morning a photograph of the Joint Chiefs was brought to my attention. [One I know another met.]

The Chairman, in front, partially seated on a table.

Vice and six standing behind. [Order certain but sizing would drive a Marine DI to raised voice. Having led DIs, it sort of bothered me, too.]

First observation - a table is not a chair (man or woman - as will inevitably be someday). [Gave me the cringe of seeing someone in uniform chewing gum or covered and walking about with a cup of coffee in right (saluting) hand.]

Second observation - looks of pain (and that may not be the right word). 

Maybe it's just me. 

Missing is confidence, grit, steely-eyed determination, and pride commensurate with duties and country. No joy! 

This morning I read report 40,000 military personnel will be in Washington, D. C. for the Inauguration. 

40,000!

And there was a city street map with a big grid outlined in red restricting public access.

To protect "representatives" from the represented?

Armed all? 

Will the ROE (Rules of Engagement) be less restrictive than those levied upon our forces in battle abroad?

Think about that a moment; longer, if you will. 

Earlier in the week the number 15,000.

A day or so later upped to 20,000.

40,000? 

Is that true? Is anything aired believable? 

That's more than two U. S. Marine divisions (which, by the way, no longer have tanks - so antagonists need not bring anti-armor rockets). 

Even if not 40,000, consider 15,000?

How is any such force to be objectively considered? Necessary? Justified? Seriously. 

Moving on. 

Too this morning while finishing coffee I picked away on the banjo. 

Daily, it's basics and stringing basics together, randomly, to make music; I call it "musical soup" because when making soups never to recipe thus the exact same concoction twice impossible - as goes my strings soup. 

Usually I stay true to chords within a key. To one such sweet string my wife commented, "That's really nice. Original?"

"Yes, original - every note." And I'm considering recording it (and others).

Moments later I played my interpretation of a tune by Steely Dan that took months and months to figure out. There's an unusual chord change and though right it sounds harsh (on banjo). My wife commented, "That's my least favorite of what you play." I know why. [Note: Donald Fagen and the late Walter Becker would probably be intrigued, maybe flattered, if not disappointed to hear their beautiful music butchered on a 5-string banjo. But I'm free to do so.]

But her encouraging comment inspired me to play some random melodies backwards; if that's even possible with random picking.  

Minutes into that exercise came thought - about backs and facing the wrong direction.

Not just as symbolic, but when in session why does Congress (House and Senate) sit with their backs to the American people?

Are they not elected to face us, to look us in the eye, to have our backs?

For starters, face the right direction - flip the room - face the people!

Running out of time, so to close ...

Next week is no tabletop exercise. 

So why is it an enormous military force to be positioned in Washington, D. C. will not have the peoples' backs - that is, face the backs of Congress - as in reminder who the servant?

Wishful thinking ... 

"Smile, you're on Candid Camera," laughed Allen Funt (WWII draftee served in Army Signal Corps). 

Simpler times. Now everybody has a camera. Smiler beware. Candid. Truth.