KING'S GAMBIT
Shellshocked?
Of all of the outrageous news events in the last seven days, the two most philosophically opposed stand out the most: Bonnie King Charles’ not-quite-so-subtle evisceration of Trump before the joint session of the United States Congress and the Trump Justice Department’s indictment of James Comey.
Who else but the King (referring to 1776 as “the tale of two Georges”) could remind Trump that everything we revere as holy in the founding principles of our country came from good old Great Britain? What a nice way to remind Trump that he is only a King via delusional disorder, and that he too is subject to the oft-heralded system of checks and balances! How very British.
But truly the most egregious and outlandish event this week is the indictment—yes indictment in federal criminal court—of former F.B.I. Director James Comey. I’m personally no Comey fan—remember his October 2016 surprise that either caused or contributed to Hillary’s loss? But to have the full power of the United States Department of Justice unloaded on you for posting a photograph of sea shells? As NY Times Opinion Columnist Bret Stephens mused, “It gives a whole new meaning to ‘shellshocked’.”
Were I Comey’s defense lawyer, I might cite an endearing line from that hard-drinking Calypso poet Jimmy Buffett: “she’s 86’ed from the Chart Room” (the bar at The Pier House where Buffett first hung out in Key West) which means that she was thrown out!!! Were I King, I might cite the seashells: 8647!
I’m shocked they got the joke. Can’t imagine a regime so thin-skinned that they find shell art threatening. Lord help us if they actually start paying attention.
Or, there was the local alternative/punk band 86 Love. But today I would dedicate my love letter in the sand to the 6-person majority on the Supreme Court in the Louisiana gerrymandering case.
The VRA had a tremendous positive impact on African American political representation, especially in the old Confederacy. The so-called "legal scholars" on the Supreme Court -- a majority of 5 white folks and Uncle Thomas -- yesterday signaled that "free and fair" electoral times are over and a return to white political hegemony in the South is in the cards. Please don't cite the Constitution: The VRA was overwhelmingly renewed five times by Congress until the present century when the Supreme Court became a captive of reactionary white racism that began to subvert the VRA in court. This gave white supremacists in the electoral realm the legal cover to reassert their benighted values. The Supreme Court ended pre-clearance in 2013 -- read Roberts' pathetic rationale about how the South had changed its spots -- and immediately there were dozens of electoral changes made by legislative bodies that each had to be individually challenged in the courts. Yesterday's decision will see a similar flood of changes, and don't be surprised if the old Confederacy eliminates ALL minority-access House districts and Black representation.
Our free-thinking Governor Dee is probably jumping in the air and clicking the heels of his white boots! Welcome to JIm Crow Florida: If you're rich, come on down; if you have good prospects, stick around; but if you're po or a minority, move on.