HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO THE NEW ROSA PARKS!

I knew that "Duck Dynasty" was a TV show, but knew nothing more than that.  When the star of the series made headlines as a result of his notorious interview with GQ magazine, I was curious.  I was informed by my son that the program was a reality show about a rural family from Louisiana.  The patriarch of the family, a sixty-seven year old man named Phil Robertson, said some very controversial things regarding blacks and gays.

Here are some of the things he said about gays:

“It seems like, to me, a vagina--as a man--would be more desirable than a man's anus," Robertson told GQ. "That’s just me. I’m just thinking: There’s more there! She’s got more to offer. I mean, come on, dudes! You know what I’m saying? But hey, sin: It’s not logical, my man. It’s just not logical.”

“Everything is blurred on what’s right and what’s wrong. Sin becomes fine," he later added. “Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there. Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men. Don’t be deceived. Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers -- they won’t inherit the kingdom of God. Don’t deceive yourself. It’s not right."

Here's what he said about blacks:

“I never, with my eyes, saw the mistreatment of any black person. Not once. Where we lived was all farmers. The blacks worked for the farmers. I hoed cotton with them. I’m with the blacks, because we’re white trash. We’re going across the field. ...They’re singing and happy. I never heard one of them, one black person, say, ‘I tell you what: These doggone white people’ — not a word! ...Pre-entitlement, pre-welfare, you say: Were they happy? They were godly; they were happy; no one was singing the blues.”

Acceptance of homosexuality viewed as one of the lower rungs of an evil ladder that secular people have chosen to land on on their inevitable descent towards bestiality and worse; blacks viewed as having been content, downright happy, until the Sixties turned them into uppity blues-singing malcontents.  Mr. Robertson's statements are, of course, bigoted, but I believe he is not aware of it, which makes them perhaps even worse.  My purpose here is not to  comment on his views; many good journalists have done that already--the bigotry is obvious.  My subject here is the Zeitgeist's role that led to both the wide-spread reaction of journalists and to the firing of the Duck Patriarch.

2.

The wonderful German word, Zeitgeist, spirit of the times, is attributed to Hegel, although he never actually used it.  He did often speak, however, of "Der Geist der Ziet" which means the same thing as Zeitgeist, albeit stated less eloquently.  It is the central part of his philosophy.  For Hegel, it is not so much the individual that makes news; the times, which create the individual, is the real protagonist.  He has a point, as we shall now see.

3.

Robertson's statements are--or at least used to be--quite commonplace; they are certainly not rare, even today.  I have heard priests of the Catholic Church argue that if gay marriage is legalized, legalizing bestiality might soon follow--an allusion to that evil ladder again. The myth of the happy slave is--or at least was--entrenched in white American folklore.

The difference is that large numbers of people--at present I would estimate that they are the majority--would view Mr. Robertson's statements as bigoted.  This is, of course, the achievement of the Zeitgeist.  What was once mainstream is now backwaters.  

Mr. Robertson's backwater views got him fired. The A & E network, which broadcasts "Duck Dynasty," put him on "indefinite hiatus."  If you are an idealist, you would probably think that the network executives did this on moral grounds.  I doubt it.  I think they just realize that the Zeitgeist is very much opposed to Mr. Robertson's views; they were afraid of the bottom line: loss of revenue.  What supports this view is the fact that A & E had warned Robertson not to speak openly about his beliefs.  They obviously knew or at least suspected what those views were. As long as he kept his mouth shut, advertising revenue would continue to make this an inexpensively produced yet very profitable show. 

Just as evolution works slowly, the Zeitgeist does not reach everyone at the same time.  The Zeitgeist's gradual transformation of society is consistent with the persistence of pockets of antiquated views.  I will give an example.  In order to put votes from those who inhabit such pockets into his pocket, here's what a Republican running for Congress recently wrote in an e-mail:

"In December 1955, Rosa Parks took a stand against an unjust societal persecution of black people, and in December 2013, Robertson took a stand against persecution of Christians," Bayne said in an email to supporters.

This outrageous statement is beneath comment.  I will make some use of it, though; crap, after all, can be put to use as fertilizer.  


4. The Zeitgeist and Rosa Parks

Rosa Parks was born in 1913.  On December 1, 1955, she was sitting in the "colored section" of a bus in Birmingham.  The "white section" was filled; the law was that in such cases, a black must give up his/her seat in the colored section to a white person.  A white demanded that she do just that. She refused.  She was arrested, had to pay a fine, and lost her job as a seamstress.  She also became a hero--the modern Civil Rights Movement traces its beginnings to her defiant act.  She was a good, courageous person.  (Look at her face; it radiates kindness and decency--in contrast, I think, to Mr. Robertson's.) She has been declared by Congress to have been "the first lady of Civil Rights" and "the mother of the freedom movement." (Congress, with pressure from the Zeitgeist, how you have changed!)

If Rosa Parks acted just as courageously twenty years before 1955, however, no one would have heard of her.  She would have been thrown off the bus, arrested, fined, perhaps jailed or even roughed up by the police, and that would have been the end of it.  It is the Zeitgeist that turned her defiance into an ultimate success.  Large numbers of blacks, joined with large numbers of whites and people of all races and creeds, no longer would tolerate backwater treatment of black citizens.

We tend to think that individuals shape history.  It is actually the Zeitgeist which changes the chemical solution of society, as it were, thus causing important individuals to precipitate into prominent representatives of Zeitgeist views. Without the Zeitgeist's changes, these individuals would have remained inert.

Even a demagogue like the one who compared Robertson to Parks is required by the modern Zeitgeist to pay homage to the mother of the freedom movement.  Imagine what he would have said about her  if he had been her contemporary! 



5. The Zeitgeist and the War Against Christmas

Extreme conservatives believe there is a war against Christmas.  According to many of them, the shibboleth of insidious secularism is  "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas." This is of course silly from a religious point of view.  If Jesus of Nazareth returned today he would have a lot to be angry about; I doubt whether he would make much fuss about whether or not people wished each other a Merry Christmas. (As a Jew, he probably would prefer Happy Hanukkah.) However, although I think these conservatives are dead wrong in their belief  that secularism inevitably leads to evil and loss of spirituality, I do think they have a point.  Since the Enlightenment, the Zeitgeist has been causing an apparently unstoppable march toward secularism.  Examples abound.  If a musician as talented as Bach were alive today, do you really believe he would be writing cantatas for the Lutheran church?  If Aquinas and Augustine were alive today, do you think they would be writing theological tracts?  They most likely would have turned out to be top-notch scientists.  Conversely, if Einstein lived a thousand years earlier, could one envision him as not being a pious Jew poring over the Torah?  At one time, it was perfectly consistent with intellectual integrity to literally believe what the Bible said.  The Zeigeist has made that almost impossible, and its work in the direction of secularism is far from over.

A conservative friend of mine recently posted a message from the Tea Party.  It contained an outline of a nativity scene with the following caption: "Why do people say "Happy Holidays" at this time of year?  Would you say "Happy Holidays" on the 4th of July?  Of course not!  So don't say it now.  It's Merry Christmas.  Deal with it."  It is the Zeitgeist, however, that is dealing with it.  Its trend toward secularism and multi-culturalism continues apace. This includes ever increasing gender equality and equality for gays and others who have been treated unfairly.  (But only those that the current Zeitgeist deems to have been treated unfairly, mind you; the Zeitgeist is only beginning to realize how cruelly animals are being abused. I have no doubt that the Zeitgeist of the future will put an end to much of this and will view our current treatment of animals to have been horribly barbaric.)   

Increasing numbers of people no longer believe that "United States" and "Christian" must go together.  Christians must realize that Christianity can no longer claim universality, not even in this country where the majority are at least nominal Christians. This is why many view "Merry Christmas" as a universal greeting to be too restrictive and opt for "Happy Holidays." Whether one chooses to deal with this or not, the advance toward secularism will not be reversed.  Each individual has a role to play in life; it is the  Zeitgeist however that is the author of the play. This author is becoming increasingly secular; might as well deal with it.

I have nothing against people wishing me a Merry Christmas.  Even though I sometimes dislike aspects of the Christmas season such as the crowds and the incessant playing of annoying holiday music, I do love the lights at a drab time of year; I do love the holiday spirit.  I must also confess, as a non-Christian, that Christmas is a secular holiday for me--I don't make much fuss about it.  But I respect, sometimes even envy, those who do.  So let me end this essay, in keeping with the spirit of the times,  by paraphrasing Jose Feliciano, the composer and performer of one of the most annoying Christmas songs of all time:

Feliz Navidad!  I want to wish you a Happy Solstice, I want to wish you a Happy Solstice, I want to wish you a Happy Solstice, from the bottom of my heart!

HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY (LITTLE!) CHRISTMAS

I usually think of the Christmas season the way I think of knee pain; I remain completely unaware of it until it's there and I have no choice. (Though both are sometimes minor irritants, I happily admit that the holiday season is, at least for me,  usually more pleasant than knee pain.)  Today, two weeks after Thanksgiving, I had no choice.
My wife and I set out for the mall today, as is our wont on Saturdays.  We usually don't shop, but go there to buy groceries at Trader Joe's, maybe go the the library, as we did today, or eat at Nordstrom's, which we also did today.  It was very crowded; we had a lot of difficulty finding a parking space in the immense mall garage.   The spot we found was quite a distance from the grocery store.  Meshuggene Goyim, I grumbled to myself. That feeling quickly passed. The crowds indicated that the economy, despite lunatic efforts by Republicans to weaken it, is finally growing stronger.  I must confess that I felt uplifted--after I found a parking space, that is--by the impending holidays.  Festive lights and decorationas at the darkest time of year are just what those combatting the threat of wintry etiolation need.  Even Christmas songs in moderation can make me feel, well, jolly, although if I worked in a place like Trader Joe's where Christmas music is played continuously during the holiday season, I would go nuts. I don't go nuts because I celebrate the season in a low-key manner.
Although our family endures only a minimal amount of holiday stress, it is apparently a widespread problem.  Heart attacks significantly increase during the Christmas season, a good indicator that there is underlying stress.  The purpose of this little essay is to give some advice to those whose blood pressure is likely to rise at this time of the year--what works for me just might work for you!
Contrary to a popular misconception, Santa  has nothing to do with suicides.  The yearly peak in the suicide rate occurs in the spring, presumably because a depressed person is likely to become more desperate when an expected spring boost in spirits doesn't arrive.  It is thought that the suicide rate doesn't increase at Christmas because people get together, and getting together is beneficial even when one does not get along well with relatives and friends.  Stress, however, is rampant during this time.  People overshop, overbake, overeat and undersleep; far from perfect, they try to create a perfect Christmas experience for themselves and their families. Perhaps Buddha is the best guide here: the root cause of mental stress is inordinate desire.  Desire to have the Perfect Experience.  Desire to be admired.  Desire not only to give, but to receive in abundance.  Desire to be Super Mom--Oh, there are so many desires!
Recently my wife and I watched on YouTube the underside of jolly holiday vignettes: people rudely pushing each other to get the latest toys; in some cases, they were actually slugging and tackling each other.  We couldn't imagine ever wanting to possess a Fleebertie, or whatever the latest must-have gadget is called, that much. Have we forgotten that what is important in life are relationships, not things?  You betcha.
As mentioned previously, we had to park quite a distance from Trader Joe's.  We don't mind walking, but not when laden with groceries.  So my wife went to get the car on an upper level of the garage, while I waited on the lowest level.  The garage traffic was bumper-to-bumper.  Here I am, breathing carbon monoxide for Christ, I grumbled.  Then I struck up a conversation with a woman waiting beside me.   She laughed as she recalled when someone had stolen her parking space, years ago, at the mall.  Not only had she been there first, but she was actually backing into a space when the guy zoomed in from the side.  He simply said, "Too bad!" and left.  We laughed.  I told her about the parable of the cow in the parking lot.  When we discover that a human being has stolen our parking space, we can get furious.  But if we discover that a cow has wandered into our parking space, we remain calm.  In both cases, the parking space is gone, but one's reaction is different. Perhaps we should stay calm and treat rude humans the same way we would treat placid cows--even though they may act more like bulls!  If we did, the people who make blood pressure medications might have to go out of business--Too bad!, I said. We laughed again.  When my wife finally came, the woman wished me a Merry Christmas and I wished her one back.  I had had no expectation of having a pleasant chat in that awful garage, which made the encounter even more enjoyable.
I think the reason why I'm happy during the Christmas season is that I have really low expectations.  I don't expect Christians to completely  follow the example of a non-Christian like me--they of course shouldn't--but I am convinced they would have a better and deeper Christmas experience if they calmed things down a little.  Maybe a lot.
Our family does, by the way, get together on Christmas day.  We are, though, a group of mostly born-again (and again and again and again) Hindus. My wife's sister, Shyamala, puts up a (dinky) Christmas tree beside which we exchange (dinky) presents.  And we have a great time.

I hope you have a great time this holiday season; I hope you deeply realize throughout the year that you are the recipient of the greatest gift of all  Have yourself a merry little Christmas!

Addendum:  Here is a dinky arrangement I made of a famous song.

Rezension: Jakob der Luegner von Jurek Becker

Jurek Becker
Jakob der Luegner
Surkamp Taschenbuch, 1982
c Aufbau Verlag, Berlin, 1969

Wie kann man die noetige Hoffnung um zu ueberleben in aeusstersten Zustaenden behalten?  Wenn man als Krebspatient dem Ende naht, oder wenn man sich verwahrlost in einem Altersheim befindet, zum Beispiel?  Wie normale Menschen in einer nicht normalen Lage diese Hoffnung behaelt ist das Thema von Jurek Beckers sehr gelungenem Roman, Jakob der Luegner.  Hier handelt es sich um das Leben in einem Ghetto, von Nazis unzirkelt, wo selbst die kleinste Hoffnung fehl am Platz scheint, aber ist doch um so wichtiger.

Jakob, ein einfacher Mann, der in gluecklicheren Zeiten in derserlben Stadt Kartoffelpuffer, das heisst Latkes, herstellte, ist im Grunde lebensfreudig.  Aber er ist nicht blind; das Ghetto ist ein Gefaengnis.  Selbstmoerde nehmen zu.  Es kommt nicht selten vor, dass jemand auf der Strasse verhungert liegt.  Die Nazis sind brutal, und tun mit den "Drecksaecken" was sie wollen.

Eines Abends wurde Jakob von einem Offizier aufgehalten und ins Gebaeude der Gestapo geschickt, weil er nach 20 Uhr auf der Strase war.  Eigentlich war es noch nicht 20 Uhr; der Offizier wollte ihn nur aergern.  Im Gebaeude hoerte Jakob zufaellig ein Radio.  Es wurde berichtet, dass deutsche Truppen gegen russische Truppen ungefaehr 250 Kilometer entfernt von der Stadt, worin das Ghetto liegt,  gerade gekampft haetten. Ein mueder junger Nazi, der weiss, dass Jakob nichts getan hatte, schickt ihn ohne Weiteres nach Hause. Spaeter um einem Freund Hoffung zu geben, teilte Jakob ihm mit, dass die Russen naeherrueckten und nur 250 Kilometer weg waren.  Jakob erklaerte ihm, dass er diese Nachricht an seinem versteckten Radio gehoert haette.  Wer ein Radio hat, wird aber mit dem Tode bestraft.     Der Freund verpricht, das Geheimnis zu behalten.  Er ist aber geschwaetzig und kann die freudige Nachricht, dass die Niederlage der Deutschen und die Befreiung des Gehettos vielleicht unmittelbar bevorsteht, nicht verschweigen.  Bald glauben es viele.  Die Einwohner fangen an zu hoffen, und wollen neue Nachrichten.  Die Selbstmordrate sinkt. Aber am Ende des Romans  muss er gestehen, dass er gelogen hat, und was eigentlich bevorsteht ist die Fahrt nach Auschwitz.

Wie gibt man anderen in einer hoffunungslosen Lage Hoffung?  Die Antwort des Romans ist klar: man luegt.  Aus Guete vielleicht, aber nicht destoweniger: man luegt.

Becker erzaehlt wie ein Dichter: alles mit Untertreibung geschildert.  Er betont den Alltag, so viel das moeglich im Gehetto ist: ein Kind, zum Beispiel, deren Eltern ermordert wurden, nimmt Jakob in seine Wohnung auf.  Ein anderes Beispiel ist sogar eine Liebesgeschichte--die Liebenden waehnen noch, mit der Hilfe von Jakobs Nchrichten, dass sie eine Zuknunft haben.

Der Roman enstand zuerst als ein Drehbuch; aus diesem Grund gibt es etliche Szenen, die wie aus einem spanndenden Film springen.  z.B.: Jakob moechte wahre Nachricten bekommen, um die Last seiner Mitjuden erleichten zu koennen.  Er hat eine Idee.  Die Deutschen verwenden Zeitungen als Klopapier.  Jakob scheicht in das Steinhaus, das Soldatenklosett.  Waehrend er einige Seiten sammelt, klopft ein Soldat an die Tuer.  Der Soldat glaubt, dass es um einen Deutschen auf dem Klo handelt.  Jakob bereitet sich fuer den Tod.  Aber sein Freund, Kowalski, sieht alles aus der Ferne.  Er tippt einen Stapel Kisten um, wonach ein grosser Krach entsteht.  Der Soldat laeuft Kowalski wuetend entgegen, und schlaegt brutal zu--Jakob benutzt die Gelegenheit, unbemerkt zu verschwinden.

Das Ghetto enthaelt Leute aller Gesellscaftsschichten, da die einzige notwendige Charakteristik um verfolgt zu werden war Jude zu sein.  Die meisten im Ghetto aber waren Durchschnittsmenschen.  Ausnahmen waren Dr. Kirchbaum, der voher ein weltberuemter Kardiog war, und Schmidt, ein ehemaliger erfolgreicher Advokat, der vergessen hatte, dass er teilweise juedischer Herkunft war, bis ein neidischer Kollege ihn verleumdete.

Eine unvergessliche Episode im Buch handelt sich um Kirschbaum.  Eines Tages klopfen zwei Offiziere an seine Tuer.  Kirschbaumm und seine Schwester glauben, dass das Ende kommt.  Aber sie wollen "nur", dass Kirschbaum mit ihnen kommt, dem SS Kommandanten zu helfen, der eben einen Herzanfall gelitten hatte.  Der Nazi Stabarzt hat sein Bestes getan, aber umsonst.  Als er erfaehrt, dass Kirschbaum, dessen hoher Ruf ihm bekannt ist, im Ghetto wohnt, laesst er ihn holen.  Auf der Autofahrt zum SS-Kommando nimmt Kirschbaum Tabletten, vermutlich gegen Sodbrennen, und bietet einige auch den Offizieren an.  Am Ende der Fahrt, faellt er tot aus dem Auto; er hat sich vergiftet.

Der Erzaehler der ganzen Geschichte, einer der Wenigen im Ghetto, der die Nazizeit ueberlebte, besucht einen der zwei Offiziere, die Kirschbaum zum Kommando brachten, nach dem Krieg..  Dieser war viel weniger grob als der andere Offizier.  Er besizt jetzt Entnazizifierunspapiere sogar.  Er hat jerzt eine Familie und erweist sich als ein guter Vater.  Seine Tranformation von Nazi zum guten deutschen Buerger ging anscheinend reibungslos zu.  Graesslich!  Hier ist noch ein Beispiel von Beckers Untertreibung: der Erzaehler bleibt stumm.

Das Buch enthaelt eine interessante Baumsymbolik.  Man bermekt sie kaum, auch hier ist Untertreibung im Spiel.  Der Erzaehler hat eine tiefe Beziehung mit Baeumen, so faengt der Roman an.  Fuer ihn hat ein Baum im Grunde drei Aspekte.  An erster Stelle ist ein Baum die ganze Natur im kleinem.  Er ist unerklaerbar.  Baeume stellen aber nicht nur die Schoenheit der Natur dar, sondern auch ihre voellige Indifferenz.  Der Erzaehler fiel von eniem Baum als Kind und verletzte sein linkes Handgelenk; so endete seine Hoffnung auf eine Karriere als Violinist.  Und Baeume werfen Schatten, einige in Form der Menschen--auch Teile der Natur--die unglaublich boese sein koennen.  Die Nazis haben Channa, die Frau des Erzaehlers, im Schattein eines Baums erschossen.  Diese drei Aspekete eines Baums, naemlich die Schoenheit, die Indifferenz and das Boese formen den Hintergrund der Geschichte die folgt--und endet.  Als der Erzaehler schaut durrch das Guckloch im Wagen auf dem Weg nach Auschwitz, sieht er Birken, Weiden und Kiefer vorbeihuschen.  Schoeinheit, Gefahr und Indifferenz--der Baum, wie das Leben, ist hoechst zweideutig.  Der ganze Roman liegt gleichsam in seinem Schatten.

Der Autor Jurek Becker, 1937 in Lodz geboren, war schon als Kind nach Sachsenhausen deportiert worden.  Seine Mutter wurde ermordet.  Gluecklicherweise ueberlebten Vater und Sohn.  Der Verfasser wohnte in der DDR; nach West-Berlin musste er aber als Dissident umziehen.  Er erlebte die Wende; er starb 1997 an Krebs.

Ein sehr gelungener Roman ist Jakob der Luegner; er erhebt und zerdrueckt zur selben Ziet.  Ein Klassiker, meiner Meinung nach.  Andere aber teilen diese Ansicht nicht mit. Als ich neulich in Deutschland war, suchte ich den Roman in vielen Buchhadnlungen; er fehlte allen Regalen.  Schade.