My two oldest grandsons, who are 14 and 12, both enjoy solving the Rubik's Cube puzzle. Watching them do this is one of the sweet pleasures in my life.
For those unfamiliar with the cube, it requires memorizing a series of algorithms to align by color the nine square panels on each of the cube's six sides so that you end up with one side that is all white, another all yellow, another all red, etc.
This 3-D puzzle was created by Hungarian sculptor and architecture professor Ernő Rubik in 1974 and has long since been the world's best-selling toy. While children are working out the solution, they tend to develop a facial expression that is simultaneously focused yet distant.
As they improve, their hand-eye coordination becomes smoothly instinctive. Watching them is like seeing visual poetry, athletic achievement and pure human beauty all mushed together.
It takes my breath away.
It also is a reaffirmation of the vast human potential to solve problems, no matter how challenging they may appear to be in the present moment.
***
During the very rough days ahead, I fear we are all going to need such inspiration to make it through. Let me start this by saying I hope I am wrong.
But the deeper I probed the current political crisis in America the more concerned I became. Checking a few trusted friends and sources quickly evolved into activating a broad network of people spanning the law enforcement, intelligence, academic, activist, political and media communities and it was a sobering experience.
The consensus of this group was not what I wanted to hear -- that we are in the early stages of what may well prove to be a protracted civil war. If the people informing me are correct, it is most likely going to be violent, disruptive and virtually impossible for our leaders to contain.
I've witnessed myself the sight of caravans of armed civilians in pickup trucks with flags waving, camouflage clothing and weapons roaming our highways. It is neither quaint nor harmless. They are, according to intelligence assessments, potentially the equivalent of America's Taliban -- fundamentalists bent on destroying democracy based on their perception of a threat to white supremacy and their twisted sense of entitlement.
They are poised to act, waiting on a sign.
This is precisely what happened on January 6th and I am reliably informed it's about to happen again.
These folks are not going to slip quietly back into their homes if the political establishment follows through on its threats to banish their leader, Donald J. Trump from public life. Rather, he will continue serve as a lightning rod -- their martyr and purported savior and they will continue to follow him with a religious fervor that is terrifying to behold.
As an editor, I've worked with many reporters covering numerous peaceful demonstrations that were disrupted by the likes of Antifa and its right-wing equivalent, the Neo-nazis and other hate groups. Both extremes resemble each other much more than they do the great majority of conservatives and liberals who believe in peaceful assembly and speech.
But though relatively small in numbers, their potential to provoke their larger cohort to do harm is enormous. Again, my sources reference January 6th. We all need to study carefully what happened that day.
The essence of our democracy depends on citizens peacefully resolving our differences on politics and religion without resorting to violence. And on accepting the legitimacy of our elections.
I fear that in the coming days that very essence of our democratic process is going to be sorely tested. I hope I am wrong so bad that it hurts. It really hurts.
***
The headlines:
* The FBI is warning of plans for armed protests at all 50 state capitals and in Washington in the days leading up to President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration, stoking fears of more bloodshed after last week’s deadly siege at the U.S. Capitol. An internal FBI bulletin warned that, as of Sunday, the nationwide protests may start later this week and extend through Biden’s Jan. 20 inauguration, according to two law enforcement officials who read details of the memo to The Associated Press. Investigators believe some of the people are members of some extremist groups, the officials said. (AP)
* Up to 15,000 National Guard members could be deployed in D.C. during inauguration (WashPo)
* State capitols across the nation stepped up security Monday, deploying National Guard units, SWAT teams and extra police officers as several legislatures convened amid heightened safety concerns... (AP)
* Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser urged Americans to avoid the city during President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration next week during a news conference on Monday. (CNN)
* Police Reassess Security for Inauguration and Demonstrations After Capitol Attack (NYT)
* Even as rioters violently overran his forces, outgoing Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund said in an exclusive interview, the sergeants at arms for the House and Senate took more than an hour to approve his request. (WashPo)
* After days of silence, Trump signed a proclamation on Sunday to honor two United States Capitol police officers ― one of whom died at the hands of the mob he incited. Trump and the White House hadn't acknowledged Brian D. Sicknick’s death before Sunday, and didn't refer to how he died. U.S. Capitol Police, meanwhile, announced the death of another officer, bringing the law enforcement toll from Wednesday’s violent siege to two. [HuffPost]
* The Art of the Lie? The Bigger the Better (NYT)
* Trump’s incitement of a riot is a violation of the separation of powers that threatens the foundation of the Republic. (NYT)
* A Georgia man, Cleveland Grover Meredith Jr., texted people his intentions to shoot Pelosi “on live TV” while making his way to the nation’s capital with an assault rifle for Wednesday’s pro-Trump rally. He was arrested at a Washington hotel Thursday. Meredith’s alleged text messages included him bragging of having a “ton of 5.56 armor piercing ammo” and wanting to run over the Democratic leader. [HuffPost]
* Dozens have been charged in the days since a mob of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol, disrupting the certification of the 2020 presidential election results. (NYT)
* The Capitol mob: A raging collection of grievances and disillusionment (WashPo)
* In the wake of the attack on Capitol Hill last week, and myriad questions about how rioters breached the building and what is happening in response, federal law enforcement agencies have yet to brief the public directly. The U.S. Capitol Police, FBI, Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security have yet to hold a press conference since Wednesday's incursion into one of America's most iconic buildings, prompting calls from lawmakers to call briefings for the public and Congress. (CNN)
* Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf resigns (CNN)
* Arnold Schwarzenegger said Trump will be remembered as the “worst president ever,” after his supporters rioted. Schwarzenegger, who was born in Austria two years after the end of World War II, compared the Capitol siege takeover to Kristallnacht in 1938, the aftermath of which he said reverberated throughout his own childhood decades later. [HuffPost]
* Michigan bans open carry of guns inside state Capitol (AP)
* New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has announced that he is declining the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which he was scheduled to receive from Trump on Thursday. Belichick cited the "tragic events of last week" as leading to his decision. Pro-Trump riotersrampaged in the US Capitol last Wednesday. Five people died as a result of the chaos, including a US Capitol Police officer. House Democrats want to impeach Trump, accusing him of "incitement of insurrection." (CNN)
*
Wall Street distances itself from Trump, GOP after riots (AP)
* Insurer, hotel chain say they won’t donate to lawmakers who opposed electoral college results (WashPo)
* Thousands of lawyers and law school alumni on Sunday signed an open letter calling for Sens. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) to be disbarred over their leading roles in the effort to undermine Congress’ certification of the Electoral College vote declaring President-elect Joe Biden the winner of the 2020 race. [HuffPost]
* In California, there are two Covid-19 surges, one north and one south. In the L.A. area about 30-40% of people in public are not wearing masks; in the S.F. Bay Area, that figure is only 5-10%. (NYT)
* Trump returns Cuba to U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism (Reuters)
* China: WHO experts arriving Thursday for virus origins probe (AP)
* Populist, Prisoner, President: A Convicted Kidnapper Wins Kyrgyzstan Election (NYT)
* D.C. Police Preemptively Deploy 3 Officers For Inauguration Day (The Onion)
* FBI Narrows Down Identity Of Red-Faced Man Carrying Confederate Flag Through Capitol To Millions Of Americans (The Onion)
***
"All I Really Want To Do"
Beat or cheat or mistreat you
Simplify you, classify you
Deny, defy or crucify you
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you.
No, and I ain't lookin' to fight with you
Frighten you or tighten you
Drag you down or drain you down
Chain you down or bring you down
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you.
I ain't lookin' to block you up
Shock or knock or lock you up
Analyze you, categorize you
Finalize you or advertise you
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you.
I don't want to straight-face you
Race or chase you, track or trace you
Or disgrace you or displace you
Or define you or confine you
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you.
I don't want to meet your kin
Make you spin or do you in
Or select you or dissect you
Or inspect you or reject you
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you.
I don't want to fake you out
Take or shake or forsake you out
I ain't lookin' for you to feel like me
See like me or be like me
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you.
-30-
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