They knelt to show they're not afraid

I’m home from my travels. I had a few good days with my brother and sister-in-law. I went on to Baltimore and the Maryland Center for History and Culture to do research on an ancestor who remains elusive. I also looked over the MCHC museum exhibits. I had time to see the Inner Harbor at sunset and walk around Baltimore’s Washington Monument at Mt. Vernon Place. Yeah, that’s George at the top of the column.

My drive from Baltimore to Bethesda was, alas, during rush hour, and was slow. Over the next two days I left my car at the hotel in Bethesda and took the Metro into Washington to see a couple museums. The first museum was the National Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian American Art Museum. Both are in the same building that says it is the third-oldest federal building in the capital. I concentrated on the portraits. The most famous portraits are, of course, the presidents. I didn’t get into that gallery. I did see the rooms of important Americans who lived 1600-1900 and were not presidents. This included politicians, explorers (Daniel Boone, William Clark (of Lewis and ... ) ), well known rich dudes, socialites, theater people, and prominent natives. I saw a few more rooms that showed famous people from the 20th century and a balcony gallery showed 20th century people in theater, movies, and music. That evening I went to a concert of a local bell ensemble that performed one of my pieces. This was the reason for the trip. They gave a competent performance. The ensemble had asked for submissions of music not yet published, something every composer has. I sent three pieces and pleased they chose one of mine from the sixty submitted. Several of the musicians said it was the most fun to play. Alas, getting to the concert was slowed by rush hour traffic (though it was a Saturday!) and confusing signs about which were toll roads, which were not, and how one was supposed to pay. So my supper was fast food. A musician suggested an alternate route back to my hotel to avoid the tolls – and that road had lots of construction work. At one point I took a wrong turn and I didn’t know how to get to my hotel from there. Then I remembered my new car has a map app! As soon as I could I turned off the commanding voice giving directions. Also in Washington I visited the African American Museum – the full name is the National Museum of African American History and Culture. I did not see the history galleries on the lower levels because the line to get in was 35-45 minutes. However, the community and culture exhibits on the 3rd and 4th floors were plenty to see in one day. These floors had exhibits on African Americans in the military, in sports, in visual arts, on stage and screen, and in music. The last was a large display. There was also a gallery of black people making a place for themselves such as a hat maker who served both black and white customers. There was also a display of the Chicago Defender, a black owned newspaper with a circulation of a half million. Train porters snuck copies into the South where it helped fuel and guide the Great Migration. This poem is part of the exhibit of black people in the military. It is by Langston Hughes from “Beaumont to Detroit: 1943” You tell me hitler Is a mighty bad man. I guess he took lessons from the ku klux klan ... Cause everything that hitler And mussolini do, Negroes get the same Treatment from you ... I ask you this question Cause I want to know How long I got to fight BOTH HITLER–and JIM CROW. I had earlier learned that the Nazis devised many of their policies through studying Jim Crow laws. I also learned the original Jim Crow was a minstrel character of that name. He was a happy-go-lucky plantation slave reinforcing the racial stereotypes. The character was developed by white performer Thomas D. “Daddy” Rice. I do have a minor complaint of this fine African American Museum – there is very little about those who were both black and LGBTQ. Those I knew to be gay, such as James Baldwin, were not identified as gay. The little bit of LGBTQ content I saw was a poster for the 1989 documentary Tongues Untied, directed by Marlon Riggs. That made me realize I hadn’t seen any other LGBTQ exhibits. Here’s a nice photo of the Lincoln Memorial from the 2nd floor windows of the museum.

The weather was good for the trip, though a couple evenings were cold. Most trees were in full color, making for a beautiful drive. The whole trip was about 1160 miles. Michigan’s COVID data, updated Tuesday, shows the last several weekly peaks of new cases per day at 2015, 1990, 1876, 1576, and 1577. Cases are heading in the right direction, but the disease is still not gone. Deaths per day are in the same low range they’ve been at since May. I did not collect browser tabs while traveling, mostly because my travel computer is so cranky and slow I read only a few news articles on any day I had time to read. So what I share today (and likely the rest of the week) is from the last couple days. Mark Sumner of Daily Kos wrote about the ongoing protests in Iran. Tuesday marked the 40th day since the death of Mahsa Amini which sparked these protests. In Iran 40 days marks the end of a mourning period. To commemorate it (tens of?) thousands of protesters walked to her grave in the town of Saqez. When security blocked roads they walked through fields. Security at Sharif University tried to keep the male and female students separate. Students fought back and took control of the campus. In solidarity a woman removed her hijab after wearing it for 80 years. Protesters in the town of Amol knelt before riot police to show they’re not afraid. It seems protesters are working to make sure they have a voice when the regime falls. They want to avoid the power vacuum that was exploited last time. In a Ukraine update on Tuesday Sumner reported Russia has lost its leverage over Europe. Putin had been saying if Europe didn’t meet his demands then he would cut off gas and oil and Europe would freeze in the dark. But now gas storage facilities in Germany are 97% full and they have so much of a buffer that gas prices have fallen. Europe is also turning to renewable energy as fast as it can. So Putin’s threats aren’t so threatening anymore. It is good to hear Democrats talking like this. Republicans have been claiming that Biden caused inflation (nope, it’s a corporate greed and worldwide problem) and they will be the fiscally responsible ones. Joan McCarter of Kos reported that on Monday Biden said:

Hear this closely: The Republicans have made it clear that if they win control of the Congress, they will shut down the government, refuse to pay our bills, and it’ll be the first time in our history America will default—unless I yield and cut Social Security and Medicare. There’s nothing, nothing, that will create more chaos, more inflation, and more damage to the American economy than this. ... We, the Democrats, are the ones that are fiscally responsible. Let’s get that straight now, okay? We’re investing in all of America, reducing everyday costs while also lowering the deficit at the same time. Republicans are fiscally reckless, pushing tax cuts for the very wealthy that aren’t paid for, and exploiting the deficit that is making inflation worse.

Gabe Ortiz of Kos reported Charlie Crist, in a debate against Florida Gov. Ron DeathSantis, got off a few pointed comments. Crist accused his opponent of not being in search of solutions, but rather a “wedge issue.” Yeah, there are challenges at the southern border, but that stunt of luring immigrants with lies and flying them to Martha’s Vineyard, while using taxpayer money is just inhumane and not the way to change policy. Crist also asked DeSantis whether, if elected, he’ll serve the full four year term. Since DeSantis acts like he intends to run for president in 2024 he couldn’t give Crist or viewers an answer. Here are some cartoons describing what Republicans are doing: Jan Sorensen of Kos shows a couple discussing a voter guide. There are Democrats facing a guy wanting to get rid of Social Security, a woman who admires Hitler, and a guy who wants to smite the Bidens. So vote – if you can get past the vigilantes “watching” the ballot box. Pedro Molina has a cartoon of an elephant telling a driver he should be outraged by gas prices, but the car is up on blocks because tires labeled “democracy” and “rights” are being carried away. Btowncubsfan tweeted a photo of the Capitol attack with the caption, “Why would I worry about who’s crossing the border when these assholes are already here?” Dave Whamond has a cartoon with an elephant carrying a sign that says. “Ban books, Critical Race Theory, Unisex Bathrooms, Trans kids,” and a few more. A woman says, “Let me guess ... There’s no room for ‘guns’ on that list.” The elephant replies, “What? Are you Crazy?” Phil Hands has a cartoon showing an elephant with a sign that says, “Defund schools, child care, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Health care, Mental Health, Democracy, etc.” A donkey has a sign that says “Defund Police.” The elephant says, “You’re too Radical!” Walter Einenkel of Kos reported Twitter had a few things to say about a campaign stunt by Republican Sen. Todd Young of Indiana. Young is shown at a gas pump with the sign for a price of $3.99 a gallon above his head with a caption blaming Biden for high gas prices. Twitter quickly noticed Young is not standing beside a car. Also, gas prices are down from their peak. Indiana Progressives tweeted, “If you think things are expensive now just imagine what it will be like after the Republicans take away your Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, unemployment benefits and affordable health care.”