This is a good Marine, why wouldn’t we retain him?

No Sunday movie this weekend because I did a two-day trip to the Stratford Festival in Ontario. The journey allowed me to drive over the new Gordie Howe bridge, though that route included construction traffic near London. Eight years ago I saw the show Something Rotten! in Detroit. It is a spoof and love letter to Shakespeare and musicals. I wrote about it here. Two years ago I went to the Stratford Festival when Something Rotten! was one of the shows, though I told myself and others I had seen it and didn’t need to see it again. I did see four other shows over two days for an enjoyable trip. When Something Rotten! was announced for the Stratford Festival season this year I felt this time I needed to see it again. So I did on Friday evening. And I very much enjoyed it again, smiling and laughing throughout, from the opening “Welcome to the Renaissance” – aren’t we glad the Middle Ages are over? – to the closing number (telling you that could be considered a spoiler). The singing was excellent, the dancing high energy (the cast must be exhausted by the end of the show), the one-liners just as funny, and the whole thing still overmiked. The substantial crowd did standing ovations for two of the songs in addition to the show as a whole at the end. My friend and debate partner has told me over the years he enjoys interesting theater, but not spectacle. Then, my friend, you would not have enjoyed this one. While the numerous quotes of Shakespeare plays used in unexpected ways would amuse you, this show is about spectacle. Though if the rest of you are a fan of the Bard’s plays or of musicals or both this show would be a delight. Also while at the Festival I saw the show Saturday, Sunday, Monday, a new translation of a 1959 Italian play. The story is about a large Neapolitan family (husband, wife, three adult kids, spouses, fiancee, siblings, and father, plus a few friends). Saturday is spent preparing for Sunday dinner, including Mama’s legendary ragu. Sunday is the dinner and all that happens during it, and Monday morning is dealing with the consequences. The marriage of the senior couple is not healthy, Father has gone almost silent. That is compounded by the friendly attentions of one of the friends. The Sunday meal makes the jealousies worse. And on Monday Father sees the errors of his ways. The program booklet says the Italian author wrote it during a troubled time in his own marriage, hoping for a better outcome. Of course, the production is quite well done and the show enjoyable. Oliver Willis of Daily Kos reported on how well the military is following the nasty guy’s demand to remove transgender people from their ranks. Willis worked from a New York Times report that says the military set up review boards to consider individual transgender personnel.

In 12 cases that have come before the Navy and the Marines, boards have voted to retain troops nine times. The Trump purge has been more successful in the Air Force and Army, where troops are more likely to be removed. Former Air Force lawyer Rachel VanLandingham explained the quiet rebellion to the Times, “We are seeing them nullify a process they see as unjust.”

An example is Marine Staff Sgt. Damien Contreras. He was designated for removal but his board said he “remains qualified.”

“They see I’ve always done my job, I’ve deployed, I’ve mentored other Marines, followed the rules. They say, ‘Hey, this is a good Marine, why wouldn’t we retain him?’” he said.

Yes, this shows the administration’s stance is destructive and contrary to their claim of wanting the most powerful fighting force. Yeah, political appointees can overrule the boards. But this quiet defiance shows the conservative movement does not have unified support of the military. On to something completely different and not at all fun. Back in July (yeah, it’s been sitting in my browser tabs since then) Muriel Vieux of the Kos community wrote about the ever returning topic of men abusing women. Nearly all of the abusers are men these women know. Vieux concluded:

So, guys, when you say “not all men” “I’m not like that” “it’s only a small percentage of men”, how can women tell which men are safe, this is not snark but a serious question. What do we look for, what’s a clue that “this good presenting man” will not turn on us? Because every time we share our stories, it seems a lot of men here don’t understand the underlying issue, trust. They seem to miss the common thread that most of us have been raped by men we knew, loved and trusted.

Most Kos posts start with a photo or image. For this one Vieux reproduced a poem she wrote in 2023 in response to the MAGA movement, though she says it has nothing to do with the subject in the body of her post. She starts the poem with “You call yourselves ‘good people’” and ends with:

You call yourselves moral and virtuous Claim to value all human life It’s so easy to “call” yourself good It’s so easy to wear the make up of morals It’s so easy to cover yourself in pretend virtue What you call yourselves is immaterial What you are screams through the lies What you are shouts out loud piercing the facade What you are comes out in your actions You are vile, cruel, petty, and mean.