He wasn’t a migrant. He didn’t cross the border. All Trump does is lie. Minute after minute, hour after hour, day after day. A firehouse of lies spewing an alternate reality for the MAGA cult to live in.
In its never ending quest to fade into oblivion, two different Catholic archdioceses have let their parishioners know that it is not acceptable to receive either one (New Orleans) or all three (Texas) of the COVID-19 vaccines, because somewhere along the line stem cell clones were used to develop the vaccines.
In fairness to the Catholic Church as a whole, the Vatican is requiring its employees to get the vaccine and has not questioned the origins of the vaccines. Still, one has to wonder just how the Catholic Church in America defines pro-life--half a million dead Americans versus an organism the size of a dot that has been xeroxed seems to me to make a very compelling case for taking the vaccine.
Fortunately for those of us who prefer not to get sick, the edicts of the Church often fall upon deaf parishioners' ears. Still, for an organization that preaches the sanctity of life, it's pretty sanctimonious in deciding who it feels should live or die.
531,000+ Dead Americans Because of Donald Trump's Incompetence
Doesn't he have an agent or a publicist to check his public statements?
If there is any good that can come out of Drew Brees and his exceedingly insensitive and untimely comments on players taking a knee for the National Anthem, it's that maybe we can finally put an end to the tired trope that players doing such are being disrespectful of the flag or our troops. Athletes taking a knee was never about the flag or our troops, and it was always about protesting police brutality.
Disrespecting the flag or our troops was never more than a right wing talking point so they could excuse police brutality and let their white privilege continue unabated.
This week's tune had a quiet start when first released, but thanks to the movie Good Morning, Vietnamand the reflection that time is wont to bring, has become something of a classic standard. That it is performed by one of America's truly great and unique talents is just icing on the cake.
Louis Armstrong was born in New Orleans in 1901 and by the time he was eleven had begun his foray into a career of music. By the end of his teenage years he had joined the vibrant jazz scene in Chicago, before eventually settling in New York. It would be hard to understate Armstrong's influence on jazz and popular music (even more so in a single paragraph), but he changed the way the trumpet was played, moved jazz from an ensemble oriented form into one where solo performances were more of a focus, and his inimitable vocal style certainly helped pave the way for the rock and roll voice. Over the course of his 70 years, Armstrong released 32 solo albums (not sure I could count high enough for all the records he appeared on during his career), and toured the world again and again. Armstrong won a Grammy in 1964, and has been inducted into the Jazz Hall of Fame, the Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (as an influence), and both the Louisiana Hall of Fame and the Long Island Hall of Fame. He also appeared in numerous movies and TV shows. Armstrong passed away in 1971 from a heart attack, leaving behind a legacy that few Americans will ever match.
Fun Fact: While doing my half-assed research for this week's post, I read that Armstrong grew up listening to spasm bands...which I had never heard of and are bands around New Orleans that play Dixieland, jug music, and skiffle (among others) and are composed of artists who use instruments made out of household items. Oh, the things you learn here on Friday Night Jukebox....
"What a Wonderful World" was originally released in 1967 and was later put on an album with the oh, so surprising title of What a Wonderful World. The single had no success in the U.S. as the head of Armstrong's label did not like the song and refused to publicize it. It was a huge hit in the U.K., however, hitting #1 and staying there for four weeks (so many cool kids in the U.K.!). It was released again in the U.S. on the heels of the success of Good Morning, Vietnam in 1988. and reached #32 (with a bullet!) on the Billboard Hot 100.
It's easy to forget in such ugly times with Donald Trump and his hateful minions that our world is full of much beauty and love, and "What a Wonderful World," while not specifically a slap in the face to Trumpism, is a reminder of...well, what a wonderful world we do live in. The song is driven by lush strings, and the lyrics feature images that call to mind our better angels. And the driving force of all of it is Armstrong's performance, in which every syllable he sings exudes the joy and radiance that is all around us--made all the more poignant by the fact that it's sung by a black man living in a nation that hasn't always had his or his people's best interests at heart. It's a lovely tune sung by a lovely man about our lovely world, and a gentle nudge to take a few seconds to enjoy that loveliness.
Lyric Sheet: "I hear babies cry/I watch them grow/They'll learn much more/Than I'll ever know/And I think to myself/What a wonderful world..."
The average American gets paid just enough so he doesn't quit his job, and works just hard enough so he doesn't get fired.
"When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross." Source unknown
Uncle emaycee Wants You For the Coming Class War! Enlist today....
Capitalism: Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you can exploit his labor, become filthy rich, and keep the poor bastard living paycheck to paycheck for the rest of his life.
