August 8

There have been some major political events in the past week. On Monday. there was the first FBI search of a former President's home/hotel. It was on the anniversary of Nixon's resignation on August 8, 1974. I previously wrote about my memories of that day--All Politics is Personal (https://storiesoflivingwithghosts.blogspot.com/2016/07/all-politics-is-personal.html). 

On Friday, the Search Warrant was released. It mentioned suspicion of violation of the Espionage Act and failure to respond to a subpoena. Several commentators mentioned than Nixon's involvement in Watergate pales in comparison. The Washington Post has even reported that nuclear secrets may be involved (https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/08/11/garland-trump-mar-a-lago/).

While further information is sure to come, the information so far is concerning. I hope that this information will, like with Watergate, result in the creation of further safeguards to reduce the likelihood of similar events in the future.

Pray to die in the Flash

For children growing up during the Cold War, "duck and cover" was a regular drill in school. Recent events make many think back to the Cold War. For the major players, it was relatively peaceful, though proxy wars caused significant suffering for people in countries, like Korea and Vietnam, where they were fought. 

Yet, nuclear war did not seem likely through much of the Cold War. Certainly, there were tense moments, like the Cuban missile crisis. But, recent events have made it seem more likely than it has seemed for most of my life. The "Doomsday Clock" sits at 100 seconds to midnight (https://thebulletin.org/doomsday-clock/current-time/?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=Ads&utm_campaign=SearchAds&utm_content=DoomsdayClock_2022Statement&gclid=Cj0KCQjw0PWRBhDKARIsAPKHFGgBqwh-71w6xZBGmU5JOTxZwmdTK8gufrD4NBZyyyPJrnbTlmNHK2saAnh7EALw_wcB). The clock has been closer to midnight for the past few years due to risks of the spread of nuclear weapons.

Nuclear weapons are seriously being discussed as an option by a major nuclear power (https://www.euronews.com/next/2022/03/26/what-are-tactical-nuclear-weapons-and-could-russia-use-them-in-ukraine). Yet, there would be no way to limit a nuclear war. Radiation could spread over a large area with lethal complications to nearby countries, triggering a response and possibly leading to WWIII. Through our history of nuclear weapons, the future of the world has been dependent on rational leaders of nuclear countries, who understand that a nuclear war is not winnable. The risk is that some are discussing their use, and others are testing new weapons (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/24/world/asia/north-korea-missile-icbm.html?fbclid=IwAR2UeRLOr1QhebFH2eky9vEpGUhlr_jCF6TVwt7ETApex_29UiX4_yxj9ZY).

The current war in Ukraine exposes another risk, that of an attack on a nuclear power plant, which could also cause a nuclear disaster (https://thebulletin.org/2022/03/could-an-attack-on-ukrainian-nuclear-facilities-cause-a-disaster-greater-than-chernobyl-possibly-simulations-show/), whether that was intended or not. This could force millions of people to need to be evacuated due to the risk of radiation exposure. In the midst of an ongoing war, this evacuation would be difficult, as millions are fleeing violence due to conventional weapons. Yet, failure to evacuate after such an accident could expose many to the risk of death or radiation sickness or later malignancies. 

Clearly, "duck and cover" would do nothing to reduce the risk of radiation sickness or malignancy. There is no strategy to avoid the risks of nuclear war or damage to a nuclear power plant with release of radiation other than to avoid it. We must work to prevent what we cannot cure. Any of these events would be a global health catastrophe (https://www.psr.org/blog/global-medical-and-public-health-organizations-call-for-immediate-end-to-war-in-ukraine-and-critical-need-to-prevent-nuclear-escalation/).

If we are unable to stop this escalation, I fear for the future. I do not want to see suffering and death of billions of people all over the world. I do not want to see my family or myself among the suffering masses. Finally, I recall the advice from my parents, many years ago, to "pray to die in the flash."

Appeasement and Fear

 As I watch news, I think back to history. In 1938, western powers consented to the annexation of the Sudetenland. In 1939, Poland was invaded by Germany on September 1. The Soviets invaded 17 days later. Poland fought valiantly yet could not succeed against 2 powerful adversaries. Poland was occupied and continued to resist, at great cost. Despite mutual defense agreements, Britain and France did not intervene, lest the war expand even more. But it did. Millions died, both in battle and being murdered in concentration camps and gulags, whether directly or because of overwork and starvation. 

After massing troops on the border of Ukraine a month ago, an invasion was begun a week ago. Already the Hague is investigating war crimes. The world has united and condemned the invasion (U.N. General Assembly in historic vote denounces Russia over Ukraine invasion | Reuters). NATO has become more united. The EU had a standing ovation when the President of Ukraine asked for a fast-tracked membership. 

The news has continued to mirror 1939 when civilians were killed in the fields, along roads seeking to escape the war. We can recall where this lead. Just as annexation of the Sudetenland in 1938 did not prevent a war, WWII did not stop with the division of Poland between Germany and the Soviet Union.

History repeats

Fifty-one years ago I traveled to Europe for the first time. Part of the trip was with a student group. One of the places we visited was Prague, a beautiful city. But, many of the buildings bore scars from recent damage to the stones and brick. There were also a few tanks still to be seen.

Alexander Dubcek had presided over liberalization of Soviet era policies in Czechoslovakia. In August, 1968, Warsaw Pact troops invaded. Dubcek was taken to Moscow where he was forced to make concessions. He was eventually demoted in April, 1969, finally down to being a forestry inspector. (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alexander-Dubcek)

Czechoslovakia became communist following WWII after elections in 1946 had significant representation by communist and leftist parties. By 1948, the communists had forced other coalition parties out of government. The Communist party, supported by the Soviet Union, then took control of the government, and remained in power until 1989. (https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/communists-take-power-in-czechoslovakia)

The period of liberalization in 1968 was known as the Prague Spring (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prague_Spring). Students and intellectuals had been very active in pushing for the liberalization and also resisting the invasion, though there were other signs of resistance, such as changing direction signs in villages to confuse the invading troops and adulterating Pilsner beer, which is named after the Czech city of Pilsen.

I recall that the beer was still adulterated during my visit. I had heard that it was highly regarded, but it was greenish and tasted terrible when we were there. Another memory from that trip is impossible to forget. We were loading the bus at the border checkpoint. I was ordered to stand by a tall wall. Three soldiers who looked barely 18 trained their guns on me while an officer asked me questions in Czech. I could not understand and asked that he speak to me in a language I understood. I tried to calm myself while praying that I would not be sent to a gulag. I knew the stories I had heard about gulags and labor camps in the Soviet Union. I also sensed that if I flinched, it might be over. Finally, since the bus driver refused to leave without me, I was allowed to board the bus and we left. It was a case of mistaken identity. I have often wondered what happened to the woman for whom I was mistaken.

When the Warsaw Pact troops arrived 72 Czechs and Slovaks were killed and an additional 702 were injured (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prague_Spring). As I watch the news about the reaction to Black Lives Matter protests with federal agents in some cities, I recall the aftermath of the Prague Spring. I never expected anything in the US to remind me of what I saw there. But, I see history repeating.

Remembering Tiananmen

Thirty one years ago today the protests against the communist government in China were put down.
Many of us remember the iconic photo of the Tank Man, who bravely stood in front of a line of tanks heading to Tiananmen Square While he may have escaped, thousands of others did not when the army opened fire on the protesters (https://news.yahoo.com/tiananmen-square-massacre-tank-man-111656080.html). Their bodies were unceremoniously removed by bulldozers for incineration (https://news.yahoo.com/tiananmen-square-massacre-tank-man-111656080.html).

I recall first hearing the news of the massacre in my car. I was going grocery shopping that morning. I stopped and sat stunned in my car as I listened to the entire news report. I had been hopeful that reform could happen in China as it had in many other communist countries. The first elections after the fall of communism in Poland also happened on June 4, 1989 with Solidarity winning a decisive victory (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1989_Polish_legislative_election). The news of the Tiananmem massacre crushed my hope for reform.

Reporting of the crackdown was difficult as satellite transmissions for most networks were cut off (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1989_Tiananmen_Square_protests). Reporters tried to continue reporting, using telephones and smuggling footage out of the country (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1989_Tiananmen_Square_protests). World leaders, like George HW Bush and Margaret Thatcher condemned the crackdown (https://news.yahoo.com/tiananmen-square-massacre-tank-man-111656080.html).

One person, not yet a leader, praised the Chinese leaders for their "strength" in putting down the protests in a Playboy interview in 1990 (https://www.sbs.com.au/news/dateline/old-trump-interview-with-playboy-resurfaces-discusses-strength-of-china-s-response-in-tiananmen-square?fbclid=IwAR2QxhOaP97117jpwKllnJoc5SmdAazjxFnr4ncVBraDY92YUQoTDKNiaTo). He also commented that Gorbachev did not have "a firm enough hand." More recently, this same person, now a President, has wanted to deploy the US military to suppress Black Lives Matter protests (https://www.sbs.com.au/news/dateline/old-trump-interview-with-playboy-resurfaces-discusses-strength-of-china-s-response-in-tiananmen-square?fbclid=IwAR2QxhOaP97117jpwKllnJoc5SmdAazjxFnr4ncVBraDY92YUQoTDKNiaTo).

As I watch events unfolding now, I am again worried for the future. I pray for a future in which people can be free to express their opinions. 

Black Lives Matter

I am a fair skinned white woman. I have friends who are police officers. One friend even told me about killing someone in the line of duty. His partner was killed, and my friend was injured in a shootout with someone they had gone to arrest. My friend was off work for about a year due to his injuries. I don't recall my friend mentioning the race of the person whom he killed.

Yet, I have experienced fear of the police, too. The most recent was when a faulty alarm system called the police to my home for a suspected home invasion. The police had guns drawn when I answered the door. They walked through my house and asked to see my ID. I had to go to get it, and they followed me, guns drawn the whole time. Finally they left. I know that my age and skin color likely helped to save my life that day. But, I was scared by having a gun pointed at me by a police officer in my own house.

The worst such experience was in another country when I was not allowed to board a tour bus to cross from the border to leave the country. I was told to stand in front of a wall. Three young soldiers trained their weapons on me, while an officer asked questions in a language I did not understand. All I could think of was to try to calm myself. I told them I would answer questions in any of the 3 languages I knew at the time. I kept repeating this in each of the languages. I prayed they did not shoot me. I prayed that if they didn't let me go I would end up in a Czech prison rather than a Soviet gulag. I knew stories about gulags from family and friends who had escaped with the Anders (Polish) Army during WWII. Fortunately, the tour bus driver refused to leave without me, so they finally let me go. I had just turned 15.

I know the fear, but, fortunately, it is not a daily event for me. That is one of the benefits of white privilege. Sadly, many Americans experience this fear frequently. Driving while Black, Jogging while Black, Sleeping while Black, Playing while Black, Birdwatching while Black could all end in death. It's not possible to anticipate when such an event. But, even if such an event never happens to an individual or doesn't result in death, worry about the risk can lead to stress and the attendant health problems. And, these health problems may shorten lives. Black Americans have life expectancies that are 3 years shorter for women and 5 years shorter for men than white Americans (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr68/nvsr68_07-508.pdf). Black Americans also are suffering higher death rates from coronavirus than white Americans, in part due to the increased toll of stress related illnesses.

I understand the anger of those for whom it is a daily event. These killings need to stop. They never should have been a fact of life for so many. All people should be treated equally. We must, as a society, work to change attitudes. Martin Luther King dreamed of a place when a person is judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. I do, too.

Another Political Massacre

Years ago, I remember Nixon's Saturday Night Massacre. More recently, but still a while ago, I remember meeting the child of one of those fired that night. The daughter recalls her life being disrupted, from being happy in school, to suddenly moving across the country in ignominy. Her parents were able to rebuild, and her father did again serve in government. However, the daughter felt that the experience had influenced her politics and choice of career. Less than a year a year later, Nixon resigned. (My experiences at the time of Nixon's resignation are discussed in another post--All Politics is Personal.)

Recently, the United States has gone through another Impeachment, this time with a brief trial with preordained acquittal. And, shortly after the Senate returned the vote, the last few witnesses were forced out of their positions in apparent retribution for their testimony. The brother of LTC Alexander Vindman, LTC Yevgeny Vindman was also forced to leave the White House, though both continue to serve in other capacities (https://www.npr.org/2020/02/07/803904417/lt-col-alexander-vindman-escorted-out-of-the-white-house-his-lawyer-says).

Then four Justice Department lawyers resigned rather than agree to reduced sentencing recommendations for sentencing of Roger Stone (https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/justice-dept-to-reduce-sentencing-recommendation-for-trump-associate-roger-stone-official-says-after-president-calls-it-unfair/2020/02/11/ad81fd36-4cf0-11ea-bf44-f5043eb3918a_story.html).

This time, it seems that the "lesson" learned was not what Senator Susan Collins says she hoped had been learned because of the Impeachment. It is useful to compare Clinton's contriteness on acquittal to Trump's celebration (https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/following-impeachment-acquittal-trump-celebrates-no-regrets-n1132146). Perhaps other Senators thought there would be a moderation of behavior, like Senator Collins. Instead, it seems they have granted Carte Blanche to a more imperious President.

I don't know what the future holds, but my reading of the past concerns me.