Reviews

“We Can Breathe Again”

1/20/2021

The headline above was texted by a family member during the Inauguration, on our little round-robin message board that has tied eight adults together for the four past ugly years.

I personally was trying to find some way to comment here on the spiritual optimism of President Biden and the uplifting composure of the “dignitaries” and the stunning talent of the young poet and the truly American mix of the celebrants.

They all provided inspiration….and I was letting it sink in….when I opened the group email from my Jamaica High School friend, the great Letty Cottin Pogrebin.
As always, Letty has been ahead of the rest of us, writing:

I intended to post nothing but good news on this, the day that will see simple decency return to public life and discourse in the person of President Joe Biden, and history being made by Vice President Kamala Harris. (But today's euphoria can't erase the conflagration of Jan 6th and the shameless-who-shall-be-nameless #45 who lit the fuse.)

Letty included the Youtube bit from James Corden that, she says, “has gone viral.”
It ends with one thoroughly cathartic act by Corden.
Letty's websire:
http://www.lettycottinpogrebin.com/

I am taking leave for the day, to watch the reruns of the Inauguration that might, just might, start to fumigate the past four years.
* * *
Your thoughts? Comments welcome, indeed, beseeched.
* * *
On that note, introducing Amanda Gorman, not yet 23, the youngest poet ever to grace an inauguration:

Watching this brilliant young writer recite her poem in the bright sunlight, I thought back to the misfortunate weather-blinded Inaugural speech by Robert Frost in 1960, with new President Kennedy right behind him. What a contrast.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XInL2u0DP88
Later on Wednesday, I was sent a video of President Kennedy’s last speech, at a Frost event at Amherst College. Mentioned in the video is Our Man in El Salvador, Gene Palumbo, who was a senior that year, and is now a journalist in Latin America.
https://concordmuseum.org/events/film-screening-of-jfk-the-last-speech/

Michael

1/20/2021 03:44:56 pm

Hallelujah!!! So happy for all. Especially the youngsters! Decency & compassion return to the White House.

Harvey Araton

1/20/2021 03:59:00 pm

Amanda. Amazing.

George

1/20/2021 04:46:23 pm

Harvey: can you imagine being that
Poised and talented just short of 23?
I cannot....at any age. What a blast! GV

George

1/20/2021 04:43:06 pm

Michael: thanks. At very least, the new people can verbalize those values.
This is not nothing. GV

Berman Patterson

1/21/2021 12:29:40 pm

Yes that Young poet laureate Amanda was just amazing so polished and extremely immaturity gives hope for the next generation.Now that we have A new government in place hopefully it will bring sanity and calm back to the political discourse A new day has dawned.#TheStruggleContinues

Alan Rubin link

1/20/2021 05:31:56 pm

Several years ago, former Governor Howard Dean was the guest speaker at a local lecture series. It was very upbeat in that he had confidence in our country’s future because of our grandchild’s generation.

These are the youngsters who are leading all the current movements for equality is so many areas.

Today, the United States 22-year-old Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman showed us the way with her very moving and thoughtful poem.

In his heartfelt speech to the nation, President Biden outlined a path forward that had been missing in the former Trump administration. It will be filled with many obstacles, but I am confident that “our guy Joe” will find a way.

I’m not one for using sports analogies, but President Biden is like the underrated player who quietly comes through when needed.

This is his time.

bruce

1/20/2021 05:53:27 pm

george,

my expectations were pretty low.

given the trumrp crazies i was happy to see nobody was hurt or shot.

60 years to the day of the first inauguration which i specifically remember.

twas a memorable one.

bruce

1/21/2021 12:48:53 pm

george,

i mentioned in an email that my first sharp inaugural memory was 1961.

it struck me yesterday gorman was born in 1998...frost in 1874. he would've known people who were around when george washington was potus. gorman was two when bush2 started his one term as potus.

same planet different world

bruce

1/21/2021 01:01:30 pm

oops digit error. i meant to hit 1, not 2 for bush.

bruce

1/21/2021 01:11:06 pm

my gawd, i'm losing my mind....time to hang 'em up or fire my incompetent editor.

born in 1998 so wouldn't have strong memories of clinton.

arrgggggh

P{hyllis

1/20/2021 06:12:46 pm

I find it amazing haw "great minds" think alike. Yesterday, it seems, I was singing "One Day More" all day? (Many strange looks, for sure. ) What a glorious day. Perhaps we can all breathe again, even through our masks! All the best to you and our country. May we all be blessed.

George

1/20/2021 06:55:29 pm

Alan: Dean spoke at a Hofstra graduation about 10 years ago -- was idealistic and inspiring, Schumer also spoke --about himself.
Both better than The Fool who just left.
Bruce: I watched in the Newsday office that day -- remember Robert Frost reading a poem.
Phyllis: you're the Queens Phyllis, right? We did well -- except for that nasty little kid from Midland Parkway. Be well. GV

Phyllis

1/26/2021 06:46:39 pm

All Queens, all the time!

Walter Schwartz

1/20/2021 07:19:08 pm

After four years of having to acknowledge that I grew up in Jamaica Estates, within a mile of the white pillars of the Trump Palace looking out upon Midland Parkway, and down upon the ordinary rest of us, I am now very comfortable with my former home borough of Queens taking a back seat to Brooklyn's Chuck Schumer, Douglas Emhoff and RBG, and this afternoon I was truly touched at seeing Justice Sonia Sotomayor of the South Bronx administer the vice presidential oath of office to Kamala Harris, a daughter of immigrants, whom every American should want to claim as our own neighbor and friend.

George

1/20/2021 07:31:08 pm

Chief: and Boinie with the mittens.
Great day. Even a few Republicans acting collegial. Sniveling cowards. Afraid of Trump
Taunting them. We had a mouthy guy in our youth. No names mentioned, please. GV

Altenir Silva

1/20/2021 07:40:19 pm

Dear George:
I suppose the entire world has been rooting for Joe Biden/Kamala Harris.
Today, I believe, a hope door opened to all Brazilians with moral sense. The bad could end, too.
I wish all my best to you all.
Altenir

George Vecsey

1/20/2021 09:06:27 pm

Dear Altenir: If not the entire world, at least the part that hasn't seen the American president kissing ther leader's boots.
We Americans talk about being moral leaders....and I really do believe a chunk of the world wants/needs a reliable American posture, as imperfect as we are.
At the first press conference by an impressive new press secretary,a Brazilian journalist asked a question. I missed it...
Just the first 9 hours and I feel relief.
best, George

Altenir Silva

1/21/2021 10:39:20 am

Dear George,
The new press Secretary said that Brazil is not a priority for the US. It’s because of Bolsonaro, a man that hates all things progressive and what is the best for the Brazilian people.
Best/Altenir

George Vecsey

1/21/2021 11:27:21 am

Altenir: Is that a satisfactory response, to you? Was she trying to send a message to the Bolsonaro to straighten up?

Chris Vecsey

1/20/2021 08:09:47 pm

A glorious day. I watched, listened and cried. Then I read a couple chapters of "It Can't Happen Here" and took a long nap.
Love,
Chris

George

1/20/2021 09:12:31 pm

Hi, Chris: The book is from our parents' house? I remember reading it when I was a kid., It was dystopian before the word became popular.
We had one of those who attracted the bullies and the racists. Sinclair Lewis had it nearly a century ago. But the events of the day were sweet, as you felt. So many nice touches -- that hero cop, Lady Gaga, who apparently is Biden's buddy, Harris' family (I thought of our family reunion a few years ago), and Biden's laying out an appeal for decency. Yes, tears. Good first day. G

Altenir Silva

1/21/2021 01:58:57 pm

Dear George,
I think Bolsonaro will change his strategy to escape impeachment. He was incompetent with the pandemic. It was disastrous. Biden / Kamala are an inspiration for Brazilian politicians.
Best/Altenir

Michael Bookbinder

1/21/2021 10:17:58 am

The little boy that went sleigh riding on my shoulders down Henley Road, grew up to try to wreck our America. I shed tears of relief watching the inauguration. M

George Vecsey

1/21/2021 11:36:33 am

Michael: A lot of decency in the air yesterday -- an emotional housecleaning of sorts, I think of that pampered rich kid blathering about his football team -- first times I met him, early 80s, with his wife Ivana having to correct him (zestfully, I thought) when he talked about the team. He was so stupid, unable to process ideas or emotions. Something wrong with him. At best, he was what Michelle Goldberg called him recently: "a callous schmuck." (In our Queens language.) Be well, GV

JimH

1/21/2021 01:06:16 pm

The whole day was like a breath of fresh air....especially considering what we watched on thos steps two weeks ago. And then, along came Amanda ...what an amazing way to conclude the ceremony.

George Vecsey

1/21/2021 02:17:49 pm

Reply to Berman Patterson's comment above:
Berman, it's a different world from when we were in Jamaica High mid-50s, and there was only one Black player on the championship team -- and you should have been on it. No African-American teachers. Not one. Miss Reed in the Office. She was it. You and your colleagues found a way -- as The Cleftones, one of the great groups of the age, and your solo career afterward. Great to hear from you.
George

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“We Can Breathe Again”

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