Shout! Shout! Let it all out. These are the things I can do without. Come on…

 

In an era where some demand access to every nook and cranny of democracy, we risk railroading moderation and compromise. So quick, find me a chair! I want to climb up and applaud the Unicameral for keeping leadership votes secret. The courage of these legislators to act in the best long term interests of all Nebraskans is to be applauded.

Debate and compromise is why, historically, the American model of self-governance worked. And as we all know from our private and professional lives, sometimes privacy matters.

The American model of self-governance was designed to be slow, inefficient, and force compromise, especially in our institutions. While modern political parties push for winner-take-all outcomes, our system of checks and balances pits political ideas against each other to force debate. By engaging reasonable but opposing ideas, we learn about the needs and wants of fellow Americans. This process teaches that neither Democrats nor Republicans have a monopoly on good or bad ideas, and although there is no moral equivalency between the right and the left at this moment, all groups suffer from bad actors. Through compromise, we get better policies and moderation, that legitimizes the outcome and dignifies the opposition.

But there are those who want to muzzle our democracy. Whether it is by legislation or intimidation, wittingly or otherwise, some will stop at nothing to take away our sense of security and freedom by attacking our model of self-governance.

This is done by undermining voter trust and confidence in free and fair elections.

Without trust, voters question the legitimacy of those elected.

Republican Senator Romney pays $5,000 a day to ward off threats to his family. An assailant’s hammer blows to Speaker Pelosi’s husband in their home was an assault on him and on democracy. Reuters’ report, Campaign of Fear, details an increasing number of assaults and threats on American poll workers.  Last year, of those who left their job in Election Offices, 1 in 10 cited threat and intimidation as the cause. In the aftermath of electing a House Speaker, threats against elected officials, their spouses, and children, were ghastly and sexually perverted. As the January 6^th Committee documented, this barrage on American Democracy is orchestrated and intentional. Nothing justifies or excuses this behavior.

During the 20s & 30s Germany was reeling in the aftermath of WW1 and suffering an economic tailspin. Pastor Martin Niemoller was an early supporter of German right wing authoritarianism. But when Niemoller spoke out against Germany leadership in 1937, he was branded a political enemy and sent to a concentration camp. We are reminded of Reverend Niemoller’s words…

First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist

Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist

Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist

Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew

Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me

Martin Luther King’s 1965 march across the Edmund Pettis Bridge demonstrated the importance of speaking out and voting. By voting we exercise our Constitutional right to choose, empower, and legitimize those who govern. As political parties move further to extremes, many increasingly vote AGAINST candidates, in favor of the “lesser of two evils.” As populism and extremism spread across Western Democracies, 2024 promises to be an inflection point in the Founding Father’s vision of America as a city on the hill and a beacon of democracy to the world. Let’s pray, or whatever you do, that the American voter understand exactly what they are voting on in November because it is so much more than a partisan nod to President Biden or Mr. Trump.

In these times, you shouldn't have to sell your soul. In black and white, they really, really ought to know.

Blow Wind Blow: Language and the Culture Wars

 

Pick a pronoun – any pronoun.  It’s interesting that among a generation raised expecting to “have it your way,” some are bothered by today’s variety of pronouns. For some, the paradox of choice in pronouns means tacit endorsement of a “LGBTQIA+ agenda.” For others, it’s an affront to their politics or inconvenience. Still others fear being ridiculed for using the wrong pronoun. And then there’s laziness and disregard for others.  The attention to Pronouns points to how, amid the culture wars, evolving language impacts our perception of the world.

The older I get, my occasionally stodgy self recalls Jefferson’s reply when asked about the complexity of religious plurality, “it neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.” Upon reflection, some issues don’t really affect us. Most people just want a life that includes happiness, dignity, affirmation, and freedom from harm.  

How many roads must a man walk down, before you call him a man? (Blowing in the Wind, Bob Dylan) 

On the other hand, few things are as important, or as anxiety laden as societal change. Whether it’s due to advancements in technology, evolving demographics, climate change, or pop culture, Western society is changing rapidly and, understandably, many find this concerning.  How we respond defines who we are.

An important element of change is evolving language. Years ago, a senior member of the Bush administration made an obvious but simple comment, “These are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns. That is to say, there are things that we know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns, the ones we don’t know we don’t know.”

Buried within our language, inferred or explicit are the ideas, images, and accepted norms of American society.  Most think in their native language. This means reality is defined by one’s vocabulary of words and ideas. In other words, you can only comprehend the unknown by using words and ideas that are known.  By changing language, we change ourselves.

And how many years can some people exist, before they're allowed to be free? 

When asked, I venture most would happily do what they could to end discrimination. Science confirms that humans experience mental and physical damage to their health caused by the stress associated with continued exposure to ideas or actions that deny dignity, one’s legitimate membership in society, or signals possible threats including a loss of freedom. This phenomenon has been well documented among Black women. The language you and I use, the way we act, intentionally or unknowingly, can contribute to other’s stress.

Yes and how many times can a man turn his head, and pretend that he just doesn't see? 

Like you, I am no saint. But I try to remember that no one wakes up hoping I make their life more difficult.  More than once I have learned that a plumber is as important as a pediatrician, that a mechanic is as essential as a Mayor. With age comes wisdom. 

And how many ears must one man have, before he can hear people cry?

As we adjust to the inevitability of a changing world, is it too much to ask that we modify our language to accommodate those who struggle for legitimacy, safety, and acknowledgment?  Whether it’s due to ethnicity, religion, age, education, socioeconomics, race, or sexuality, are those who simply want what we all want, a happy life, such a threat that we tolerate scapegoating by office seekers and malcontents?

Yes, and how many deaths will it take 'til he knows, that too many people have died?

The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind. The answer is blowin' in the wind

A New Rider in the Horse Race of Modern Politics

 

                                                              (Keb Mo, Put a Woman in Charge)

Described as ‘the election nobody wants,’ polling and election results point to voter dissatisfaction with both political parties and the choices being offered. Harvard-Harris polling shows that 68% of Democrats, 57% of Republicans, and 78% of Independents don’t want to vote for Mr. Trump or President Biden. Simply, the majority of voters are watching the horizon for a white horse candidate. In fact, American political history is rife with dark horse winners including Abraham Lincoln, Harry Truman, Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter, and Nebraska's own Senator Deb Fischer.

Way back when, in the beginning of time, Man made the fire then the wheel. Went from a horse to an automobile, he said, "the world is mine." He took the oceans and the sky, he set the borders, built the walls, he won't stop 'til he owns it all.                                

Voter support for abortion rights in Ohio highlights voter dissatisfaction. Polling indicates that between 61% (Pew) to 85% (Gallup) of voters support some form of legal access to abortion. And, as we’ve seen, voters in Ohio, New York, Maryland, Kansas, California, Michigan, Vermont, Kentucky, and Montana, really, really mean it. In 2024 Republican candidates will shy away from abortion.

So what?

News junkies across the political spectrum were stunned when former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley received a rousing applause during the 3^rd Republican Presidential debate last week for forging a moderate approach to abortion. While the others on stage, supposed small government and state’s rights candidates advocated for a national law on restricting abortion, Haley took a pragmatic approach and spoke of consensus, mutual respect, and a word rarely used anymore, compromise.

“Let’s find consensus,” she said, “We don’t need to divide America over this issue anymore…Let’s bring people together and decide what we can agree on.” The former Governor added, “As much as I’m pro-life, I don’t judge anyone for being pro-choice, and I don’t want them to judge me for being pro-life.”

Haley’s comments indicate a willingness to take a pragmatic, real-world, solution-seeking approach to the complex issues dividing Americans. Rather than falling back on party dogma, she presented a fresh idea that could allow her to break out of the pack. In an era where compromise is often four letter word, Haley proposed the path of tolerance; acknowledging ideological diversity, and the importance of civil public debate.

For too long now, political extremism, in the guise of an unwillingness to compromise and include the views of others, has shut down important and necessary discussions like immigration, fiscal responsibility, healthcare policies, and America’s role in an increasingly complex world. Most importantly, Haley had the character and the courage to very publicly stand up and speak out when too many others have been caving in to party bullies.

Enough is enough is enough is enough. I know the answer, put a woman in charge

In a word, perhaps, just perhaps, the white horse of hope for so many, a reasonable candidate they can vote for rather than against, will ride in as a political dark horse and return national politics to healthy public debate where reason triumphs over vitriol. In a race filled with old nags and hobbled horses, it only makes horse sense to give Nikki Haley another view in her race for the roses.

Character is more important the policy. A friend told me “I can’t stand the idea of another four years of suffering and people being afraid…Haley has taken everything the others have thrown at her yet she’s strong without being extreme.”

It’s still too early to say but it may be time to put a woman in the winner’s circle.

The time has come, we've got to turn this world around. Call the mothers, call the daughters: we need the sisters of mercy now. She'll be a hero, not a fool. She's got the power, to change the rules. She's got something that men don't have, she is kind and she understands. Put a woman in charge.

Why is Congress so Dysfunctional? A Complex Problem Requires a Complex Answer

 

Why is Congress so dysfunctional? A complex problem requires a complex answer.

Tribalism: The U.S. Surgeon General’s, Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation reports an increasing lack of social connections poses a significant health risk. Stress caused by isolation and loneliness is the equivalent of smoking 15 cigarettes a day. With withdrawal, trust and social capital go down while societal divisions go up. As people become antisocial they become defensive, distrustful, callous, and hostile.

The American Enterprise Institute found that lonely people often fill their loneliness-void with politics and tribalism.  “Politics provides an easy way to feel a sense of purpose.” When one’s identity is defined by their politics, “a person’s moral stature is based not on their conduct but on their location on the political spectrum.” In other words, personal responsibility is replaced with hyper-politicization.

Well, I’m running down the road trying to loosen my load. Take it easy (The Eagles)

Immorality: We increasingly see immoral actions by elected officials. Not only do we tolerate what was once unacceptable, we’re applauding it with donations. For some, the worse they behave, the more they raise.

A Virginia State House candidate was exposed for performing sex acts with her husband, by request, online to raise money, “for a good cause.” When exposed she blamed Republicans for an invasion of privacy…”to humiliate me and my family.” Suggesting, “…there is no line they won’t cross to silence women when they speak up.” Congresswoman Boebert hit the news for being ejected from a public stage performance because the real and very public “performance” was between her and her date. Congressman Santos has been charged with stealing donor identities and fraudulent use of their credit cards. After resigning for surreptitiously taking photos of a young woman, Nebraska Unicameral Senator Groene retorted, “I did nothing wrong…I’m not gonna let the Democrats attack me and embarrass my family and my wife.”  Senator Menendez is facing charges of bribery, extortion, and conspiracy to use his office to act as a foreign agent.

Lighten up while you still can. Don’t even try to understand. Just find a place to make your stand. Take it easy.

Even political ads incorporate violence. Over 100 political ads featured guns during the 2022 midterm. Arizona’s Jim Lamon ran campaign ads gunning down his political opponent Mark Kelly despite Kelly’s wife, former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords having been shot in the head. Earlier Sarah Palin ran an ad that focused a rifle scope on Giffords. Former Missouri Governor Greitens ran an ad wearing fatigues, kicking-in a door with gun in hand, and offering RINOs hunting permits. The Missouri Fraternal Order of Police condemned the spot saying, “This deplorable ad has no place in our political system and sends the message that it is acceptable to kill those that have differing political beliefs.” Finally, former President Trump is named in four pending felony suits and was convicted of sexual abuse, fraud, and misuse of charitable funds.

It’s no mystery why political trust is at an all-time low.

It’s a girl my lord in a flatbed Ford slowing down to take a look at me.

Distrust: The foundation of our model of self-governance depends upon trust. Since the 1970s, trust in the medical industry has fallen by 46%, organized religion has fallen 33%, the Supreme Court is down nearly 20%, banks and schools by 34%, and only 30% trust the media. Congress is down to 8% while the criminal justice system holds steady at 17%. Surprisingly, science tops the chart with the trust of 64% of Americans.

Fear: PBS reports that 83% of Americans feel our Democracy is under threat and only 9% believe the parties can work together.” Tellingly, 3 out of 4 say compromise is more important than standing on principle, and while a rudderless GOP House struggle for leadership, unlike Hastert, Boehner, Ryan, or McCarthy, Pelosi held her party together.

We may lose, and we may win. Though we will (probably) be here again, so open up I’m climbing in. Take it easy.

In November there’ll be another budget showdown. The House majority GOP can bow to MAGA radicals and default on creditors or they can reach out to Democrats and compromise: something a large margin of Americans support. Whatever they decide to do, it will be self-inflicted, somehow President Biden will be blamed, and your family will suffer the consequences. The lesson is that character matters more than ideology.

National Debt, Boosting the Economy, and Global Warming: One Solution?

 

Can one policy initiative chip away at three massive problems?  While simplistic, there are three ways to minimize debt and deficit: shrink government expenditures by cutting spending including benefits, increase government income through economic growth or increasing taxes , or some combination of the two (as Canada proved in 1995).

In the mid-1990s, the U.S. Economy boomed. According to Brookings Institute, “The 1990s American boom… was led by private-sector spending and private-sector employment… The cause of this acceleration in productivity is still the subject of debate.” Many argue that the development of the internet and desk top computer stoked the economy. “The 1990s were remembered as a time of strong economic growth, steady job creation, low inflation, rising productivity, economic boom, and a surging stock market that resulted from a combination of rapid technological changes and sound central monetary policy.”

Greetings! Kermit the Frog here and today I'd like to tell you a little bit about the color green. Do you know what's green? Well I am for one thing. You see frogs are green, and I'm a frog, and that means I'm green.

In his book, Free to Choose, conservative economist Milton Friedman wrote, “Most economists agree that a far better way to control pollution… [is] by imposing effluent charges.”  Specifically, the conservative Nobel Prize winner wrote, “…instead of requiring firms to erect specific kinds of water disposal plants or to achieve a specified level of water quality…impose a tax of a specified amount per unit of effluent being discharged” (pg 217).  “Like regulations, an effluent charge automatically puts the cost on the users of the products responsible for the pollution.”

Today, nearly every major automobile manufacturer has declared a timeline for ending the use of the gasoline propelled internal combustion engine including Ford, General Motors, Mercedes Benz, Audi, Volvo, Toyota, Volkswagen, Porsche, Jaguar, and Land Rover. American exhaust pipes are responsible for 28% of greenhouse emissions (EPA, 2023).

It's not that easy bein' green, having to spend each day the color of the leaves. When I think it could be nicer bein' red or yellow or gold, or something much more colorful like that.

So where is this going?

Between 1996 and 2002, when the US economy grew by approximately 4% annually, we learned that new technology creates jobs and wealth, thereby growing the economy and increasing tax revenues,.

On July 5^th, a new record was set for the hottest global temperature.  In March 2023, UNL reported that 98% of Nebraska was in a drought – literally hitting us in the breadbasket. That the climate is heating up, and that human activity plays a significant role is well documented. Today, 60% of our major trading partners are actively pursuing green energy while the USA is losing ground in this tech space. 

According to the International Monetary Fund, ‘big oil” worldwide receives $5.8 trillion in government subsidies every year. Reuters reports that oil companies doubled their annual profits to $219 billion in 2019.

But Green’s the color of spring. And green can be cool and friendly-like. And green can be big like an ocean or important like a mountain, or tall like a tree.

Simply, the time has arrived to stop being taken for a debt-driven subsidy ride by big oil and start discussing how Green Technology can help transform our economy, mitigate global warming trends, ease stress on agriculture, and reduce national debt and deficits. Yes, zealots, partisans, and activists can be overly aggressive finger-waggers, hyperbolic, and act with absurd bias. But, as the auto industry shows, private companies and competitive economies are making long term plans to adapt to climate change.  There is no single silver bullet to solving these complex problems but there are obvious incremental steps, including Green Energy, which voters and political leaders need to discuss, debate, and put into motion. 

I recall three moments in my life when our nation came together; the assassination of John Kennedy in 1963, landing on the moon in 1969, and the tragedy of September 11^th. Perhaps being green finally makes sense since everyone benefits and all we have to lose is everything.

When green is all there is to be. It could make you wonder why. But why wonder? I’m green and it’ll don fine. It’s beautiful and I think it’s what I want to be. 

The Push Me-Pull You of Republican Populism

 A Chinese proverb says, “May you live in interesting times.” Whether that’s a curse or a blessing is up for grabs. Like it or not, Mr. Trump has certainly made things interesting. After his recent arrest, despite all the speculations and innuendos, here are several points the pundits missed.

If you want it, here it is, come and get it
But you'd better hurry 'cause it's goin' fast (Come & Get It, Badfinger/ Paul McCartney)

First, there is no comparison between Trump’s Mara Largo gaff and the actions of Pence, Biden, or even Clinton. Instead of cowboy’n up, Trump went Watergate by lying and cover-up. Missing a play this obvious should concern inquiring minds as to Trump’s abilities to make decisions under real pressure.  Simply, he failed a test even a “diminished” Biden easily passed.

Second, Chris Christie pointed out that election results in 2018, 2020, and 2022 signaled Trump fatigue among voters. Election fraud is a debunked canard and voters widely rejected those claiming otherwise. If things remain as they are, a Trump v Biden rematch appears likely, and if, “what’s past is prologue,” a Biden victory is imminent. What? Not excited? While Biden was and remains, the best option since 2020, I have yet to meet anyone outside of MAGA- circles excited about either candidate. Simply, another Trump v Biden race is, sadly, “the best bad idea we’ve had by far.”

Did I hear you say that there must be a catch?
Will you walk away from a fool and his money?

Third, former Reagan speechwriter and Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan suggests a Trump Primary victory is the end of the Republican Party. Since 2016, independents and moderates have begun voting left of center. Noonan opines a third Trump campaign will solidify the divorce. America is best served by a healthy two-party system. If you think we have problems now, a multiparty system will be a real, “here, hold my drink” debacle.  

Fourth, Trump’s arrest is a golden parachute for Republicans. Instead of defending something so easily avoidable, Republican leadership should let the courts do the dirty work for them. By backing the judicial system, the GOP could elevate trust in our institutions of self-governance, side-step an obvious dumpster fire, and re-up their claim of being the law and justice party. Regardless of party affiliation, if someone breaks the law, they should face the justice system. By allowing the courts to deal with Trump, Biden’s viability as the guy who did and can beat Trump becomes challengeable, and voila [wa la], both candidates are eased out of the race – solving problems for both parties.

If you want it, here it is, come and get it
But you'd better hurry 'cause it's goin' fast

Finally, about every 100 years, Americans get to play ‘whack a mole’ with populism. Our sixth President, Andrew Jackson served from 1829 to 1837, Nebraska’s William Jennings Bryan, ‘The Great Commoner’ was a national figure from 1896 to 1908, and Teddy Roosevelt’s Bull Moose Party (1912) & Ross Perot (19912 – 1996) lead us up to Trump (2016). By the mid-1990s, the Republican Party moved from Reagan’s conservative platform toward populism. Like the Democrats, along the way toward ideological purity, the GOP ejected moderates. Consequently, extremists in both parties have become more strident, intolerant, and offering legislation less representative of the majority of Americans.

As both parties demanded ideological loyalty, the bedrock of self-governance, civil debate, fell to the wayside and compromise became a dirty word. Healthy public discussions and political debates restrain extremism through the moderating effects of competing ideas, constructive dissent, and respectful civil engagement. Paul Ryan, Jeff Flake, Liz Cheney, Scott Walker, Ben Sasse, and Adam Kinzinger represented the future of the GOP. Alas, they’ve left or were pushed out and today the GOP’s Presidential bench is discernably weak and the party is subject to the whims of, to quote Senator Romney (R), “morons.”

If there’s been a silver lining, it’s been watching Congressman Bacon’s political evolution. Subjected to MAGA slings and arrows, Bacon was recently recognized for his cross-aisle overtures and participation in bipartisan groups such as Problems Solvers. Former NYC Mayoral candidate Ed Koch once said, “If you agree with me on 9 out of 12 issues, vote for me. If you agree with me on 12 out of 12 issues, see a psychiatrist.” Many don’t agree with Bacon on everything but he’s matured into an elected official who, even under stress or disagreement, demonstrates character and integrity. And in these moments, there is hope.

Remembering Dr. John Spivack @ Bellevue University

John could tell stories of living in New York City. He lived there as a child and as a college student. Among his friends were Liza Minelli (daughter of Judy Garland) and Artie Garfunkel (Simon and Garfunkel).  “Liza was a lousy kisser” he claimed. John shared adventures that included shuffling up to Harlem to see the most famous jazz musicians in their prime including Miles Davis, Nina Simone, and John Coltrane. But he made sure you knew that vocal recordings by legendary trumpet player Chet Baker were unfit for the human ear. I was awestruck that John not only knew of the musicians I admired but had seen them on a near-weekly basis. He was, for me, a walking, talking encyclopedia of first-hand musical knowledge.

During his formative years, John’s family lived in Orlando. John talked about delivering bootlegged liquor as a teenager. Running from the authorities with a trunk load of bootlegged booze is the impetus for NASCAR. John’s neighbor in Orlando was Frank Schiffman. Schiffman ran Harlem’s Apollo Theatre from 1935 to the late 70s. The Apollo was the center of African American culture during the Harlem Renaissance and there was John, in the proverbial front row, of a cultural revolution.

                                                      

John also shared that he attended college classes with Amitai Etzioni who later became known as America’s foremost Communitarian theorist. Having read, let alone knowing who Etzioni set the table for many a discussion with John. I suppose what drew John and I together was our shared foundation of knowledge and love for all things musical and political. We could nuisance a single point of debate for hours and then, just as passionately, he would besmirch the language of our industry by referring to it as ‘Educationese.’ “Why can they just speak English?” he would ask and then laugh that laugh.

One summer John and I came to the office every day. Me, because I didn’t know any better and John because he had nothing better to do. Because he walked with a cane, John made a sort of clicking noise as he walked down the hall. Whenever I heard that clicking, I knew he was coming down the hall.

There were two courses that John took great pride in: baseball and the Holocaust. Each was an extension of his personality: one made him joyful while the other served as penitence. There were times when teaching the Holocaust and then grading the papers, re-reading of the horrors of genocide, wore him out. John regretted not having been more involved in the Civil Rights marches in the 1960s. He felt he had shirked the blows that other’s willing accepted: that he had no red badge of courage. On some level, teaching about man’s inhumanity to man during the Holocaust seemed to be John’s way of making up for sitting out, in his view, the important societal struggles of the 1960s. While John could be mean and judgmental, he had buckets of character. He wanted to be the guy that was known for punching up.

If there was one person on campus for whom John held his highest level of disregard, it was Ed Rauchut. I never really knew Sandy until I came to Bellevue University but my mom had been the preschool Sp-Ed teacher for Ed’s special needs daughter, Evy. When Garrison Keillor (NPR’s Prairie Home Companion) mentioned Ed’s course, ‘Rush (Limbaugh) is Right,’ I was equally happy to be at arm’s length from Ed’s neocon politics…I mean his PhD was in Shakespeare for Pete’s sake!

One day Ed stopped by my office. With cane in hand, John walked across the hallway, stuck his head in my door and asked, in the crassest way possible what Rauchut was doing in my office: totally ignoring Ed in the process . Ed’s reply was equally unrepeatable but it baited John to come in. Their mutual animosity was palatable until Ed mentioned his handicapped daughter Evy.

Later, after Ed had left, John wondered aloud how a man with such awful politics could be such a caring father: he really admired Ed’s care and concern for Evy.

While Ed and John could both be, to put it nicely, stinkers, it wasn’t long before they were friends. Once Ed snuck into my office and called John, who was in the office across the hall. He berated John, as was their custom now, and challenged him in a race to my office (which Ed was already in). John would hurriedly got up and rushed over only to find Ed laughing at the somewhat sophomoric prank he’d pulled. Later, amid discussion, Ed surreptitiously pull out his cellphone and dial John’s office phone. John got up, hobbled across the hall to answer the phone. When he realized Ed’s prank, well, things got salty. The madder John got, the harder we laughed: which only irritated John more. And so it went.  They really ended up loving each other and it was fun to be a part of that.

Once it was the first class of a new semester. John was teaching a history course down the hall. These rooms have two doors: one on the right side and another on the left. Despite being our first class, I convinced the new students that we needed to play a prank on John. Walking in a line, without saying a word, we limboed in one door and out the other. At first John was livid we’d interrupted his carefully prepared remarks but as his students began laughing I could hear John: laughing that laugh.

When I first came to the University, faculty would gather twice a year to approve the slate of graduates. It was a tradition that John would research the grade point averages of each college by sharing which percentage of students who had earned 4.0s. His dripping sarcasm made it feel as though your Granddad was spanking you in public. The first time I attended, I decided I did not like this man! It was later that I realized I had worked with John’s wife Hele for years: with that came a special dispensation into John’s world. Our first real interaction was watching a World Cup Soccer match online in my office. “You actually like this? What! A sport? Is this a real sport?” he asked. I did my best to teach him how to enjoy soccer and he reminded me, “That’s fine but it’s a whole lot easier than hitting a round ball with a round bat” as he argued for the purity of America’s past time.

Although smoking on campus was not allowed, John vaped in his office.

“Can you smell it?”

Even though there was no smell, “I can smell it down the hall” I said. With that, what was left of his eyebrows arched up with impish scheming. Later, I noticed the door was closed completely and a coat was stuffed under the door: clearly a practiced deception. For me, there was an element of sinful joy tormenting him for his worst habits.

As an inside joke, John would affectional refer to me as his Shabbat Goy. Due to his vast collection of aches, pains, and maladies, I would help him navigate slippery snow and ice, and, the occasional obstruction.  There was a time when I was struggling mightily over an issue. It was under-my-skin and John could sense it. I’ll always remember John placing his hand on my arm and resting his head next to mine: no words but the kindness of the gesture defined our friendship.

For a while, John recorded a spoken word series of radio shows referring to himself as The Old Curmudgeon. Each essay was a caustic, biting rant against things he didn’t like, like cable news, overzealous happiness, political and personal dishonesty, and willful thoughtlessness towards others.  There’s John, forever punching up.

I love that guy; he was my mentor, he was my student, he was my friend: and I miss him deeply.