Category: History

An Essay About the State of the Republic Entitled “TODAY”

A Reading of D.S. Yarab’s essay “TODAY”

TODAY

We are a nation without reason.
We are a nation without morals.
We are a nation without purpose.

We have failed our inheritance.
We have failed our promise.
We have failed our future.

Once, we were a people who sought wisdom in the governance of reason, who fashioned our republic in the crucible of Enlightenment thought. We held that truth could be discerned, that knowledge was the safeguard against tyranny, that free inquiry was the antidote to superstition. Yet, we have cast aside the intellect of our forebears, bartering reason for the cheap currency of factional dogma, of ignorance parading as virtue.

Once, we understood that a republic, to endure, must be anchored in moral responsibility. The city upon a hill was not merely a boast—it was a charge, a demand, an expectation. Yet, we have allowed that moral vision to fragment, perverted into empty postures of righteousness, where sectarian division supplants shared virtue, and the sacred call to justice is drowned in the clamor of self-interest.

Once, we were a people of purpose, our liberties not mere indulgences but the instruments of human dignity and national strength. We were called to the defense of freedom, not merely for ourselves but for those who would follow. Yet, today, our purpose dissolves in the tide of complacency, our freedoms bartered for fleeting comforts, our equality abandoned to the rising chorus of cynicism and despair.

All factions—left, right, and center—have forsaken the principles that once defined us. Each has wrapped itself in the illusion of virtue while kneeling at the altar of Mammon. We claim fidelity to truth, but we scorn reason when it contradicts our desires. We speak of morality, yet we wield it as a weapon rather than a compass. We invoke purpose, but only as rhetoric to mask our pursuit of power and comfort.

And so we arrive at Today.

If we are honest—if we strip away our illusions and stand before the bar of judgment without recourse to excuse, evasion, or self-justification—we must confess: we are all complicit. No single faction bears this burden alone, nor can any claim the mantle of righteousness. We, the people, have chosen indulgence over discipline, grievance over responsibility, spectacle over substance. And in that choosing, we have undone the Republic.

But we are not bound to our ruin.

We must restore reason.
We must restore morality.
We must restore purpose.

To do so, we must abandon the golden idols who are unworthy to serve us, the oligarchs who plunder us, the ideologies that subvert reason. We must cast aside the anger, the bitterness, the division that have led us to forsake one another, that have severed us from our future and our purpose. If we are to be a people again—if we are to reclaim the inheritance we have squandered—we must choose anew. Not comfort, not grievance, not self-interest. We must choose to be worthy of the Republic, or else surrender to its final dissolution.

If we continue on our present course, where do we go?

If we have abandoned reason, morality, and purpose, what remains?

It is no longer a question of mere decline but of transformation. A Republic that ceases to be a Republic does not simply fade into irrelevance; it becomes something else, something unrecognizable to those who once believed in its founding principles. Have we already crossed that threshold? Have we slipped, not merely toward decay, but into authoritarianism?

The signs are unmistakable. A government that no longer serves its people but instead entrenches power. A citizenry that, weary of self-governance, willingly submits to rule by force or deception. A society that exalts spectacle over substance, division over unity, and vengeance over justice. These are the hallmarks of a nation no longer free in spirit, even if it still pretends to be free in form.

Authoritarianism does not always come with the fanfare of a coup or the boot of the oppressor; more often, it arrives in whispers, in the slow erosion of rights once taken for granted, in the willing abdication of responsibility by a people who have lost the will to govern themselves. It arrives when power, unchecked, ceases to be accountable. When the institutions meant to preserve liberty instead secure their own perpetuity. When law becomes a weapon, wielded not for justice but for control.

If we have not yet fallen fully into authoritarianism, then we are on its precipice. A people who no longer hold their leaders accountable, who no longer value reason, morality, or purpose, will find themselves ruled—not by wisdom, not by justice, but by those who know only how to command and demand obedience.

And so, we face a choice.

Do we accept this slow descent into tyranny, consoling ourselves with the illusion that we are still free, so long as we are comfortable? Do we resign ourselves to the idea that the Republic was always doomed, that we are powerless to reclaim it?

Or do we resist?

To resist is not merely to oppose a party or a faction. It is not to trade one demagogue for another. True resistance is the restoration of the very things we have abandoned: reason, morality, and purpose. It is the rejection of fear and cynicism, the refusal to accept the inevitability of our own undoing.

It is to say, as those before us have said in darker times: not yet, not now, not here.

Today is the reckoning.

What shall we make of tomorrow?

James Baldwin on Race: Insights from ‘The Cross of Redemption’

Photo of James Baldwin in 1969
James Baldwin in 1969. Photograph: Allan Warren CC BY-SA 3.0

One of the books I am currently reading is James Baldwin: The Cross of Redemption (Uncollected Writings), edited with an introduction by Randall Kenan and published in 2010. One of the essays in the collection, dated 1984 but still strikingly relevant, is “On Being White … and Other Lies.” A particular passage from that essay stood out to me:

“Just so does the white community, as a means of keeping itself white, elect, as they imagine, their political (!) representatives. No nation in the world, including England, is represented by so stunning a pantheon of the relentlessly mediocre. I will not name names—I will leave that to you.

But this cowardice, this necessity of justifying a totally false identity and of justifying what must be called a genocidal history, has placed everyone now living into the hands of the most ignorant and powerful people the world has ever seen. And how did they get that way? By deciding they were white. By opting for safety instead of life. By persuading themselves that a black child’s life meant nothing compared with a white child’s life. By abandoning their children to the things white men could buy. By informing their children that black women, black men, and black children had no human integrity that those who call themselves white were bound to respect. And in this debasement and definition of black people, they debased and defined themselves.” (The Cross of Redemption, pp. 168–169)

This passage struck me as just as relevant today as it was in Baldwin’s time. The language of racial division may sometimes be more coded—though often, it is not—but the underlying dynamics remain. Some now speak of a mythical golden age to be restored, painting diversity, equity, and inclusion as enemies to be vanquished. Yet Baldwin’s pantheon of the relentlessly mediocre remains firmly in place, with a growing number of elected officials – led by one in particular – who traffic in racial grievance and nostalgia for an edifice of the past that was built upon exclusion. The resentment they cultivate is growing more visceral, more vengeful by the day.

At its core, Baldwin’s essay is a reminder that race is a social construct—one created not out of noble ideals or science but out of moral rot. It was, and remains, a means of defining power and justifying subjugation. Today’s renewed emphasis on racial division in politics—whether explicit or coded—is no less morally bankrupt than in Baldwin’s time.

The Gulf of Mexico Renaming: A Shift Toward Authoritarianism

Perhaps historians, social commentators, and others have overlooked the significance of the official renaming of the Gulf of Mexico by the U.S. government. In retrospect, this single action—more than all the other actions of the recent past—may be the clearest indication that the Republic has slid into authoritarianism.

Consider this: every other action undertaken recently, no matter how heinous, illegal, or unconstitutional, was not truly surprising. These actions were long planned—rooted in old hatreds of people, ideas, and ideologies that have been debated in this country for decades, if not longer.

But to the point—he had a thought, perhaps fleeting, perhaps deliberate, to arbitrarily rename the Gulf. This was not a longstanding controversy, not a battle waged over decades. No committee debated it, no scholars weighed in, no political factions fought over it. It had never been considered or raised. It is not a point of hate or ideology. It was simply arbitrary, irrational, and ahistorical. And yet—voilà—it was done. No resistance. No hesitation. The act was obeyed with the same mechanical efficiency as in North Korea, the Soviet Union, Communist China, Nazi Germany, or Fascist Spain.

It was a test. Could he control thought, speech, and language itself without resistance? Yes. He could.

There were no legal battles, no protests, no challenges. The Gulf of Mexico was not—and had never been—an issue of public contention or even a discussion. Yet this renaming was an exercise in raw, unchecked power. And no one even stopped to ask, Wait—what? Why?

Thus, the Authoritarian States of America arrived. The Republic can be declared dead as of the day the U.S. government—or, at the latest, Google Maps—recognized the change.

Orwell warned us. Read Nineteen Eighty-Four. Read Politics and the English Language.

The Shattered Eagle: A Poetic Reflection on Democracy

Introduction

The Shattered Eagle is a poignant examination of constitutional crisis and democratic decay in modern America. Through vivid imagery and elegiac tone, it traces the symbolic fall of the American Republic, using the eagle as a metaphor for a nation once soaring with purpose but now battered by corruption, authoritarianism, and civic erosion. This meditation on institutional collapse examines the deterioration of checks and balances, the rise of illiberal power, and the fraying of democratic norms.

Themes and Significance

The poem critiques the erosion of constitutional democracy, judicial independence, and legislative integrity. It reflects on how demagoguery, partisan dysfunction, and the corruption of public institutions have undermined democratic ideals and the rule of law. Through its exploration of societal polarization and institutional decay, it captures the zeitgeist of a republic in crisis.

Yet amid constitutional peril and democratic backsliding, the poem poses a crucial question about renewal. Its final stanzas challenge readers to consider whether civic restoration is possible through recommitment to democratic principles and constitutional values.

A Poem for Our Times

Rich in metaphor and steeped in political philosophy, The Shattered Eagle invites readers to confront the realities of democratic erosion while contemplating paths to institutional renewal. Drawing on the tradition of great political poetry like Yeats’s The Second Coming and Auden’s September 1, 1939, this work speaks to the universal struggle to preserve constitutional democracy and the rule of law in an age of mounting illiberalism.

The Shattered Eagle

Once soared an eagle, wings outspread,
Its cry a clarion, freedom bred.
From gilded heights, it carved the skies,
Its dreams a nation dared to rise.

Yet winds of discord tore its plume,
Ambition’s torch became its tomb.
The golden thread of union frayed,
As shadows deepened, hope decayed.

Where laws were forged by reason’s might,
Now darkness shrouds their guiding light.
Once sworn to serve the commonweal,
They sold their oaths for power’s appeal.

The halls once rang with measured voice,
Where reason swayed the public choice.
Yet now the chambers echo lies,
As honeyed tongues weave thin disguise.

No laws they craft, but favors they sell,
To oligarchs who cast their spell.
Once stewards strong, they now kneel low,
To serve a leader’s fleeting glow.

The scales of justice, firm and true,
Now tilt, corrupted, favoring the few.
Once blind, now stained with partisan hue,
They take their bribes in plainest view.

No fealty now to law's command,
But whispers guide the justices’ hand.
From lofty heights, the court descends,
A tool for power, not amends.

The eagle's perch, the people's trust,
Now yields to one with tyrannous lust.
The laurels fall, the wreath departs,
A crown is forged for lawless hearts.

No equal here, a king ascends,
While truth dissolves and honor bends.
The oath betrayed, the power abused,
A throne of lies by fear infused.

The wheels once turned to serve the land,
Now falter at one man’s command.
Where duty reigned with steady hand,
Now chaos thrives and rot expands.

The gears once turned with steady grace,
Impartial hands for every case.
Now oiled with fear, the cogs obey,
A sovereign’s whims, the people's dismay.

No law to guide, no truth to bind,
The constitution lies maligned.
The servants sworn to guard the land
Now yield to lash at one command.

Ideals once held as shining beacons,
Now crumble ‘neath the weight of treasons.
Their lofty light, now dimmed and lost,
Is bartered for ambition’s cost.

The shining hill, a beacon high,
Now shrouded 'neath a darkened sky.
Its lofty dreams by greed betrayed,
By hands of those whose hearts decayed.

No vision guides, no ideals inspire,
But petty aims and base desire.
The noble pact, to truth once sworn,
Now trampled, tattered, and forlorn.

A fractured land, a shattered will,
Where hatred reigns and hearts grow still.
What union stood now falls apart,
Its seams undone by poisoned hearts.

The land now split by faction’s line,
Where rancor festers, hopes decline.
The brother turns on brother’s hand,
And hatred scorches all the land.

No union binds, no concord stays,
But discord reigns in endless days.
Society rent, uncivil, torn,
A weary people, broken, worn.

...

A weary people, broken, worn,
Where shadows fall and freedoms mourn.
Yet seeds may bloom, if hearts remain,
Resolved to rise through toil and pain.

A Folk Art Treasure: American Stoneware with Bird and Floral Motifs

Enlargement of the highly stylized bird motif on the American stoneware discussed in this post.

This exquisite example of American stoneware features a masterfully rendered cobalt blue depiction of a bird on its front, with gracefully detailed tail feathers and flowing, artistic lines. On the reverse, a simple yet elegant cluster of cobalt motifs, suggestive of floral forms with delicate stamen emerging from their centers, complements the primary design. Together, these elements create a charming piece that beautifully bridges utility and artistry.

American Stoneware, later 19th century, featuring bird motif. From the author’s collection.
The reverse design consists of a trio of stylized floral motifs, each appearing to have stamen delicately emerging from the center.

Historical Context

Stoneware was a cornerstone of 19th-century domestic life, essential for food preparation and storage. By the mid-19th century, stoneware shifted from ovoid shapes to more cylindrical forms, as seen in this vessel. This stylistic transition helps to date such pieces, with cylindrical containers typically associated with the latter half of the century.

New York State became a leading center for stoneware production, with its extensive canal system facilitating the transport of white clay from New Jersey and the distribution of finished goods across the region. Potters adorned these utilitarian wares with freehand cobalt designs, firing them in salt-glaze kilns to achieve their characteristic shiny finish.

The artistic designs on such stoneware, often created by untrained but skilled potters, are now celebrated as American folk art. Birds and floral motifs were among the most popular subjects, making this piece an exceptional representation of the genre.

Key Features

  • Primary Design: Freehand cobalt bird with stunningly detailed tail feathers, noted for its fluid and dynamic form.
  • Secondary Design: A trio of cobalt blue floral motifs on the reverse, each appearing to have stamen delicately emerging from the center, providing balance and artistic flair.
  • Additional Details: Cobalt highlights on the handles, a thoughtful touch indicative of the potter’s attention to detail.
  • Dimensions: 11 inches in height x 7 inches wide (flaring to 8 1/4 inches at top rim)
  • Condition: Very good for its age with minor glaze imperfections typical of the period. No cracks, chips, or restorations.

Artistic and Functional Legacy

This stoneware vessel exemplifies the creative spirit of 19th-century American potters, who transformed everyday objects into enduring works of art. Though utilitarian in origin, the piece’s intricate designs and craftsmanship ensure its lasting appeal as a collector’s item and a testament to the era’s artistry.

BackGround Information from The Weitsman Stoneware Collection