Cats & Dogs & Pets!
No.228: September 14, 2024
Welcome to The Square Inch, a Friday newsletter on Christianity, culture, and all of the many-varied “square inches” of God’s domain. This is normally a paid subscription feature with a preview before the paywall, but today is free. Please consider subscribing to enjoy this weekly missive along with an occasional “Off The Shelf” feature about books, a frequent Pipe & Dram feature of little monologues/conversations in my study, and Wednesday’s “The Quarter Inch,” a quick(er) commentary on current events.
Dear Friends,
I have been feeling a bit under the weather the past few days and as much as I hate missing one of my self-imposed Friday deadlines I really did consider skipping this week altogether. I generally only like to write when I have something I think I need to say, lest I waste everyone’s time. And I will be really honest: everyone else is writing about things that hardly energize or excite me.
Maybe you need more commentary on Springfield, Ohio residents allegedly having their cats and dogs and pets stolen and eaten by Haitian immigrants? Okay. Here goes: Donald Trump and his team spend way too much time on the Internet and there are plenty of ways to attack their opponents on immigration without making stuff up. On the other hand, it did give us this bit of comedy gold:
Or maybe you need some commentary on how Kamala Harris’s earrings were actually covert earphones so that somebody could whisper in her ear during the debate? Okay. Here goes: if that were true—and it isn’t—whoever was on the other end is a vacuous know-nothing, too.
Sigh. You see what I mean? There’s just not much to say.
So today I think I’ll just give you a few short items.
I told you that once Trump got nominated you should get ready for “the full-court press: the cajoling, the scolding, the emotional appeals, the fear-mongering, the guilt-manipulation, the demands to unify the party, get in line, and support the Republican nominee.” Here’s Dennis Prager getting in on the act: “You Hate Trump? Get Over It.” It takes a certain chutzpah to begin an essay by asserting that people who refuse to support [checks notes] Donald Trump are “childish.” Donald Trump is not exactly the poster child for maturity, and Prager’s “arguments,” such as they are, are themselves juvenile. They are two: 1) Character doesn’t matter for leadership. 2) Trump did some bad things, but the other side is worse. That’s … it. Then he closes by saying that if you don’t vote for Trump, you are worse than childish; you are a “destructive narcissist.”
Very persuasive, Dennis. But No. Back when I was a kid the Democrats stood for treating Russia with kid gloves, abandoning allies to Soviet domination, expressing admiration for “misunderstood” tyrants, opposing American projection of power, tariffs and trade protectionism, and the “right to choose” abortion for women. Stop asking me to vote for one now.
If you would like a way to escape the hysterical apocalypticism of current politics, I recommend picking up a copy of Yuval Levin’s new book, American Covenant: How The Constitution Unified Our Nation—and Could Again. It is such a terrific civics lesson, but more than that it will help you deeply internalize just how organic, multilayered, and antifragile is our nation. Partisans are always trying to get you to believe that the results of any given election will mean instant doom (just click on that Prager piece, above, to see what I mean), when reality is that the ship of state is designed to absorb and withstand radical change. Our system is being tested, for sure. But there is no need to desperately vote for obviously unfit people to “save our country.” We will be better served if the parties were forced to stop feeding us terrible candidates. They’ll have no incentive to do so until the American people give them an incentive to do so. Write in someone other than these two. But don’t just take it from me. Warren Cole Smith explains why here.
Baseball season is wrapping up and our beloved Twins have been on an infuriating roller-coaster ride all season long. They look terrific for a week, and then fall apart for a week. We’re currently in line for a Wild Card playoff spot, but our spirits are not particularly hopeful for a lengthy playoff run.
I bring it up just to express total amazement that the Chicago White Sox are currently 33-115. They are almost certain to break the modern-era record of 120 losses. Most people know how much contempt I have for the White Sox (Twins rivals and the Ozzie Guillen years were particularly bitter), but thirty-three wins in mid-September is enough to kindle some compassion in my heart for those poor, poor players. I can’t imagine how they get out of bed and go to the ballpark every day.
Vocals for the album are hopefully getting wrapped up on Monday! Thanks for reading The Square Inch Newsletter. Have a great rest of your weekend!
I found this very helpful. I read the Warren Cole Smith piece too. Thank you.