It is for us to stay steady and to project what we want to see.
Ann: The Lion in Winter?
Richard Burton: Yes, love, that is what is happening. The Lion is dying. He rails against the light, not the dark because he has lived in dark all of his life and that is home to him. My friend Dylan would, I think, be perplexed by the death throes of a man so committed to harm and destruction that he destroys himself by his own machinations all the way to the very end.
What we are to glean from the recent cascade of events is that nothing can prevail without true sustenance, not ego, not darkness, not intentional harm, nor self-righteous corruption. This man truly feels he is entitled, and that is what will become ever more exposed with the progress of his illness and ongoing business revelations.
It is the perfect storm. Death, figuratively if not literally, by Covid, the earth’s revenge on the very essence that this man represents. Corruption of everyone and everything he touches, beautifully symbolized by his role as Super-Spreader In Chief. And finally his unwavering commitment to the dark energy that he mistakenly thinks feeds him, be it the foreign cabal with rogue nations who live only to perpetuate their own mob rule, or his complete indifference to the sufferings of his own people.
Note that he does not see Americans as his people. His people, his clan, are the dark dictators of the world because these are his lifelines to power and ego maniacal purpose and, yes, even immortality in his devolving mental state.
This is not to say that the scales will fall from the eyes of his enablers and true believers as or when he goes down. He will be hailed as a hero facing down the odds for the many who will follow ever more fervently in his wake. They will be energized and become more anarchical, turning with crazed delight to violence and destruction, and give as their excuse the raising of arms on behalf of their wounded leader. You will see evil manifested.
It is for the rest of us to stay steady, to project what we want to see. I come back to Bapu,* “Be the world you want to create.” No celebrations, no recriminations, bring into the fold without blame or confession those who are beginning to see .
Go forward with vision, for vision will help to manifest the reality that is emerging from the rubble, not forgetting to acknowledge our own complicity in enabling some of the forces which have made this disgraceful chapter in human history possible.
If we persevere, it cannot continue. Keep your eyes on the light that is piecing the veil of memory for many and which is illuminating the future for all of us. We defend at every turn, fight if required, but we resolve to keep our focus on the world we will be creating now that we have been given the chance.
October 2, 2020
*Mahatma Gandhi, see posts on this blog.
Thank you Ann and Richard for your light .
Perfectly said, Richard.