To Pay the Piper

The attack on the Capital just last week needed time to settle. It was something so huge and horrific that, for me, it took a while to accept in my head: that democracy in the United States could come so close to toppling with yahoos invading the chambers, parading confederate flags and anti Semitic messages, guns drawn and rabid faces turned triumphant to the world.

We were aghast, rendered speechless , and the tinpot dictator urging them on to breach the gates with treason, murder and chaos was the President himself, murmuring, “We love you. You are special.” How do we grapple with the onslaught, the appeasement, the goading on to insurrection, horror in the House where security and compromise should be sheltered, not disrupted and put into peril? And worse yet, in spite of prior warnings both tacit and explicit, this attack was known to be coming! Arnold Schwarzenegger compared it to 1938’s Kristallnacht, the beginning rather than, hopefully, the end of violence and treasonness behaviour.

 Of course, we were not surprised as the last four years have been about narcissistic behaviour, the rants of a spoiled baby, the breaking of rules and  the outright- in-your- face flagrant transgression of values. Yet overturning the actual building blocks of democracy because the bad child lost the ultimate game- in such a selfish, erratic manner left us speechless.

And certainly it took me more than a few days to find the words to condemn, along with so many others, how Trump had transformed the United States into a parody of Justice, a toy to be thrown to the wall- and wolves,  when it did not suit his purpose. There are no words strong enough to lash out with, although the  hearts, minds and souls of most of the world are roiling with disbelief and visceral pain at the outrage.

Leave it to Stephen Colbert to be our Everyman. He who has mocked, ridiculed and brought the behaviour of the madman to the screen to be scrutinized for years. Colbert ranted, emoted, raised his voice in outrage, incredulous, eyes overflowing, at the horror of the event. And he persisted in his monologue , in a state of wonder at the insurrection. He asserted in his 14 minute rant, making explicit that Republicans such as Cruze, Hawley, Brooks and Fox News who have supported Trump’s disillusions, share the guilt. He yelled out,

“For years now, people have been telling you cowards that if you let the president lie and lie over, then join him in that lie and say he’s right when you know for a fact that he’s not, there will be a terrible price to pay. But you just thought you’d never have to pay it, too.”

Chuck Todd, too, from Meet the Press, quietly but aghast as well, confessed that he would never look at American politics the same. And it is true, this terrible breach has broken something precious in us, the scales falling from our eyes in this wonder- of disbelief, causing us to wander, somewhat aimlessly in the dust of broken certainties.

But Colbert, his nightly broadcasts piercing the tedium of Covid with some laughter, animation and interviews spoke for all of us, condemning, yet again, the insult and onslaught of the stupid, the self- righteous, some fitted out in Halloween garb, the proclaimers, the followers of  Trump, their messiah and the outcome in the final days of the unstable, demented  man.

Trump has believed he can do what he likes, no consequences for him. Whether groping women, speaking out rudely and insensitively, insulting women, the military, Blacks or the handicapped, deploying troops to remove peaceful protesters from the streets, revealing his taxes, chastising those who support climate change, freeing criminals fairly tried and imprisoned, dancing with Russia or cozying up with dictators, ignoring science, or even when infected with coronavirus, there have been no censures, no restrictions on his moves and abuses.

He does what he wants. He slips like a greased pig through the gears of the world, golfing with abandon, snubbing his nose, proclaiming through social media( until NOW) lies. He is the anti-role model for the future. And Colbert has constantly drawn attention to the man who would be king in his ersatz Versailles world of gold.

Interviewing James B. Comey, removed as the head of the FBI by Trump, for not swearing loyalty , Colbert asked the hard questions and Comey, deep in considered thought, displayed by his person the disgust and revulsion he holds and maintains for Trump. But asked about further prosecution of Trump, Comey turned the other cheek, suggesting Trump wants to be the topic of focus- for the next three years it may take: to deal with him; and this exposure is exactly the platformTrump desires- to be held in the public eye.

Ironically, Trump’s prosecution has the potential to overshadow Biden’s Inauguration Day, as the impeachment trial would commence on that date. Comey  continued that Biden’s desire to heal cannot be aided by having Trump around to dispel or punctuate that objective. Comey and Colbert discussed the need to punish Trump’s renegades who ransacked the capital with long and bitter sentences for their treason.

What came to my mind was the quote from MacBeth,

“ We have scorched the snake, not killed it…

But in these cases we still have judgement here, that we but teach bloody instructions, which, being taught, return to plague th’ inventor…”

And

“The worm that’s fled hath nature that in time will venom breed, no teeth for th’ present..”

And without removing the possibility of holding future office, the possibility of the snake rising again is possible. In other words unlike Comey, I want to see Trump brought low, publicly embarrassed and made to be seen accountable, wherein there are consequences for actions. Where his henchmen  must pay, the tip of the food chain must also pay the price- beyond the words that will at the very least be recorded in history and children’s textbooks: the first president to be impeached twice, this disingenuous cartoon of a president.

In our world where so much has been destroyed and for too long, role models have been the rich, the powerful, and too many have been permitted to break or bend laws, I need a restoration of what makes life sing: a return to kind, care, civility, thoughtfulness and The Golden Rule, we were drilled with as kids ourselves.

With the end of Apartheid, South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, in an attempt to restore a divided society identified the perpetrators of violence and insisted on testimony along with expressed regret for actions. Some wrong doers and evil men and women were dismissed, but many tried in court and were found guilty. Nevertheless, the process began with the admission of guilt, contrition. It commenced with an understanding of the wrongdoing committed in society.

In the United States,Trump has not confessed; he even denies any wrong doing in inciting  sedition.  So if he does not or cannot accept his role, his actions, how can he and society accept change is necessary? And at whose feet  should the guilt and shame be placed?

Madeleine Dean, Representative from Pennsylvania stated, “The only path to any reunification of this broken and divided country is by shining a light on the truth.” Alaska Senator Lisa Murokski also said, “ Such unlawful actions cannot go without consequence.” (Globe and Mail, Jan 15) And yet, self- serving fealty to Trump is still so strong that only 10 Republicans voted to impeach, Liz Cheney being the third most powerful Republican in the House, to do so. In their heads, those spineless fellows, citing slippery Lindsey Graham and Mitch McConnell, in particular, must be hearing, “ You’re fired” as they equivocate, their hypocrisy living easily in their capricious bodies.

And again last night on Colbert, Bernie Sanders mused that so many- 73 million did in fact vote for Trump and why is it that the poor, the disenfranchised would support a lying, megalomaniac trickster? How is it possible that they would look to Trump, an elitist, arrogant, white male for salvation? I’ve been scratching my head as well. Sanders, Jane Fonda, others have stressed the need to communicate with, dialogue and empathize in meaningful ways with the people who feel so cast aside.

And so, I think it true: to return those old, tarnished values, those of listening, caring, speaking up for what is actually true, ethical and moral, for role models of integrity to re- emerge in society and demonstrate that every person matters.As Sanders reiterated,

“People are losing faith in government…We have to restore that faith by saying, ‘you know what, we hear your pain.’”

Dear Audiences of Evan Hansen

Much has been written on Dear Evan Hansen and this review will only add to the impression it leaves on a theatre- goer. From the beginning, it establishes itself as intimate and meaningful, immediately plunging the viewer into the central issue of the self- deprecating and self- loathing high school student, Evan Hansen: who all ready regrets his sweaty palms that cause him not to make contact with a girl.Although teenage angst is universal and as his mother reminds him- that only cheerleaders and football players love high school, he is at the edge of the spectrum in his fears. Yet on the first day back to school along comes Connor, another high school student, even more unhappy and miserable in his life than Evan. The contact between the two boys is brief with Connor signing Evans cast in huge letters, the sole name Evan is able to collect.

But as Jared, a family friend of Evan’s proclaims half way through, SPOILER ALERT, Connor’s disappearance and untimely death is the best thing to ever happen to Evan. It begins with a small lie that due to social media grows and envelops the life of Evan, attracting friends, providing a reason for Evan to overcome his anxieties and even speak publicly, when previously a class presentation was not possible. Not only does Evan grow in self- confidence, he becomes a substitute son to Connor’s family, people whose resources mean they can listen, take time with him, demonstrate their caring.As well, his initial sweaty palms interest who happens to be Zoe, Connor’s sister, evolves to girlfriend status. So Evan has been transformed into the Evan he once dreamed of being. From the nerdy child of a single mother with limited resources to favoured darling, Evan’s life catapults to a place of acceptance.

However, all of the improvements are based on that little lie that grew. Evan at first is confounded, honest in trying to explain to Jared that this is not the case at all, but the attraction of friends, family, a new better improved version of oneself is too seductive to not maintain the untruths. And the accessibility of computers that can spread lies without concern for facts or verification moves like a virus that appeals to the prurient interest of both young and old, striking a cord in the community. A child of the technology,Evan becomes the engine that drives the narrative.And like fake news, it’s accepted as truth, gossiped about, focused upon as it rips through the homes and conversations in the community.

And for me, this is the delicious crux, the moral undermining of the dichotomy of a lie. If it allows Evan to become the best version of himself and others so that even Connor’s parents actually benefit and begin to heal from the loss of the son, is it so terrible? In other words, do we not lie all the time , telling someone how well they look, how much we like their work, when in truth we are only bolstering their egos to help them get along in the world? In deed, does “the truth really set us free”?( ironically that was the slogan of my former high school,Forest Hill Collegiate where the cheerleaders and sport stars and prefects were truly the priests to the grunge of most of us.)

We know as an audience, Evan cannot maintain the lie, for lies eventually will out and overturn the apple cart. We watch and nervously smile at Evan’s growing popularity, his confidence, his own inclusion and acknowledge he always possessed the qualities that are presently sprouting. But built on a house of cards, how will he tumble and when? His conscience in the voice of Connor encourages him to let it ride, but eventually, he cannot.

So like Willy Loman, faced with the lie, the illusion, he must deal with the results.And although we disparage lying and untruths, we cannot completely blame a teenager’s need to fit in and feel some control over his life. Because it is a desperate adolescent’s life, I think we might be more forgiving because it is a matter of Evan’s life in the face of Connor’s death.And to add another death of an alienated outcast teen would be beyond tragic. In Willie Loman’s case, the need to self- actualize, his boasting and growth of confidence puts at risk those he would seek to save. So too, Evan is aware of the positive outcomes his lying has caused, especially on assuaging Connor’s mother’s search for blame. He is not boastful, but he feels good, ready to go off to school each day, face challenges, join the family for dinner week after week, filling in for Connor’s absence at the table. Aware of his strength, even speaking up to the obnoxious Jared, Evan seems ready to pinch himself, celebrate his strength.

As the Connor Project gets out of hand, Evan can rationalize that Connor will not be forgotten, as no one should be forgotten, a memorial held, an orchard established: yet all based on a person who does not resemble the Connor who threatened his sister or threw a computer at his teacher.No one in the public realm will ever know the real Connor only the fiction Evan has created in his acts of writing.

It is a double edged sword, blurring the real Connor, sanitizing him by wiping out his problems with Evan’s version. As well, although his parents and sister grieve, Connor is transformed from actual to fantasy. The respite the family is given buoys them up until the truth is revealed. And perhaps they too have been cheated of a chance to mourn their son as he truly was. Only Zoe continues to interject with the reality she had experienced with Connor, yet she too is charmed by Evan’s fabrications of how Connor felt about her.

The playwrights gives us a satisfying ending as Zoe and Evan meet in Connor’s orchard. They allow Evan forgiveness and intimate his growth as a person. This is a story of the day, but also like Everyman, makes us ponder the morality of diverse issues, their complexity, the need to tell truth and ultimately take responsibility for our lives.