UncleEarl

Hi Uncle Earl:

It was great seeing you at the family reunion.  You sure haven’t lost your touch with a brisket on barbecue, and try as I may, I don’t think I’ll ever know your success with that magic sauce.  I hope you know how much we all value the gifts you so freely share with us.

I mention this because some of the family may not have seemed too pleased you shared your insights on our current political climate.  Dad said three topics never worth discussing are religion, politics, and Ty Cobb, because there’s just no changing anyone’s mind about them.

I guess I see it a little differently.  Ever since the 2000 election, the airwaves have been filled with people convinced our country is coming to a swift and dreadful end.  You may remember I teach political science, and the saying in our field is, when Republicans have a bad election, they go to the country club, have a Scotch and a cigar, then go back to work the next day.  When Democrats have a bad election, they go on talk radio and social media and stay there.

I understand.  My lifetime has seen unprecedented gains in civil rights and equality.  Things are still very far from perfect, but the changes in our society from the early 1960s are nothing short of astonishing.  With some of those gains recently erased, it naturally leads us to fear what else might be taken away, especially since so many are convinced these decisions are out of our hands.

Forgive me if this sounds sentimental, but I respectfully beg to differ.  The shape of government has certainly changed in the last two years, and too many Americans are experiencing loss and pain.  Still, when I think of other challenging times—The Civil War, the Great Depression, the tumult of the 60s—I am reminded of our ability to lean on the founding beliefs and documents of our nation, and conclude we can, and will, right the ship of state. 

Yes, many recent court decisions seem to be rubber stamping the will of leaders who are simply interested in exercising their will.  But most decisions are not, which is why the Kennedy Center is once again the Kennedy Center, and the perpetrators of the January 6 uprising won’t be getting any government funds.  Congress has had its share of looking the other way as well, but with just a handful of legislators now realizing they won’t be back in Washington next year, they’ve found opportunities to show their true colors and push back a little.  Depending on who We the People vote for this fall, that pushback can continue.

I know you’re not a big soccer fan, but I read how the Algerian soccer team came for the World Cup tournament.  They’re staying in Lawrence, Kansas, a city that, from what I can tell, maybe had three people that could locate Algeria on a map.  Since the team’s arrival, the town is awash in green flags and jerseys, the band in the local college has serenaded the team with Algeria’s national anthem, and the team has had soccer clinics for the local children. 

That’s the real us, the us that is still here, and always will be here.  The Founding Fathers gave us the keys to the bus, and said it was ours to drive.  I’m confident we can keep our hands on the wheel.

I hope to see you soon.

Much love,

Pat

PS  Hey—that barbecue sauce.  Is the secret ingredient gochujang?

Hollandaise

Frozen grated butter
Added six shreds at a time.
Melted butter blended
With a drizzled egg design.
Ladled eggs fast swirled
To an on-heat off-heat dance.
Packaged powder—not quite
What was birthed that day in France.

Each one crowns the perfect yolk
Caramelized meat
Ciabatta, muffin
Capers add a final stroke
A splash of heat
With forks we stuff in
Textured lemon pillowed bouquet
That takes our breath and minds away
To bistros, served by aprons long
And not one recipe is wrong.

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