Poor Mexico – so far from God, and so close to the United States. – Mexican folk aphorism, often erroneously attributed to José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori Cinco de Mayo isn’t Mexican Independence Day; that’s September 16. It isn’t the date of the Mexican Constitution – that’s February 5. It isn’t the date of the discovery of Mexico, that’s March 1. And, contrary to what many people believe, it’s not Pancho Villa’s birthday, either. That’s June 5. No, May 5 is the date of a dumb luck victory of the Mexicans over invaders under the command of the Second French Empire at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. Which is remarkable, because although the Mexicans won [...]
He began calling early Thursday, trying to get a telephone consultation appointment, but I was booked solid. Since we were working this weekend, Gretchen finally managed to fit him in on Saturday afternoon. Bo: Hello? Tom Collins? Tom: Yes. Bo: This is Bo Guagua. How are you? Tom: Fine, thanks. And you? Bo: I’ve been better, actually. That’s why I called. Tom: Sure, I understand. Bo: My Dad’s innocent. Tom: Of threatening to kill Wang Lijun? Bo: He never did that – Wang Lijun had no reason to hide from my father at the United States consulate. Wang must have had a psychotic break or something. Tom: And your father didn’t poison Neil Heywood? Bo: That’s right; and neither did [...]
Apr 212012
Last night, before taking in Arias with a Twist at the Woolly Mammoth Theater, Cerise and I were relaxing over tapas at Jaleo. While we waited for our order to arrive, Beaumont noticed me and sidled over. He’s a very decent sort, and works for the Secret Service. Some people, of course, might wonder about the native intelligence of somebody who did, after all, spend eight years willing to take a bullet for George W. Bush. To them I would say, as de Tocqueville pointed out, Americans elect idiots, geniuses, saints and scoundrels to high office without making any apparent distinction, and there’s nothing to be done about that. So I would suggest that if you consider Beaumont as being [...]
The unusually warm winter and early spring here in Washington this year resulted in some strange and wonderful things – the flowering cherry trees, which respond to temperature, came out in advance of the forsythia, which responds to the light cycle. Crocuses, daffodils and tulips, which ordinarily bloom in a predictable sequence, all decided to go off at once. Two weeks ago, the flowering plum trees started up, and, as the official Washington Cherry Blossom Festival Parade was held today, even they were well past peak. So it was that I relaxed on my deck this afternoon, marveling at the concurrent displays of azaleas, lilacs, roses and honeysuckle, that my land line rang. I decided to let it roll over [...]
Obama Comes Out for Same-Sex Marriage – What Would Black Jesus Do?
Wednesday of this week, President Obama announced his support for gay marriage to Robin Roberts on ABC’s Good Morning America. An hour later, the Right Reverend Doctor Tyrone Jefferson Jackson Clay DD, Chairman of the Southern African-American Methodist Episcopal Baptist Family Values Council, called Gretchen to schedule a consultation with me at the first possible opportunity. Since I was booked solid until six-thirty on Wednesday, that turned out to be sunrise Thursday morning. “I have a prayer breakfast at eight,” he informed me as he nestled into the couch in front of the picture window, throwing an angry glance over his left shoulder at the White House. “And a head full of ideas I need to run by you before I [...]