July 4, 2024: Sadly Our Hard Earned Democratic System of Government is on Life Support; July 23, 2024: There are Bright Signs of Recovery

 July 4th, has traditionally been a day of celebration in our household.

As a child growing up, we would proudly display an American flag in the front of our East Tremont (Bronx) home and my parents instilled in their children how proud they were to be a part of the American dream.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Courtesy of Getty Images Creator Alan Thornton 

  

They were proud that America had given us the equal opportunity to

practice our religion without any restraints, to speak freely our opinions and

amazingly provided the free education- kindergarten through High School and then even college (City College of the City of New York, until 1976) –  to pursue a vocation that would lead to success. 

We were taught in our civics courses that our government incorporated a system of checks and balances that prohibited one branch of government from usurping the sole power of governing. Our presidency was designed to replace the King as the sole creator and arbiter of laws. Our legislature was erected to enact laws that were guided by the principles of our Constitution.

The judiciary was erected to be sure that laws thus enacted followed the dictates of our founding fathers enacted in our Constitution and Bill of Rights.

 

We were taught that if you play by the rules, you have an equal chance of 

success and that no single branch of our government was above the law.

This levels the field for us all -especially the governors including the three branches of the government and the citizens as well. 

 As a matter of fact, our Declaration of Independence refers in the first paragraph to the “separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature '' entitle each and every group and institution-including the three branches of government. 

No one citizen of our country–including the President– is ‘immune’ from this principle. All for One and One for all.  

The Supreme Court Building 

With one major decision the principle of the separate but equal concept has been uprooted by the United States Supreme Court.

 

In Trump vs. United States decided 07/01/24, the highest judiciary ruled that the former President of the United States, Donald Trump–(in fact all presidents) is/are immune to prosecution for acts committed within his/their official duties.

In effect Mr. Trump who has 34 felony convictions could be exempt from any criminal prosecution.

As a matter of fact, the Judge presiding over the New York hush money case involving Stormy Daniels has postponed sentencing from July 11th to September 18 to assess the effect of this immunity ruling the case.

And this ruling is scary in view of an erratic, impulsive, lying man who once declared “I could stand in the middle of Fifth Ave. and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose any voters, OK?”

You may question why I used  the words "Life Support."  The Supreme court has knocked the ’separate but equal’ concept, the tripartite separation of powers, flat on its head. 

They have done this by, in effect, returning the presidency into the monarchy/kingship from which our founding fathers were so careful to avoid. 

The President can now choose what is acceptable behavior under the cloak of official duties.

What’s more, the Supreme Court has enfeebled itself by in effect relinquishing its separate but equal role, by blunting its probative responsibility in being the fair impartial arbiter of the law under the Constitution.

SCOTUS has “copped out”—literally relinquishing its police power over what the constitution was intended to protect… 

Finally, why did I choose Life support you may still ask….

We have two candidates that are weak mentally and physically. Both will be octogenarians while in office. One is mentally unfit to lead our great country forward as attested by his ‘off the teleprompter'

ranting and rambling during his  acceptance speech— that lasted over 90 minutes: it was surely sleep-inducing for many of the delegates. 

The other Joe Biden, already 82, with an impressive legislative track record over his 40 plus years in public office is under tremendous pressure to withdraw because of mental slips and a poor performance in the first debate. 

As I am writing this article, it has been announced that President
Biden has bowed out of the race and has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to be nominated as the next President of the U.S.

And more optimistic late breaking news is that according to the Wall Street Journal, Vice President Harris has been pledged a majority of the delegates to the DNC next month.  

It is my fervent wish that whoever the democrats do in fact nominate for President will have the strength to unite the Party and nourish the seeds and fruits of our great democracy to restore the respect for law and order that seems to be so lacking…

A Tribute to a Living Legend E.Victor Seixas, Jr. along with Tennis Heroes and Heroines at San Francisco's Golden Gate Park

 

Here's a tribute to the remarkable E. Victor Seixas, Jr.  US Tennis Stalwart --the oldest living grand slam player now 100 hundred years old-- who I had the pleasure of watching beat Rex Hartwig in the US Open final of 1954 at the West Side Tennis club at Forest Hills, NY 

E. Victor Seixas, Jr.

What follows is a snapshot and tribute to one of the many significant timelines of my evolving peripatetic life- moving from the midwest (where I taught English at Wisconsin State Univ.) to San Francisco and settling in the Haight Ashbury neighborhood - (42 Baker Street)  just a 10- minute walk to a Tennis mecca, Golden Gate Park (GGP). It was a Camelot Life for me for many reasons. But here is just a freeze frame of that special time. 

   GGP is where I hung out when I wasn't studying the Law. Here is where I fast made friends and enriched my academic life with lasting social relationships. Here is where I was in the process of getting in great shape-- 'working my way up' the tennis ladder.' Here is where I achieved a major personal victory. 

  Here are just a few of the friends and tennis greats I include in my anthology and panoply of memorable icons. 

 Dan Lucey: master instructor and strategist who taught me the art of focused tennis. He was ranked number three in the 45's in California. 

Dan Lucey master player 

Henry Pon was one of the most steady players I have ever had the privilege of playing against. Short, thin and soft spoken and a master of defensive retrieval, he would never miss a shot. He played a backcourt game and thrived there in the process of beating most players.     

Howard Lee, how can I ever forget the strategy that you taught me? You are and were a master strategist and you plied me with many printed articles you had written on the fundamentals of the game forehand, backhand, serve, etc. Essential in your tips was mastering wrist control. Memorable are the times we would meet at the neighborhood courts near Chinatown and practice technique. What is awesome was your passion for the sport and your eagerness to share without expecting financial remuneration. You will always be a friend. 

Bill Small: was a solid B player at GGP and thanks to the great preparation from Dan Lucey, a ranked California Netman, I played a nearly flawless match in the No. California Open Tournament winning in two sets. I had an early taste of the mindfulness--the focus and near total  concentration  necessary for playing within the zone ('zone tennis') to play at the top of one's game.  This mindfulness followed me back to the East Coast where I enjoyed doubles play in Connecticut's hard courts in Scalzi Park in Stamford and on the Har-Tru clay courts at Oak Hills Tennis club  courts in Norwalk. 

Lowell Barnhart, your were a solid B player. You often played with the Louie sisters and we played many matches together. You always had a smile and a great attitude winning or losing.

Among,  the many notable tennis regulars included Tom Brown (lost  to Jack Kamer in the 1947 Wimbledon final) Whitney Reed, 1951 Wimbledon champ Art "Tappy" Larsen,  Greg Shepard, Rosey Casals, Arlene Cohen, Dan Lucey, Marcie Louie  and Peanut Louie Harper. 

What an inspiration....reliving the art and grace of tennis.....