Sunday Morning Musings:
Upon this beautiful cool Sunday morning here in the Northeast,, I awakened feeling as though I were a character in one of Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series. This is a critical moment in America, American democracy, and world history all arriving simultaneously and only a very very few individuals can alter the course of events. The country is divided with diametric opposites essentially at war with each other , and the decision of who is going to emerge the Victor in this particular battle will be made, and made very shortly.
Now to the essence: I was invited to a watch party at Lincoln Financial field for the Eagles/ Packers game on Friday night. There were a few events which piqued my interest and I thought I would share them with you. This has nothing to do with football at all whatsoever
First of all, the Security at the stadium was almost exactly the same rigorous protocol that I experienced when I went to see then-Vice President Biden at Franklin Field for my child’s graduation from college many years ago, or what seems like many years ago. At this stadium on Friday, I had to pass through no fewer than four checkpoints: to verify that I had a ticket, that I was entitled to be in the corridor in which I was proceeding, that I was able to enter the room underneath the stadium in which the party was being held, and once in the room had my ticket checked again, verified, and a coded wristband was placed. During the cocktail hour, and the dinner, there were people assigned as security guards walking around the room to ensure that everyone had one of these wristbands on. When the Eagles cheerleaders came down to visit, and let me tell you they were just lovely young ladies, all of whom were university educated and Career-bound (because we got there early we had a chance to talk to all five of them at length). There were no fewer than three security guards accompanying them at all times standing only a very few feet away from them. You could tell that they were instructed to stay as a group and not wander off individually. These guys did not take their eyes off me or my wife as we talked to them for maybe 10 minutes, and as I do with all law enforcement individuals, I kept my hands in my pockets or behind my back. This is Philly, and anything goes.
When we were in line for the buffet, the line went out the door of the room and there must’ve been six guards out there, instructing us to stay close to the wall, not wander away, and not to block the corridor in any fashion whatsoever. They were not polite about it in the least . These people took their jobs very seriously and I thought to myself we are a group of dentists who just showed up for a meal and watch a game (on what appeared to be low resolution television sets - the picture resembled that visualized upon the old projection tv’s of the 1980’s) in the room. We were not allowed under any circumstances to walk out the door to the field to sit in the stands or stand on the field with the other 10,000 people who had purchased tickets to do that. VIP guests? I don’t believe we were, despite the signs in the room and on the directional arrows leading there.
Until… The drone show. We were allowed “out” for that. I uploaded a seven minute clip onto YouTube here:
It was breathtaking and it made me think that if this were the capability of drones for entertainment, we cannot imagine the usefulness for warfare of all types. This technology is still in its infancy and look what is possible. I will mention for the record that virtually every invention created has found usefulness in war. Imagine a war drone, not controlled centrally, but with AI. It’s the Terminator films come to life.
But back to my original point. The instant this show was over, we were herded, and I mean that quite literally, back into our party room. The “ushers” said: “OK we are going back in right now, let’s all start moving back in. This way, back to the room, people.” No humor, no gentility. It was like being at an army base.
We left shortly thereafter and when we exited the room there were maybe ten individuals and the fellow with the earpiece and white shirt and tie said, “Philomela here will escort you out of the stadium. Follow her.” She walked us, again literally, out of the stadium into the sight of the multiple guards at what had been the entrance and now was the exit. They all watched us as we departed for the parking lot. No “Hope you had a nice night” or “Drive carefully” or anything. And this was the VIP ENTRANCE as they call it. I didn’t feel very I.
The experience made me think that they are most likely in number one target for terrorism or Mass crime/murder. These corporations don’t spend this kind of money and have this kind of infrastructure for no reason, in this environment of insanity I can only imagine what they have to deal with Every day, and as the only time I’ve ever been in a situation such as this, because I never served in the military, was when I did dentistry at the federal prison in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania for a time as part of my training. One did not veer one millimeter off track in any sense. So what occurred to me is that there must be a gigantic undercurrent of Trepidation by the management of these arenas.
Years ago, as I have posted before here, I treated a gentleman who was involved in the intelligence community, who was always very circumspect concerning what he discussed with me. But one time, he said, in all seriousness, and he was no prevaricator or exaggerator , that if people knew what was going on, that was intercepted, stopped, and the nature of the people arrested for these things, they wouldn’t leave the house in the morning to go to work. I used to take that with the usual grain of salt from a likely right winger, but you know what? I think I finally understand watching these MAGA Lunatics wholesale what’s going on. And it is very very grave.
And think about it: on Saturdays a fair percentage of the American people are ensconced in stadia all over the country watching college football. No wonder young people en masse see careers in law enforcement as great opportunities. It’s all changed.
I am hoping and praying so to speak that on Tuesday she shows him for what he is. The notion that she is a trained prosecutor does not simply imply that she goes after criminals in court, espousing a case buttressed by evidence, but that she knows how to manipulate situations to her advantage on the fly. We shall see what instruments of destruction she can wield to embarrass him on national TV, please God.
Have a wonderful Sunday, and keep your fingers crossed for Tuesday. And May your favorite nFL team win today…unless you’re a Dallas Cowboy fan.