Music by Stephen Flaherty/Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens/Book by Terrence McNally/ Ragtime is a tapestry of New York area life in the first decades of the twentieth century. People from radically different walks of life - an African American family, a Jewish immigrant family, and a wealthy suburban WASP family - see their lives intersect in the aftermath of a crime, with unexpectedly emotional results. I had read the novel “RAGTIME, by E.L. Doctorow, became mesmerized with the wealth of history told via fiction and once the Musical was produced on Broadway, actually was in the audience three times. As the Trumpian Authoritarian Era of Epic Lies and Misinformation fell upon this nation pre-Pandemic, but just as destructive and disruptive, and events of Biblical proportion popped up on a regular basis, each more heinous or insidious as the one just the day before, I re-read the Doctorow novel, RAGTIME, listened to the score, so often I think I had memorized each and every lyric, and became obsessed with the simple fact that HISTORY, serves many functions, and one mighty IMPORTANT ONE, seems to be to let it repeat itself! Alas, alack, it has and we the recipients of that lesson have failed the test and have seemingly learned nothing at all.
As I was perseverating over JUST how many EVIL intentions and intentionally EVIL machinations and maneuvers had occurred by Trump and his cohorts, just in the past day; and was angst-ridden (riddled the correct word), deciding just which event pissed me off the most, as to add my own opinion regarding ITS ROT? Then, as ruminated, a song from the musical RAGTIME, entered my consciousness, called ‘He Wanted to Say,’ A character called Mother's Younger Brother, an intense and awkward young man yearning for purpose, coming from a family of wealth, FINALLY, had enough of the crazy, and wanted to do something about the madness. Sadly, this character was unable to express all of his built-up frustration and anger, and with the assistance of Emma Goldman, a real-life historical person, SHE expresses what this Mother’s Younger Brother felt but was unable to say.
“He wanted to say, I am sick of the injustices. He wanted to say, I have passion in my heart. In a world of callow strangers, Let your dangers be my dangers, Let this be the battle in which, I was born to take part.”(Ragtime) I want to say ME, Gerry Buncher, “What the fuck, are the GOP Senators waiting for, this time around in NOT insisting that the 25th Amendment be immediately established to rid ourselves of a crazed and dangerous enemy of the state, named Trump, who actually on 12/19/20 held a meeting in the Oval Office, with a Felon named Michael Flynn, and a person calling herself an attorney, Sidney Powell, who seems to see Dead People, like Cesar Chavez, both calling for either Martial Law, or a version of that order, insinuating that a COUP is the only way forward, because our democratic process of fair elections did not provide the “FIX,” for Trump in 2020 as was the case in 2016. In attendance were the ever demented and delusional Rudy hair Dye Dropping Giuliani, Mark Meadows, a Tea Party Obstructionist as a Congressman, and now Chief of Staff and Enabling a Narcissist, and Trumps real personal lawyer for all cases, that need actual legal thuggery, Pat Cipollone. It seems the ruckus and screaming was loud enough that the chaos could be heard throughout the entire West Wing, with Trump insisting no one loves him!”
“He wanted to say, In my soul, I am your brother. We are bound to one another Angered by the darkness of life, And the lies we perceive.” (Ragtime) I want to say, ME Gerry Buncher, “Why the fuck were both the Princess Ivanka and Prince Jared, given permission to re-write any warmings regarding the degree of death and doom caused by the Pandemic that real scientist and medical experts from the CDC or NIH insisting be shared with the American public, for the SAFETY of that public. But ANY and ALL messages had to first be approved by a shoe and accessory shill, and her offshore account tax-free laden husband, to NOT make American feel safe, but to make DADDY, and DADDY-IN-LAW happy? And why the fuck is Rupert Murdoch NOT being held accountable for allowing Tucker Carlson to spew misinformation and almost pre-meditated murder rants discounting the COVID-19 vaccines. And honestly, why the fuck should I worry about those who want to get infected, because they think doing so is more patriotic, and when in fact why should I concern myself with the fact that if these folks want to kill their own families, then HAVE AT IT!”
“He wanted to say, Every day I wake up knowing, Something's lost and something's owing. This was deep inside me, And you helped me find it, At last! (Ragtime) I want to say, ME, Gerry Buncher, “How the fuck is IT a thing to permit a Russian Asset to continue to run this nation. How the fuck is it a thing for the GOP to remain silent as the fabric of our society is being shorn and tattered by an uncaring arrogant, egomaniac, and treasonous monster? And how the fuck do the members of Congress live with themselves knowing that 6 months ago, they could, and should have taken action against Trump and especially this PANDEMIC!”
