LISTEN TO DORIA
“This is about Race” Doria Ragland said to her mixed-race daughter, Meghan. Indeed the Netflix program “Harry and Meghan” brings to surface the misogyny and colonial imperial racism still present in the Royal Family, its toxic tabloid collaborators, and pockets of UK “white” society. An adult Disneyland except no joy or happiness, rather transposed as abuse and disrespect to one another rooted in centuries of pathological family dynamics, and now exposed in “Harry and Meghan”, the unprincipled toxic collusion with the tabloid press and conniving within the “Firm’s” royal staff. The ‘Politics of the Balcony’ in the Royal Family as symbol of culture and values is alive and dysfunctional today, coinciding with Brexit rooted with no foundation but the glory of the past before the sun has now set on the British empire.
A white family shielded in gold imprisoned by its own sense of nothingness and pettiness to each other, proudly prancing, dressed-up glaringly representing the haves to the have-nots. Listen to the elegant Doria Ragland counselling her daughter Meghan, her bi-racial only child, that this is about racism. The British tabloid media and pockets owned in the U.S. and Australia, expose itself primarily as deeply misogynist and blatantly racist. How dare weak white males on both sides of the pond with a media and tv presence, criticize a bi-racial strong accomplished woman and global advocate for social justice long before known to the ‘Royals’. What within these cowardly characters gives them permission to sink into low-level bullying on their platforms, descending into shameful caricatures of jealous narrow-minded mean-spirited rhetoric with no substance. Why is a strong woman attacked relentlessly? Listen to Doria.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE NANCY PELOSI – STRENGTH OF A REAL LEADER WITH INTEGRITY
Third in line to the Presidency, Defender of Democracy, Leading with clear steady thought and hand, calm purposeful demeanor and actions on January 6, 2021.
Mother of five in short order knows from “poop”, and the difference of purposeful defecation by domestic terrorists invading and desecrating the U.S. Capitol. With steady hand, leading both Republicans and Democrats to ensure our Democracy is saved for one more day. With truth and bravery, labeling the individual responsible for and instigating this insurrection in treason, the 45th president of the United States sitting in the White House viewing this all.
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2022/10/nancy-pelosi-january-6-video-trump-capitol-riot.html
POLITICS OF THE BALCONY VIEWS ON THIS SIDE OF THE POND Meghan and Elizabeth, the Duchess and the Queen, and the Prince and the King
Now let’s see from this side of the pond – Prince Harry extorted by family and press across the pond to give up publishing release of his book in exchange for possible respect and civility.
For consideration of inclusion into the symbol of “values and culture” of the royals decidedly to stifle and control the human psyches in their midst.
Before alarms of suicidal thoughts and depression laid bare, the “firm” frozen in denial as The New Yorker describes “infantilize” members hiding in public in their opulent gilded prisons full of gold and pomp and ceremony, and cruelty, and rigidity.
And now exposed in full light with the addition of Meghan, the hegemony of racism and misogyny. Adding to unhappiness and despair, and the norms of reversal of adulthood visited unquestionably on heirs. A life frozen in rigid privilege and hopeless mis-direction.
Lost is the royals declaration to investigate these claims and the “firms” privately investigating hidden historic claims in their midst present today, never releasing report. What could be an exemplar of “culture and values” identifying and admitting the toxic dysfunction among them over centuries alive and present today.
The Queen in the touching ceremonies honoring a lifetime encompassing the 70 year expanse of world history – our grandmother/mother figure with an open smile, described as having lived in a “gilded prison” as all the royals have and do.
In the public lying in state in Westminster Hall, the site of beheadings of their ancestors, the family mourns along with the public.
Prince Harry, son of Diana the “Peoples Princess”, witnessed the dysfunction and toxicity in the system to which he was born visited upon his mother, now blatantly manifest in recent years to his spouse, Meghan, an independently successful woman and global human rights advocate before she ever encountered the “firm”.
Instead of lifting up the addition to their midst – an asset and antidote to the history of imperial colonization, meets with whole-hearted and ongoing attempts to demonize, blithely continuing on in the path of misogyny and colonial racism.
Historian of Women and the Struggles for American Independence declares off the record, there is no question the royal family and press attacks on Meghan Markel are racist, obvious they did not want a person of color in their midst – the royal family and the press.
There is hope that Charles’ environmental advocacy will bring along older son’s daughter, and Harry’s children. A gift to future generations as well.
The now first in line to the title, Charles older son, seems to be lost in vacuousness to what their role might be, with spouse scowling at her sister-in-law at any encounter in the sad occasions surrounding the Queen’s remembrances. Holding up high grudge over petty slights a few years before, all the while cold shoulder scowl, turning to flash magnetic smile to the grieving public, belying any sense of place and purpose.
A sad portend of John Oliver’s advice on Stephen Corbett Show a week before Meghan’s wedding, cautioning about marrying into an emotionally stunted, toxic dysfunctional group with pseudo jobs.
Alas, true love won out for Harry and Meghan, for the good.
Admiration for Prince Harry for seeing what is plainly before him, the pain to his mother, a world advocate for the most vulnerable, now being visited upon his wife, Meghan, a world advocate for the most vulnerable before ever entering the royals. Harry now with courage to step-out of the only life he has ever known, we can hope that Charles will follow that risk taking leadership of his younger son and daughter-in-law, and bring hope to his grandchildren.
Harry and Meghan are now free to craft their lives of social justice advocacy while raising their two young children in love – true exemplars of human values and culture. Perhaps a mirror to what the ‘firm’ might be capable. Charles you are free now to incorporate your younger son’s courage, exemplars of advocacy, social justice, and love. True profiles of global values and culture.
Ah the balcony, stealthily bearing cold shoulder and furtive scowls. All the while maintaining premise of paragons of culture and values. With shifty display of condescension, racism, sexism mirroring Brexit – separate for no good reason, stand alone with no footing beneath. Still no Harry and Meghan.
Mis-directed family dynamics found in families the world over exposed on the global stage in honor of the Queen. Let’s learn from Harry and Meghan and be exemplars to the younger generations of Charles grandchildren, that the new monarch sees the reality of what the world needs – acceptance, inclusion, charity, and love.
Meghan is now the symbol and vortex of the ills of racism and misogyny within the royals – the “firm” and its press, and in turn the imperial empire legacy living out today – globally. Prince Harry’s stance profiles courage. Hope is that the family unit will learn and be free for younger generations as the grandchildren of Diana.
Open exemplars for Charles to lead into the light and freedom, away from generational imposed bound energy and frustrated rigid existence. There is always hope Charles can see this and join his second son and daughter-in-law, and lead all the grandchildren into light on the balcony and beyond.
NASA photos and Lessons for here on Earth
From whence we come – the stars over 13 billion years ago. A humble awareness of our small and vital place in the universe to nurture and care for all below – water, ocean, land – habituating all living things. Our charge as human beings now and forever going forward must be to care for all in our precious environment on Earth – sky, sea, land, and each other in our global community.
My Comment in the Washington Post to Opinion – What Watergate can teach us today
The topic of my dissertation at Columbia came from Watergate. At the time Art Buchwald had a column in the Washington Post “14 points of Watergate”. No. 13 was “What is it those involved in Watergate learned in law school that made them think what they were doing was ethical?” I thought there must be commonalities and qualities that apply to all professions. From there my dissertation on Professional Behavior in Education and Practice and validated to apply to all professions. A timeless study and so relevant today.
My latest Comment – Washington Post in honor of President Volodymyr Zelensky and Ukraine
AS WE ENTER 2022
We can only hope we evolve out of the pandemic, our active part is to get vaccinated, wear mask, and advocate for global access and distribution.
Difference between pandemic of 100 years ago and today –
Lillian Wald, founder of modern-day public health nursing
Then – Prevalence of a strong public health system with a focus on primary care, prevention, health promotion, and maintenance. With the holistic view of the individual/ family/community as the Client.
Now- Decimation of the U.S. public health system to focus on fee-for-service/for-profit sick care medical/insurance/ pharmaceutical/nursing home, medical devices industries.
Then, holistic public health nursing focus on collaborative treatment of the Client.
Today – U.S. has the highest incidence of and deaths from Covid-19 in the world. U.S. ranks #37 in WHO statistics in basic health indices and last among developed countries by the Commonwealth Fund.
Angela Merkel for president of the World.
The world needs Dr. Merkel’s leadership, insight, understanding, compassion, intuition to peacefully bring decision-makers to reflect truth, honesty, humane values, not weapons/war/drones/destruction.
The First, 2021
Madame Vice-president Kamala Harris
Madame Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi
Amanda Gorman, poet, Inauguration 2021 “For there is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.”
Deserving of Nobel Peace Prize.
“Only if we understand, will we care. Only if we care, will we help. Only if we help shall all all be saved.”
Global Advocate with lessons to be learned for the interconnectedness of all living things in our global environment.
Bravest –
Prince Harry with courage to break out of the only life he knew to free his spirit for social justice advocacy from what John Oliver termed an “emotionally stunted” system.
Antidote to the Pandemic
My grandfather, W.C. Fields films, for Humor is the best medicine of all. W.C. Fields said, “If I can make them laugh and through that laughter make this old world seem just a little brighter, then I am satisfied.” What the world needs now. https://www.wcfields.com
Antidote to the Pandemic in two words – Cary Grant (any film on TCM).
Reflections on Thanksgiving 2021 and Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Native American women brought meaning to the Day – thankfulness, sharing, love, peace. Reciting blessing of tribal elders – “Creator and Ancestors, we honor you for all things. We honor the Lenape people of Manahatta and all our relations. Now we are here; and will always be here. And so it is.” Acknowledging the original Native American territory of Manhattan.
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There is Hope with respect, dignity, humane kindness to all in our small global community, then there is Peace within and without – individual, family/support system, community – local, national, global.
HEALING POWER OF HUMOR for 2021
W.C. FIELDS New Year’s Gift 2021 – TCM (Turner Classic Movies) screens IT’S A GIFT January 1, 2021 primetime at 8pm. (W.C. Fields third film on the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress). W.C. Fields Gift of hope for 2021 – follow your Dream!
I recently screened this film at the Kwetu Film Institute in Kigali, Rwanda. Kwetu is part of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) International Outreach Program, and it is AMPAS who put me in contact with Kwetu and founder Eric Kabera when I first went to Rwanda in 2012. We have been screening my grandfather’s films there ever since.
When I screened It’s A Gift the students, all survivors of the genocide of 1994 laughed all the way through. After I asked them what made them laugh, they said It’s about family, it’s about real life, W.C. Fields never gets mad, he never gets angry, he never hits, he never gives up hope, he never gives up on his dreams.
I thought to myself this is profound, for the film students are really describing themselves, all survivors of the genocide, they could have chosen other paths, but they saw in W.C. Fields universal gift of understanding the human condition through humor, their own choices of following their dreams in film.
There is hope in 2021, and the Timelessness of W.C. Fields Art and healing power of Humor will guide us through. see http://www.wcfields.com for more.
My latest Comment in New York Times – Times Pick, Sunday Dec. 15, 2019
Comment to Nicholas Kristof article and relevance today of my dissertation topic on Professional Behavior, Columbia University Teachers College.
Dr. Harriet A. Fields 