Plagiarism on parade

Fine. It wasn't a parade because there was no fanfare and procession down Pennsylvania Avenue following the ceremony to install Joseph R. Biden in the office of President. Not that one could make much of a parade out of the few hundred people, including the military band, scattered across the square and lawn adjacent to the Capitol. It was bad enough bearing with Biden's attempt to earnestly quote Abraham Lincoln and the Constitution as he projected every despicable act of his own party onto conservatives, but to hear Rev. Sylvester Beaman mock Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was tragic. There aren't a great number left who can say they were present to hear Dr. King give his “I Have a Dream Speech” live. It just so happens I'm one of them, having stood in the press box in Anaheim Convention Center in 1968 listening to Dr. King deliver those words like moving thunder short weeks before he was assassinated. Never did it cross my mind that a black liberation theology preacher would study Dr. King's diction and style to cash-in on the unifying vision of a man martyred for his conviction to stand for Christ through whom all are made equal.

It's always a good idea to kick-off a new regime, uh, administration on a high note

The problem is Rev. Beaman never mentioned Christ, instead lumping every deity together when he invoked “the strong name of our collective god.” If he meant the big “G” God, then “collective” is hardly an appropriate adjective. That reference alone separated him from Dr. King who had no compunction about praying in Jesus' name and quoting scripture when he addressed the multitudes in so many venues during his campaign for civil rights. As to Bible passages, correct me if I missed it, but nowhere did I hear the good reverend quote directly from the Good Book. He did his best, however, to paint this nation as a racist country that continues to belittle individuals of color, different national origin and beliefs, not forgetting to lump in Native Americans as all being disparaged by whites brandishing their 'privilege.' Nor was Beaman shy about reiterating the disproved lie that the White House was built by slaves. All this was done under the guise of stressing unity while exhorting the meager audience with inflections reminiscent of Dr. King. If Mr. Biden (it doesn't take much to maintain the same level of courtesy the left offered President Trump) truly meant anything he said regarding bringing this nation together, he would realize that the 17 executive orders he signed immediately after the ceremonial charade belied his effort at reading such noble sounding words from the teleprompter. On the other hand, humor did play a role today. As the incoming occupant of the Oval Office was plodding through his address to the paltry crowd, he was rudely interrupted by a commercial on the channel to which the television was tuned. It just happened to be an ad for supplemental Medicare coverage. The kicker for the whole affair though, was an eye-catching headline that scrolled across the chyron during a video of President Trump's farewell speech: “200,000 flags replace people on National Mall for the Biden inauguration.” It's always a good idea to kick-off a new regime, uh, administration on a high note.