Reflecting on the Pool and the Great American State Fair

Editor’s Note: Apologies for the absence, was out of the country. This was supposed to publish weeks ago but for one reason or another did not. I’ve got a couple pieces already lined up so I should have another on Monday. Also the book podcast will be ramping up again.

The digital flyer showed an image of President Trump looking strong, off into the distance, a B-2 stealth bomber over his head and six fighter jets over his wide shoulders. Behind him the sun is setting with an eagle silhouetted over the Washington Monument. The text underneath him in bold capital letters says AMERICA IS BACK.

It’s all Ai of course, especially Trump’s full looking head of hair. The image sent to hundreds of thousands of people on Trump’s text list was advertising the kick-off celebration for the Great American State Fair. It would be hard to notice that of course as the Great American State Fair is in tiny letters above the B-2 bomber - “PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP” is of course in all caps just below is image.

This event which I attended for you, dear reader, was supposed to be the real launch of a series of glorious events leading up to July 4th for America’s 250th birthday. If this “kick-off celebration” was representative of what is to come, prepare for disappointment America.

This was not a celebration of our nation or its people, it was yet another moment for him to remind America that it was Trump that had all the power and that everyone should thank him for it. And oh boy did they.

Since all of the actual talent backed out of the event after finding out that the gig they signed up for wasn’t for the Congressionally approved America250, a 501(c)3 nonprofit in 2016 but that had been turned over to Trump’s grift pipeline Freedom250. Back in June Mother Jones quoted a former advisory council member saying, “America250 has been hijacked, it’s disgusting.”

Once Morris Day and the Time, Bret Michaels and others backed out, not wanting to be connected to the stench that was the Trump organization, Trump stepped in saying that he would speak at the event. Freedom250 brought in Lee Greenwood and FBI Director Kash Patel’s girlfriend Alexis Wilkins to fill their shoes.

If you think you have an idea of how poorly the event went, expand your imagination. The speakers included mostly dry platitudes about the Fair from Trump administration members, Brooke Rollins, Doug Burgum and Monica Crowley.

For a President who is all about visuals this event was a clusterfuck. One can understand why the Secret Service demands that there be protective glass on the stage. That’s fine, but hopefully they could find a non-reflective glass or consider the lighting of an outdoor event.

As you can see in the photo of the Duffy family below - none of the photographers or even the attendees had a chance to see much of what was happening. Even the Freedom250 cameras were unable to see due to the sun reflecting on the white temporary buildings in front of the stage.

It was someone not even on the schedule released to government press offices that exposed the real anger of this White House against those that don’t want to be involved with it. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy took the stage with his wife and five of his kids, and a grandchild to quickly attack those that dropped out of the event saying, “we have to give a big round of applause for our military band and singers. Way better than those libtards that canceled on us. So much better. Thank you guys. President Trump will make you famous.”

Many in the media have noted that one of his children has down syndrome.

Duffy, the Secretary of Transportation and former reality show star went on to give a speech that weirdly focused on the importance of people having children, emphasizing “Get married and have lots of kids!” He downplayed the cost of living arguments that many have.

Speaking of cost of living, the merchandise at the “State” Fair was cheap, and also very expensive. There was first an exclusive Great American State Fair t-shirt that was pretty clearly an iron-on.

In the official store there was t-shirts, hats, hoodies, stickers and other schwag like this challenge count that honored the “Triumph of the American Spirit.” If you’re known to have an appreciation of Adolph Hitler’s writings and are attempting to build your own version of nationalism, the use of wording on this challenge coin is, well, a choice.

Back to the stage, the Reichsparteitag der Freedom 250 (excuse my German) continued with the music stylings of Trump’s Sinatra -an 82 year old and showing it Lee Greenwood. Greenwood, sang God Bless America as fighter jets flew overhead. Trump joined him behind the smeared protective glass now mainly reflecting the spotlights making it impossible to get a clear shot of the men.

Trump’s speech was the usual slog, claiming that “a short time ago we were a dead country. We were dead. Now we’re the hottest country anywhere in the world. We’re respected by everybody. Nobody’s laughing at us any more.” I think most of America and the world is past laughing and now are horrified.

The 82 year old Grandpa on stage went on to rant like a power-tripping Home Owners Association President about the “thugs” attacking his algae pool.

“And the Reflecting Pool that you’ve heard so much about which is so incredible, it’s been gruesomely vandalized by thugs, bad people, but soon will be looking as beautiful as it looked just two weeks ago. In fact, I looked at it just a little while ago, it looks perfect already, but we’re fixing it. The vandals got to it. They’ve largely been caught and are being prosecuted. We can’t let that happen to our country, can’t let that happen. But it looks beautiful. Under the Trump administration, America is once again a nation of self-respect, dignity, and pride.”

I visited the pool that day, and there’s no vandalism happening there. There is no “numerous slashes over a very long 350-foot length” as Trump claimed. Just people daring to touch the pool water as it has become a curiosity… and frankly something people have done all the time in the past. Security cameras are everywhere with spotlights 24/7 now and anyone who even leans toward the Reflecting Pool gets swarmed by Park Police or National Guard.

The man in the video above was lucky as he just got a stern talking to but six other people have been ticketed for varying offenses - all of them delusional by the fascistic police forces protecting the pool who all have taken Trump’s direction to heart. As much as we laugh at this, this is an important moment as we speedrun into full fascism under this administration.

Back at the speech Trump continued on, bragging about military expansion, his illegal kidnappings of Maduro of course “our heritage.” Ending the rambling dottering speech with a series of branded hats: “We will make America wealthy again. We will make America healthy again. We will make America strong again. We will make America proud again. We will make America safe again. And we will make America great again.”

Whatever all that means.