Happy Father’s Day!
[NOTE: This a slightly edited version of a previous post of mine.]
Father’s Day. A sort of poor stepchild to Mother’s Day, although fathers themselves are hardly that. They are central to a family.
Just ask the people who never had one, or who had a difficult relationship with theirs. Or ask the people who were nurtured in the strength of a father’s love and guidance.
Of course, the complex world being what it is, and people and families being what they are, it’s the rare father-child relationship that’s entirely conflict-free. But for the vast majority, love is almost always present, even though at times it can be hard to express or to perceive. It can take a child a very long time to see it or feel it; but that’s part of what growing up is all about. And “growing up” can go on even in adulthood, or old age.
Father’s Day—or Mother’s Day, for that matter—can wash over us in a wave of treacly sentimentality. But the truth of the matter is often stranger, deeper, and more touching. Sometimes the words of love catch in the throat before they’re spoken. But they can still be sensed. Sometimes a loving father is lost through distance or misunderstanding, and then regained.
There’s an extraordinary poem by Robert Hayden that depicts one of these uneasy father-child connections—the shrouded feelings, both paternal and filial, that can come to be seen in the fullness of time as the love that was always, always there. I offer it on this Father’s Day to all of you.
THOSE WINTER SUNDAYS
Sundays too my father got up early
and put his clothes on in the blueblack cold
then with cracked hands that ached
from labor in the weekday weather made
banked fires blaze. No one ever thanked him.I’d wake and hear the cold splintering, breaking.
When the rooms were warm, he’d call,
and slowly I would rise and dress,
fearing the chronic angers of that house.Speaking indifferently to him,
who had driven out the cold
and polished my good shoes as well.
What did I know, what did I know
of love’s austere and lonely offices?
In Minnesota, a “politically motivated assassination”: but why?
A vile act in Minnesota:
Vance Luther Boelter is accused of killing [Rep. Melissa Hortman] and her husband and seriously wounding Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman and his wife. Both Hoffman and his wife have had surgery and are expected to recover. Boelter reportedly impersonated a police officer when he attacked Hoffman and his wife at their home in Champlin, leaving them critically injured before proceeding to Hortman’s residence.
This seems to have been an obviously premeditated hit job:
According to records, Governor Walz appointed Boelter in 2019 to serve a four-year term on the Governor’s Workforce Development Board. During Governor Mark Dayton’s administration, he was a member of the Governor’s Workforce Development Council in 2016. Authorities discovered flyers with the phrase “No Kings” in his car, referencing the protests planned for Saturday against the Trump administration. They also found a manifesto and a list containing the names of other politicians and abortion clinics.
How many were on the list? Seventy, according to this article. Another article – which I can’t find at the moment – mentioned that the list contained members of both parties. Police aren’t yet describing what his manifesto said. They’re looking for Boelter, who is at large.
More on Boeltner, who seems to be a mystery man:
At various times, Vance Luther Boelter has claimed to work in the food service industry. In other moments, he’s claimed he runs large firms involved with “security situations” overseas, including Africa, Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
His past is as mysterious as his whereabouts. …
David Carlson, 59, told Reuters that he has been sharing a house in Minneapolis with Boelter for a little more than a year and last saw him on Friday night. Then about 6 a.m. on Saturday, he received a text from Boelter.
“He said that he might be dead soon,” said Carlson, who called police.
Carlson, who has known Boelter since fourth grade, said Boelter worked for an eye donation center and stayed at the house because it was close to his job. Carlson said he feels betrayed by Boelter and heartbroken for the victims, adding: “His family has got to suffer through this.” …
Online, Boelter presented himself as a security expert who had also worked for global companies.
More at the link. As far as Walz’s appointment of Boelter to the Governor’s Workforce Development Board. I think that’s not especially meaningful:
A spokesperson for Walz said the governor’s office appoints thousands of people of all parties to boards and commissions. The workforce development board has over 60 people on it.
They are unpaid, external boards created by the legislature, and Walz doesn’t interview applicants, the spokesperson said. They aren’t appointments to a position in the governor’s cabinet, the spokesperson said.
My guess is that he has had a series of loosely related beefs with a number of politicians, or with politicians in general, and that he’s got some mental problems. He might not be affiliated with either major party. This seems to be the pattern lately for a lot of people drawn to political violence. I hope the authorities find him soon, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s already killed himself or kills himself as they close in on him.
Iran hits Israel
It was absolutely expected that Iran would retaliate against Israel, and that some of the missiles would get through and cause damage and deaths. And that’s what has happened – eight are dead, twenty missing, and many more wounded as I write this. It’s most assuredly not over, either.
Note that, as in the past, much of the Iranian fire is directed at random civilian targets.
In response, Israel struck a new target in Iran: its all-important oil infrastructure.
Israel struck two fuel depots in Tehran, the Iranian oil ministry said early Sunday morning, shortly after Iran announced the launch of a new wave of strikes against Israel.
The IDF confirmed early Sunday morning striking the Iranian Defense Ministry headquarters as well as the “headquarters of the SPND nuclear project, and additional targets.” Israeli jets also struck fuel depots in the country, the military confirmed, noting that it had completed “an extensive series of strikes on targets in Tehran related to the Iranian regime’s nuclear weapons project.” …
Iranian media earlier reported a “massive explosion” following an Israeli drone strike on the South Pars gas field.
The semi-official Tasnim news agency said production of 12 million cubic meters of gas was suspended following the South Pars attack, which resulted in a fire that the Iranian oil ministry said was later extinguished.
Oil fields — crucial to Iran’s economy — were not targeted in the first round of strikes, but a senior Israeli security official warned on Friday that if Iran were to target Israeli population centers with ballistic missiles — which it then did — Israel would target Iranian regime leaders and state infrastructure such as oil refineries.
Israel has been planning this for years, and apparently it intends an ever-escalating series of attacks as Iran retaliates. I have been thinking that the final step, or one of the final steps, would be the assassination of Khameini, and if this is accurate then that would be the case:
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, the unnamed [Israeli] official said assassination of Iran’s top leader “is not off limits,” underlining a dramatic escalation in Israel’s strategic posture.
Bombing Iran’s nuclear facilities sets back Iran’s nuclear program – but only temporarily. Regime change is the ultimate goal.
Sebastian Haffner on how quickly things can change
I’ve written quite a few times before about Sebastian Haffner’s excellent book Defying Hitler. I suggest everyone read it. Haffner, a young man when Hitler came to power, describes Hitler’s rise in harrowing and insightful psychological detail.
Right now I’ve been thinking of the following passage, which I offer here. It describes an event that occurred in Germany shortly after the Nazi takeover. At that time, Haffner was a young lawyer doing research in the library at his place of employment, the Kammergericht (Berlin’s highest court):
…[T]he intruders had arrived at the library. The door was thrust open and a flood of brown uniforms surged in. In a booming voice, one of them, clearly the leader, shouted, “Non-Aryans must leave the premises immediately.” … Someone … answered, “They’ve already left.” … My heart beat heavily. What should I do, how keep my poise? Just ignore them, do not let them disturb me … I read a few sentences mechanically: “The defendant’s claim that … is true but irrelevant … ”
Meanwhile, a brown shirt approached me and took up position in front of my worktable. “Are you Aryan?” Before I had a chance to think, I said, “Yes.” He took a close look at my nose – and retired. The blood shot to my face. A moment too late I felt the shame, the defeat. I had said “Yes”! Well, in God’s name, I was indeed an “Aryan.” I had not lied; I had allowed something worse to happen. … What a disgrace to buy, with a reply, the right to stay with my document in peace! I had been caught unawares, even now. I had failed my very first test. I could have slapped myself.
As I left the Kammegericht it stood there, gray, cool, and calm as ever, set back from the street in its distinguished setting. There was nothing to show that, as an institution, it had just collapsed. There was also nothing about my appearance to show that I had just suffered a terrible reverse, a defeat that would be almost impossible to make good. A well-dressed man walking down Potsdamer Strasse.
That tells you how extraordinary a writer Haffner was (real name: Raimund Pretzel). He also happened to live through extraordinary times, but although his life was less dramatic that many lives during those turbulent times, he was a keen observer who spared no one, including himself. His “voice” reminds me somewhat of the writing of Primo Levi, another keen observer and fine writer who lived through those same times and whose path led to Auschwitz.
The reason I highlight this passage is that I believe that for Haffner it wasn’t just a moment of historical transition, but one of personal transition as well. The court he had once respected had collapsed, despite outwardly looking the same. And Haffner had suffered a simultaneous disruption. He didn’t collapse, but he knew he had been tried and found himself lacking the internal integrity he might have previously imagined he would have demonstrated under such circumstances. He judged himself harshly, but I don’t judge him harshly. I very much doubt I – or most people – would show any more courage, especially as a young person with so much of life ahead.
But that’s the problem, isn’t it? Or at least part of the problem.
We have been observing the collapse of once-respected institutions that had seemed stable – our legal system being one of them. The fact that it was respected doesn’t mean it was perfect; far from it. But it wasn’t hollowed out. Now it has come very close, and at least half of America seems to think that’s just fine if it’s done in the service of getting Trump.
It’s Flag Day, Trump’s 79th birthday, and the 250th anniversary of the US Army
So let’s have a parade:
On June 14, 2025–the U.S. Army’s 250th birthday–the nation will honor its legacy with a grand military parade in Washington, D.C. President Donald J. Trump will join veterans, active-duty troops, wounded warriors, Gold Star Families, and Patriotic Americans from across the country to celebrate our heroes who have protected our country through strength and selflessness.
The left detests the entire idea and has planned a slew of protests:
Protesters are taking to the streets and community hubs nationwide on Saturday in what organizers expect will be the largest single-day anti-President Trump rally since the start of his second administration.
Why it matters: The widespread movement will run counter to Trump’s multimillion dollar military parade in D.C. June 14.
“No Kings is a nationwide day of defiance,” organizers wrote. “From city blocks to small towns, from courthouse steps to community parks, we’re taking action to reject authoritarianism.”
More than 100 pro-democracy advocacy groups are partnering to organize the No Kings events.
What they’re saying: “Donald Trump wants tanks in the street and a made-for-TV display of dominance for his birthday,” the No Kings website said.
They like authoritarianism just fine when it’s their authoritarianism, of course.
I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if the demonstrations involve some violence. The preparations:
Republican governors in Virginia, Texas, Nebraska and Missouri are mobilizing National Guard troops to help law enforcement manage demonstrations.
There will be “zero tolerance” for violence, destruction or disrupting traffic, and “if you violate the law, you’re going to be arrested,” Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin told reporters Friday.
In Missouri, Gov. Mike Kehoe issued a similar message, vowing to take a proactive approach and not to “wait for chaos to ensue.”
It’s hard to believe Trump is that age, but he is. He has more energy than most 40-year-olds.
Israel shows Iran some consequences
I wonder what it would take to get Iran to give up on the idea of annihilating Israel, short of an Iranian regime change. At the very least, the events of the past few days should have convinced them that when the Israelis say “never again,” they mean it.
As time goes on we learn more about the Israeli attack and how it was accomplished. Although we don’t know what’s truth and what’s fiction, with the knowledge of what happened to Hezbollah via some pagers, we probably find it all plausible. So regarding Iran we have – for example – reports on what the Mossad managed to do in Iran:
Israeli spies smuggled missiles and secretly hid explosive drones deep inside Iran in a series of covert operations leading up to Friday’s deadly onslaught – before tricking military leaders into gathering for a meeting so they could be wiped out.
Intelligence agents with Mossad, Israel’s top spy agency, started infiltrating the heart of Iran several months back in order to pull off the surprise attack aimed at obliterating Iranian nuclear and military facilities, as well as a swath of top military commanders.
I’d love to know how they tricked the Iranians into assembling for a meeting, but I doubt those details will be revealed.
There’s plenty of speculation about Trump’s exact role, as well. But here’s what Trump wrote:
I gave Iran chance after chance to make a deal. I told them, in the strongest of words, to “just do it,” but no matter how hard they tried, no matter how close they got, they just couldn’t get it done. I told them it would be much worse than anything they know, anticipated, or were told, that the United States makes the best and most lethal military equipment anywhere in the World, BY FAR, and that Israel has a lot of it, with much more to come – And they know how to use it. Certain Iranian hardliner’s [sic] spoke bravely, but they didn’t know what was about to happen. They are all DEAD now, and it will only get worse! There has already been great death and destruction, but there is still time to make this slaughter, with the next already planned attacks being even more brutal, come to an end. Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left, and save what was once known as the Iranian Empire. No more death, no more destruction, JUST DO IT, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE. God Bless You All!
Trump has been a busy guy since he was inaugurated in January.
Iran has lobbed missiles at Israel in retaliation, killing three people so far although most of the missiles have been intercepted:
Channel 12 quoted an unnamed Israeli political source as threatening Iran with escalated strikes.
“Iran will pay an unbearably heavy price for firing at civilian areas,” the source was quoted as saying. “We know what Israel hit [in its attacks on Iranian targets today],” and we know what Israel decided not to hit. And that’s the next step.”
The remark appeared to be a reference to potential Israeli strikes on Iranian energy and infrastructure targets.
Or to Khameini?
Meanwhile, what I call the Tucker Carlson right isn’t happy at all:
Nick Fuentes said “this is the final battle in Israel’s 50 year reign of terror to destabilize & destroy every country that resists their rule.” Candace Owens called Israel’s “bloodlust” demonic. Matt Stoller doesn’t think Israel’s “bloodthirsty insanity” should be “our problem.” Crisis magazine’s Eric Sammons doesn’t think Catholics can support Israel’s attack on Iran. UFC fighter and podcaster Jake Shields is “sick and tired of paying for and fighting Jewish wars” and demanded the destruction of Israel. Dan Bilzerian said, “These jews just can’t help themselves, they attack Iran unprovoked, and they’ll be crying about how they don’t feel safe by morning,” adding, “If I was the president, I would round up every politician supporting Israel and have them all tried for treason.”
Open thread 6/14/2025
Legal whiplash on the National Guard and Trump
A federal appeals court late Thursday ruled that the Trump administration can maintain control over National Guard troops in California, and continue to deploy them against rioters in Los Angeles, blocking a lower court ruling that President Donald Trump’s federalization of the guardsmen was unlawful.
A three-judge panel on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals restored Trump’s authority over the deployment of at least 4,000 California National Guard troops and several hundred Marines.
Earlier, a federal judge had ruled in favor of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who had sued Trump over the federalization of the National Guard, after anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protests in Los Angeles turned into riots over the weekend.
I doubt Newsom will prevail on this issue, except temporarily. But he could, because this stay of the stay is only temporary, too.
Israel unleashes huge attack on Iran
There were many many signs that this was going to happen, and soon. Last night Israel struck Iran, hard:
Not only did Israel hit over a dozen nuclear sites in Iran, but they targeted the country’s top military leadership as well. That includes Hossein Salami, the supreme commander of the IRGC. He has been confirmed killed in a precision strike, and he’s not the only one. The entire IRGC headquarters is reportedly on fire, with multiple officials dead.
Iran’s [two] top nuclear scientists are also dead, representing a major blow to the nation’s ability to restart enrichment at some point.
Netanyahu addressed the nation and had this to say:
“We can’t leave these threats for the next generation,” Netanyahu said during an address shared on YouTube, pressing that the attacks will continue for “as many days as it takes.”
“Because if we don’t act now, there will not be another generation. If we don’t act now, we simply won’t be here. We have internalized the lessons of history. When an enemy says he intends to destroy you — believe him,” he continued.
“When the enemy develops the capabilities to destroy you — stop him.”
A recent report that Iran had enriched enough uranium to build nuclear bombs within days was confirmed, a source told The Post Thursday night, adding that is why the strike occurred.
It’s fairly straightforward, actually. Iran has said for decades that its goal is to destroy Israel, and Israel has no intention whatsoever of being destroyed.
Secretary of State Rubio said:
“We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region. Israel advised us that they believe this action was necessary for its self-defense.” …
“President Trump and the Administration have taken all necessary steps to protect our forces and remain in close contact with our regional partners,” Rubio also said in his Tuesday statement.
“Let me be clear: Iran should not target US interests or personnel.”
That’s a very Trumpian message: hands off the US. But I am virtually certain that Trump was not against this move. He wanted to try diplomacy – or maybe that was a head fake; with Trump, who knows? Now it was time for action on Israel’s part, and I believe Trump agreed.
Who disagrees? Quite a few Democrats:
Reed, the top Democrat on the US Senate Armed Services Committee, warned that the “strikes threaten not only the lives of innocent civilians but the stability of the entire Middle East and the safety of American citizens and forces.”
“While tensions between Israel and Iran are real and complex, military aggression of this scale is never the answer,” he insisted.
What is the answer, Senator Reed? Obama’s Iran deal? The obliteration of Israel? Do tell.
From another Democrat senator:
“This is a disaster of Trump and Netanyahu’s own making, and now the region risks spiraling toward a new, deadly conflict,” [Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut] warned on X.
He also took a political jab at the US president, insisting that Israel’s decision to attack “is further evidence of how little respect world powers — including our own allies — have for President Trump.”
Clueless? Lying? At any rate, the French press says much the same:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, one of Trump’s closest international allies, brazenly defied his advice by unleashing a major military campaign described as a “preemptive” strike against Iran’s nuclear program.
The attack marks only the latest setback for Trump’s lofty goal set out at the start of his second term of being a “man of peace.”
Israel has been preparing for this for years – actually, decades. And as I said, I strongly believe that Trump gave the attack the green light.
The extent of the Iranian retaliation has yet to be seen. But this entire assault could shake up and rearrange the Middle East. Here’s hoping it somehow leads to the Iranian theocracy’s downfall – which would be a triumph for its people.
Open thread 6/13/2025
Funny thing, but it’s not always easy for dancers to walk and look casual. Gene Kelly does it masterfully here. And watch his leap onto the post at 0:54. Amazing:
Terrible air crash in India with enormous loss of life
An Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner blew up on impact as it stalled off the departure end of a runway in Ahmedabad. The plane slammed into a doctor’s office, presumably killing all 242 passengers aboard and the crew. Casualties on the ground will likely end up ballooning as well.
More here; it is the worst aviation disaster in a decade, in terms of loss of life:
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, with 242 people on board, which was headed for Gatwick Airport, south of the British capital, had only one survivor after it crashed onto a medical college hostel during lunch hour. …
The sole survivor is a British national of Indian origin and is being treated in a hospital, the airline confirmed. The man told Indian media how he had heard a loud noise shortly after Flight AI171 took off.
“We are still verifying the number of dead, including those killed in the building where the plane crashed,” Vidhi Chaudhary, a top state police officer, told Reuters. …The only known surviving passenger was in seat 11A, next to an emergency exit, Chaudhary said, adding that there could be more survivors in hospital.
“Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed,” 40-year-old Ramesh Viswashkumar told the Hindustan Times, which showed a boarding pass for seat 11A in that name online.
“It all happened so quickly,” he told the paper from his hospital bed.
It is not so very unusual for catastrophic plane crashes to have sole survivors; see this.
RIP to all the dead. A terrible tragedy.