By Curtis R. Joseph, Jr.
On 15 January 1859, an anonymous pamphlet appeared as The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. Unbeknownst to most was the fact that English poet and writer, Edward Fitzgerald was the author. Although I, myself, am unfamiliar with Mr. Fitzgerald, I am quite familiar with the famous quatrain that he translated in 1859. For the reader, I relay the words here as follows:
“The moving finger writes; and, having writ,
Moves on: nor all thy piety nor wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a line,
Nor all thy tears wash out a word of it.”
In essence, the author has reminded us that what is done is done. For whatever reason, life and time only move forward. To that point, when the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence signed their names to the document, they were fully cognizant of the fact that the deed had been done. Their names were forever etched in history. Similarly, history has recorded the names of our elected legislators, who signed on to the failed coup in an attempt to subvert the very cornerstone of our democracy. That cannot and will not be undone. Their seditious, treasonous acts will long outlive them, and their names will forever be tied to the same.
I am a firm believer that there is no such thing as coincidence. I ascribe meaning to most things that occur in my day-to-day life. In that regard, I found it noteworthy that, within an hour of the insurrection that took place at our nation’s Capitol, I found myself leading the Pledge of Allegiance at Shreveport’s Government Plaza. Words that we all learned in grade school (pledge, allegiance, Republic, one nation, indivisible, and justice) carried different weight as we recited them. And, as we uttered the words in unison, my mind turned to the Statue of Liberty, which I’d toured just last year.
Prior to my tour, I was under the erroneous assumption that the statue was a solid structure. However, our guide disabused me of that notion and informed me that the true beauty of the statue lay in what was not visible to the naked eye. We’re all familiar with the Eiffel Tower. However, many may not be aware that, prior to his work on the famous tower, which rises above and commands the Paris skyline, Eiffel designed the inner girding of our Statue of Liberty. As it turns out, the statue itself is less than the thickness of two pennies. But the girding allows it to withstand gale-force winds. Thus, the statue, just like the very liberty that she represents, is truly fragile.
The images of American citizens scaling the walls of the Capitol, breaking windows, and otherwise carrying on as domestic terrorists will be forever seared in time. Their actions are only rivaled by the so-called leaders who incited them to riot. There is not one among us who was truly surprised by what occurred on January 6, 2021. We have been lurching toward insurrection since November 7, 2020, when the President and scores of legislative enablers at both the state and federal level advanced unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud. For weeks, we have watched a President refuse to acquiesce to the peaceful transfer of power, a bedrock principle that distinguishes our country from others all over the globe. Instead of quelling insurrection, many elected “leaders” pushed their way to the front of the line so that they could lead the charge. Ironically, most of said leaders were on the same ballot that they have assailed.
Consequently, as a country, we find ourselves at the end of the road. This is as far as we can proceed in this particular fashion. We must chart a new course and drive our ship to a new land. There was a time when true servant leaders were called from among the people because they had vision relative to infrastructure, healthcare, education, civil and human rights, and housing, among other things. However, political platforms have devolved into a status quo whereby the game of politics has subsumed the aim of politics. No longer are ideas deliberated upon and hashed out in a way that invites compromise for the good of the citizenry as a whole; rather, politicians have become so engrossed in the trappings of power that the pursuit of power has become an end in and of itself. For those who fanned the flames and incited the people with the notion that their careers would somehow benefit from such, history will record you as having aided and abetted insurrection.
We can and we must do better. All in all, our country is still a young one when consideration is given to the vast arc of history. We still have time and opportunity on our side. We can get this right. In closing, I submit the following from the speech that JFK was slated to deliver on November 22, 1963:
“We ask, therefore, that we may be worthy of our power and responsibility, that we may exercise our strength with wisdom and restraint, and that we may achieve in our time and for all time the ancient vision of “peace on earth, good will toward men.” That must always be our goal, and the righteousness of our cause must always underlie our strength. For as was written long ago: “except the Lord keep the city, the watchmen waketh but in vain.”
You may not realize that your Antifa at the Capitol story came straight out of Russia. Like all the other propaganda you push… lies. RMH
Hey, Trump: You’re fired.
Get out by noon tomorrow.
Jade Sacker is not, nor has she ever been, employed by CNN.
From ABC4.com The criminal complaint against Sullivan lists him as the leader of an organization called Insugence USA through which he organizes protests. He tweeted in late Dec with “travel plans” for the “MAGA_CAVALRY”. You can read the article and the Sullivan complaint affidavit at ABC4.com. I have not yet read the full complaint. Again, whomever participated in planning, guiding, directing, funding, destruction, defiling, theft, etc should be held fully accountable. No matter who they are. Treason is treason. Period.
This “cricket from the left” will now make just a little noise, but not noise directed at any particular person or persons, because that would be mean.
I’d like to congratulate the Trump stooges posting here for finding one loony black man who took part in the insurrection at the Capitol because he likes to play on both sides of the political fence to get his jollies.
That’s one verified person in contrast to the throngs of white nationalist American terrorists who planned to hang Pence and murder Pelosi at the urging of Trump because the election, as we all know and must now freely admit, was “stolen.”
So, yeah, that pretty much leaves us liberals without any comeback. We’re speechless. You caught us. Game over.
And you really shut us down with your brilliant rhetoric: “You lying POS!” “These [liberal] dregs of society,” and my favorite, “You people are just filthy dirty vernon!” I do wonder who “vernon” is, but maybe that just shows I’m uninformed on on the latest alt-right fascist lingo. The alternative explanation for “vernon” was that the patriot who wrote the word actually meant to say “vermin,” but that can’t be right because he’s obviously an American political genus with all the rhetorical skills of John Adams or Alexander Hamilton.
So we’ve come to the point at which all of American history pivots: because of this true bombshell discovery that one black man associated with BLM joined in with Trump’s white power riot the game’s now over! Trump will NOT leave office on Wednesday, no true patriotic white nationalist “protesters” will be unjustly prosecuted for “crimes,” all “Democrat” politicians will be expelled from their offices across the land, and a utopian White Nationalist States of America will again rule this great country from sea to shining sea, just as our Caucasian Creator intended!
It’s total victory for the Boogaloo Bois and Gurls, Qanon, Oath Keepers, Proud Boys, and, most importantly for President-for-life Donald J. Trump!
Two verified stooge. If you go back and actually read you will see there was a CNN correspondent with your little buddy. And who said anything about white power. Gee Uncle Tom you are being so sensitive. I am discussing politics and your lies, not race. Focus boy focus.
Facts boy facts. Jane Sacker is a freelance photojournalist. She does not work for CNN, a channel I haven’t watched in over a decade. Go back and read the apnews report.
Oops, Jade Sacker. Independent photojournalist.
Hahaha facts huh? Ok. That’s right the left only deals in facts. Oh my how I have been wrong and misguided for so long. How will I ever cope?
Fake news also. I have seen the truth on your independent Jade. So happy you don’t watch CNN. That was pertinent information.
You need to read on pretty boy. There is more than one Antifa that’s been found in the group that invaded the Capitol. And as they hunt down the ones that they have the excellent photos of, they seem to be finding more. So don’t think your numbers and your hopes that the Republicans are all at fault are right. What I find really strange is that some of the Antifa members who were arrested were released without bail, while those not in the Antifa group had to sit and wait for a judge. Don’t you find that a little strange. Maybe the new VP Kamala made a few phone calls like she did before when they were burning cities and murdering people. You need to wise up, listen to others that really are smarter than you, and read all you can to see just exactly what the truth is. Some papers really played it up big time, while videos showed people standing around not doing much during the invasion. True they were not supposed to be there, and they were wrong to go into the building when they were supposed to go and stand in front and protest peacefully. The ones who broke the law when they broke in should be punished because they broke the law, but you know, or at some point you should know, you can’t blame everything on Trump. I’m wondering does the word Antifa mean TROUBLE? Watch for the trouble on the 20th, Antifa will cause it and blame others. Except others won’t be there unless it’s the ones we as conservatives don’t have anything to do with, the skinheads, the white supremacists and all those who are not for peace in this country. You see pretty boy, we don’t buy any of your stirring up trouble bs. You and Vicki make a good pair, you ought to call her, what a great dumbing down session that would be. There are things going on done by some, but blamed on others. We know who the ones in that good old party (excuse me, I didn’t mean to gag on those three words) the democrats, who have the slickest backs, that things just slide off of, evil they have done, illegal things they did with that phony foundation they had, and all those strange deaths that surround them. You got it the Clinton Crime family. Now we have another family coming into power, and there have been a lot of questions that have just been asked about them and things not answered. I wonder, will those questions and answers be buried too? A lot of us wonder, but not you. You really like them folks. Slick, mean as snakes when cornered. Are you anything like them, when you go around assuming that you can give us permission to “have the last word.” You are joking, right, for you don’t give me permission for anything, you don’t give anyone permission, you just know you are out of argument and the only thing left in you is the last straw that the dems use, the name calling. I’m anxious to see what happens in the future, will the media turn against Biden, will Hunter get in trouble for all he’s done, or will his old sniffer dad get him off. We do remember Old Joe said he would stay out of it. I know he said it, but I don’t believe it. I have seen Old Sniffer Joe’s temper, maybe you have seen old SnifferJoe’s temper, too.
Just like Individual 1, the crimes he has done, will do or thought about doing is being cast as left leaning deeds. Just amazing that some still believe their fairy tale snooze stories are true. I have a bridge to sell you very cheap..on sale for the next day and a half. Folks, no antifa or BLM members were involved in the Capitol siege. Trying to implicate left leaners in the attack on our own govt? Sadly laughable. Repubs from our own govt helped in that crime. Man up Granny, and take the punishment.
Check it out cupcake. You are wrong, which is not unusual. But this was even shown on your favorite networks.
Looks like Alexander “Vernon” Hamilton just got home from church.
My website indicates that was proven false.
I have seen the video on youtube. Lying POS. Your website is full of it.
It is not a video. Actual words and the complaint affidavit if you care to read it.
John Sullivan aka Jayden X along with a CNN female correspondent were present inside the Capital on the 6th instigating violence while filming. Sullivan is a BLM associate and radical left group leader based in Utah. He is seen in the video wearing a Trump mask breaking windows, shouting our house, and burn it down. He also filmed the shooting of Ashli Bobbitt. He has been arrested on various federal charges. IDK Vicki your lies are busted. Your source is apparently either lacking or tells lies like the rest of you. This idiot posted this video showing what he did. Simple fact is there were left wing nut jobs in the Capital on the 6th and they were involved in violence. Discontinue your lies because the jig is up. Like your crazy little buddy says you may have the last word because you have already failed!
I see reporting of this now that you have provided some other info. However, the report I have found indicates he is not a member of BLM. I will say this, he should be charged along with all the other traitors there if it is shown that he did participate in the deadly riot, BLM or not.
So we finally have you admit being wrong? You see this Mike Casey?You popping off at the mouth instead of being informed before hand is the issue. If I say I’m rich over and over isn’t going to make it true. I really wish you people would have your facts straight before spreading lies. Yes he is a member of BLM. There are several video’s on youtube proving this. However him being part of BLM is past tense. To save face BLM made a statement after his arrest to publicly dissolve all ties with John. In June 2020, John attended his first Black Lives Matter event, according to Lex Scott, the founder of the Utah chapter of the group. He was an active member and voice at many events. He is also founder and leader of the Utah radical group Insurgence USA.
How about that, not all the people in the Capital were Trump supporters. Just amazing. Factual proof but all I am hearing is crickets from Leftists. Just saying.
You are correct. There were others besides the traitors that support Individual 1. There were House Dems, Senate Dems, aides and staff that were Dems. They were all hiding from the rioting, murdering, plundering ts. Probably some real Capitol police officers that were Dems too.
Wrong again. A BLM leader was arrested and confessed to being inside the capital. He is on video shouting to burn it down. So very very sad you are. Can’t even admit truth when it is in front of you. You are the traitor! Patriots are uniting and all you are doing is pushing us closer together.
Oops, you are wrong again. Whatever BLM protestor said was from June, 2020. And yep, shame on them for sure if that’s what was said. I’m sure theyll be on the watch list. Please send reputable website showing BLM there on 1-6-21 or of any arrest. I find nothing so far. I’ve heard zero in the news about it, unlike other times last year when arrests were shown.
DOESN’T FIT THE LEFTS PLANS SO YOU WANT SEE IT ON THE NEWS
Do some work yourself. Google John Sullivan aka Jayden X. There, all the proof needed!
Here in itself lies the issue. The left is judging millions of Trump supporters with a few thousand protesters. We don’t condone violence. You on the other hand condone the summer of violence where all hell broke loose. Excuses lies and rhetoric. It’s plain as day who the filthy animals are and any God fearing person would be ashamed. Have mercy on your souls because once it reaches a tipping point there is no saying”I’m sorry, my bad”. You people are just filthy dirty vernon!
Protestors do not storm and defile our government institutions, threatened lives of government officials, plant pipe bombs, molotov cocktails. And you even invoke God’s name into it. What “leader” calls for an assault on their own government and members of their “own party”? Rhetorical question folks. We all know who he is and all the vile things he and others stand for and represent. I’m so very sad for the lot of you. I truly am. Please stay well.
Vicki what do you call those fine people that storm take over police stations,which would fall under a government building? EVEN WORSE THE ONES THAT BURN AND LOOT PRIVATE BUSINESSES AND TOOK AWAY PEOPLES LIVING? DO YOU REMEMBER THE ONES THAT TOOK OVER A ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH ARMED GUARDS HOLDING PEOPLE HOSTAGE FOR WEEKS ? YEAH YOU DONT REMEMBER ANY OF THAT DO YOU? REMEMBER TRUMP WANTING TO SEND IN TROOPS TO TAKE IT BACK AND INFORCE THE LAW AND THE DEMOCRAT MAYOR AND GOVERNER SAID NO? FUNNY HOW ALL OF THAT WAS OK!!
USMC03 IT’S AMAZING HOW THESE DREGS OF SOCIETY SEE THINGS AND TRY THEIR BEST TO SPIN IT. IT’S GOING TO BE INTERESTING TO WATCH THESE PEOPLE LOSE IT WHEN THR FINALLY SEE WHAT WE HAVE BEEN TELLING THEM. VICKI WHILE NEED IT NOW WILL HAVE TO BE MEDICATED AND THAT OTHER STUMP CAN FINALLY HAVE THE LAST WORD.
Thank you Mr. Joseph for your very eloquent and delicate way of addressing our country’s plight. I pray that we find as well constructed a solution to our dilemma.
Reading all of these beautiful patriotic come together let’s heal post just makes me wonder where you people where the last 4 years? Where were you last year when the President ask for peace then went on to ask the Democratic governors what they need or where he could help to stop the burning and looting in their cities that cost millions in damaged thousands of businesses and thousands of jobs never to return. Where were you and your come together post then? Why weren’t you asking for peace when motorist were being pulled from there cars and being beaten? I’m just wonder where you were then?
Whenever someone refers to another as “you people” I immediately wonder about them. Seems like a bunch of assumptions are being made, negative at that. I believe Mr. Joseph, Jr. was speaking about good things not violence. And just what we’re you doing four years ago to promote peace?
You may assume anything you like. You people are the people losing your mind over a one day protest and had nothing to say about months of violence by the left.
Mike Casey your patience baffles me. Telling the “truth” until you are blue in the face has made me tired and bitter. Stating facts has constantly fallen on deaf ears with “these people”. There is no reasoning with them. When we stand up for our rights and justice it’s unlawful and tyranny. Yet when they plunder and pillage it’s their constitutional right. Then when they are arrested they are automatically free to go. I’m tired. I’m sick. I’m fed up.
USMC03 IM TIRED TOO BUT I WILL NEVER QUIT! MY PRESIDENT HASN’T AND I WONT. YOURE NOT GOING TO REASON WITH THEM,NOT EVEN WHEN THINGS GO VENEZUELA ON US. AGAIN I WONT STOP UNTILL THEY BREAK MY FINGERS OR TAKE MY PHONE.
Thank you USMC03. I’ve got your back.
Have always loved, “The moving finger writes…” Very appropriate analogy with what’s transpiring in our world today. Also in your essay, you stated, here I quote, “However, political platforms have devolved into a status quo whereby the game of politics has subsumed the aim of politics. No longer are ideas deliberated upon and hashed out in a way that invites compromise for the good of the citizenry as a whole; rather, politicians have become so engrossed in the trappings of power that the pursuit of power has become an end in and of itself,” reminds me of another statement made long ago. “However combinations or associations of the above description [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely, in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.” I urge all our citizens to follow this admonition:
“The moving finger writes; and, having writ,
Moves on: nor all thy piety nor wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a line,
Nor all thy tears wash out a word of it.”
Another brave statement: “Let us bind up the nations wounds.”
Mr. Joseph,
Thank you for your eloquent and patriotic essay.
Please continue to offer enlightenment to those readers of the NPJ who live in Plato’s cave, and so have never basked in the warm sunlight of truth.
When the brave brown rooster crows, the green can appears!
Dear Mr. Curtis R. Joseph, Jr., A cup bearer for democracy, you make our Persian bard proud for eloquently sprinkling his wine among the Pelican humanity of Louisiana. Thank you.
It is so refreshing to hear from someone other than Royal Alexander. Black Lives Matter protests did not desecrate the United States Capitol, perhaps the most important symbol of our country. Hopefully our Louisiana leaders including John N. Kennedy who supported Trump in his delusions will answer at the ballot box.
Finally, an opinion based on facts. Thank you,
Mr. Finger can we all assume you were as upset with nation wide riots and insurrection that took place all of last year? MILLIONS of dollars of damages,lost businesses and jobs were you upset about that?
The person who wrote the article to which you refer is Curtis R. Joseph, Jr.–Not “Mr. Finger.”
And he’s man enough to sign his name to what he wrote and even to publish his photograph.
As for you, “M1,” you hide behind a screen name and childishly call Mr. Joseph “Mister Finger, refusing to address him with civility. I wonder what in particular about Mr. Joseph compelled you to do that.
I challenge you to post again under your real name, as I always do
As for the Antifa riots, I denounced them as they were occurring–as did Joe Biden, as did any sensible person, including, I strongly suspect, Mr. Joseph. What we don’t denounce are protests against the countless incidents in which policemen treat black people very differently from white people for the same behaviors. I’m proud to say I took part in the Black Lives Matter peaceful protest that took place here in Natchitoches last year. he overwhelming majority of Black Lives Matter marches were also peaceful. But that’s absolutely no excuse for the rioters who burned down buildings.
I’ll close with this observation: your cheap insult to Mr. Joseph did not go unnoticed, “M1.”
As I tell all supporters of the seditionist and twice-impeached Trump who post here, having said all I have to say to you, I give you my full permission to have the last word.
Perhaps you’ll apologize to Mr. Joseph.
Fat chance, right?
So much hypocrisy in all your post.
R. Allen, you need to quit letting Vicki coach you in what you say on here, because she is more often than not, WRONG.
You wrote, “As for the Antifa riots, I denounced them as they were occurring–as did Joe Biden, as did any sensible person,……” the last part including the writer of the article. Maybe you denounced them, but I really didn’t hear Joe Biden denounce them in straightforward terms as he should have. He should have stood and told them this was not the way to settle any problems and was not the way to peace in our country. President Trump and others even asked him to step in and and talk to them and he said he had no authority, since he was not the president. Well, he was the man they supported in running for president, and he still would not do it. As for Kamala, his partner is ‘crime’, she asked her supporters to bail the thugs out of jail after some were arrested, just so they could get on with their evil ways. The congressional committees that were shown the videos of mobs burning, looting and murdering would not even watch videos shown in committee meetings because they didn’t want to call that mob anything but peaceful protestors. They would not watch the video of policemen being taken to the hospital, but with the doors blocked because the mob wanted them dead. So I see a number of people right there in the ones I’ve mentioned very few, in fact NO SENSIBLE PERSON denouncing Antifa.
Then you said, “I’m proud to say I took part in the Black Lives Matter peaceful protest that took place here in Natchitoches last year. he overwhelming majority of Black Lives Matter marches were also peaceful.” The protest in Natchitoches was peaceful and I was very proud of the people in our town acting like civil human beings instead of thugs. But as for your statement that the overwhelming majority of BLM marches were also peaceful, I wonder where you get your information that the overwhelming majority were peaceful. What I saw were statues being pulled down and destroyed, even the one of Abraham Lincoln. Peaceful, well I guess I should be thankful that they didn’t burn buildings to the ground, and I guess them not burning and looting is peaceful in your eyes. It all depends on the way one sees what is happening. You see, I believe, when you destroy property that does not legally belong to you, it is wrong and you should be arrested for what you have done, and you are not peacefully protesting. I know there were peaceful protests, but please tell me where you got your information that they were overwhelmingly peaceful.
You chastise someone for calling a person by a name other than his own. Maybe you should talk to Vicki, as she constantly insulted the President of the United States by calling him names. But I suppose that is ok with you, since the two of you are good buddies on the same side. But the way I see it, I she can stoop so low as to call the President names, what in the world is wrong with calling someone else by another name. Oh that’s right, you are the dems, always right, never rioting, only do peaceful protesting, and never insult anyone. Yeah, right.
Oh yes, as for the latest call too have conservatives re-programmed, forget it. I don’t know of any conservative that wants to be like you people.
No matter what some people stand up for they’re referred to as a bigot or a homophobe of some sort or something bad but whenever a conservative stands up for something that’s it you done wrong your KKK you’re Nazi this is wrong and it’s easy for people to just assume this without really understanding who the people are that they’re calling this. Now as liberals always think that everything that they say and do is right and if we don’t think they’re away that we are wrong and we should change well I thought this was a country of equal we should meet in the middle and we should negotiate agreement and not battle them out. I agree that the battling out that took place on January the 6th was wrong.
Thank you very much.