American Writer

I am an American, a person who reveres the United States Constitution, but I am also a writer, a person who will be resisting the racist, sexist, classist establishment for the rest of my life. I will not tolerate the oppression of anybody on this land –or overseas.

I listen to John Lennon and Bruce Springsteen, not Donald Trump and Sean Hannity.

I still respect law and order: I will not support violence or crime as solutions to injustice; if you want to rebel, you join an artistic,social or political movement, you don’t engage in looting, shooting, mugging, slashing etc….

So, both oppressors and criminals: look out for me! I won’t support you!

The other day, on the way to my friend, I got off the bus and had to cross the Bronx’s Grand Concourse. In my younger days, I would have run across as soon as I sensed that I could beat the traffic, but now, I am nearly fifty four years old, so I must “cross at the green, not in between”. I watch the traffic lights, beware the traffic (both motorists and bicyclists) and make sure that I have enough time to get from one side of the street to another…

I say that we should demand full funding for public education, free tuition for all university students and a guaranteed income for the mentally ill…!

One of the few things I miss about being a capitalist, suburban kid/punk was going to the New York City office of my father, the accountant, on Fifth Avenue, right near the 42^nd Street library. What a safe and convenient section of town it was for a child to hang out! I feel for children who have to hang out in more dangerous parts of town…

Craig R. Bayer

A Career Path Chosen

My move to the Bronx and virtually all its complications out of the way, it’s time for me to concentrate on Colleague Training at Fountain House and on publishing a national mental health clubhouse journal.

That’s what my life’s work will be—in addition to my personal writing.

My political blogs and political Facebook posts will continue to flow, but I have no aspiration to run for office or to join any political organizations. I am focused like a laser on the mental health movement.

Trump Screwed Up

President Trump just congratulated Russian dictator Vladimir Putin on winning a rigged election. He tried to justify it by claiming that rigged election or not, we shouldn’t be meddling in other countries’ elections. There is some truth to that: we shouldn’t be actively meddling in other countries’ politics, because it’s imperialistic and because there are consequences to doing so: note that Hillary Clinton’s meddling in Russian affairs when she was Secretary of State helped lead to Putin’s meddling in our politics and politics all over the world.

Nevertheless, the United States, being a democracy—a leading democracy, is obliged to publicly condemn nondemocratic elections and countries.  We are here to protect and spread democracy, not pretend that it’s just another political alternative.

President Trump has made a serious mistake and he should acknowledge it to himself and the world public.

Trump and Greatness

President Trump can’t “make America great again”, because he doesn’t understand greatness. He obviously doesn’t understand moral greatness nor intellectual greatness nor even greatness in business, where he’s considered a con man, if not a failure. What good does he stand for? None whatsoever. He can’t even claim to stand with law enforcement because he’s a law breaker and a frivolous, self-serving critic of the FBI. He represents the best of neither Republicans nor Democrats. He doesn’t belong where he is—in a position of power.

I confess that I’d prefer for Republicans to never win elections, but when a Republican does, I expect him or her to stand for something important, like excellence in business, commitment to law and order and those who enforce it, and in excellence in culture and education, and to seriousness about family values. Trump represents none of that. He is incompetent complete and we should be able to impeach him on that count alone.

Next time around, if the country is unsatisfied with Democrats or even Republicans, it should choose a good and competent male or female alternative, not a head case. Enough said.