“Friends, Romans, Countrymen”… A Bit Of Political Stress Relief
Guest Commentary by Herb Schoenbohm
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
— Life of Reason, Reason in Common Sense, George Santayana 1905, p. 28
Roman Emperor Julius Caesar
This item offers some needed stress relief from the day-to-day election mudslinging. Mindful that many children observing this mind numbing wall-to-wall invective are going back to school next week. Since we are using their schools to vote how about the students using our election discourse as a means to learn classic literature and history? Trying to teach iambic pentameter by itself won’t get much attention but coupling the learning experience and challenging students with the local political arena makes for fun and I bet they will love it.
This is how it could go………
“Now class, your attention please! Welcome back to school. This year we are going to try something new and different. Today we are going read a short part of William Shakespeare’s play about Roman political leader Julius Caesar, specifically Act III, Scene II. Your assignment is to compare the cast of characters with people in local Virgin Island politics whom you have observed recently. Match them up to those in the play. The play speaks volumes about some of the traits or perceptions of our local politicians.
Most noticeable are references to honor, corruption, ambition, conspiracy, and violence. The eulogy to the crowd by Marc Antony is a famous example of emotionally charged rhetoric not unknown in VI politics but a special gift of the use of sarcasm and understatement to drive the point home. VI political giant Walter I.M. Hodge was a master of this technique as well as and many others since.”
“I have listed the characters and all you need do is put the name of the current VI politicians who closely resemble those of ancient Rome.”
“Please begin your work…If you have any questions, tell the hall monitor as I will be in the teachers lounge listening to the talk shows and sipping on my latte.”
_______________________
Teachers reference guide and syllabus:
Julius Caesar. This is obviously Governor deJongh, “Veni,Vidi, Vici” or I came, I saw I conquered which was a message sent to the Senate. A popular leader, inventor of the Julian Calender so all government employees could get to work on time, rebuilder of Carthage (STX), invader of Great Britain and founder of London, fond of Queen Cleopatra, and the victim of intrigue and scheming by his own party’s compatriots to get rid of him because they felt he was actually a republican or wanted power for themselves.
Soothsayer. “Beware the Ides’ of the Primary” was a blogger on CIF suggesting that the governor not run as a Democrat in the primary since a plot existed, that he could easily avoid.
Cicero. This great silver tongued orator, feared by Marc Antony, and loyal to Caesar is none other than Senator Celestino White of course.
Cleopatra. She was fond of Caesar, sought by many candidates even by Marc Antony. Most likely this is Senator Alicia “Chucky” Hansen. Everyone wants her support, wants her love, but still fears her gaining too much power.
Marc Antony. He will come after the primary to say “Friends Virgin Islanders and countrymen. I am here today to praise John deJongh, I never intended to bury him.” Of course you got it right…. Luz James II! He will go on to say at the eulogy, we were warned that Governor deJongh was ambitious. From Act III Scene II, a portion of Marc Antony’s famous speech about Caesar after his assassination; “The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interred with their bones; So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus Hath told you Caesar was ambitious: If it were so, it was a grievous fault, And grievously hath Caesar answered it. Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest. For Brutus is an honorable man; So are they all, all honorable men. Come I to speak in Caesar’s funeral. He was my friend, faithful and just to me; But Brutus says he was ambitious; And Brutus is an honorable man. He hath brought many captives home to Rome. Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill; Did this in Caesar seem ambitious? When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept: Ambition should be made of sterner stuff:”
As in the play rhetorical skills and sarcasm eventually turn the crowd against the conspirators. He reminds the crowd of Caesar’s kindness and love for the people. The crowd then understands and riots in search of the conspirators. Antony eventually purged the democrat party of conspirators and ordered the assassination of Cicero. Then went on to Egypt to try some of Caesars pick up lines on Queen Cleopatra.
Brutus, Once loyal to Caesar and the party, whose wound was the “unkindest cut of all” as Caesar mortally wounded cries “Et Tu Brute”…”Then fall Caesar.” For sure this is Jimmy O’Bryan, known to turn against the very people who have helped him, i.e. Senator Lorraine Berry, who gave him a big job when he needed it; Rick Ricardo, who hired him as a broadcast intern and trained him well, Mr. P, who gave him a free radio platform to inveigh for many months against Governor deJongh, and deJongh himself who had helped him some time ago.
Cassius, Equates well to Senator Ken Mapp who in the Eastern (East end) campaigns impressed Pompey (Governor Schneider) until Pompey’s defeat. He was pardoned by Caesar but joined the conspiracy to have him assassinated. Outlawed from Rome, he quietly received 600,000 Roman dinarius to go abroad to launch his future campaign in Philipi but committed suicide after his defeat there in 42bc.
Teacher’s note: I left out Nero, who fiddled on the island of Anguilla while St. Croix burned and the obvious Governor Caligula who we all know. Neither were part of this time period nor in the play. The next study will be of characters in Victor Hugo’s classic Les Miserables whom you can compare with their Virgin Island contemporary characters. JeanVal Jean, Inspector Javer, Mssr. Madelaine, Madame deFarge, and Robbespierre.
Kindly delete Vegan @11:45 which is an inadvertent duplicate
Funny!
That was very entertaining! I wonder which character in Caesar can we use to describe Tito.
Tito Morales is Brutus’s trusty steed, or donkey if you please.
The Soothsayer is Cletus Emmanuel, a mathematical genius who testified to the VI people (Caesar) about the Diageo numbers not adding up. The VI people have awoken now to this reality like Caesar realized too late the plot against him. The other conspirators against Caesar (the VI people) is White, Hill, and Dowe.
What about Caesar’s wife “who must be beyond suspicion” according to Caesar when asked about his former wife Pompeia? This quote is often used as a metaphor by a Chief Executive who wishes to rid his administration of corruption. A term apparently ignored by previous governor Dr.Charles W. Turnbull, Phd.
Caesar’s wife is probably portrayed by the First Lady.
If the First Lady cared for children she could not stomach working for the convicted pedophile who ordered two 13 y/o girls to his hotel room for a night of fun and frolick.
And we are to believe she condems the Darfurians for the systematic rape of girls? Or did she just need $10,000.00 per
Month from the lottery slush fund to fly first class with her young relatives?
Reason #17 to get rid of deJongh is to stop the rape of the lottery slush fund.
ATTENTION VIRGIN ISLANDERS:
Please do not be fooled by the soft spoken and innocent appearance of Cecile de Jongh.
Cecile de Jongh is as cold hearted and as vindictive and devious as her husband.
No true caring woman would ever work for a man that has had sexual relations with little girls as young as 12 years old.
No woman of class or compassion would use Lottery Funds that are legislated to be used for the disabled and public, to go on a vacation to Rwanda with a crew that purchased property.
There is a very good reason why Cecile de Jongh is married to man like John de Jongh. Both are a like in more ways than one.
Cecile de Jongh is no ‘Lady’ much less a ‘First Lady’.
No woman of substance or integrity would stand for the exploita
No woman of substance or integrity would co sign the political exploitation of minors.
GET CECILE DE JONGH AND HER HUSBAND AWAY FROM OUR CHILDREN OUR TERRITORY!
Nor would she let her house be improved by $490,000.00 of tax payer monies.
Vegan, Now be fair the “house” was not improved by $490,000. That was the cost for modern hi-tech upgraded security and a guard house for surrounding the property, improving the road, providing parking slots for “official” visitors, etc. When you can tell me about jacuzzis, imported Persian Rugs, Chippendale, sunken hot tubs, mirrored reflecting pools, fountains, and marble statues then I would gladly join you in your scorn. But you must know by now that was not the case here. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security advised all governors of an enhanced threat level after 09/11 and recommended enhance and effective security. After deJongh leaves office, whether in January 2011 or 2015, the security equipment,fencing, and guard house can be used elsewhere in other service to the government. The guard house, as well, can find use elsewhere.
Today ex-presidents and high members of the cabinet have some degree of protection. The same is true with many state governors. Why should it be any different with the Virgin Islands. The governor’s security is very obsequious compared to the armada of blacked out SUV’s, wailing sirens, and praetorian guards that was a daily routine with past governors.
The matter was put out under the bidding laws of the Virgin Islands and was subject to the procedural scrutiny of required interdepartmental oversight. Admittedly the high ticket price raised concerns but such developments are not and matter of building a rum shack and running some wires on the ground, far from it. I remember the remake of STX Government House, with its many cost over runs, and to provide an infrequently used sleeping parlor for Governor Turnbull cost over $15 million to complete and required over 5 years to complete. The irony is that so many detractors expected the governor to move into Kathrinaberg, which has nothing at all to do with Government House which is by law the governor’s resident. It has not been a suitable location this purpose for a decade. All the noise about this is pure political claptrap.
Vegan, You sound like an reasonable person, fine. But do me one favor please do not refer to money, whether private or public, as “monies”. This term is hackneyed archaic and used, like a stale crumb on the floor and picked up by a rat, normally by politicians who heard another politician use it for which we are doomed to hear it over and over. What wrong with just saying “money”? Perhaps your having “shrimps” salad tonight for supper?
Herb,I notice no mention is made as to whether or not proper authorization was given for the transferring and expending of the funds (on his private property) which were appropriated and intended for other purposes.
“Monies” is appropriate, Herb. There were a few different parcels, plus cost overruns.
There you go again though, defending a Democrat for what the US Inspector General calls improper. There are actually legal ways to spend taxpayer money on private property. None of those mechanisms were used. And of course, there had been no threat assessment. You can read, Herb. Unless you think that the term “improper” is an archaic word to describe theft.
There are several words in the English language that can be plural by themselves or made plural. For example, “people” and “peoples”. The people of the earth deserve democracy. However, most of the world’s peoples do not enjoy this form of government. The latter pluralization suggests groups of peoples to be considered separately.
Your failure to understand this and your faulty Julius Caesar analogy gives you an “F” in English. Your blind support of the territory’s first elected “continental” governor who is a democrat, gives you an F in government.
LOL………Herb YOU have FAILED!
@Herb, you cannot in your right mind say that the ‘house’ was not improved. Before using public funds to renovate and upgrade his home. John de Jongh’s house looked like a wooden delapidated shack. Now all of a sudden after almost 1/2 of a million dollars of public funds were spent on it. They have granite table tops, marble flooring an expansion of rooms with extra square footage.
The FEDS have the proof and the contractor is squeeling. Your boy John, is done!
@Soldier Crab “Improper” is an opinion of the IG. Whether a crime was actually committed has yet to be determined by those that have the jurisdiction t do so. The question is were any laws broken and even if so it requires proof beyond reasonable doubt that there was sufficient proof of an knowing “intent” to do so. Having followed the allegations, many of which were exaggerated, there seems to have been the following of procurement procedure, with ratification by the AG, and continence of the V.I. Legislature who created a wide berth with the language “and for other purposes” that one could drive a truck through. Could the project have been done for less? Probably. Should it have been approached differently? Hindsight suggests certainly yes. Yet there was a exigency requirement that the security enhancement should proceed quickly as it did. But make bold allegations of high crimes IMHO seems more to have been by the political ambition of detractors rather then by common sense. The governor is not infallible. The total price tag seemed high but remember the specs were not the work of the Governor but submitted by responsive bidders. Whether or not there was hardball negotiation to drive the project to the lowest and most qualified bidder, I just don’t know.
This has become a major issue in this election and the governor must answer to it, just as the challengers must answer to allegations against them.
Then why did he lie about it if thought it was okay?
AG’s don’t ratify. Legislatures ratify, Herb.
Ag’s give arguments. The legislative counsel has the same legal status and the body that has ratification said no.
Herb, I know that deJongh is the Continentals’ first governor. But you cannot defend theft. It is the failure of John to admit and replace the money that will cost him this election. Ask the campaign people. The masses are angry about that thing universally more than anything else.
If ‘improper’ is an opinion of the AG,then who am I to suggest otherwise?
But you are right,’the case is yet to be determined’ and at some point we’ll all find out whether or not the governor broke any laws.
…..replace AG with IG.
If history is any guide, “The mod always frees Barrabas.