After more than a couple of decades of knowing each other, I hope you all appreciate the deep respect and affection I hold for your great country. As with any other country, there are times when it has not acted in a manner with which I would cheerfully associate myself. I cite the Mccarthy era, or the Vietnam war as two such hiatuses. But, as a major contributor to and defender of Western culture, there is much more of which Americans can be proud. Unfortunately, the last four years and the corrosive influence of Donald J. Trump’s bombastic reign on your proud democratic and foward-lookifg principles renders these the most regressive period of all.

A typically odious and rabble-rousing speech by Trump in Washington today, goading an angry mob of followers to do all they could to storm Congress and repudiate Biden’s clear victory in the Presidential race qualifies, in my view, to be the darkest hour before the dawn. It seems that both Warnock and Ossoff have won their respective Senate seats in GA, and so bring the Senate into 50-50 balance, with Harris holding the casting vote as VP and therefore Chair. Finally, it’s a done deal, though they will have to prise Trump’s fingers off the West Wing desk. But he’s done for. If he does get prosecuted, I hope his punishment is to be forced to watch all seven series of the West Wing TV drama, with his head locked and eyelids forced open a la Clockwork Orange.

What I hope happens now is a more effective version of Mandela’s Truth & Reconciliation Committee in South Africa, because your great country will not recover its stature and ability to be a beacon to others if the squabbles Trump catalysed—and which many Democrats reciprocated without considering the consequences—are not dispensed with and BOTH sides—not just Trump supporters—realise how much more you have in common and would benefit from recognising that fact. If Congress stays in the trenches and what you call “bipartisanship” (and the rest of the civilised world calls reasonable behaviour) is no way to run a hot-dog stand, let alone a leading First World country.

So get right on it, And quash this Covid pandemic while you’re at it—if only just to show what you can do together. Because, otherwise, I can’t come visit and bask in your warm hospitality—and I’m getting pretty impatient with that.

with affection

Dave Berry