I can still remember in 1994, when South Africa’s black
majority was finally able to vote, the seemingly endless lines of Black men and
women waiting long hours to cast their vote.
I thought of that when I read of the Wisconsin upset yesterday. I think Trump is finished, even against
Biden. People are deeply angry, and they
will not be denied the chance to drive Trump from office. This terrible pandemic has transformed the election
into a referendum on Trump, and he is finished.
From your lips to God's ears.
ReplyDeleteI hope you are right Professor- but I have no confidence you are right here.
ReplyDeleteJust as an aside- how would you prefer to be addressed in comments? I have no problem calling you the Professor or really much anything you preferred. Just want to know what would be acceptable. Within reason of course- not going to call you 'Lord Protector Wolff' or anything like that. Just curious- several of my corona virus cancelled poker game participants have said they disliked being addressed as 'Professor'. Man- I miss my weekly poker game even if I had to put up with the academic types. Well actually I liked all of them and miss them very much at this point.
"Just as an aside- how would you prefer to be addressed in comments? I have no problem calling you the Professor or really much anything you preferred. Just want to know what would be acceptable. Within reason of course- not going to call you 'Lord Protector Wolff' or anything like that."
ReplyDeleteOh brother...
Oh brother of mine- what was your question?
ReplyDeleteHerr Professor Doktor Emeritus Columbia University Visiting Professor Docktor Wolff at the absolute minimum, though I think this is insufficiently formal.
ReplyDeleteNice Nihilist, that one is not reasonable either. Holy crap- I was going for a range between Professor Wolff and Bob. I will just stick to 'professor' I guess. Getting very sorry I asked about this.
ReplyDelete@Jerry,
ReplyDeleteOr you can just use his initials (RPW). I do that, and so do one or two other commenters.
He is Professor Wolff. He is our professor, friends. The haters will always hate.
ReplyDeleteI'm the other Dean, the one who comments more frequently here, as far as I can tell. I have no strong opinion, independent of what Prof. Wolff might state as his own preference, about how we should address him. I myself don't like honorifics -- Prof., Dr., the Honorable, etc. -- but I will always respect the preference of a genuinely humble and yet deserving person like our host.
ReplyDeleteJeeze guys- I mostly asked because I know several university professors that told me they get tired of being called 'Professor'. If RPW prefers to be addressed a certain way I wanted to know so I asked. In case any of you are concerned about my feelings - I prefer Jerry, or J.B. or Jerome over titles like 'dumbass'. If someone calls me Mr. Brown I get nervous and figure they work for the government some way.
ReplyDeleteProfessor Wolff can indicate how he prefers to be addressed and I will adhere to that. But I sure hope it isn't as complicated as 'Herr Professor Doktor Emeritus Columbia University Visiting Professor Docktor Wolff'. I would hate to have to type that in before every little question I ask.
I believe the Professor is correct. Trump's boorish daily briefing habits are equivalent to the "Have you no decency, sir?" moment with regard to McCarthy. I think the battle now shifts to defending against voter suppression and election fraud, something that Dems haven't been great on. I have yet to hear Democrats take up the question of Kris Kobach's Interstate Crosscheck voter purge program, the most effective voter suppression tactic in 2016. Hiding Biden might be helpful too.
ReplyDeleteGiven how the COVID !9 crisis has also exposed the disgusting greed of the powerful, class conflicts are erupting into the public arena, to wit:
'Amazon Employees For Climate Justice
Amazon fired tech workers after we invited employees to an internal virtual event to hear directly from our warehouse coworkers and @NaomiAKlein! Amazon employees: our Thurs event is ON. Since Amazon censored this event, you must RSVP here: https://forms.gle/F1ecTADMYiU41JnC6
Addendum to Jerry's at 8:19 AM:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.bbc.com/news/business-52289657
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/apr/15/whole-food-protests-coronavirus-working-conditions-sickout
I understand your query, Jerry. You didn't intend to propogate an entire subthread.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of Jerry Brown and honorifics, many years ago my wife and I attended a performance of a choral work by Mary Lou Williams at a church near downtown Oakland. After the concert around 10:00pm on our walk back to catch public transportation a lone gentleman was walking toward us on the sidewalk. It was then Oakland mayor (and former CA state governor for the first go-round) Jerry Brown. I waved and said, "Good evening, Mayor." He replied, "Good evening." So I guess I don't entirely dispense with honorifics.
In any event I hope that Prof Wolff is right.
ReplyDeleteDean, if I ever develop the courage to get on a plane again I think I would like to go meet that Jerry Brown from California. Doubtful he would want to meet me I guess. But he has had significant influence on my life. Got me the nickname 'Governor' in high school which as far as names go is not bad. Then he ran for President and I think he may have won the primary in my state. But it was nice voting for myself for President in a primary. Then he became Governor again and I still have some friends that call me 'Governor Brown' occasionally. I am very happy he was a governor and not a mass murderer or something like that.
ReplyDelete