I see a bad moon a-rising / I see trouble on the way
Marc Friedman recently posted a Substack essay in which he employs “Bad Moon Rising’s” lyrics by Credence Clearwater Revival to critique Trumpism. He compares this apocalyptic anthem about the disaster wrought by the Vietnam war - using stanzas such as “I see earthquakes and lightning / I see bad times today;" “Hope you got your things together / Hope you are quite prepared to die;” and “There’s a bad moon on the rise” - with the eclipse of democratic norms wrought by Trump.
Marc notes the use of ICE as an instrument of racial terror, economic cruelty in the guise of populism, the military parade and the optics of power, and the silencing of dissent as evidence of a coming despotic regime. I prefer this message to complaints that Trump violated the Constitution when he authorized the bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities. After all, many presidents have authorized use of armed forces short of war declarations. Moreover, despite Americans disparaged for having short historical memories, I do recall Americans being held by Iranians after the overthrow of the Shah, Iranians committing acts of terrorism directly or through proxies, and the Iranian regime brutally suppressing women, journalists, and dissidents.