"When Mexico sends its people … they are bringing drugs
and they are bringing crime and their rapists."
Donald Trump, July 2015

The media has helped to make this man, this man of many words, of a limited scope, a hostile vision--someone who announces that "you're an idiot" or that the Mexican people who come to this country are unacceptable deviants that their country allowed to emigrate. He is a parody of what television thinks is "powerful" or "successful"--the reality t.v. version of appropriate behavior for an American adult. What I find stunning, (though why should I?) is that Mr. Trump actually has wrestled the stage away from the real politicos and is standing under the main spotlight as a representation and spokesperson of a philosophy, a vision for the Republican party. Forget the party for now, a representation and a spokesperson for the United States. This I find horrifying.

Why are we giving him a minute of our time? What is it that is resonating beyond the sheer fear that he has garnered this attention? And why?

Halloween Mask: Frankenstein, Q. Cassetti, 2011, Adobe Illustrator CS5Funny what happens! Kitty called yesterday around noon. Hampshire had evacuated campus due to the electricity being knocked out—and she was trying to figure out what to do. Twenty four hours later, we have Kitty, and two friends here, eating, watching t.v. and hopefully carving the pumpkins and making Halloween for tonight’s activities. They all have had snuggly beds, hot tubs, cups of tea and soup and slices of quick bread. So, yesterday’s proposed afternoon of cooking became significantly bigger with a vegetarian Pizza Rustica, two cranberry recipes (one sauce made with mulled cider and lemon juice and a cold one), the gravy for bird day. Lots of prepping and cooking.