Carrying the Light - Painting

Carrying the Light acrylic on water color 12"X18" unmounted
Apology for poor photo quality

Woman and Child - acrylic on watercolor paper

Woman and Child - acrylic on watercolor paper - January 22, 2016
un-matted and unframed - original - 22' X 30'
Email me for pricing information.

The Enemy List - Political Commentary

"I want to make sure he is a ruthless son of a bitch, do what he's told, that every income tax I want to see I see, that he will go after our enemies and not our friends. Now it's as simple as that. If he doesn't he doesn't get the job." —President Richard Nixon, on appointing an IRS commissioner

Confession:

My father was a card carrying proud Wisconsin Progressive. He even ran, in the 1930’s, for the Wisconsin state legislature  as a Progressive.  “The Candidate of the Farmer - Laborer and Small Businessman.”  Of course this was in the middle of the Great Depression, he might of still been in college (living on peanut butter and crackers) when he ran. He lost the election, he dropped out of college, and in one of those ironic twists of fate (brains, and hard work) became an executive and eventually a Vice President in various steel and aluminum companies.  One of the driving engines of Capitalism in the 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s.  However, despite being a capitalist, he never lost his liberal point of view.

Bragging Rights:

Yes, he was liberal and in many ways, William Scott Harms was a visionary.  In the 1950’s, while vice president at Caine Steel, he bought a rundown farm in Illinois to begin experimental agriculture.  He introduced  crop rotation and contour plowing, which even though commonplace today, was considered strange at that time.  He built a passive solar heated house - a term that only started to become known in the late 70’s - which let the sun heat the house in winter through large southern windows, while the precisely measured overhanging eaves provided shade in the summer.  

Besides his ahead-of-his time lifestyle, he was passionately opposed to racism and anti-semitism -  before it was cool.  In 1950’s America, many hotels would not only not allow persons of color, but also Jews to stay overnight on their premises. My father hated this kind of bigotry. He gave generously to Golda Meir to help the state of Israel and to organizations like The United Negro College fund at their inceptions. He practiced what he preached.  For honesty’s sake (and I cringe to admit this), he was also a big supporter of the ACLU - but this was before their anti-christianity spoken or practiced in public places crusade.  My father also continued with his lifelong passion for politics.  

The 50’s are notorious for the McCarthy hearings and the hunt for communists. Undoubtedly there were communists in the United States; however, McCarthy shredded the constitutional rights of hundreds of influential American by dragging them to congressional hearing for thought  and guilt by association “crimes” (or in his words: subversion, disloyalty, and treason).  He began in 1950 with a supposed “list” of 205 members of the state department who were communists.  He never did make this list public.  Richard Nixon, McCarthy’s fellow senator and right hand man, assisted in what later became called a witch hunt.

My father despised both of these men, and despite the very real possibility of being called a traitor and communist, wrote editorials and spoke against McCarthy’s “witch hunt” while commander at his local American Legion chapter.  Eventually, McCarthy was condemned by the senate for his abuse of power, but my father never forgot Nixon’s participation.  It wasn’t until after Nixon became president and was eventually impeached, however, that our family realized, that Nixon too never forgot his enemies.

My father only had one personal contact with Richard Nixon that I know. I include this story because it’s amusing and demonstrates my father’s personality.  My parents were staying at the posh Key Biscayne Resort in Florida which just happened to be a favorite vacation spot for the Nixons.  My parents were leaving the hotel when Vice President Nixon was entering with his CIA security detail. The Vice President stepped to the side to let my (very attractive) mother go through the door first. My mother stepped aside at the same time, because, after all, this was the Vice President of The United States.  My father, in utter disgust, stormed through the opened doors before both of them. Nixon gave my mother a wink and a smile as she, embarrassed, quickly followed after my father.

My father swore that if Nixon ever became president, he would ruin the United States  and that my father would move us all to another country.  Unfortunately when Nixon became president in 1969, my father had advanced lung cancer and died that year.  However, before my father’s departure, but while quite sick, he went through an income tax audit.  My father was an honest man and paid his taxes, yet mysteriously the year Nixon got into power, William Scott Harms had his taxes audited for the first time.  It was only after Nixon was removed from office and my father was gone that our family learned that Nixon, like Joseph McCarthy, had an enemy list, and that tax audits were one of his methods for “screwing” his political opponents.

Conclusion:

Recently we have seen under Democrat Barack Obama’s administration, the IRS going after political opponents of the president.  The IRS overwhelmingly denied conservative and Tea Party groups tax exempt status.  Obama may or may not of have been aware of this, but his followers seemed to think that using the IRS to “screw” with political opponents was ok. The IRS officials have never been penalized for this terrible abuse of power.  The “main-stream” media who got Obama elected are strangely silent about this scandal. One has to wonder if it had been a Republican president if they would have been so reticent.  The IRS yields the power to turn people’s lives upside down; it should never be politicized.  

A president with an enemy list is a scary thing.  Citizens of the United States should be able to speak their heart held convictions loudly and proudly without fear of retribution.  We should be careful not to elect people into the office of the presidency, Republican or Democrat, Constitution or Green Party, who have temperaments inclined for personal revenge.  Men and women with a vision for America and a desire to serve are above vendetta politics. They can take the refining fire of criticism and disagreement.  For me, like my father, it’s probably too late. I am already on an enemy list for my outspoken beliefs.  However as a Christian, I am taught to fear God not man, and that is what I will continue to do.