{"id":1746,"date":"2026-03-17T08:01:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-17T08:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/?p=1746"},"modified":"2026-02-01T06:24:23","modified_gmt":"2026-02-01T06:24:23","slug":"born-in-the-dsa-batt-crazy-leadership-does-not-happen-by-accident-and-it-can-only-be-crushed-if-we-do-it-together","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/2026\/03\/17\/born-in-the-dsa-batt-crazy-leadership-does-not-happen-by-accident-and-it-can-only-be-crushed-if-we-do-it-together\/","title":{"rendered":"Born in the DSA*: Bat$#^t Crazy Leadership Does Not Happen By Accident, and It Can Only Be Crushed If We Do It Together"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The popular guy in charge of the DSA is a greedy, paranoid sociopath, a malevolent narcissist, and is probably experiencing dementia. It\u2019s a tactic that works for him, even as it destroys the DSA.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
*DSA stands for the Divided States of America (aka \u201cOne Nation, Divisible\u201d). Periodically, I\u2019ll be writing more specific takes on issues that are clearly wrong for the DSA, using the arts as context. If there are issues you\u2019d like to take up (or that you\u2019d like me to take up), let me know. As always, sorry, Boss (the REAL one). Oh, and we\u2019re green today to celebrate St. Patrick\u2019s Day, nothing more.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

Governing by scare tactics has happened before in this country. Don\u2019t let anyone tell you that this is not the America they once knew. This is the same America that\u2019s been going for 250 years now. Run by narcissistic bullies who keep power by manipulating all the non-WASP groups to battle each other (both parties do this \u2014 but one side does it more shamelessly than the other). Divide and conquer. Frighten people into exhaustion and submission. The Hunger Games, <\/em>except instead of children killing children, it\u2019s DSA soldiers killing DSA civilians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCrown Thy good with brotherhood?\u201d C\u2019mon. That\u2019s romantic flapdoodle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As for other countries? Understandable spinelessness. If you thought the leader of a big country (no longer the leader in the free world, but still pretty big) was nuts and had the nuclear codes <\/em>and surrounded himself with drooling sycophants<\/a>, you\u2019d try to keep a wide berth, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Some of the droolers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the crazy-son-of-a-bitch leadership of the Sociopath-In-Chief is not doing anything new. He\u2019s just doing what the equally sociopathic paranoid Reagan did when he announced the \u201cStar Wars\u201d defense initiative, invaded the tiny country of Grenada, and sold arms. He\u2019s just doing what the equally sociopathic paranoid Nixon did when he bombed the bejeezus out of Cambodians (with an evil assist from Henry Kissinger). He\u2019s just doing what Bush II did when he invaded Iraq because Saudi Arabians flew jets into the World Trade Center, even though Iraq had nothing to do with it, because he had daddy issues. The only difference in the current sociopathic paranoid is the quantity of his psychosis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t get me wrong: it\u2019s not just republicans. Obama sent killing drones. Johnson used intense, physically intimidating methods to threaten or coerce colleagues into voting for his legislation. Woodrow Wilson directed that all federal workplaces were to be segregated, Black civil servants were demoted or fired, and separate bathrooms and lunchrooms were imposed, reversing all the gains in integration instituted by earlier administrations. Going way back, Andrew Jackson was responsible for the death of millions of indigenous people via his \u201cIndian Removal Act.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bullying people works. It\u2019s very difficult to fight a bully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Little Donnie Dingdong (right) and the worst American serial killer, Ted Bundy inclusive.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We wrote recently that words are simply not going to make a dent in defeating gun murders, and the same is true with quashing bullying leaders. Protests are generally ineffective in doing anything but providing the bullies a good opportunity to kill people, after which, \u201cthoughts and prayers.\u201d Nonviolent protests, as described by Gandhi (and later, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.), are mostly considered quaint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you stop the bullying? How do you stop a sociopath when he has all the power?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
At least one of these photos depicts bullying. But it\u2019s really hard to stop sociopathic behavior.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The simple answer is, you can\u2019t. Certainly not by yourself. Institutionally endorsed savagery does not end until a major event takes place (like a war<\/a>). And even then, it usually grows right back, kudzu-like, stronger than before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we enter our typical, set-your-clocks-by-it, 10-year recession\/depression years of 2026-2028, we have to fight the urge to die on individual hills. By that, our duty is to oppose authoritarianism, tyranny, and bad faith. In this age of social media, where every single person takes everything said so personally (and creates a cancel culture in doing so, to the delight of the right wing), we have to stop before reacting. It\u2019s important for all of us to look at objectively just causes such as #MeToo, Black Lives Matter, Stop AAPI Hate, Stand Up to Jewish Hate, and all the rest of them \u2014 but it\u2019s more important to foment a force stronger than the extreme power of the neo-conservative hate mongers who are not in power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have to find a way, all of us who believe that times are far worse than we even imagined they\u2019d become (Whoever thought Nixon would be considered a centrist?), to stop with our individual slights and concentrate on the bigger picture. Just like the Tea Party folks did. It may take time \u2014 and we might not even succeed \u2014 but I\u2019d rather hold off on scolding a publicly antisemitic celebrity if they can help me create a better whole society despite our differences. We can no longer afford to be so selfish in our pain, however valid that pain may be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Remember when the Tea Party was considered to be just a small group of nut jobs by the majority? Now, WE are considered the small group of nut jobs by the majority.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have never been a united nation (is any?), so there\u2019s really no point in continuing the charade. Let\u2019s stop talking about \u201cthe real America,\u201d because there isn\u2019t one. Let\u2019s stop talking about urban (often meant as a euphemism for \u201cBlack\u201d) vs rural (\u201cRedneck\u201d). Let\u2019s stop talking about the divisions we have as things to be celebrated \u2014 that plays into the hands of those who divided and conquered us over the last several years. We can all enjoy cultural diversity, so let\u2019s do it with a \u201cYes, and\u201d attitude, not one that says, \u201cOnly mine counts.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And finally, can we please <\/em>stop talking about the idea that the pendulum swings both ways? This particular country\u2019s politics, with its baked-in love of slavery and its promotion of one (and only one) kind of Christianity \u2014 but at the same time, continues to talk about the separation of Church and State like that\u2019s even remotely a thing anymore \u2014 does not run as a pendulum does on a grandfather clock. We\u2019ve never been a country where things were fair and equitable, so how could a pendulum swing suddenly make the DSA fair and equitable? That pendulum, if there ever was one, broke 250 years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
This pendulum won’t be swinging back any time soon either.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As for the nonprofit arts community, if we do nothing, I\u2019m afraid it\u2019s only going to get worse. Real patriots despise the idea of banning books, art, words, speech, and the cultural varieties that enhance life. And there is no nonprofit arts organization that wants that, even those wholly supported by the same toxic elitists who currently control the government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Oh, and happy St. Patrick\u2019s Day, a day when even a nice Jewish boy can be Irish. Consider this fact: there have never been snakes in Ireland<\/a>. And I leave you today with a pint in my hand and the following Irish blessing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

May those who love you love you
And those who don\u2019t love you,
May god turn their hearts.
And if he doesn\u2019t turn their hearts,
May he turn their ankles so you\u2019ll know them by their limping.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Thank you so much for reading all the way to the bottom. That takes a lot of patience. If you like what you read, would you please consider contributing to the coffee fund by clicking on the cup above these words? Or better, if you’re in Seattle, let’s have a cup together. My treat.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The popular guy in charge of the DSA is a greedy, paranoid sociopath, a malevolent narcissist, and is probably experiencing dementia. It\u2019s a tactic that works for him, even as it destroys the DSA.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1747,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,29,28,24,19,99],"tags":[181,85,10,180],"class_list":{"0":"post-1746","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-arts-and-culture","8":"category-dei","9":"category-diversity-equity-inclusion","10":"category-freedom-of-speech","11":"category-leadership","12":"category-scene-change","13":"tag-anti-fascism","14":"tag-community","15":"tag-impact","16":"tag-politics","17":"entry"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Born-in-the-DSA-7-Paranoia.jpg?fit=900%2C659&ssl=1","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1669,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/2026\/01\/20\/born-in-the-dsa-the-worst-healthcare-system-in-the-world-needs-an-upgrade\/","url_meta":{"origin":1746,"position":0},"title":"Born in the DSA*: The Worst Healthcare System in the World Needs an Upgrade","author":"Alan Harrison","date":"January 20, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"It's cheaper and more effective to keep people well than to make people well.","rel":"","context":"In "Arts and Culture"","block_context":{"text":"Arts and Culture","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/category\/arts-and-culture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/born-in-the-dsa-4-universal-health.jpg?fit=800%2C581&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/born-in-the-dsa-4-universal-health.jpg?fit=800%2C581&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/born-in-the-dsa-4-universal-health.jpg?fit=800%2C581&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/born-in-the-dsa-4-universal-health.jpg?fit=800%2C581&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1701,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/2026\/02\/19\/born-in-the-dsa-gun-nuts-have-proven-irresponsible-and-treacherous-ban-the-fg-things-already\/","url_meta":{"origin":1746,"position":1},"title":"Born in the DSA*: Gun Nuts Have Proven Irresponsible and Treacherous. Ban the F@#%&*g Things Already.","author":"Alan Harrison","date":"February 19, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The image of the current version of this country around the world is that of a gun-happy, murderous, fascist state in which every weapon is available to everyone who wants to shoot up a crowd. If that perception is correct, why don\u2019t we just get rid of the guns?","rel":"","context":"In "Book Recommendation"","block_context":{"text":"Book Recommendation","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/category\/book-recommendation\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Born-in-the-DSA-6-Guns.jpg?fit=990%2C728&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Born-in-the-DSA-6-Guns.jpg?fit=990%2C728&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Born-in-the-DSA-6-Guns.jpg?fit=990%2C728&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Born-in-the-DSA-6-Guns.jpg?fit=990%2C728&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1628,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/2025\/12\/16\/born-in-the-dsa-little-donny-dingdong-be-damned-let-everybody-vote\/","url_meta":{"origin":1746,"position":2},"title":"Born in the DSA*: Little Donny Dingdong Be Damned**, Let Everybody Vote","author":"Alan Harrison","date":"December 16, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Let\u2019s stop cocking around and just let people vote in peace. * DSA stands for the Divided States of America (aka \u201cOne Nation, Divisible\u201d). Periodically, I\u2019ll be writing more specific takes on issues that are clearly wrong for this country, using the arts as context. If there are issues you\u2019d\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Arts and Culture"","block_context":{"text":"Arts and Culture","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/category\/arts-and-culture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ev-votes-jpg1.jpg?fit=1075%2C779&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ev-votes-jpg1.jpg?fit=1075%2C779&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ev-votes-jpg1.jpg?fit=1075%2C779&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ev-votes-jpg1.jpg?fit=1075%2C779&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ev-votes-jpg1.jpg?fit=1075%2C779&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1492,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/2025\/09\/16\/born-in-the-dsa-remove-the-social-security-cap\/","url_meta":{"origin":1746,"position":3},"title":"Born in the DSA*: Remove the Social Security Cap","author":"Alan Harrison","date":"September 16, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Did you make more than $176,100 this year? Did you tell your staff that you\u2019re paying a lower Social Security tax than they are?","rel":"","context":"In "Arts and Culture"","block_context":{"text":"Arts and Culture","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/category\/arts-and-culture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Born-in-the-DSA-with-stars.jpg?fit=900%2C724&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Born-in-the-DSA-with-stars.jpg?fit=900%2C724&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Born-in-the-DSA-with-stars.jpg?fit=900%2C724&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Born-in-the-DSA-with-stars.jpg?fit=900%2C724&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1520,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/2025\/10\/14\/born-in-the-dsa-its-time-to-outlaw-donor-advised-funds-dafs\/","url_meta":{"origin":1746,"position":4},"title":"Born in the DSA*: It\u2019s Time To Outlaw Donor Advised Funds (DAFs)","author":"Alan Harrison","date":"October 14, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Pick up a phone. Go to an office. Tell your community foundations to stop crapping up America with this Ponzi scheme of contributions. And tell them (and your legislators) not to fix DAFs; just eliminate them. The abuse is too much.","rel":"","context":"In "Arts and Culture"","block_context":{"text":"Arts and Culture","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/category\/arts-and-culture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Born-in-the-DSA-2-DAF.jpg?fit=1000%2C730&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Born-in-the-DSA-2-DAF.jpg?fit=1000%2C730&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Born-in-the-DSA-2-DAF.jpg?fit=1000%2C730&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Born-in-the-DSA-2-DAF.jpg?fit=1000%2C730&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1541,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/2025\/11\/11\/born-in-the-dsa-its-time-to-sign-a-new-declaration-of-independence\/","url_meta":{"origin":1746,"position":5},"title":"Born in the DSA*: It\u2019s Time to Sign a New Declaration of Independence","author":"Alan Harrison","date":"November 11, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another...","rel":"","context":"In "Arts and Culture"","block_context":{"text":"Arts and Culture","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/category\/arts-and-culture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/born-in-the-DSA-3-Declaration-of-Independence.jpg?fit=1000%2C731&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/born-in-the-DSA-3-Declaration-of-Independence.jpg?fit=1000%2C731&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/born-in-the-DSA-3-Declaration-of-Independence.jpg?fit=1000%2C731&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/born-in-the-DSA-3-Declaration-of-Independence.jpg?fit=1000%2C731&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1746","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1746"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1746\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1754,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1746\/revisions\/1754"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1747"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1746"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1746"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1746"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}