Dear Pomp Processors:

Well, another Presidential Inauguration is in the books, as yesterday we witnessed the rites of the transfer of presidential power for the sixtieth time in American history. And while some of the proceedings may have been perceived as unorthodox, the pomp and regalia (think Village People) occurred, and the illusion of continuity was upheld – God bless America! The echoing “oyez!” stir an inner peace, calling the faithful to reverent submission. That’s the great thing about ritual; it spackles over the cracks of dissociation and conveys a smoothness of transition, no matter how large the underlying gaps.

Certainly, with this introduction, it’s easy to discern that I’m not happy with what the new administration portends for our national identity, but that’s also part of the problem. I think I know which direction the arc of justice should bend, so when my preferred narrative