How'd We Get Here
Every painting in Chronicle of an Unquiet Age documents the defining events, people, and issues that shaped its moment in history. Created in real time as events unfolded, each work serves as both an original oil painting and a historical record, reflecting the belief that the news of today is the history of tomorrow.
TRTA-2023-084 | October 2023 | Oil on Canvas | 33" x 26"
Late 2023 was marked by reflection as much as confrontation. After a year of indictments, wars, economic pressure, border conflict, media distrust, and nonstop campaign maneuvering, many Americans were left assessing how the country had reached such a fractured political moment. How'd We Get Here captures that mood of collective reckoning.The title is both question and indictment. The painting preserves a period when citizens across the political spectrum were looking backward for answers while facing an uncertain road ahead. How is this America?
Since the attack on Israel October 7th we have seen a serge of global Anti Semitism. People around the world are protesting Israel and supporting Hamas and Palestine. Rep. Rashida Tlaib at a pro Palestine rally calls for the extermination of Jews by chanting "from the river to the sea" and criticizes Biden for refusing to facilitate a cease fire and help to de-escalate the war. Congress censured Tlaib over her response to the attack on Israel.
Biden warns "Don't Don't Don't" without naming Iran as their proxies attack US troops in the Red Sea and Iraq. Calls for "Genocide Joe" and "Blood on Joe's Hands" as pro Hamas protesters storm the White House and leave red blood hand prints as they call for a Humanitarian Pause to the fighting. Pro Hamas protesters tear down posters of the kidnapped men, women and children. College campuses erupt in violence against Jewish students. Jewish students are warned not to show their Star Of David emblems and to hide that they are Jewish. Israeli leader wear the infamous paper "Gold Star Badges" from the 1930's but with one change. Printed on the Gold star states "Never Again is Now." As Golda Meir once stated "You cannot negotiate peace with somebody who wants to kill you."Prime Minister Netanyahu said in a speech to his Nation
"Israel doesn't want this war...but Israel will win this war."
In other news Congress votes in the new Speaker of the House Mike Johnson from Louisiana to replace Kevin McCarthy. Hopefully now Congress will get back to doing the people's business.
Senator Joe Manchin announced he will NOT seek reelection in West Virginia. Will he run for President?
And what about the "No Labels" movement?
Rep. James Comer subpoenas Hunter Biden, James Biden and business associate to Hunter, Rob Walker to appear before Congress. More than 2 dozen Biden family members and associates are set to come as well. Trump takes the stand in his civil trial for fraud in NYC.
Trump stated " The whole point of this exercise was to send a message is NOT to Trump...But to all of us. They are telling us to obey or be crushed."
Roseanne Barr at a Trump rally asks "Aren't we all tired of the Deep State Bullshit?"
