About two months ago, I was talking with a friend from the Bronx. We have known each other for about 25 years. He has told me a lot about the Bronx. He is a product of the “streets.” His stories are alternately horrifying and entertaining (sometimes both). He is half comedian, half sociologist. I have frequently said, “You ought to have your own show.”

Anyway, when we talked a couple of months ago, he said, “What do you think about the election this year?” He meant the presidential election. And he didn’t want to know what I thought. His question was a prelude to telling me what he thought.

Which was fine with me.

“I don’t like Trump, because he’s gonna knife Ukraine,” he said. “Then again, he pardoned a lot of rappers and drug dealers — and that goes a long way in the ’hood.” He then chuckled his characteristic chuckle.

Here is a news article dated January 20, 2021 — the last day of Trump’s presidency: “Lil Wayne and Kodak Black Among 4 Hip-Hop Figures Trump Pardoned.” There was also Jonathan Braun, a serious drug smuggler (as opposed to unserious ones, I suppose). There was a story about him earlier this year: “Trump Pardon Recipient Fined $20 Million in Predatory Lending Case.”

A story from last Saturday begins, “Donald Trump promised to commute the sentence of Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the online illegal-drug marketplace Silk Road, in a raucous speech before the Libertarian National Convention.”

But I was talking about the Bronx, wasn’t I? A story from Sunday is headed “Donald Trump welcomed two rappers charged in a felony gang case on stage at his Bronx rally.” Yes, indeed. Here is an excerpt from the article:

Basking in the support of prominent locals is a common political ritual, but some of the former president’s guests were rather unusual: Sheff G, whose real name is Michael Williams, is facing attempted murder charges brought by the Brooklyn district attorney last year as part of a major gang takedown, while the rapper was in prison for an unrelated weapons sentence. And Sleepy Hallow, whose real name is Tegan Chambers, faces conspiracy charges in the same gang case. He previously served eight months for weapons possession.

Prosecutors allege that members of the rappers’ gang were involved in two dozen violent incidents, including striking two bystanders when they opened fire on a Brooklyn sidewalk.

The GOP is the party of “law and order” — until it isn’t. Capitol police found that out on “J6.” Obviously, the nature of our politics is tribal. What if Kamala Harris, say, had “welcomed two rappers charged in a felony gang case on stage?” What would Republicans be saying? What would the Republican media be saying?

Can you imagine Fox (just to name the biggest outlet)? I know you can . . .

• I wonder whether you saw Trump’s Memorial Day message — which began, “Happy Memorial Day to All, including the Human Scum that is working so hard to destroy our Once Great Country.” “Human scum” is one of his go-to epithets. While he was president, he said of anti-Trump Republicans, “Watch out for them, they are human scum!”

People just love this, many of them do.

• My old friend and colleague Kevin D. Williamson had a column titled “Expel Marjorie Taylor Greene.” Its subheading was, “Her lies are far more consequential than George Santos’s.” Highly interesting column (of course). It provoked a memory in me — a memory of not very long ago.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy appointed Greene to the Homeland Security Committee. I was of two minds. Obviously, someone like her should not be on that committee. She is a QAnon-style kook. She was a 9/11 “truther.” At the same time, she serves in what we call the “House of Representatives.” And does anyone doubt that she represents her constituents?

This is a dilemma of democracy. This is why our experiment — the American Experiment — is . . . experimental.

• David Luhnow and Max Colchester work for the Wall Street Journal in London. A week ago, they had a report headed “Britain’s Drama-Weary Voters Prepare for a Battle of the Boring Leaders.” I almost envy the British.

• “Zionist” has become a big slur. Many people have no idea what it means. I wrote an essay on this subject in 2009: “The Z-Word.” I had a little “peg,” or “hook”:

A few weeks ago, a Labour MP in Britain, Paul Flynn, expressed displeasure with his country’s ambassador to Israel. “I do not normally fall for conspiracy theories,” he said, “but the ambassador has proclaimed himself to be a Zionist.”

Uh-huh.

A further excerpt:

In his widely publicized remarks, Flynn worried about “neocons and warmongers,” now itching to invade Iran. “Warmongers” is a word we can easily understand. But what about two other words Flynn used, “neocons” and “Zionist”? These are very slippery terms. If you want to paralyze someone who denounces neocons, say, “What’s a neocon?” If you want to paralyze someone who denounces Zionists, or even refers to them, say, “What’s a Zionist?” People use these words cavalierly and ignorantly. And none too nicely, either.

Yeah. Anyway, my “Z-Word” essay may be of some help.

• In Minnesota, the Republican Party has endorsed Royce White for the U.S. Senate. He is a former basketball player who is associated with Alex Jones, the prominent conspiracy theorist and liar. White is out of Central Casting. Pretty much a perfect InfoWars guy. In addition to being an Alex Jones guest, he is a Steve Bannon guest, as they all are. To read more, go here.

Something White said to Bannon reminded me of a favorite story from politics. White said, “Women have become too mouthy.”

When Tito met Margaret Thatcher, he was in a bad mood. He had just “fired” his most recent wife (as David Pryce-Jones, who told me the story, put it). Tito grumbled, “Women shouldn’t meddle in politics.” Thatcher remarked, “I don’t ‘meddle’ in politics. I am politics.”

• Back to the rappers who appeared with Donald Trump on the stage in the Bronx. One of them calls himself “Sleepy Hallow.” Why not “Hollow”? Don’t know. Perhaps because “Hollow” was taken?

• The above can qualify as a language item. Here is a music item: Evgeny Kissin played a recital in Carnegie Hall. (He is one of the leading pianists of the age.) For my review, go here.

• I would like to recommend two articles, two essays — both written for Memorial Day. This is by David French, relating to his experience in Iraq. This is by Charlie Sykes. His mother’s first husband was killed in World War II. Both essays are powerful and instructive. Even overwhelming.

• One of the most wretched American cities is Baltimore — a beautiful and historic city, beset by social pathologies. The New York Times has published a stark feature: “Almost 6,000 Dead in 6 Years: How Baltimore Became the U.S. Overdose Capital.”

• Mick Jagger has never been my cup of tea, for assorted reasons. But no one is everyone’s cup of tea — even Dolly Parton (who is close to universally loved, I think). Still, Jagger is part of the furniture. He has been with us all of our lives. And the older he gets, the more I am impressed with him — his sheer stamina and consistency. Recently, he played a big concert in New York. (I suppose all of his concerts are big.) From Lindsay Zoladz, a vibrant, you-are-there write-up.

• As you go along in life, consuming media, you read a lot of strange stories — very strange. Ladies and gentlemen, I swear: I don’t think I have read a stranger story than this one. It comes from the Associated Press, and its heading is as follows: “A woman took her dog to a shelter to be euthanized. A year later, the dog is up for adoption again.”

I hope this dear lady gets her dog back.

• I described Mick Jagger as “part of the furniture.” So has Bill Walton been, for Americans: as basketball player and cultural figure. He has passed away at 71. I saw him once, in the mid-1980s. He was walking through a park in Cambridge, Mass., holding a basketball (not dribbling). I smiled at him; he smiled back. More recently, he sounded righteous alarms about the problem of homelessness in San Diego, his beloved hometown. In fact, his alarms were what prompted me to go to San Diego to report on the problem last year. (For the resulting piece, go here.)

It may be an overused phrase, “an American original.” But he was, Bill Walton.

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