The truly great leaders of history learned to overcome loss. And yet, despite our love of the winter, despite the cheering for the golden hero, another theme, another subversive note sounds in America, our two most enduring American musics country and blues connect poor whites and poor blacks. Billie Holliday sings in a different register, some terrible knowledge that Tammy Wynette also knew. Stand by your man. In general, women sound their suffering louder than men in America.
Men are more eloquent when they suffer in silence.
The great silent clowns, for example, always are male. Emmett Kelly made us laugh because he was so sad, such a loser. Red Skelton also. Charlie Chaplin, the comic genius, ruled the movies, especially in those years before there was sound. The night is bitter.