12 Hours and the Further Descent of the United States of America

Artificial Intelligence Image of Satan

Professor Joe Goldblatt

Whilst awaiting for a recent Burns supper to commence I noticed a gentleman at our table taking photos of my wife. I asked him what he was doing and he said “I am using an image of your wife to create an articifial intelligence image.” Then the devious man showed me a previous image of someone else at the table who he had transformed into a wiggly dancing figure. I was horrified.

Although I have previously written with two other authors a college text book chronicling the development of technology in the field of events management, https://www.routledge.com/The-21st-Century-Meeting-and-Event-Technologies-Powerful-Tools-for-Better-Planning-Marketing-and-Evaluation/Lee-Boshnakova-Goldblatt/p/book/9781774633427, I realised at that time that any future inventions must be equally matched with a strong commitment to integrity, responsibility, and the demonstration of a strong personal moral compass.

This week as I observed in horror as the current occupant of the USA White House oval office allowed for 12 hours a despicable image of the former honourable President and First Lady of the USA, I was disgusted and nauseated. I have never in my nearly 74 years had such as deep, visceral reaction to the egregious behaviour of others.

When asked if he would apologise for this disgusting action the current occupant of the White House oval office replied “Why should I apologise?”

His vile behaviour is part of a long history of using the internet to cause alarm and disgust as a way of appeasing his followers and of creating non stop controversy in order to distract the public from his many personal and professional weaknesses.

As I recall the long struggle for human and civil rights in the land of my birth I am perhaps even more repulsed by this recent action. At one point this week I even considered renunciating my U.S. citizenship. However, after further thoughtful further contemplation, I realised that this decision actually would support the evil doings from the current USA administration. Therefore, I shall stay and fight more loudly, much longer, and with greater passion that ever before.

We cannot, we must not, and we will not, allow evil to triumph over the goodness of a country that will this year mark 250 years of remarkable leadership throughout the world. Historians have described the USA as a miracle for having through its federal system of government and tripartide system of government carefully balancing those who create laws with those who enforce them and those who are responsible for their interpretation. I wish to support and strengthen this system to further serve as a beacon of light and hope for the world.

Therefore, although my heart is temporarily broken by the actions of one abhorent cretin in the USA oval office and some of his followers, I shall not allow my despaire to tempt me to give up nor back down in my fight for justice and mercy now, and forever.

After all, the stakes are now too high. We must not only protect our values but also give them greater strength for future generations to emulate and cherish. With each new opportunity to create discord and disruption we must also seek new ways to unite people of good will to defend our human and civil rights both in the USA and troughout the entire world.

I am confident that the potential goodness of human kind shall triumph eternally over the latest technological inventions including artificial intelligence because each and every one of us will realise that whilst we may temporarily find it clever to snap a photo and manipulate an image for our own self gratification, a great number of our fellow human beings also recognise the potential for evil in this action and will, as shall I, fight to our dying day to preserve, protect, and defend the individual rights for all of our fellow citizens.

Professor Joe Goldblatt is Emeritus Professor of Planned Events at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, Scotland. His views are his own. To learn more about his views visit www.joegoldblatt.scot