The Tyrant and the Reflecting Pool

A two billion year old protagonist took center stage in the interspecies alliance against fascism. Algae has been giving lessons in civil disobedience, in its refusal to reflect the exorbitant delusion of the president. I have not been able to get enough of the daily memes on the insubordinate pool and the righteous photosynthetic organisms.

TODOS SOMOS ALGAE.

The 2028 foot long Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was built in 1923 as a liquid mirror that amplifies monuments and reflects national memory and identity. Here in 2026, as we approach the awkward and debased 250th independence anniversary of the US of A, many have pointed out that the Reflecting Pool renovation debacle is in fact the perfect performance art piece to reflect where we are today as a nation. A fable of our times: the narcissist-in-chief obsessed with a reflecting pool. And spectacularly losing the battle with it.

Trump ordered the Reflecting Pool to be re-painted "American Flag Blue", the bluest patriotic hue. An administration that fires experts, holds science in disdain, and denies climate change, created a scale model of what happens when ignorance is in charge. The dark blue paint job absorbed extra heat, creating a perfect incubator for algae to thrive, and creating a perfect metaphor for the failure of this regime. The Reflecting Pool turned intense green with a massive algae bloom. Let's grow algae, let's grow, clap clap clap!

The blue surface paint peeled off in chunks that floated to the surface. Trump blamed the poor job on "vandals" who "slashed" the lining of the pool. The administration made an absurd spectacle of combatting algae with hydrogen peroxide in utter futility. The National Guard came in to protect the pool. The pool was drained to address the flaking paint and algae growth, and in another wondrous display of eco-resistance, thunderstorms arrived. The iconic pool, a tourist destination, is now surrounded by a chainlink fence. It is the ironic gift that keeps on giving. The president who campaigned on "draining the swamp" created a literal one.

$14.6 million was spent for this federal performance piece, which showcases signature Trumpian moves. YES the Reflecting Pool is doing a perfect job of reflecting this grim period in our nation's trajectory.

Reflecting the combination of hubris + ignorance, the consequences of which have caused destruction across the world.

Reflecting the cognitively failing and flailing rule of a mad king.

Reflecting the breathtaking incompetence of this administration.

Reflecting corruption (a no-bid contract to a Trump supporter to do the paint job).

Reflecting narcissistic delusion and obsession.

Reflecting the waste of taxpayer dollars, literally poured down the drain.

Reflecting the desecration of national symbols.

Reflecting a monument to stupidity.

Reflecting the unstoppable, unbleachable, uncontainable power of millions of green organisms acting in coordination.

Plain for all to see. The Deflecting Pool. The Disrupting Pool. The Refusal to Obey Pool.

Let us also remember that in Greek mythology, Narcissus was ultimately defeated by a reflecting pool.

For future memory of this green flashpoint in the inevitable fall of authoritarianism, I offer a compilation of gems on the last day of ALGAEBTQ+ Pride month.

"Aunt Tifa" shown to be responsible for cutting up the blue paint. Reflecting Pool cocktails made by lining your glass with a blue fruit roll up, and adding rum, yellow juice, blue curaçao and lime zest to make the lovely shade of algae, and the rum eventually melts the fruit roll up.

Pop culture references abound.

Thank you for your service, algae, in our time of need. We love you.