The Speech

DEFENDING AMERICA’S SOUL

My husband and I watched President Biden’s speech last night at Constitution Hall in Philadelphia.  It is so fitting he chose this location to speak, and we are so glad he is finally coming out with a non-sugar-coated truth:  our democracy is in danger from the fascist words and actions of tRump and MAGAs.  I sure hope other politicians are inspired to begin speaking out against the evil pervading our country.  We must begin to make our opposition to the nefarious actions by MAGAs much more vocally and frequently.

He tried to delineate most Repubs from those he was actually targeting.  He said that they didn’t agree with what TFG (tRump) and the MAGA legislators were doing but were afraid to speak out.  I suppose they were thinking of the career-ended representatives and/or senators who publicly disagreed with TFG or voted to impeach him.  Those politicians were “primaried” and others just simply retired, knowing they were going to lose because of TFG’s vengeful nature and power.  Those are the honorable Repubs, to be honest.  The ones who sit on their hands and say nothing are complicit with their silence.  Sorry, that’s the way I feel.

President Biden referred several times to saving America’s soul and mentioned God once.  I am spiritual and connected with that.  But even those who are atheist, agnostic, or of another religion can certainly relate to the soul.  Scientifically, it would be what makes us uniquely us.  It’s our life force, which is why once we’re gone, we look so phony lying on display in a coffin.  I have been to wakes many times in my lifetime and never have any of my loved ones looked like themselves.  That’s because their energy has gone, leaving an empty shell.

Well, America has a soul too.  It’s made up of us all and right now, it’s infected with disease.  The only way to save it is to respond and react to the disease.  If America was a body, we would take her to the doctor to check her over.  If the infection was a bad one or spreading, we’d give her an antibiotic and help her get well.  America is not a single human body though.  America is all of us.  I refer to America as “her”, thinking of the Statue of Liberty, welcoming everyone to the country.

It's not enough to grumble about what the MAGAs have been doing.  Too many were afraid of retaliation or disapproval to say anything even as the infection began to spread.  Think of an infected appendix about to rupture.  Wait too long to see the surgeon and it ruptures, sending poison all through what used to be a healthier body.  We’re just about at that point and so it was so important that President Biden step in now and speak up.  Hopefully it was in time to stop the rupture and irrevocable poisoning of America.

TFG and MAGAs are throwing a big hissy fit about the speech.  They are whining that the President has declared war on conservatives (no, he didn’t) and that he is being divisive.  They seem to be conveniently forgetful that they are the masters of divisiveness.  They are either incredibly ignorant or clever hypocrites.

I don’t want to make it seem like all we need to do is vote out the MAGAs.  America’s soul needs more TLC because of the injuries done to Blacks, indigenous peoples, and people of different colors, faiths or sexualities/gender.  If the MAGAs/GQPers take control, those injustices will become greater.  Every time there’s been strides forward, it’s been with a Democratic administration under Presidents Roosevelt, Kennedy/Johnson, and Obama.

There’s a lot of possibilities for the Biden administration and not just with the legislations that were passed this year.  Just yesterday, I read that sixty high schools in this country will be offering advanced placement African-American studies—but obviously not in the repressive, fascist red states.  This is a wonderful idea and I would hope that eventually all high schools would implement it.  Younger children would benefit from learning a truthful history, one that was taught age-appropriately.

Now is the time to speak up and keep speaking up.  MAGAs are eager to talk about rioting in the streets if TFG is charged or convicted for any of the crimes he’s committed.  Don’t fear the violence.  Fear the danger that silence causes.  Hiding won’t stop the violence of bad people.  So be vocal.  Contact your representatives and let them know how you feel.  Volunteer for phone banks to elect Democrats.  Above all, VOTE.  For the sake of our country, VOTE.

We Are Hawkins

 

If you’re familiar with the popular series Stranger Things, then you know what I mean when I say the vines in the Upside Down grow deep and have been spreading.  If you’re not familiar, let me explain what the Upside Down is and about the vines: it is a place that seems very similar to our world but is sinister and peopled with evil creatures.  The Upside Down has a mind hive and one aspect of its evilness is the vines that grow and spread everywhere.  Hawkins is the town under attack from the Upside Down.

In real life, 45, his cult, his supporters, “Christian” nationalists, white supremacist militias, right wing conservative evangelicals and other extremists make up the Upside Down.  Their corruption is everywhere and easily influenced people fall under their power.  The rest of us are Hawkins, under siege but fighting back.

Another way to look at it is this: is tRump THE anti-Christ?  If he wasn’t so flat out stupid, I might think so as many real Christians have wondered.  But Jesus said that we would suffer through many “false prophets” – many anti-Christs – before THE real thing shows up.  I might be more likely to think Death Santis could be THE one but even he is probably just another of the false prophets.  Could it be Putin?  Possibly.  Jesus also said, by their deeds you shall know them.  It’s very clear now that TFG and all his followers are evil.  Just look at what they say and do.  Who the anti-Christ could be has been on my mind since reading an article in Daily Kos: Is Donald Trump The Anti-Christ?

Most recently regarding TFG, the DOJ has released a redacted affidavit the judge used to sign for the search of Mar-a-Lago by the FBI.  With each release about news regarding all the files tRump stole and hoarded, things just seem more horrifying.  As President, that man never read anything.  He wasn’t interested no matter how much his staff abridged or tried to spice it up.  So why did he take those files, many of which were of the highest security?  One: to use as blackmail.  Two: to sell to foreign agents.  Whatever the reason, they weren’t even secured.  Anyone could have accessed those files. Daily Kos ran an article not long ago wondering who actually packed the files and why?  Who else are involved?  What other “vines”?

Still thinking of those other “vines”, how about the GQP response to all these new evil revelations?  Their response that it sure looks like 45 was a treasonous foreign agent?    First Rand Paul of Kentucky suggested that the FBI planted the files and then called for repealing/doing away with the Espionage Act!

I read in another newsletter piece that TFG isn’t the source of the rot; he’s a symptom.  He didn’t create the racism, white supremacy, and right-wing extremist groups.  He just brought them into the open by embracing them.  There has always been a sickness in this country; we just weren’t so aware of it until tRump ascended.  Just look now at the governors of Florida and Texas and the fascist laws they are bringing to their states.  Look at the conservative right wing of the Supreme Court—all tRump appointees.  The white supremacist extremists and so-called “Christian” nationalists are openly plotting an overthrow of our government and creating a theocracy which is NOT based on the New Testament.  These groups and what is now the GQP/Rethuglicans have embraced violence as an acceptable way to get their way.

The vines have spread to the police and ordinary citizens.  No matter how many times there has been outrage about police violence against a person of color they have in custody, it just goes on and on.  Civility is out the window.  I just read NBC’s article about covid bullies .  There’s always been bullies and trolls online and off who take perverse pleasure in hurting people.  They didn’t seem as prevalent before.

The tentacles have spread far and wide. 

On the up side, there are enough of the Hawkins residents (us) to keep fighting off the Upside Down’s vines.  We just can’t give up because the Upside Down is a truly terrifying place in which to be trapped.

 

The Country of "What's Happenin Now?"

Every time I go to sit down and write out a blog post, like a memory of Woodstock (the concert which began on August 15, 1969), something new and exciting happens.  I am trying to figure out in which direction I should go next.

TFG’s passports have been confiscated and he is whining and screaming about that.  They’re supposed to be returned today, I think Mainstream media and TFG want to see the affidavit that went with the search warrant.  This time, DOJ said nope because release of the affidavit would put witnesses at risk and because it might compromise the investigation.

There’s a lot of information going around that TFG is being investigated for espionage with regard to those files.  I have a column I’ve set aside that explains about an espionage charge.  It’s not always about actual spying.

The threats against the DOJ, FBI, the judge who signed the search warrant, and the entire House Select January 6^th investigation committee are on the rise.  There’s so much civil war/violent chatter going on that there’s a warning out for people to be aware and on the lookout.  TFG sent AG Merrick Garland a vaguely worded threat that the country’s on fire and what can TFG do to turn down the heat?  It’s like he’s saying, what do I get if I call off my killer dogs?  Already there have been attacks on the FBI offices.

The judge who signed for the recent search warrant is Jewish.  In addition to all the other hatred going on, there’s a sharp uptick in anti-Semitism too.  I have a column by Dan Rather addressing that.

Rudy Giuliani now is a “person of interest” in that coup plot scheme to steal votes from Georgia by pressuring the Secretary of State.  Senator Lindsay Graham failed again to get a subpoena for him to testify quashed.  He’ll probably keep on appealing until he has nowhere else to go, although if it gets to present day SCOTUS, he’ll get off the hook.

So, it seems like the shit is about to hit the fan for TFG and his merry band of cutthroat coup plotters, but not just for them.

There is a bunch of violent white ultra conservative supremacists who are foaming at the mouth for civil war.  I don’t go on any of those right-wing platforms but I’ve seen reports about their posts showing up on Twitter and in the news.  If (and probably when) TFG is indicted, all hell is going to break loose.  I hope that we’re prepared for it.  By we, I mean all the loyal police and military still in existence throughout the country.  Things could definitely be worse than what we’ve seen on January 6, 2021.

Having said that, we definitely should not look the other way or be more forgiving in order to keep the peace.  If we did that, there’s no question that vigilantism would rule.  It would mean that our democracy would die a not-so-long or slow death.  Times are very scary right now but the ultra-right-wing poison has been spreading for years now.  Sometimes such a crisis has to get worse before it gets better.  We have to hang in there and hope and pray we have enough democracy-patriots to stop any violence caused by violent ultra-right-wing groups.  Saying my prayers and crossing my fingers!