Tag: Hate

Our Democracy in Peril

On By DaniIn Assholery, it needed to be said., Uncategorized, WTF!4 Comments

I’m listening to the sweet sound of Rob Lowes voice recalling with fondness his time on the hit tv show The West Wing. (Gotta love Audible) As he talks about the spectacular writing and the talented people involved, I feel the tears welling…it was an amazing show. I miss it, but more importantly, I miss what it represented.

For the first time on network television, we got to see up close the inner workings of a democratic presidential administration in the white house. I fell in love with how our democracy is supposed to work and all the people who labor tirelessly (staffers and politicians alike, often without due credit, to make that a reality.

Through the years democratic norms have been respected by both parties holding the highest office in the land.

Who knew…how far we would fall and how dramatically this would all change…?

Fast forward…it is June 9, 2022.  A year and half ago on January 6, 2021, a radicalized portion of the republican party attempted to overthrow our democracy and stop the peaceful transfer of power by halting the certification of a newly elected democratic president. People died, as the angry blood thirsty mob of the former president’s supporters stormed the capitol! The January 6th committee was comprised of members of Congress, including 2 republicans, to investigate and hold accountable those responsible for the organization of the attempted coup. Shockingly, this includes members of our legislature (still serving), and worse…a former sitting president. The first of the televised hearings airs tonight and will lay bare the findings for all the world to see.

This is not the America I grew up in. It is not the America I want to live in, and yet here we are.

If we’re lucky those on the fence will watch and be swayed and it will be reflected in their votes. The cult followers of the former president won’t watch because they don’t want to be confronted with anything that challenges what they already believe.  The propaganda machine that is (Fox Media) incites them with lies and misinformation. They’re filled with hatred, frothing with ire and coming for the rest of us. This is evidenced by the rise in incidents of domestic terror.

Would that the guilty be charged, convicted, removed and barred from ever holding public office again.  That is what I am hoping for. We’re counting on the rule of law at this point because far too many people have lost their damn minds.

Whether or not we can save our democracy remains to be seen… and the world is watching…

Thanksgiving the Myth and the Reality

On By DaniIn Nano Poblano, Uncategorized4 Comments

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Greetings Cheer Peppers I have a little reality for my 7th Nano post, but I have put a positive spin at the end.

I can’t remember exactly when I became aware that the cute origin story I learned in grade school regarding Thanksgiving was complete bullshit.  I only know that since knowing it has changed dramatically how I feel about the holiday in general.  I now celebrate it as a time to gather with family and be grateful, but I still have ugly sad feelings about it.  I know we are not responsible for what our ancestors did, but the fact remains we stole this land from its indigenous people and it feels very wrong to celebrate that in any way.  Couple that with how many in our society are acting now about not wanting to share that which we have claimed as our own, knowing full well it was never ours to begin with, leaves me bitter and angry.  How are we supposed to feel about this holiday when we know the truth?  I guess most people just don’t think too much about it.  What ever Thanksgiving was intended to be, I am not happy with what it’s become either.  The heavy commercialization of our holidays takes the fun and purpose out of them.  Now stores are opening on Thanksgiving in hopes of spurring on the shopping frenzy that feeds their bottom lines.  People that aren’t well to do that have to work with the public are forced to work and participate in the madness.  They are calling it Brown Thursday which is somewhat apropos considering the shit show that it is.  I try to write happy upbeat things and participating in Nano this year I think I have done that.  The last couple of years I have been too bereft to even participate.  It’s hard because there is so much unpleasantness going on in the world right now. I feel like posting only happy stuff is ignoring the elephant in the room.  That said, I know we would all like a break from the elephant so to that end I choose to celebrate love every day.  I will choose to celebrate the good things that are happening and be grateful for the gifts in my life.  Whatever our ancestors did I know we can do better going forward and we must.  Perhaps we define what Thanksgiving is for ourselves.  We don’t have to celebrate the lie we’ve been sold.  We can make it something better and celebrate that instead.  Happy Thanksgiving whatever the day means to you.  Enjoy!