READY TO HANG IT UP
infidel, I know you aren't writing anything on your blog right now, but if you are still reading, I have to tell you that I am just about ready to hang it up just like you.
First, this damned truck thing in Nice, which you know is going to result in weeks of right wing hatred pouring out of every crevice possible. Then the Republican convention next week, which promises to be nothing but an orgy of hatred and lies. And then reading that 68% of the American people have been conned by these lies into believing that Hillary Clinton is dishonest and corrupt; a narrative which the corporate press is going to do everything it can to further, while basically ignoring the crazy corruption and evil of Trump.
How can we make any progress against this? And if we can't, why waste our time? Today, I feel that the press is going to succeed in making a violent bully and con man the President of the Unites States. I am stating without question that this will usher in the end of this country, and a time of war and depression around the world. Who wants to be a part of that?
I've thought of just leaving the country before, but now, I can't think of a place in the world that will be safe from the conflagration that will be ushered in, particularly with other countries like England (no sense talking about Great Britain any more) and Austria flirting with hard right wing, delusional governments too, and a looming environmental catastrophe in the Middle East which is going to unleash literally hundreds of millions of refugees on a world which is already choking to death at the ten million that have fled from Syria. And we will soon be facing an almost unbelievable environmental refugee problem in this country too, as low-lying coastal areas with large populations are inundated by rising seas or rendered uninhabitable by salinization of the water table.
The idiots are driving the train now, and standing in front of it is a pretty useless gesture. What's the point?
First, this damned truck thing in Nice, which you know is going to result in weeks of right wing hatred pouring out of every crevice possible. Then the Republican convention next week, which promises to be nothing but an orgy of hatred and lies. And then reading that 68% of the American people have been conned by these lies into believing that Hillary Clinton is dishonest and corrupt; a narrative which the corporate press is going to do everything it can to further, while basically ignoring the crazy corruption and evil of Trump.
How can we make any progress against this? And if we can't, why waste our time? Today, I feel that the press is going to succeed in making a violent bully and con man the President of the Unites States. I am stating without question that this will usher in the end of this country, and a time of war and depression around the world. Who wants to be a part of that?
I've thought of just leaving the country before, but now, I can't think of a place in the world that will be safe from the conflagration that will be ushered in, particularly with other countries like England (no sense talking about Great Britain any more) and Austria flirting with hard right wing, delusional governments too, and a looming environmental catastrophe in the Middle East which is going to unleash literally hundreds of millions of refugees on a world which is already choking to death at the ten million that have fled from Syria. And we will soon be facing an almost unbelievable environmental refugee problem in this country too, as low-lying coastal areas with large populations are inundated by rising seas or rendered uninhabitable by salinization of the water table.
The idiots are driving the train now, and standing in front of it is a pretty useless gesture. What's the point?
Comments
For yourself, you must do what seems right for you. Perhaps taking some time off from blogging, with no commitment either to return or not to return, would help you decide what you really want to do.
About the broader situation, I do have a couple of observations. First, Trump is apparently doing better in the polls right now (after trailing Hillary badly for months), but there is a particular reason for this. Hillary has been pulling back her attacks on Trump until after the Republican convention, precisely because she doesn't want to make him look too weak and thus encourage the NeverTrump Republicans who might pull some maneuver to replace him with a more electable, but equally dangerous, candidate. She knows he's the easiest of them to beat. Once the convention is over and he officially has the nomination, it will be "game on".
Second, remember that whatever forces are arrayed to support the election of a Republican President, they were not able to elect McCain or Romney against Obama. Trump is a much more repulsive figure than either of those. You may disagree with me, but I believe McCain was a genuinely decent man, at least at that time. Romney was a slimebucket who was very skilled at presenting himself as a decent man. Trump is a slimebucket who doesn't even bother pretending to be anything else. We beat them; we can beat him.
What's the point? Again, that is something only the individual blogger can decide for himself or herself. I've always been fortified by the conviction that, however menacing the forces against us, we are winning and will defeat them in the end. I took a break from blogging because, for the first time, I was feeling betrayed by allies over the Orlando massacre and Brexit -- a feeling I had never had before -- plus, of course, the stresses caused by my personal medical situation. It stopped being fun, so I stopped doing it. I am too short of free time to spend any of it on things I no longer enjoy.
I do think each one of us is making some contribution to the final victory, however small. But that doesn't obligate you, or me, to keep going if we no longer get any satisfaction from what we're doing. That's my take on it, anyway.
I hear what you mean about Trump, compared to Romney and McCain, but remember that before them was George W. Bush, who was easily as unqualified to be President as Trump, and was running against someone equally qualified as Hillary, and yet the Republicans and the press did their work, and got Bush close enough to cheat his way into the White House. No one paid a penny for that outrage, so they will be trying it on again this time.
Now, we will beat them in the end. I do believe that. But the last time the world faced a threat like this, it took two wars and 70 million dead before they were beaten; and remember please that Hitler did not have 4,000 nuclear weapons.
Anyway, thanks for the reply. You know I respect your opinion, and I miss your link roundup. I hope your medical problems will be short lived, whether you decide to write again or not.
"First, this damned truck thing in Nice"
...is making us all feel a bit sick. And run over.
A French journalist infiltrated some local group of radical Islamic terrorist wannabes recently and reported back that the religious thing was - if you really drill into it - quite thin. Motivations were more like 'I don't like my job', or 'I had girlfriend who was a bitch', and so they go off and join a gang and play with a brand. The banality of it... we could be killed because some punk loser was mad over a text message from some bimbo. The weapons of the enemy are dullards, ready to sell out everyone who ever loved them - and someone did once - for some apocalyptic splurge of supreme selfishness.
Yeah there's broader political aspects to it, but it's not necessarily co-ordinated evil. A lot of evil is very puerile. You'd know that, GE, from all the Right wing sites you trawl through.
Trump will not be president. He will be a burst pustule on the skin of history and America will continue to rise above this crap.
I agree that the real campaign won't begin until after the Republican convention...poor Cleveland!
I'm excited by the glimpses we've had of the power of partnership...Hill/Liz, Hill/BarryO, Hill/Bernie. Good times ahead.
And I'd like to remind you of this from the I Ching, Hexagram 50, The Ting:
Six at the beginning means:
A ting with legs upturned.
Furthers removal of stagnating stuff.
One takes a concubine for the sake of her son.
No blame.
If a ting is turned upside down before being used, no harm is done-on the contrary, this clears it of refuse. A concubine's position is lowly, but because she has a son she comes to be honored. These two metaphors express the idea that in a highly developed civilization, such as that indicated by this hexagram, every person of good will can in some way or other succeed. No matter how lowly he may be, provided he is ready to purify himself, he is accepted. He attains a station in which he can prove himself fruitful in accomplishment, and as a result he gains recognition.
Both of you, please keep writing.
http://infidel753.blogspot.com/
In addition, he is one of a rotating group that compiles Mike's Blog Roundup for Crooks and Liars.
I read every word he writes, and I have him on my list along with blogs like Driftglass and Alicublog, as absolutely essential reads.