I will be comforting my husband, the Vietnam vet, and my sweet doggie when the fireworks go off many hours from now. For some, it is a welcoming sound and sight. The ones that light up the sky with beautiful colors that dance over our heads, the ones that make no noise, are lovely. But it is the dreaded sounds of bombs dropping that send…
I will be comforting my husband, the Vietnam vet, and my sweet doggie when the fireworks go off many hours from now. For some, it is a welcoming sound and sight. The ones that light up the sky with beautiful colors that dance over our heads, the ones that make no noise, are lovely. But it is the dreaded sounds of bombs dropping that sends my husband into a tailspin, even 50+ years later. Lincoln would be astonished at our technologies and our want to save the climate but he would be disappointed in the way our politics have turned out. This is a time for us Democrats, Independents, and Republicans who will never vote for Trump, to stand arm and arm together. It will be our united front that will win against tyranny. The 4th is when we gained our Independence from Britain. We must reclaim it and fight like hell!
I salute your better half's service to my country. Agreed on a coalition of people who know what really counts. Dutifully rendered, Marlene; beautifully written. ✍️⚖️🤝🗽✌️
(Homage to Donald Trump’s ‘Proud Boys’ and Others)
Fred Jackson was a proud rebel in The Great Northern Militia Alliance. He and his wife Ruth were often found hosting summer neighborhood barbecues. They easily found new supporters for the coming war to take back America. Fred stationed himself at the pit and handed out chicken legs drenched in homemade sauce to new, unsuspecting recruits -- kinda like a politician on election-day would do; promising a chicken in every pot. Talk of big government, guns and revolt would come later.
Fred and his cohorts believed themselves to be the direct Anglo-Saxon descendants of America's 18th century rabble-rousers who tossed bales of tea into Boston harbor after news of the British Stamp Act reached these shores. But tea-toddlers, they weren’t.
He was proud of his new-found abilities to recruit and had recently been promoted by the Alliance to the rank of sergeant of his own local militia. Wasting no time consolidating resources, Fred collected everything from boxes of canned food to crates of assault weapons. All were discreetly stored away in basements and underground bunkers in his local neighborhood.
Strategic plans were soon under way as this historic moment arrived, the moment to take back America. A secret, unnamed Northern Alliance militia representative from high up the chain of command visited one evening to give a short pep talk to the men and their wives in the basement of Jackson's home.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” the mysterious commander said, “the time has come to act. We must stop the tyranny and treasonous actions of our government. Today we take action. We will starve the beast into submission. We will bring the entire nation to a screeching halt by whatever means are necessary. And we will un-steal the election. You know who I’m talking about; the great populist himself, codenamed, “OrangeFatso.””
“Yep”… they screamed in unison, “Save our leader, OrangeFatso.”
He jabbered on like this awhile longer and then said something about how it was one's duty to avoid payment of taxes like they did in the Boston revolt.
A rebel in the audience was overheard mumbling that, “Maybe them damned liberals wouldn't be so bad if we could just shoot a few.” as he cleaned and oiled his weapon. After the rousing speech ended, the mysterious speaker made way out of Fred's hatchway as quickly as he had arrived and was driven off into the night before anyone could ask questions.
The next day, Fred called for another drill. The basement was a good place to train without attracting attention. His supportive wife listened from upstairs as she tapped her foot to the muffled sounds of her husband's marching orders.
During the drill, Fred's wife heard her husband cry,
"Oh no… not again. I told you not to march forward in the cellar."
"Ruthie honey," Fred yelled from the basement, "Billy bumped into the wall again and now has a nose bleed. Quick, get me an ice pack."
One thing that should be noted about the division of labor between the men folk and their women; it was written in the Northern Militia Alliance's “Code of Conduct” that men would do the fighting and the women would play supportive roles – just like in the olden days of the founders. Their women were as important as Betsy Ross – who is thought to have sewn the first flag – was to the cause of revolt.
The country of Fred's birth was no longer recognizable to him. Waves of foreigners had migrated across the unprotected southern frontier. His leader had often spoken of building a really high wall to keep out the hordes. The government, Fred believed, was overrun with big-spending liberals and nanny-state socialists. Fred even thought that his own past president of the United States was born in another country.
“He wasn’t born here. You know he owes his allegiance to the United Nations,” cried Fred.
Encrypted communiques were now being sent and received with increasing frequency throughout the “Alliance.” The days of waiting had drawn to a close.
And so it came to pass. The militia teams began assembling. They gathered along every mountain pass and byway. They took positions beside bridges and waterways. Fred's platoon prepared to assault its assigned mountain. This really was only a big hill but these rebels had a tendency to magnify everything around them including the importance of they’re mission. Their watches were synchronized.
Sergeant Jackson finally gave the order to charge.
“CHARRRRRRGE!” he screamed.
The men began their long, wild, rickety-split charge to the top of the assigned hill. Fred held his assault rifle in the air with one hand, and with the other grabbed his pants before they slipped down below his protruding belly – an unfortunate victim of too many beer-drinking strategy sessions.
Well they whooped and hollered for so long that soon most of the militia troops were out of breath. By the time they reached the summit, the sergeant could be heard cussing' (at no one in particular.) He wondered if he had rushed up the wrong hill. His GPS repeated, “recalculating... recalculating...” His phone vibrated on his belt and he quickly grabbed it and listened intently.
His head turned slowly downward as he stared at his mud-caked boots. His heart was pounding. He was breathing fast.
“Yes sir, I see. But when are we...? Win the hearts and minds, first? But...OK, I’ll inform the men.”
The sergeant ordered roll call and sadly told his men that not only did they seize the wrong hill, but the unseen generals had decreed that this was only a drill. The real revolution was yet to come but now, without the element of surprise. Dejected, they began to hobble down the green hill.
Then suddenly, Sergeant Jackson received another message. This time, he could hardly contain himself. Something new had just happened and word was spreading like wildfire. His fingers quivered as he responded:
“I’ll tell the men right away.” The sergeant rallied the now exhausted rag-tag men around him and excitedly yelled,
“All hands to Burns, Oregon. The government is assaulting some ranchers. The Bunkerville boys from Nevada are leading the counter assault. I'll be driving out at first light if anyone needs a ride.”
Fred finally made it home in his Ford pick-up truck while still sweating from the long charge. His dear sweet Ruthie waited at the half-opened door as dusk settled in.
“Come in my hero. I made your favorite hot soup for you.”
Fred stumbled in and sat at their kitchen table and slurped down the refreshing food. He then went straight to bed without explaining anything to his worried wife about the disappointing details of the false deployment.
Fred dreamed about the new revolution soon to sweep the land of his birth – the land he hardly recognized any more. And he dreamed that his name would one day be enshrined 100 years from now, along the nearby interstate highway where he lived. The sign would read: “The Sergeant Fred Jackson Expressway: Named for a Patriot of The Second American Revolution Who Stood His Ground and Helped Take Back America.”
Then Fred farted and repositioned his head on the pillow as he slept like a baby all night long.
That's quite an essay...there was a time when I thought it might even play out that way, but they have definitely stepped up their game. Can you write one that just as eloquently describes OrangeFatso's incarceration?
Orange fatso ❤️ is a good one. perfect. Some msm reporter said Biden looked pale next to orange fatso’s tan. LOL. Let’s add OF to the other trending descriptions. CLOFCF
Crazy lazy orange fatso convicted felon.
Rolls off the tongue like something choking you that you are trying to spit out.
I get it. All writers seek attention. Why should I copy and paste a story from my book and not note where it comes from? What harm is there? Do you ever watch a writer being interviewed and repeatedly saying, “…And I state in my book bla bla bla.”
Yeah, sure, but this is a long chunk and too many people have been doing this sort of thing. It's opportunistic and very unfair to the original blogger.
I was 20 and didn't understand much of anything. When I turned 21 in VN, on that day I realized what a waste I was making of my life. Also saw that most of my fellow soldiers were from the lowest socio economic groups and were poorly educated. When I was wounded I realized how lucky I was and what I needed to do to create the life I wanted. The GI Bill was great. Paid for my schooling through my MBA. VA benefits are great too. Life has turned out to be fabulous.
I agree with what you say, Mike. You will not talk me out of saluting your service nor the service of Mr Bigley. Additionally, I harbour no ill-will toward those who evaded the draft. A very difficult time and what occurred for young men in Viêt Nam at that time is very saddening.
I have read and admired your thoughts displayed across my keyboard for long enough now that I feel that I know you, at least a bit. Yet tonight is the first time I have felt a palpable sense of your inner self, as you write with not just your usual insight, but with a tenderness infused by passion for those you love.
Fight like hell we must, and I'm right there alongside you.
To you and yours, particularly your husband who knows too well the reverberations of the rockets' red glare, I wish a wonderful Independence Day.
Marlene's post today was certainly lovely. One little quibble: the phrase "fight like hell" was enshrined by Donald Trump on Jan. 6, 2021. "Fight like heck" doesn't have the same resonance.
Some older kids set off some very loud fireworks in the park (loud enough to be very loud indoors a couple of blocks away), and my dog said nope and turned around and led us safely back home. I can't imagine how your husband feels, and thank you for taking care of him!
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Daniel Solomon, thanks for the heads-up. KC looks terrific and as she says "she is a cheap date." Electing a Senator in N Dakota is much cheaper than large states, but her Senate vote will count just as much. Sent a small contribution and I'll follow her campaign.
Marlene, thank your husband for his continuing sacrifice for our country. Power hungry greed is eating away at the idea of unselfish service; honor and honesty are derided as weak. You are right; we must win by showing the same will as the soldiers at Normandy showed by getting our friends and neighbors to vote against those who want to put us back under the rule of a bullying “king” and his sniveling “courtiers”.
Then Pres. G.W. Bush was right when on 3-31-2001 at the White House Correspondents' Dinner he said: "You can fool some of the people all of the time, and those are the ones you want to concentrate on." The wealthy oligarchs know this and have used mass media (Fox, Newsmax, OAN, Russ Limbaugh, Alex Jones, et al.) to fool mostly white Christians to vote against their own best economic interests. [Thomas Frank, "What's the Matter with Kansas," 2004.] That, combined with very old people who can't exit the political stage gracefully have put our democratic system at grave risk. We have no choice but to work like hell and hope for the best. It's the least that we can do to honor the sacrifice of those who have given so much to preserve the rights that we enjoy presently and to pass it on to posterity.
The relationship between competence and intent is the same as the relationship between longitude and latitude. You don't know squat unless you know both variables.
I do know Biden's competence. He's proven himself to be one of the most competent presidents in the modern era. And I know his intent. He intends to serve the greater good. The other guy's competence and intent are also well understood. He's proven himself to be the most incompetent president in American history. And I know his intent. He intends to serve himself at the expense of the greater good.
I'm also pretty sure I know why Biden is running. He thinks a decision on his part to drop out of the race will be the end of the American experiment in democracy, and the beginning of a new dark age that civilization is unlikely to survive. Maybe he's wrong, but if he asked me for my advice, I'd tell him he was right.
The other thing I do is imagine myself in a scenario in which I told him to drop out and he followed my advice. Then, on November 6, as I'm watching the election coverage and listening to all the analysts conclude that Trump won because Biden dropped out, I get a call from the president asking me what I have to say for myself, and the only thing I can think of saying is "Oops."
Q: What is the relationship between competence and intent?
A: If the candidate's intent is good, then more competence is better. And if the candidate's intent is bad, then more incompetence is better. The US survived POTUS 45 because it elected an evil idiot, and not an evil genius.
In conclusion, I'm not saying to ignore competence, but I am saying that real journalists are making the intent of the two candidates the story, and anyone who is making the competence of the two candidates the story is a JOURINO (journalist in name only).
Thank you James R. Carey. I feel the same. I think it is way too late for Biden to drop out. I am sure he thought long and hard about it before he put his hat in the ring in April. He knows he is old...just like I do. He has great people on his team! Let us trust them for another 4 years to keep up the good works that we are seeing. I vote to keep Joe as my president. I will vote for anyone on the ticket that is a Democrat but I am sure there will be something wrong with he/she that the damn Republicans can bring up. Few of us are squeaky clean. Joe has already been through the wash and they have worked overtime to find more dirt but they have continued to fail! Let us all support Joe! They (the Damn Republicans) can't take away our DEMOCRACY that we have fought so many years to acquire. So many lives will have died in vain! Right now the Republicans are praying to their god that Joe will quit! It will be their win if he does! Joe saved us in 2020 and he can do it again in 2024 but he can't do it alone!!!!!!!
I agree completely. Biden is the best President in my lifetime. He has wonderful, competent, people working for him. I'm sure he wishes he could rest, but he loves our country too much.
I saw this on a post from Joanne Friedman (pretty sure it was her) this am:
"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.”
And this can apply to any critic, as far as I'm concerned. Literary, Artistic, Music, etc. If you can't do it, it is not necessary to put down those who do.
I am 84 years old and fairly mentally cognizant. When to exit the stage? When one's cognitive abilities obviously begin to fade and by hanging on one puts the republic at risk, as happened with Ginsburg and Feinstein and now with Biden. Perception counts. We have now gone on the defensive instead of the offensive, attacking the person and policies of a loathsome individual, Donald J. Trump. The continued existence of our democratic republic is more important than any one individual's feelings. Facts are important, to be sure, but so are perceptions, and that's where we are now on the defensive.
Although I'm not a doctor, my belief is that Biden has the mental capacity to see us through the next year of struggle, and after that Harris can take over. But I believe more strongly that if Obama tells him the time to step down is now, then he must. Obama knows the job and Biden's present capabilities, and he also knows politics.
And that's all I'm saying, as I've made a self-pledge to stay off all social media for the day, my own Declaration of Independence. I don't know what tomorrow (or all tomorrows) will bring, but for today at least, I'm not thinking that far ahead, and will enjoy the day.
I will soon be 81! Some days I forget if I have brushed my teeth or have taken my vitamins.....but I think it is because we have so much in our brains that the ordinary daily activities are on automatic....except when we are distracted. I do believe that Joe was tired.....I get tired....I take naps....when I have time and I am not responsible for the USA and its people.....like me an you.... he knew he would be going up against an idiot that makes totally no sense and rambles from one thing to another to intimidate him! Joe could not call him out like he did in 2019. CNN fixed that! Joe should have just talked about the kitchen table......and telling the truth rather than lies.
What are our goals? My answer is, first, assure that the Democratic Party has a strong, moderately progressive and electable candidate who will appeal to uncommitted voters particularly in “swing” states. Second, the Democratic Party should concentrate on electing a candidate with progressive principles rather than loyalty to an individual with serious electoral challenges no mater his past service. The Party should not copy the Republicans in unthinking loyalty to a single person in spite of major weaknesses.
Obviously, a Party should normally continue to support its “nominee” even when the nominee stumbles during the campaign. Changing nominees close to the nominating convention and election would be extraordinary and very risky, opting for an “unknown” over a well-known, experienced candidate. Further, Joe Biden has a very long and accomplished career of public service. He has already defeated an earlier Trump candidacy.
However, there are several reasons which support the Democrats nominating, even at this late hour, another person for the next term:
1. Millions of voters watched last week’s Presidential Debate. No matter the explanation, nearly everyone, I think, was horrified by the President’s performance. “Highlights” of his many lapses can surely be a staple of Trump’s campaign ads from now until the election. What will matter is not whether this was somehow a unique departure for a still sharp and able elderly candidate but whether voters will feel convinced that the President is no longer able to fully carry out his duties for another four years.
2. Biden was significantly trailing Trump in almost every poll going into this debate, one that he requested, one that he set at a very early date and one that he insisted on following his rules. His polling is assuredly not now going to go up. Nor will his financial donations in my judgment.
3. Trump has been primarily running on the theory that “sleepy Joe” is terrible rather than “I have policies that will make Americans better off.” The Debate tends to support Trump in this respect.
4. People who are 81 never get younger or more vigorous. At the end of another term Biden would be 85. Most voters have parents, relatives or friends in their 80s and would not want them to take on one of the most demanding jobs on the planet. Many voters have painfully had to tell an aging parent that they are no longer capable of safely driving.
5. Most voters are aware that in spite of a very good and forcefully delivered State of the Union speech the President has recently had very, very little unscripted public exposure without reading from a teleprompter. He has had fewer press conferences than any president within memory. This suggest to me that his staff may have been aware of “a problem” for some time.
6. Polling is clear that many Biden voters are doing so more because they fear Trump than because the are enthusiastic about Biden. Many potential voters, particularly African-American males, Arabic and younger voters, have been unwilling to support Biden in spite of the fact that the only realistic alternative is Trump.
7. The Democratic Party has many younger, articulate and experienced potential candidates, both governors and members of the Senate, who could replace Biden should he decide to end his re-election campaign. Most of them would be electable if they ran against Trump. None of them would have to defend individual decisions that Biden made and is currently being attacked for. They could begin with a clean slate with few decisions to attack. A new Democratic candidate for President would both shake-up a ballot that many voters have complained about and generate interest and excitement in the currently disengaged. A new nominee would be quite likely to capture a number of current Robert Kennedy supporters.
The only foreseeable way to have a Democratic presidential nominee other than Biden is for President Biden to publicly abandon his campaign for re-election. He has recently stated that he will not do so. It currently seems unlikely that he will do so. However, after Watergate when senior Senate Republican party leaders went to President Nixon and told him he needed to resign he did so. Senior Democratic Party leaders today, I believe, would ask President Biden to abandon his re-election campaign if they were convinced by their constituents that Biden could not win the election. Unlike the Republicans, I believe Democratic Party leaders would withdraw their support from the President’s campaign if they felt only by doing so and letting an open Convention select the Party’s nominee, they would defeat Donald Trump.
Such eventuality would be extraordinary, but not unprecedented [Cf. Truman & L. Johnson].
It would involve significant risk and the outcome would be unknown but this year’s general election will be politically existential. We must, I submit, do whatever is required to nominate a Democratic candidate who will win election and lead our country into a better place. Democrats cannot allow sentiment to cloud their judgement as to political reality.
All of this is being eaten up by the MAGAs with glee. Democrats must go forward, not apologize any longer, and keep concentrating on Trump. There was a great essay by the editorial board of the Philadelphia Enquirer yesterday, mentioned by Lawrence regarding the fact that Trump should be the one to exit the race.
Richard, I respect your opinion. Question: Don't you believe Biden's record of achievement counts? What if he became non compos mentis in office? It seems to me Kamala Harris would take over, the apparent heir to the Presidency. I'm assuming you believe he's going to lose against a con man, fraudster and criminal. Simon Rosenberg's newsletter might change your mind.
Does Biden's record of achievement count for anything? In terms of whether that 5% of the electorate in play will look at that instead of Biden's failing health and apparent stroke? Did he have a stroke? This is my point: we're now talking about Biden's health and mental ability instead of Trump's threat to our democracy. We're on the defensive. I'd vote for Biden even if he were in a coma. Kamala was my first pick for POTUS anyhow. But, I'm not the one to be convinced. We need to recognize the issues that we're dealing with and the principal one is whether Biden's condition will alienate needed votes.
Mary, I just read an interesting essay by Marilynn Robinson from the NY Review of Books where she touches on those, since we now have an all volunteer army, whose children go to war, often based on faulty intelligence, and she hones in on the war in Iraq. The essay is her attempt to understand those who support death star.
Michele, since we now have an all-volunteer army, it’s ceased to be a melting pot of haves and have nots. We no longer require young people to serve a cause deemed greater than themselves—many never get a chance to be selfless. I’d like to see a requirement of two years of service at age 18 either in the armed services or a vetted governmental/nongovernmental program that aids the less fortunate (Habitat for Humanity, Peace Corps, public library spring to mind). The pay would be equal to that of the armed services.
We must reclaim our democracy...that's going to be the rallying cry I play in my head when the media tells me that the right is winning, or that 2025 is our future. We need to inspire and require that the Democrats, liberals, Independents, unaffiliated...they must join in a common cause to reject the fascism that is based in the greed of the super-wealthy wanting power and to protect their millions, using Trump as their puppet. Enough is enough! Bring on Dark Brandon; stand behind Biden; support the Dems who are finally taking action to deal with the threats to our very existence.
Hope everyone enjoys a safe and thoughtful Independence Day!
For your sake, and for your husband’s sake, I hope you don’t have the “before and after” rounds of illegal fireworks we have from July 2-6. My 🐈 is terrified of fireworks (and thunder) and I see how upset he is. I can only imagine how badly combat veterans are impacted.
Trauma may dim over time, but it often never leaves. Holding your husband in my heart.
Yes, unfortunately some vets were more traumatized than others due to proximity and circumstances, and by their resulting suffering and ongoing disabilities. Many vets will not discuss their experiences, except with other vets so there are emotional and communication barriers in families from the fall out. I hope today that veterans will feel appreciated for their sacrifices and lifted up by the celebration of our freedoms they earned for us, even more precious today, is their reward in victory over tyranny in whatever arena they served.
The SCOTUS decision on Monday, July 1st was the day that the threat to our Constitution and democracy took a serious life-threatening hit. After all the sacrifice to free ourselves of an oppressive king and 2 and a half centuries of additional sacrifice to preserving our ambitious governmental system and we find ourselves on the verge of crowning the first king in American history - and a truly mad king at that! Like everyone who's reading this, I feel deeply heart-broken. But as I listen to the many frightened never-trumper patriots freaking out, it is the division among us that worries me the most in this moment. Much of the media is cashing in on the crisis with no concern for their role as the protectors of Democracy. President Biden had a very bad debate "performance." But on either side of that night, I see a compassionate, intelligent and wonderful man who has also a highly successful president. Many, including me, believe he is the greatest president in some 75 years, though certainly not perfect. At this time, my focus remains on reelecting Biden/Harris for another successful term. And do you realize that Mick Jagger will turn 81 in late July, on another world tour with the Rolling Stones. Please reconsider what too old is. Biden is sharp and has accomplishing so much more than almost any of us imagined he could. I urge everyone to watch the ProPublica interview from last year and any of his speeches since the debate, Then watch as much of any trump speech or debate you can stomach and tell me you're going to abandon the Biden/Harris ticket. Most importantly of course is to stop trump, maga, project 2025 and all the rest of their hellish agenda. And monitor the rotten media you ingest. Peace
Marlene, when did your husband serve in Vietnam? My father served 1963-64 and then again 1968-69 during the Tet offensive. Those were tough deployments. Communication was limited to letters. My parents also used small tapes so we could hear our dad’s voice. At the end of the tape, he would ask us to leave the room so he could talk to our mom privately on the other side of the tape. I have never been able to find those tapes.
Catherine, what a treasure those would be for you to find!
Years ago, we used our first video camera to attempt to tape the fireworks presentation of our village. The tape is grainy and not very overwhelming visually, but in the background you can hear the conversations and laughter of my family, many of whom are now gone.
I borrowed this from another poster on the audio link of HCR’s letter but fits well with what you stated so beautifully. "The Greatest Generation fought in World War II and saved the world from fascism. Its aging children now have an opportunity to do the same. Froma Harrop”
It’s ironic that today, July 4th, Britain is voting to reinstate a more liberal government than their Conservative Party bungled for the past decade. They lost American colonies due to Mad King George III .We might lose America to Mad King Trump if our GOP, Scotus6 and the media have their way. Pay attention to Britain! Ignore the WP , NYT, and other pundits who slam our liberal Democracy . It’s about POLICY, not a person. Do the GOP policies serve all the people? Did they ever ? That’s laughable. Vote and hope it counts like it did in 2020. Honestly, I really don’t care how old Biden is. I care about our world surviving the likes of these madmen.
I will be comforting my husband, the Vietnam vet, and my sweet doggie when the fireworks go off many hours from now. For some, it is a welcoming sound and sight. The ones that light up the sky with beautiful colors that dance over our heads, the ones that make no noise, are lovely. But it is the dreaded sounds of bombs dropping that sends my husband into a tailspin, even 50+ years later. Lincoln would be astonished at our technologies and our want to save the climate but he would be disappointed in the way our politics have turned out. This is a time for us Democrats, Independents, and Republicans who will never vote for Trump, to stand arm and arm together. It will be our united front that will win against tyranny. The 4th is when we gained our Independence from Britain. We must reclaim it and fight like hell!
I salute your better half's service to my country. Agreed on a coalition of people who know what really counts. Dutifully rendered, Marlene; beautifully written. ✍️⚖️🤝🗽✌️
Thank you so much, Ned, truly appreciated.
You are welcome, Ma'am. Appreciation goes both ways.
(From 'Donald's Vanity Tantrums')
Fred Jackson and the Second American Revolution
(Homage to Donald Trump’s ‘Proud Boys’ and Others)
Fred Jackson was a proud rebel in The Great Northern Militia Alliance. He and his wife Ruth were often found hosting summer neighborhood barbecues. They easily found new supporters for the coming war to take back America. Fred stationed himself at the pit and handed out chicken legs drenched in homemade sauce to new, unsuspecting recruits -- kinda like a politician on election-day would do; promising a chicken in every pot. Talk of big government, guns and revolt would come later.
Fred and his cohorts believed themselves to be the direct Anglo-Saxon descendants of America's 18th century rabble-rousers who tossed bales of tea into Boston harbor after news of the British Stamp Act reached these shores. But tea-toddlers, they weren’t.
He was proud of his new-found abilities to recruit and had recently been promoted by the Alliance to the rank of sergeant of his own local militia. Wasting no time consolidating resources, Fred collected everything from boxes of canned food to crates of assault weapons. All were discreetly stored away in basements and underground bunkers in his local neighborhood.
Strategic plans were soon under way as this historic moment arrived, the moment to take back America. A secret, unnamed Northern Alliance militia representative from high up the chain of command visited one evening to give a short pep talk to the men and their wives in the basement of Jackson's home.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” the mysterious commander said, “the time has come to act. We must stop the tyranny and treasonous actions of our government. Today we take action. We will starve the beast into submission. We will bring the entire nation to a screeching halt by whatever means are necessary. And we will un-steal the election. You know who I’m talking about; the great populist himself, codenamed, “OrangeFatso.””
“Yep”… they screamed in unison, “Save our leader, OrangeFatso.”
He jabbered on like this awhile longer and then said something about how it was one's duty to avoid payment of taxes like they did in the Boston revolt.
A rebel in the audience was overheard mumbling that, “Maybe them damned liberals wouldn't be so bad if we could just shoot a few.” as he cleaned and oiled his weapon. After the rousing speech ended, the mysterious speaker made way out of Fred's hatchway as quickly as he had arrived and was driven off into the night before anyone could ask questions.
The next day, Fred called for another drill. The basement was a good place to train without attracting attention. His supportive wife listened from upstairs as she tapped her foot to the muffled sounds of her husband's marching orders.
"Left...right...left...right...left...right...left...right."
During the drill, Fred's wife heard her husband cry,
"Oh no… not again. I told you not to march forward in the cellar."
"Ruthie honey," Fred yelled from the basement, "Billy bumped into the wall again and now has a nose bleed. Quick, get me an ice pack."
One thing that should be noted about the division of labor between the men folk and their women; it was written in the Northern Militia Alliance's “Code of Conduct” that men would do the fighting and the women would play supportive roles – just like in the olden days of the founders. Their women were as important as Betsy Ross – who is thought to have sewn the first flag – was to the cause of revolt.
The country of Fred's birth was no longer recognizable to him. Waves of foreigners had migrated across the unprotected southern frontier. His leader had often spoken of building a really high wall to keep out the hordes. The government, Fred believed, was overrun with big-spending liberals and nanny-state socialists. Fred even thought that his own past president of the United States was born in another country.
“He wasn’t born here. You know he owes his allegiance to the United Nations,” cried Fred.
Encrypted communiques were now being sent and received with increasing frequency throughout the “Alliance.” The days of waiting had drawn to a close.
And so it came to pass. The militia teams began assembling. They gathered along every mountain pass and byway. They took positions beside bridges and waterways. Fred's platoon prepared to assault its assigned mountain. This really was only a big hill but these rebels had a tendency to magnify everything around them including the importance of they’re mission. Their watches were synchronized.
Sergeant Jackson finally gave the order to charge.
“CHARRRRRRGE!” he screamed.
The men began their long, wild, rickety-split charge to the top of the assigned hill. Fred held his assault rifle in the air with one hand, and with the other grabbed his pants before they slipped down below his protruding belly – an unfortunate victim of too many beer-drinking strategy sessions.
Well they whooped and hollered for so long that soon most of the militia troops were out of breath. By the time they reached the summit, the sergeant could be heard cussing' (at no one in particular.) He wondered if he had rushed up the wrong hill. His GPS repeated, “recalculating... recalculating...” His phone vibrated on his belt and he quickly grabbed it and listened intently.
His head turned slowly downward as he stared at his mud-caked boots. His heart was pounding. He was breathing fast.
“Yes sir, I see. But when are we...? Win the hearts and minds, first? But...OK, I’ll inform the men.”
The sergeant ordered roll call and sadly told his men that not only did they seize the wrong hill, but the unseen generals had decreed that this was only a drill. The real revolution was yet to come but now, without the element of surprise. Dejected, they began to hobble down the green hill.
Then suddenly, Sergeant Jackson received another message. This time, he could hardly contain himself. Something new had just happened and word was spreading like wildfire. His fingers quivered as he responded:
“I’ll tell the men right away.” The sergeant rallied the now exhausted rag-tag men around him and excitedly yelled,
“All hands to Burns, Oregon. The government is assaulting some ranchers. The Bunkerville boys from Nevada are leading the counter assault. I'll be driving out at first light if anyone needs a ride.”
Fred finally made it home in his Ford pick-up truck while still sweating from the long charge. His dear sweet Ruthie waited at the half-opened door as dusk settled in.
“Come in my hero. I made your favorite hot soup for you.”
Fred stumbled in and sat at their kitchen table and slurped down the refreshing food. He then went straight to bed without explaining anything to his worried wife about the disappointing details of the false deployment.
Fred dreamed about the new revolution soon to sweep the land of his birth – the land he hardly recognized any more. And he dreamed that his name would one day be enshrined 100 years from now, along the nearby interstate highway where he lived. The sign would read: “The Sergeant Fred Jackson Expressway: Named for a Patriot of The Second American Revolution Who Stood His Ground and Helped Take Back America.”
Then Fred farted and repositioned his head on the pillow as he slept like a baby all night long.
That's quite an essay...there was a time when I thought it might even play out that way, but they have definitely stepped up their game. Can you write one that just as eloquently describes OrangeFatso's incarceration?
Have a happy Independence Day!
More likely called a satire but thank you.
Orange fatso ❤️ is a good one. perfect. Some msm reporter said Biden looked pale next to orange fatso’s tan. LOL. Let’s add OF to the other trending descriptions. CLOFCF
Crazy lazy orange fatso convicted felon.
Rolls off the tongue like something choking you that you are trying to spit out.
Okay, Bill. Now I have to go down the rabbit hole and learn more about you and your work. Good thing it’s a holiday.
Oh… Just bring a search light as you descend.
Aye aye, Sir.
Well done!
😂
Dial it back a notch. You're promoting your own blog shamelessly.
I get it. All writers seek attention. Why should I copy and paste a story from my book and not note where it comes from? What harm is there? Do you ever watch a writer being interviewed and repeatedly saying, “…And I state in my book bla bla bla.”
Yeah, sure, but this is a long chunk and too many people have been doing this sort of thing. It's opportunistic and very unfair to the original blogger.
Agree with Mary. It is opportunistic at the least. Comment section is for comments, not satirical diatribes.
I would not read this essay otherwise. So promote away! 😉
¡Bravò, Bill! 🙏
¡Bravò! ✌️
I believe the adage that "A politician is someone who will lay down your life for his country". I spent a year in VN too. Infantry near Da Nang.
Lay down your life and your wife according to Trump.
Thank you for putting your life on the line in honor of USA democracy.
Mike, I salute your service to my country during a ghastly, repudiated war. 🤝 Not sure I would have had your courage, Sir. ✌️
Ned, maybe the courageous ones went to Canada.
I was 20 and didn't understand much of anything. When I turned 21 in VN, on that day I realized what a waste I was making of my life. Also saw that most of my fellow soldiers were from the lowest socio economic groups and were poorly educated. When I was wounded I realized how lucky I was and what I needed to do to create the life I wanted. The GI Bill was great. Paid for my schooling through my MBA. VA benefits are great too. Life has turned out to be fabulous.
I agree with what you say, Mike. You will not talk me out of saluting your service nor the service of Mr Bigley. Additionally, I harbour no ill-will toward those who evaded the draft. A very difficult time and what occurred for young men in Viêt Nam at that time is very saddening.
Marlene,
I have read and admired your thoughts displayed across my keyboard for long enough now that I feel that I know you, at least a bit. Yet tonight is the first time I have felt a palpable sense of your inner self, as you write with not just your usual insight, but with a tenderness infused by passion for those you love.
Fight like hell we must, and I'm right there alongside you.
To you and yours, particularly your husband who knows too well the reverberations of the rockets' red glare, I wish a wonderful Independence Day.
DANNY
So lovely of you, Danny. Thanks!😌
I’m by your side too Marlene and, a Vietnam veteran too, I stand with your husband!!!
Bless you, Raymond (Scott)! Glad you made it back. 🥰
Marlene's post today was certainly lovely. One little quibble: the phrase "fight like hell" was enshrined by Donald Trump on Jan. 6, 2021. "Fight like heck" doesn't have the same resonance.
Some older kids set off some very loud fireworks in the park (loud enough to be very loud indoors a couple of blocks away), and my dog said nope and turned around and led us safely back home. I can't imagine how your husband feels, and thank you for taking care of him!
You are a strong and comforting soul, Marlene. It shows.
🥰
MARLENE: PLEASE PROMOTE CONTRIBUTIONS TO INDY DAN OSBORN FOR SENATE IN NEBRASKA (NO D RUNNING WISELY) IN A VERY WINNABLE RACE THAT COULD SAVE OUR MAJORITY IN THE SENATE. DAN IS 100% PRO-CHOICE UNION LEADER WHO IS AHEAD IN THE POLLS VS A NO-NOTHING ANTI-ABORTION R RUBBERSTAMP WITH ABORTION AND LEGALIZATION OF WEED ON THE BALLOT; NEBRASKA WOMEN ARE ORGANIZING AND DAN OSBORN CAN REALLY WIN; PLEASE GO TO ACTBLUE AND CONTRIBUTE TO DANOSBORN--MANY THANKS; THIS COULD BE A HUGE PICKUP!
Katrina Christiansen, too. https://www.katrinaforussenate.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nk7ojHyN7sc
Daniel Solomon, thanks for the heads-up. KC looks terrific and as she says "she is a cheap date." Electing a Senator in N Dakota is much cheaper than large states, but her Senate vote will count just as much. Sent a small contribution and I'll follow her campaign.
Marlene, thank your husband for his continuing sacrifice for our country. Power hungry greed is eating away at the idea of unselfish service; honor and honesty are derided as weak. You are right; we must win by showing the same will as the soldiers at Normandy showed by getting our friends and neighbors to vote against those who want to put us back under the rule of a bullying “king” and his sniveling “courtiers”.
Then Pres. G.W. Bush was right when on 3-31-2001 at the White House Correspondents' Dinner he said: "You can fool some of the people all of the time, and those are the ones you want to concentrate on." The wealthy oligarchs know this and have used mass media (Fox, Newsmax, OAN, Russ Limbaugh, Alex Jones, et al.) to fool mostly white Christians to vote against their own best economic interests. [Thomas Frank, "What's the Matter with Kansas," 2004.] That, combined with very old people who can't exit the political stage gracefully have put our democratic system at grave risk. We have no choice but to work like hell and hope for the best. It's the least that we can do to honor the sacrifice of those who have given so much to preserve the rights that we enjoy presently and to pass it on to posterity.
The relationship between competence and intent is the same as the relationship between longitude and latitude. You don't know squat unless you know both variables.
I do know Biden's competence. He's proven himself to be one of the most competent presidents in the modern era. And I know his intent. He intends to serve the greater good. The other guy's competence and intent are also well understood. He's proven himself to be the most incompetent president in American history. And I know his intent. He intends to serve himself at the expense of the greater good.
I'm also pretty sure I know why Biden is running. He thinks a decision on his part to drop out of the race will be the end of the American experiment in democracy, and the beginning of a new dark age that civilization is unlikely to survive. Maybe he's wrong, but if he asked me for my advice, I'd tell him he was right.
The other thing I do is imagine myself in a scenario in which I told him to drop out and he followed my advice. Then, on November 6, as I'm watching the election coverage and listening to all the analysts conclude that Trump won because Biden dropped out, I get a call from the president asking me what I have to say for myself, and the only thing I can think of saying is "Oops."
Q: What is the relationship between competence and intent?
A: If the candidate's intent is good, then more competence is better. And if the candidate's intent is bad, then more incompetence is better. The US survived POTUS 45 because it elected an evil idiot, and not an evil genius.
In conclusion, I'm not saying to ignore competence, but I am saying that real journalists are making the intent of the two candidates the story, and anyone who is making the competence of the two candidates the story is a JOURINO (journalist in name only).
Thank you James R. Carey. I feel the same. I think it is way too late for Biden to drop out. I am sure he thought long and hard about it before he put his hat in the ring in April. He knows he is old...just like I do. He has great people on his team! Let us trust them for another 4 years to keep up the good works that we are seeing. I vote to keep Joe as my president. I will vote for anyone on the ticket that is a Democrat but I am sure there will be something wrong with he/she that the damn Republicans can bring up. Few of us are squeaky clean. Joe has already been through the wash and they have worked overtime to find more dirt but they have continued to fail! Let us all support Joe! They (the Damn Republicans) can't take away our DEMOCRACY that we have fought so many years to acquire. So many lives will have died in vain! Right now the Republicans are praying to their god that Joe will quit! It will be their win if he does! Joe saved us in 2020 and he can do it again in 2024 but he can't do it alone!!!!!!!
I agree completely. Biden is the best President in my lifetime. He has wonderful, competent, people working for him. I'm sure he wishes he could rest, but he loves our country too much.
There is no question that Biden has done an outstanding job to date. The question is: can he defeat Trump in November. That's the issue.
I saw this on a post from Joanne Friedman (pretty sure it was her) this am:
"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.”
—Theodore Roosevelt
Speech at the Sorbonne, Paris, April 23, 1910
And this can apply to any critic, as far as I'm concerned. Literary, Artistic, Music, etc. If you can't do it, it is not necessary to put down those who do.
Little bush was never right! Hmmm, ‘very old’! At what age would you have everyone be buried!?
I am 84 years old and fairly mentally cognizant. When to exit the stage? When one's cognitive abilities obviously begin to fade and by hanging on one puts the republic at risk, as happened with Ginsburg and Feinstein and now with Biden. Perception counts. We have now gone on the defensive instead of the offensive, attacking the person and policies of a loathsome individual, Donald J. Trump. The continued existence of our democratic republic is more important than any one individual's feelings. Facts are important, to be sure, but so are perceptions, and that's where we are now on the defensive.
Although I'm not a doctor, my belief is that Biden has the mental capacity to see us through the next year of struggle, and after that Harris can take over. But I believe more strongly that if Obama tells him the time to step down is now, then he must. Obama knows the job and Biden's present capabilities, and he also knows politics.
And that's all I'm saying, as I've made a self-pledge to stay off all social media for the day, my own Declaration of Independence. I don't know what tomorrow (or all tomorrows) will bring, but for today at least, I'm not thinking that far ahead, and will enjoy the day.
Happy Fourth, everybody!
I will soon be 81! Some days I forget if I have brushed my teeth or have taken my vitamins.....but I think it is because we have so much in our brains that the ordinary daily activities are on automatic....except when we are distracted. I do believe that Joe was tired.....I get tired....I take naps....when I have time and I am not responsible for the USA and its people.....like me an you.... he knew he would be going up against an idiot that makes totally no sense and rambles from one thing to another to intimidate him! Joe could not call him out like he did in 2019. CNN fixed that! Joe should have just talked about the kitchen table......and telling the truth rather than lies.
WHAT SHOULD BIDEN DO?
What are our goals? My answer is, first, assure that the Democratic Party has a strong, moderately progressive and electable candidate who will appeal to uncommitted voters particularly in “swing” states. Second, the Democratic Party should concentrate on electing a candidate with progressive principles rather than loyalty to an individual with serious electoral challenges no mater his past service. The Party should not copy the Republicans in unthinking loyalty to a single person in spite of major weaknesses.
Obviously, a Party should normally continue to support its “nominee” even when the nominee stumbles during the campaign. Changing nominees close to the nominating convention and election would be extraordinary and very risky, opting for an “unknown” over a well-known, experienced candidate. Further, Joe Biden has a very long and accomplished career of public service. He has already defeated an earlier Trump candidacy.
However, there are several reasons which support the Democrats nominating, even at this late hour, another person for the next term:
1. Millions of voters watched last week’s Presidential Debate. No matter the explanation, nearly everyone, I think, was horrified by the President’s performance. “Highlights” of his many lapses can surely be a staple of Trump’s campaign ads from now until the election. What will matter is not whether this was somehow a unique departure for a still sharp and able elderly candidate but whether voters will feel convinced that the President is no longer able to fully carry out his duties for another four years.
2. Biden was significantly trailing Trump in almost every poll going into this debate, one that he requested, one that he set at a very early date and one that he insisted on following his rules. His polling is assuredly not now going to go up. Nor will his financial donations in my judgment.
3. Trump has been primarily running on the theory that “sleepy Joe” is terrible rather than “I have policies that will make Americans better off.” The Debate tends to support Trump in this respect.
4. People who are 81 never get younger or more vigorous. At the end of another term Biden would be 85. Most voters have parents, relatives or friends in their 80s and would not want them to take on one of the most demanding jobs on the planet. Many voters have painfully had to tell an aging parent that they are no longer capable of safely driving.
5. Most voters are aware that in spite of a very good and forcefully delivered State of the Union speech the President has recently had very, very little unscripted public exposure without reading from a teleprompter. He has had fewer press conferences than any president within memory. This suggest to me that his staff may have been aware of “a problem” for some time.
6. Polling is clear that many Biden voters are doing so more because they fear Trump than because the are enthusiastic about Biden. Many potential voters, particularly African-American males, Arabic and younger voters, have been unwilling to support Biden in spite of the fact that the only realistic alternative is Trump.
7. The Democratic Party has many younger, articulate and experienced potential candidates, both governors and members of the Senate, who could replace Biden should he decide to end his re-election campaign. Most of them would be electable if they ran against Trump. None of them would have to defend individual decisions that Biden made and is currently being attacked for. They could begin with a clean slate with few decisions to attack. A new Democratic candidate for President would both shake-up a ballot that many voters have complained about and generate interest and excitement in the currently disengaged. A new nominee would be quite likely to capture a number of current Robert Kennedy supporters.
The only foreseeable way to have a Democratic presidential nominee other than Biden is for President Biden to publicly abandon his campaign for re-election. He has recently stated that he will not do so. It currently seems unlikely that he will do so. However, after Watergate when senior Senate Republican party leaders went to President Nixon and told him he needed to resign he did so. Senior Democratic Party leaders today, I believe, would ask President Biden to abandon his re-election campaign if they were convinced by their constituents that Biden could not win the election. Unlike the Republicans, I believe Democratic Party leaders would withdraw their support from the President’s campaign if they felt only by doing so and letting an open Convention select the Party’s nominee, they would defeat Donald Trump.
Such eventuality would be extraordinary, but not unprecedented [Cf. Truman & L. Johnson].
It would involve significant risk and the outcome would be unknown but this year’s general election will be politically existential. We must, I submit, do whatever is required to nominate a Democratic candidate who will win election and lead our country into a better place. Democrats cannot allow sentiment to cloud their judgement as to political reality.
All of this is being eaten up by the MAGAs with glee. Democrats must go forward, not apologize any longer, and keep concentrating on Trump. There was a great essay by the editorial board of the Philadelphia Enquirer yesterday, mentioned by Lawrence regarding the fact that Trump should be the one to exit the race.
Maybe not as many watched as you think but they have surely been told by the media narrative now how the media sees the election.
Richard, I respect your opinion. Question: Don't you believe Biden's record of achievement counts? What if he became non compos mentis in office? It seems to me Kamala Harris would take over, the apparent heir to the Presidency. I'm assuming you believe he's going to lose against a con man, fraudster and criminal. Simon Rosenberg's newsletter might change your mind.
Does Biden's record of achievement count for anything? In terms of whether that 5% of the electorate in play will look at that instead of Biden's failing health and apparent stroke? Did he have a stroke? This is my point: we're now talking about Biden's health and mental ability instead of Trump's threat to our democracy. We're on the defensive. I'd vote for Biden even if he were in a coma. Kamala was my first pick for POTUS anyhow. But, I'm not the one to be convinced. We need to recognize the issues that we're dealing with and the principal one is whether Biden's condition will alienate needed votes.
Mary, I just read an interesting essay by Marilynn Robinson from the NY Review of Books where she touches on those, since we now have an all volunteer army, whose children go to war, often based on faulty intelligence, and she hones in on the war in Iraq. The essay is her attempt to understand those who support death star.
Michele, since we now have an all-volunteer army, it’s ceased to be a melting pot of haves and have nots. We no longer require young people to serve a cause deemed greater than themselves—many never get a chance to be selfless. I’d like to see a requirement of two years of service at age 18 either in the armed services or a vetted governmental/nongovernmental program that aids the less fortunate (Habitat for Humanity, Peace Corps, public library spring to mind). The pay would be equal to that of the armed services.
I agree. We were three years in the Peace Corps in Sierra Leone which changed my view of this country and the world completely.
Compared to that, Biden's age-related difficulties under Trump's firehose of lies is barely a whiff of smoke.
We must reclaim our democracy...that's going to be the rallying cry I play in my head when the media tells me that the right is winning, or that 2025 is our future. We need to inspire and require that the Democrats, liberals, Independents, unaffiliated...they must join in a common cause to reject the fascism that is based in the greed of the super-wealthy wanting power and to protect their millions, using Trump as their puppet. Enough is enough! Bring on Dark Brandon; stand behind Biden; support the Dems who are finally taking action to deal with the threats to our very existence.
Hope everyone enjoys a safe and thoughtful Independence Day!
My best to you, your husband and dog on the Fourth, we must ensure this isn’t our last Independence Day as a truly free nation.
For your sake, and for your husband’s sake, I hope you don’t have the “before and after” rounds of illegal fireworks we have from July 2-6. My 🐈 is terrified of fireworks (and thunder) and I see how upset he is. I can only imagine how badly combat veterans are impacted.
Trauma may dim over time, but it often never leaves. Holding your husband in my heart.
Don't generalize. I am a combat vet and the fireworks entertain me. Everyone chooses their demons.
If I could edit my post I would.
**insert obligatory some, not all**
Yes, unfortunately some vets were more traumatized than others due to proximity and circumstances, and by their resulting suffering and ongoing disabilities. Many vets will not discuss their experiences, except with other vets so there are emotional and communication barriers in families from the fall out. I hope today that veterans will feel appreciated for their sacrifices and lifted up by the celebration of our freedoms they earned for us, even more precious today, is their reward in victory over tyranny in whatever arena they served.
A lovely 4th July message, Marlene. Warm spot in the chill.
Well said Marlene!!
The SCOTUS decision on Monday, July 1st was the day that the threat to our Constitution and democracy took a serious life-threatening hit. After all the sacrifice to free ourselves of an oppressive king and 2 and a half centuries of additional sacrifice to preserving our ambitious governmental system and we find ourselves on the verge of crowning the first king in American history - and a truly mad king at that! Like everyone who's reading this, I feel deeply heart-broken. But as I listen to the many frightened never-trumper patriots freaking out, it is the division among us that worries me the most in this moment. Much of the media is cashing in on the crisis with no concern for their role as the protectors of Democracy. President Biden had a very bad debate "performance." But on either side of that night, I see a compassionate, intelligent and wonderful man who has also a highly successful president. Many, including me, believe he is the greatest president in some 75 years, though certainly not perfect. At this time, my focus remains on reelecting Biden/Harris for another successful term. And do you realize that Mick Jagger will turn 81 in late July, on another world tour with the Rolling Stones. Please reconsider what too old is. Biden is sharp and has accomplishing so much more than almost any of us imagined he could. I urge everyone to watch the ProPublica interview from last year and any of his speeches since the debate, Then watch as much of any trump speech or debate you can stomach and tell me you're going to abandon the Biden/Harris ticket. Most importantly of course is to stop trump, maga, project 2025 and all the rest of their hellish agenda. And monitor the rotten media you ingest. Peace
Marlene, when did your husband serve in Vietnam? My father served 1963-64 and then again 1968-69 during the Tet offensive. Those were tough deployments. Communication was limited to letters. My parents also used small tapes so we could hear our dad’s voice. At the end of the tape, he would ask us to leave the room so he could talk to our mom privately on the other side of the tape. I have never been able to find those tapes.
Catherine, what a treasure those would be for you to find!
Years ago, we used our first video camera to attempt to tape the fireworks presentation of our village. The tape is grainy and not very overwhelming visually, but in the background you can hear the conversations and laughter of my family, many of whom are now gone.
Precious.
Photos and letter: remarkable evidence of history and lives. And now videos.
I borrowed this from another poster on the audio link of HCR’s letter but fits well with what you stated so beautifully. "The Greatest Generation fought in World War II and saved the world from fascism. Its aging children now have an opportunity to do the same. Froma Harrop”
All who appreciate freedom and a Democracy will join together once they understand that Trump and his allies are intent on taking it away.
It’s ironic that today, July 4th, Britain is voting to reinstate a more liberal government than their Conservative Party bungled for the past decade. They lost American colonies due to Mad King George III .We might lose America to Mad King Trump if our GOP, Scotus6 and the media have their way. Pay attention to Britain! Ignore the WP , NYT, and other pundits who slam our liberal Democracy . It’s about POLICY, not a person. Do the GOP policies serve all the people? Did they ever ? That’s laughable. Vote and hope it counts like it did in 2020. Honestly, I really don’t care how old Biden is. I care about our world surviving the likes of these madmen.