HAPPY VETERAN'S DAY!

 "Thank you for your service." For many Vietnam War veterans, this gracious sentiment came a little too late as did "Welcome Home". But eventually, they were seen to be more than drugged-out hippies. Amongst many veterans of other wars the idea that they would never turn their backs on another group of veterans became orthodoxy. And I think it was because of the swell of emotions that came after the 911 attacks that Americans began to take a more serious look at the treatment of veterans of a war that so many thought was an anomaly despite how the Korean War concluded. Thankfully, the incompetence shown in Iraq and Afghanistan made it clear that many died for mismanaged causes just as they did in Vietnam.

Despite how politicized the Vietnam War had become, I didn't have any question as to my duty to serve. So joining the Army during a time of war was hardly questioned. Besides my father, who landed on Omaha Beach at Normandy, there were other relatives and men who were veterans. I was raised in a quiet patriotism. I still didn't think going to Vietnam was a privilege. It was just what you did if you were ordered. Interestingly, the only thing my father ever said to me before going to Vietnam was, "You're not going to like it." 

Well, that was about right. The war was enough but there were things going on like the drugs, the fragging, the friendly fire, those who liked to misuse their rank, the racism, the thievery, and even the murder of a Red Cross worker. They were called "Donut Dollies". I was excluded from the investigation due to the color of my hair. Yet still, I could name quite a few good things about Nam and afterward. But in the end, it was obvious that I didn't like the Army life. However, that didn't stop me from caring. 

Vietnam Veterans had varied experiences when they came home. Generally they were negative and they were that way for many years. So many family and friends had to bury their Vietnam loved ones in silence due to growing opposition. As a parent, I can not imagine what that experience was like. Some returnees had or eventually experienced PTSD. Even after the VA attempted treatment, it still didn't prevent continued suicides and the inability to engage life.

Iraq and Afghanistan veterans began their service in a flurry of support due to 911 but after multiple tours, it was obvious that they were getting screwed despite their hope of changing a backward country, especially for the women and children living under a maniacal religious patriarchy. The way we left the area was proof that those in charge had no idea of what to do even though the same situation had occurred in the Vietnam withdrawal.

For many veterans, the only real heroes are the ones who died. An indelible image for me is the American flag draped coffin being unloaded at an Air Force or Army base because it always reminded me of the containers that held the casualties at the 12th Evac in Cu Chi. They were picked up as needed by an helicopter and taken to where the bodies could be processed for their return to the states.

Like so many holidays, Veterans's Day at times has often been relegated to little more than time off from work. In more recent years, there have been a sincere efforts to acknowledge and focus on the rightful place of veterans as well as those who are currently serving. But let me say this. For me, there is no such thing as "Happy Veterans' Day!" I can not be that happy about making it back knowing how many didn't or eventually died from their wounds at a stateside military hospital or at the VA. I can not be happy about the patriotic Vietnamese who were left to deal with the communists. I can not be happy about the Paris Peace Accords, the evacuation, nor the boat people. 

But most of all, as with many wars, it is the military, political, media and/or religious lies that create the fog of war or as several insightful minds over time have similarly said, "The first casualty of war is truth." But this maybe changing if we can question a war but still have support and be grateful for all who serve and especially those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

TURN OUT THE GASLIGHT, THE PARTY IS OVER

It started with the crowd size at the inauguration of 45, the guy who is smarter than most (so everyone is saying), all the way to the Big Lie which he just described as "the crime of the century" despite there being at least a couple more years before you could reasonably make that determination. Of course, by the end of the century, they might not have finished the 2020 election recount. In this everything is a conspiracy world, gaslighting has become acceptable, especially by those who have a history of believing in the reality of things aren't as they appear. The trouble is that you can plug in just about anY comfortable notion ...and there are plenty who have. They may be just momentary or cover the expanse of eternity. They may come in completed packages or fundamental foundations whose final appearance depends on evolving developments. 

The important thing about gaslighting is whether you are the GASLIGHTER (not to be confused by the old lamplighter of long, long ago) or the GASLIGHTEE or BOTH. Historically, I think this technique was more an individual exercise rather than a group. But it seems as if the Republican Party's herd mentality has elevated it to a whole new level. This is not my father's Republican Party of Lincoln and Eisenhower whose ideology ran along the lines of freedom, anti-communism, conservative spending (except for the military), pro law enforcement, and the like. Apparently, this has been breaking down over some time but it really broke down under the evil genius they feel can keep them in power. For me it was disparaging POW'S and other military that showed a hatred for those who were true heroes like John McCain and those who landed at Normandy. My other point would be, who to hell is he to judge anyone?

But for the current Republicans to join into the madness and have some of the greatest flip-flops, gaslighting, redistrictings, voter suppressions and demonizations in political history makes me believe that their obsession is equal to Gollum's in Lord of the Rings which is truly precious. When you are at a point where you will do or say most anything, I suspect you've lost the big picture altogether. The utter lies and hypocrisies are justified or become part of the new norm. No apology necessary. When they can push out one of the most conservative people because she stood for the truth about the election, even with the Dark Lord's blood coursing though her veins, shows a real lack of interest in preserving the American political ethos unless it's the underbelly that no one wants to talk about for at least a hundred years.

Americans love conspiracies. On some days you can hear at least 6 or 7 different ones at our local CO-OP. Couple these with how people feel about other people and you can more easily believe that our peaceful transition of power is in jeopardy, along with a few other things. Are we at a point where we don't believe the truth because it doesn't fit our agenda or that it puts our enemies in a better light or it is automatic when it comes to those we hate unless it's something to their detriment)? Without some reason, some thought, some fact finding ...and some polygraphs, we are letting the goal of a more perfect union slip away. If the majority of Republicans can't support a bi-partisan commission to investigate the Jan 6 debacle, it's a good sign that they believe the gaslight is still lit.

PLACED INTO TIME OUT

Well, it wasn't exactly time out. It just felt that way. You see, I just got out of rehab. ...No! Not that kind! I was in a medical rehab getting back on my feet after shoulder surgery and other set backs. But perhaps both kinds are similar, especially when it comes to pain. As the common wish for many is to have the suffering magically go away rather than having to deal with stark reality. My total time out so far has been one month and three weeks of trying to maintain a zen-like stance in almost every situation. Sometimes that seemed impossible to do, but it was usually for the better. Admittedly however, I did have a couple moments when I was a bit less than my usual charming self.

Being at home in the city now is almost surreal. In rehab I was on a lockdown unit where I couldn't have visitors and then further I was in isolation part of that time. So just being reunited with my best friend "Mac" is awkward, especially sense I can only type with one hand. Despite everything, we are slowly getting back to where we were before. He saved a lot of interesting items from what I missed during my time out. I suspect some of those will always seem quite beyond the little world I had made for myself. ...In a way, I'm sorta glad about that.  

Even with another surgery yet to go, I don't expect too much more time out. I hope this extended journey ends with a permanent return to the mystical solitude (i.e. isolation) of my little farmhouse on the prairie. At that point, I suspect what I'm grateful for in the whole experience will easily surpass the less than grateful. But given what so many have been going through and the horrendous number who have been ultimately lost, I felt like I was taking up space and resources. 

Life so often is an odd juxtaposition of a flow between "normalcy" and extra-ordinary events whether small or large, lasting a short time or for a long while. Disruption happens, as well as ignored chronic conditions. Predictability and planning are too easily seen as the usual or the expected. So when something interferes, makes us change direction or completely blocks us, we are faced with new challenges and decisions. As someone has so aptly said, "The only thing you can depend on is change. And it's apt to occur when we are quite contented with our lives." It does seem that we either learn to deal with our own reality or risk ending up in a time out of our own making. 

DOES YOUR BEING RIGHT MAKE ME WRONG?

It's no surprise that what we call absolutely right usually lines up with our religion, politics and  perceived social status. My brother used to say that if people did things his way, the world would be a better place. ...Maybe so. But I kind of doubt. While waiting for our trust funds to kick in, we irritated the hell out of each other over religion, politics and who was better looking. He liked to say that when a Republican was elected president, it was God's will. As compared to a Democrat which was the people getting what they deserved. Notably, this is a little different from what the Apostle Paul said about all authority being appointed by God. But Paul also said women should be silent in the churches which all too often is held above the Golden Rule. Our world can be quite ugly at times, but it can also agree on a bare minimum of essential values, guiding principles and shared beliefs so that it doesn't fall into total chaos. Even if there are those who thrive under madness, most prefer a more ordered existence. ...But enough about Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood.

Today, Americans are radically divided facing an election of fantastic claims and bitter consequences. I can't wait to see whom God anoints. But no matter who wins the coin toss, we'll still be a deeply divided nation with guns and ammo. Be sure to stock up now. Several ever deepening, but mostly ignored, fault lines have ironically become more exposed by this perfect storm of man and nature. Some, based on evolving beliefs and wishful nursery rhymes, hold to a mystical magical view of reality despite any contradictory evidence. Scientists aren't always right. In fact, they can radically disagree. But when their understanding is PROVEN wrong, they don't continue to hang onto what is false. Yet, we have those who without any scientific background boldly declaring what is true (John MacArthur et al) based on the absolute views and theories that they zealously hold. Claiming to be right might feel good; claiming others to be wrong might feel even better. This seems to be the great American pastime. The thing is, we didn't get here overnight. It's probably been around longer than baseball.

 

My own personal view is that we've come to this questioning the experts by way of the congressional quagmire that has been Washington's favorite patriot game to play while they are stuffing their pockets and making sure their rich donors don't suffer too much. If the officials had been doing the work of the people instead of worrying about getting re-elected, they would have corrected the unfairness in the tax laws, set reasonable term limits, made sure that one senator can't hold up what the majority believe is good law, made uniform federal elections, enacted stronger anti-nepotism laws and worked on ALL the other changes that would improve our country and insure that it couldn't be dismantled or lose it's balance of powers. A question I would like to ask any official is, "Are you working for a better world, for your own world or for the end of the world?" 

There can be vigorous and even heated debate as to what and how to improve living under law. Hence, compromise will happen and tolerance will be learned. But now we're laboring under extremes who will not compromise nor recognize the equal rights of all including the right to exist as citizens in their own country. We're in a very "my way or the highway" kind of place or at least a "demonize the opposition without any facts" kind of place. Someone had the ideal solution. We would divide the No Longer United States into RED, BLUE and PURPLE countries. I guess that would be similar to The Handmaid's Tale but without the bodies hanging on the wall to serve as reminders. 

A line from the old song What It's Worth By Buffalo Springfield states "Nobody is right if everybody's wrong." If you have two radical groups that won't even consider compromise and further sees the opposition as evil, it's difficult to get anything done. I'm not voting on who's right and who's wrong. It might be a hundred years before we know that. For now, I voting for what is practical which is a compromise of some sort if all are presented. After the election, the losing party is not going away. They still will be your neighbors and you'll still be theirs. The only solution is one part having power over the other part which can change with another election. This isn't playing politics, it's a Ship of Fools.

I suspect many will watch tonight's debate and likely all the other scheduled debates. Interestingly, polls show that most have already made up their minds, but I think that was before the disclosure of Trump's generous tax contributions. ...So who knows? But given our recent history, I predict that the impact will be minimal. My only other question is, "Why will we watching two old white guys with speech and memory impediments duke it out?" I suspect that some of it is the spectacle of it all and the post debate claims by both sides that their guy won. To be fair, what else can they do. Although, if either admitted to really stinking up the stage, they certainly would get my vote.

 

A DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC?

I have been speculating on our use of the word "democracy." More particularly that reality the USA is not a true democracy. This is a important reality that is lost on the majority of Americans including myself. It's too easy to believe whatever we happen to think falls under the definition of a democracy. I'm not sure what a real democracy would look like in this modern age, but it wouldn't be what we presently have in our country. American History shows we've been what we are for a long time which is a nation of working laws based on a constitution. A monarchy is not our style though some are trying to make us one. Nor is it an Oligarchy, even though it comes close to that with the recent election laws. As we all remember from school, we are a government of the people, by the people and for the people. And might I add a country of "Equal Justice Under The Law" which is rightly engraved on the Supreme Court Building.

Sadly, we have struggled and once fought over these ideals but we never, as of yet, have given them up. But I really do think that it is a possibility if the division in the country can't return to civility, pragmatism and reasonable compromise. Right now, the two strident sides, represented by political parties, have adopted an all or nothing approach to governing and the only truth is their particular political agenda. We presently live in a country where approximately 50% of the people believe that the other 50% are completely wrong, and vice versa, so there is no alternative than to gain 100% of the power. In order to achieve that, no means is unacceptable but lying has become more of a political stable than it ever has been. Some of which has been taken to the extreme. Fact checking does little to curtail the lying, but even more interesting is how spouting falsehoods over and over becomes the truth for many.

It is rather obvious that neither of the two main parties would willingly share power with a strong third party. Together, they have written laws on every level that try to hinder opposition, particularly in the area of how the elections will be held and how voting districts are determined especially with the advantage of gerrymandering. Once elected, politicians represent their party rather than the people they are supposed to represent which is everyone in their district whether they voted for them or not. And further, party loyalty interferes with going across the aisle (as they say) and getting something done. Some end up being crucified (or primaried) for doing so and I don't mean in the good way.

Strangely, if we just lean slightly one way or the other we're labeled as embracing the whole agenda of a party. Likewise if we offer up a little humor, we obviously support a certain position. I think this is so short-sighted as some just like to stir the pot especially when it's so thick with self-righteousness, racial superiority and blind worship. Which brings me to the role of media. In general, most fall under the liberal umbrella or the conservative umbrella to one degree or the other. Both sides seem to have their rabid dogs as well as their intellectuals; although sometimes, there's more rabid dogs on one side than there needs to be. However, the fault is not in our stars but in ourselves.

We've too often joined a particular team or tribe where we believe everything bad that is said about the opposition and everything that is good about our team and its leader(s). To say the least, a great deal of misrepresentation, propaganda and righteous indignation is involved. But with the modern media, it is even harder to determine what is what. It's a lot easier just to go along with those who agree with you and label anything the other side might do or say as evil. This reminds me of how in war we dehumanize the enemy so it's easier to kill them. We don't want to know they are carrying a picture of their wife and kid just like we do. And that's exactly what we do by thinking that others don't have the same rights as ourselves even to the extent that they should leave the country or have no vote. For some, it sucks to live in a country were every citizen is supposed to have an initial equal valve and the right to their own opinion.

Threats of violence are extreme but they seem to become more and more a part of the common vernacular. Actually becoming violent against fellow citizens for political reasons seems unimaginable, yet it still happens. I'm amazed at those who want to settle political differences with guns or threaten civil war. But maybe people just don't have the time to think through what that really means. We are a country that badly needs change, understanding, and renewed commitment to fair and equally enforced laws. We can not afford to go on "as is" nor are we going to be helped by a return to an idealized bygone day. We are addicted to taking advantage of the system, to seeing only a few and being blind to the many. It's me and mine against you and yours. There are not enough laws to make you do the right thing in every situation. You have to chose to be fair, to be trustworthy, to speak honestly, to stand up for the innocent, to care for the weak and so forth.

Granted, to do the right thing all the time is difficult and fairly impossible given our limitations and circumstances, especially in this day of so much news and social media. It's hard to know for sure who is telling the truth or who truly needs to be helped. The best we can do sometimes is get half-way there. But I don't think that's a reason to do otherwise. Nor can we ever justify dividing the country into the "people like us" and the "people like them" because that better fits our beliefs and finances. Even though we have a long ways to go, we must choose a better way of living together before we can ever come close to being "one nation under God (or not - depending), indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Kind of schmaltzy but I would prefer it to the present direction of our country which is moving farther and farther away from the viability of a Democratic Republic.

REMINDER
As always, this is my opinion. You have right to disagree and have your own opinion. I would like to believe that the playing field for debate and argument is level, each view gets a fair hearing and that somehow, somewhere there can be at least some agreement on the facts. But too often, that doesn't happen.

A VIEW FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE ESCALATOR

Those who voted for Trump represent a large portion of the U.S. and have no more or no less a right to their opinions. Some would, and do, dismiss them all together, similar to how they treated Obama supporters. The easy math would make for a fairly good definition of an evenly divided country. At one end the differences are resolved, usually through compromise. At the other end, they are resolved with civil war. Right now we're probably closer to civil war than we are to compromise. But let me say that it is artificially that way.

By the time that Trump was to the bottom of the escalator on his way to announce his candidacy, the tangent was already starting to develop into what now is the sideshow of a cable TV presidency. Previous presidents have been somewhat tangential, perhaps it comes with the job, but never was it fully developed to the detriment of our country and/or the self-aggrandizement of a narcissistic  personality who lacks any ability to reflect on his beliefs, behaviors, and emotional immaturity. I admit that I wasn't too concerned with his running in the primary until he insulted John McCain and, Khizr and Ghazala Khan, the Gold Star family.

No draft dodger gets to insult a POW or a military family nor any honorably discharged veteran of war. All that came after that is plainly absurd. Most all of the Republicans, some independents and even a few democrats jumped on the bandwagon despite their prior criticism. I get wanting things to be done differently or just completed after many years of stalling and neglect. But it seemed as if the hatred of Obama, the mistrust of Hillary, and the foibles of the Electoral College placed the nations hope for change on someone who needed to become presidential instead of cartoonish.

The other factor was the single-issue support of fundamentalist Evangelicals and Catholics who eyed the prize of overturning Roe v. Wade. I admit that I didn't pay attention for part of my upbringing in fundamentalist churches but when I did, I think,  come to know the what and why of the approved beliefs and behaviors. So, imagine my surprise at the adamancy of the religious Trump supporters (most of who were in my family .....he said satirically) who either held their nose, overlooked, rationalized, made excuses, chose the lesser of two evils or experienced the ecstasy of submission to God's will as they voted for someone who was a doppelgänger of Elmer Gantry.   

I thought that surely the foolishness would stop some place along the way along the way. If only on the belief that America was something that worked well if lead by honorable representatives. I can see how having a majority of women in office might make decisions and agree on resolutions that are the most practical if not restorative. But Democratic women right now are setting themselves up for defeat with how many have already entered the primary. I would love to see an all women ticket that minimized the dirt and the spin of the press and the Republican opposition. Almost two years of electioneering is ridiculous. They could make an opening for a Democratic Elmer Gantry who preaches the promises of progressive politics, the "you get a car" approach to world that doesn't exist.  

There is a cowardliness on the part of many who were elected to serve and especially those in power in Washington who don't care how far a tangential president can further divide the nation. As long as cooperation and compromise are anathema, there won't be any movement on things like immigration, infrastructure, taxes, election reform, military spending or the national debt. Perhaps the two party system is passé and is incapable of dealing with modern times. But will redesign be the answer when people at anytime are willing for greed and addiction to power to swallow it up? 

BONUS MEME

WERE IT BE TRUE BUT NONETHELESS ....RATHER FUNNY IF NOT REALLY IRONICAL (RE-GRACE ADLER).

IT ALL BEGINS WITH A VOLVO

I'm not sure if my journey in politics is parallel to the cars I have owned over what now covers quite a few years or if it's just a matter of circumstance where any parallel is purely coincidental. Cars and politics have stereotypes whether they are factual or not. What do you think when you see someone driving a Volvo wagon, a Prius or VW bus with flowers painted all over it? And you might have a particular political thought about someone driving any new American pick-up of any kind, a Cadillac Escalade or a Hummer with the special order machine gun mounts. Then of course, anyone riding a motorcycle in the winter snow of Colorado has to be an independent. 

   

Studies show that Republicans do prefer domestic pick-ups and democrats prefer small foreign sedans or tiny SUV's. It used to be that car ownership paralleled social status and income, or personality type. Those were the good old days. But if there is some direct political association in my journey, I must say that it wasn't all that clear to me at the time. Pre-politically, I had a '53 Chevy (blew the motor), a 57 Chevy (wrecked), a '58 Chevy (just died), a '61 Pontiac (can't remember) and a '65 Chevy wagon, dark blue with black interior (too many miles). Politically I've driven a Chevelle, a Toyota camper, a Camaro, a Volvo wagon, a Dodge van, an old Buick, and a Hyundai to name most of them in no particular order. Currently, I drive a Ford Explorer (Bronco Orange) or as some call it - an upgrade from a coffin on wheels. 

Then I first became political many years ago when I put a George McGovern for president bumper sticker on my Volvo 1800. I was a student at a fundamentalist Bible school, had a family, worked in a hospital and had served in Vietnam. I slowly found out that others had political concerns and like every war, the first casualty was the truth. I at first talked about my experience but soon realized no one was listening. They mostly wanted me to affirm or validate what they already believed. I was considered as unpatriotic - but ignorantly so. I could live with that. So it wasn't until near the end of my senior year at the Bible school that another student, whom I considered a friend, said that it was God's will for Nixon to be re-elected.

That was my first encounter with the God and country politics of the religious right with emphasis on RELIGIOUS and RIGHT. Of course most of that blew over my head. All I knew was that peace in Vietnam was nothing more than a slow surrender. It took a while to fill in the Left-Right political playbook and come to be in opposition to both. But it was the militant fundamentalists who stood out the most with their "my way or the highway" tactics. They loved pointing out what was of God and what wasn't. But even more dogmatically, they loved to say what being Born Again meant. It was forever the main belief and experience in Evangelicalism, Billy Graham Crusades, and Chick Tracts. And perhaps first heard of by many from an interview with Jimmy Carter in Playboy magazine which both irked and amused many of the faithful. 

Yet, somewhere along the ever expanding line of Evangelical development (I say somewhere because I don't believe patient zero has been identified yet) and in the midst of it all the posturing for position, many of the fundamentalists who came out of the fight against modernism in the mainline churches added the political component and it worked quite well for them. Yes, this is simple understanding, but it really never gets too complex. They wanted what others had - imposition of values, morals and cultural beliefs through law.

So when repealing abortion was used as a political hook, many believers saw it as their God-given duty to support it until later when it became their only duty. Even if it was to the extent of supporting the ridiculous. Even if it was against Biblical teaching. To which I say, "WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?" ...It's as if Ayn Rand had been born again. Some Evangelicals have always been against having to wear political blinders and some are now casting them aside. But I'm still wondering what the dynamic is where God elects politicians. My brother used to say that when a Republican won it was God's will based on a lifting up and taking down principle. But when a Democrat won, he said the people got what they deserved. I wasn't as sure as he was that the Bible was written with a focus on the United States.

All of this made me think if I'll have a Post-political time period. If so, what car should I drive? If I wanted to get a step ahead, I should drive around in a black Cadillac hearse carrying my ready-to-go pre-chosen casket. That would send the right post-political message but for obvious reasons, it better speaks of our politics today. Therefore, my choice would be a Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor, fully equipped, black and white, with the number 54. I think it would be the perfect vehicle to go four miles to my little town to get a gallon of milk and a 5 loaf bag of Rhodes Bake-N-Serve Frozen White Bread. And then, after making numerous false arrests and after finishing my last trip to nowhere in particular, I would clearly understand the parallel. ...And maybe finally admit that I've gone through way too many cars.