I've been walking around in a grumpus mood for the last few days. I have a heavy weight on my heart. Everyone I love is relatively healthy and relatively happy; I have no new complaints in the personal department. That means I am in one of those rare moments when all is at peace, and I should be too, except, I'm not.
It's Donald Trump's fault.
I open the paper (yes, the physical paper, delivered to my driveway every morning before sunup) to the local news about the roads, skipping past the front page battle over Tucson as a Sanctuary City. I smile at the comics I find after purposely avoiding the second section, the one with the National and International news. Those are headlines I need to avoid if I want to stay moderately sane.
I told TBG this afternoon that I was sad for the Kurds. And I am.
But I'm sadder for America, for what we have become, for who we are as seen by the rest of the world. Russian soldiers patrolling abandoned American positions is not the image I want in my head right now, yet it's on a continuous loop behind the talking heads.... and I can't seem to tear my self (sic) away from it.
I feel as if I need to bear witness. I need to watch it and be horrified and and and and...... what can I do? I called my elected officials; even Martha McSally is appalled by the withdrawal. I can't order the troops back in. My voice has been heard. I'm powerless, and I don't like it one bit.
Pence and Pompeo are taking their dog and pony show over there. What can they say about the mess their boss created? Just more noise, when what I want is less stupidity and hubris.
Because when John Bolton is the sanest person in the story, you know I'm right to be a grumpus.
I'm sad for the Kurds, as well. I was listening to someone on NPR and she was describing that for a few brief years, women in that part of the world had a voice. They could go to cafes for a coffee, they could take up arms, they could be out in the world. That's over. Now they're all being slaughtered. We more than abandoned them, we betrayed them. About a month before the pull out, Washington had the Kurds move back their heavy weapons and take down fortifications. The US was supposed to provide the security for them. That really weighs on me. The whole thing is just shameful, and we should have an emotional response to it because our president did a bad thing and we, by extension are stained by his actions.
ReplyDeleteExactly.
DeleteWell said.
Mayor Pete last night saying the flag on his shoulder kept him safe... but not now.
Yuck.
a/b
I didn't read this post yesterday because I was full up with it all. But today there is just more and more. Lindsey Graham was told to shut up today, because "I am the boss." I guess that's what happens when you sell your soul to the devil.
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