Democracy will Survive

This afternoon, as I tried to corner my mind into one concise post, “State Representatives Justin Jones, Justin J. Pearson and Gloria Johnson — were facing expulsion from the [Tennessee] House, a dramatic act of political retribution” (New York Times). Jones, along with marchers driven to extremity in the face of obstinate denial, demanded law-makers reduce their gun-lobby-controlled agenda and do something, anything actually, other than offer up innocent citizens to the greed and profits of the weapons’ manufacturers. But, in all seriousness I really don’t want to write about guns in a country that is actually still debating the most basic gun control measures of any civilized country on the planet, like there are two sides to this? I also don’t want to write about the business man faced with 34 charges, all of which point to his sleazy dealings with women or country, anyone really, who stands in his power-mongering way. I did listen to Jonah Bromwich, a criminal justice correspondent for The Times, tell what it was like inside the courthouse as Mr. Trump was first brought in, and then charged, on The Daily podcast. The swagger, the bravado, and all the hype generally seen when this guy hits the pulpit minimized to two words, “Not Guilty.” The only words he uttered in court. Although he was warned by the judge to not rile people up with his harmful rhetoric, “to refrain from comments that incite violence or create civil unrest,” he was barely in the door at his Palm Beach playground when he did all of that. Ugh! This crazy crazy world has us all in knots and nightmares, in disputes over insanity and sanity, with a path that twists like Lombard Street. I’m done expounding words of obvious truth to airy illusion.

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Vote?

The mid-term elections have come and gone, and even though a few votes are still being counted, most races have been definitively called. If you participated in our democratic process, then cheers to you! If not, I have to ask why? I mean this in all seriousness, because it seems to me a privilege worth engaging in, and so, I am curious why you don’t feel the same. I am of course very pleased to report that 49 percent of eligible voters did in fact recently cast their vote. Big turnouts are the new trend according to FiveThirtyEight. Long lines, curtailed polling hours and sites, endless reasons not to bother, all plague the process, however, nearly half of voters endured what they must to have their voice heard. Still, over half didn’t. Were the obstacles too great? Or was it in reaction to the unresponsiveness of government to your concerns? What halts one’s civic duty? I hope, more will cast an educated vote the next time around. This is truly one of our greatest rights as Americans. Still.

 

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