There Is Something Wrong …

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, Election 2020, guns, History, Law and justice, Political commentary, Racism & Bigotry, Social commentary

A lot of things have caught my eye lately, most of which make me shake my head, roll my eyes, sometimes utter a few expletives, and ask the question:  What is wrong with this country???  I’ve lived in the U.S. for 72 years now and today I’m seeing things that I’ve never seen before!  Not, mind you, things that make me happy, either.  Some days I would happily go ‘belly up’ just to get away from it all, but I’m a fighter, so here I am.  Here are just two of those things that suggest there is something very wrong with the U.S. today …

Just over a week ago, the North Carolina state Republican Party voted to formally censure U.S. Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican, for supporting policies about LGBTQ rights, immigration, and gun control that they felt were not conservative enough.  For example, Tillis signed the Respect For Marriage Act last year, that requires states to recognize same-sex and interracial marriage.  The NC Republican Party was aghast!  They also cite Tillis’ support for a measure that provided funds for red flag laws, allowing state courts to authorize the temporary removal of firearms from people who they believe might pose a danger to themselves or others.  There is something wrong when a lawmaker is punished for supporting the people of the nation, for trying to protect those people from bigotry and from gun violence.

A recent survey conducted by the University of Chicago finds that some 12 million people in the U.S. believe that violence is justified as a means to restore Trump to power.  Think on that one for just a second … 12 million people in this country think it’s okay to kill in order to overthrow the government and put a madman in the Oval Office.  Granted, 12 million people is only about 4% of the adult population, but still … it is far too many for my comfort!  But wait … there’s more!  Apparently Americans think violence is okay in a number of cases …There is something wrong with a nation where so many people would support violence to have their own way.  I may feel strongly on a number of issues, including civil rights, gun control, etc., but NEVER would I support violence to achieve those goals.  Those who would, do not belong in a civil society in my opinion!  If you’re interested, you can check out the article in The Guardian

And I will close with this …

On April 4th, 1968, Robert F. Kennedy gave an impromptu speech in Indianapolis upon learning of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.  In it, he said, “What we need in the United States is not division; what we need in the United States is not hatred; what we need in the United States is not violence or lawlessness; but love and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our country, whether they be white or they be black.”

I couldn’t have said it better … Bobby, we need you now!!!

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56 thoughts on “There Is Something Wrong …”

  2. “There is something wrong when a lawmaker is punished for supporting the people of the nation, for trying to protect those people from bigotry and from gun violence.” That’s exactly what’s wrong with the hijacker Rethuglican party. They are hired by the people, and they scheme and commit crimes, and project blame, and want to dismantle America, fill their pockets, and blame the Dems. 😦 xx

    Liked by 1 person

  3. I’ve also seen the divisions grow in this country. But it is not only here in the US. After a period of democracy spreading, individual liberties and human rights spreading, peace gaining and violence being reduced around the world, we are now seeing a backslide. It is the revenge of the authoritarians, Trump, Putin, Xi, Erdogan, Orban, etc. I wonder where it will end.

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  4. We still have him, in those of us who remember him and who want the things he articulated, for the greater good of all of us. The one thing that keeps me working is a quote I recall from reading about this address a few years after it was delivered. It’s this one below, found here: https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/about-jfk/the-kennedy-family/robert-f-kennedy/robert-f-kennedy-speeches/day-of-affirmation-address-university-of-capetown-capetown-south-africa-june-6-1966#:~:text=Each%20time%20a%20man%20stands,mightiest%20walls%20of%20oppression%20and

    ” …
    “First is the danger of futility; the belief there is nothing one man or one woman can do against the enormous array of the world’s ills – against misery, against ignorance, or injustice and violence. Yet many of the world’s great movements, of thought and action, have flowed from the work of a single man. A young monk began the Protestant reformation, a young general extended an empire from Macedonia to the borders of the earth, and a young woman reclaimed the territory of France. It was a young Italian explorer who discovered the New World, and 32 year old Thomas Jefferson who proclaimed that all men are created equal. “Give me a place to stand,” said Archimedes, “and I will move the world.” These men moved the world, and so can we all. Few will have the greatness to bend history; but each of us can work to change a small portion of the events, and in the total of all these acts will be written the history of this generation. Thousands of Peace Corps volunteers are making a difference in the isolated villages and the city slums of dozens of countries. Thousands of unknown men and women in Europe resisted the occupation of the Nazis and many died, but all added to the ultimate strength and freedom of their countries. It is from numberless diverse acts of courage such as these that the belief that human history is thus shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.” (the speech is in its entirety on the page. I don’t know what to do about the link; it worries me when they go all symbols/numbers on me.)

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  6. Yes, there is something wrong.

    Perhaps I am too much of an optimist, but I think we are moving in the right direction in spite of all of the problems.

    We saw the same thing in South Africa, with its apartheid regime. I saw this from a distance, while growing up in Australia. To me, the solution (for S. Africa) was obvious. The majority of the population was black, and it was clear that they would eventually be taking control. So the solution was for the white S. Africans to give their black population an excellent education so that they would be prepared.

    Unfortunately, the apartheid regime did not understand this. They kept the black Africans poorly educated. But, in spite of their poorer education, they evenually took over, as was inevitable. The transition would have been smoother if they had done the right thing with education.

    We have been seeing the same thing play out in Israel. And they are making the same mistakes as S. Africa. For that matter, the Australians have been making the same mistake with their indigineous peoples.

    America has actually done better than either S. Africa or Israel. Yes, the African Americans are still more poorly educated than others, but the disparity is far less than it was in S. Africa.

    When I moved to USA (that was 1962), the racism was glaringly obvious. This was in Connecticut. But, looking around today, I think there is less racism today even in the South than there was in the north in 1962. So we have made a lot of progress.

    It is easy to blame the Republicans. But the democrats don’t always get it right either. I remember a few years ago, when a Chnese tennis player started wearing dreadlocks. And he was accused of “cultural appropriation”. That was a wrong reaction. We need to become one large diverse culture. We should have applauded what that Chinese tennis player did. He was seeing value in something from another culture. We all need to do more of that. White America has already absorbed music from black America. We need to do the same with other aspects of black culture. And we need to train our police to be more cognizant of black culture, and not try to enforce white culture on everyone.

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  7. We have been for at least the last 200 years working toward and making incredible progress for equality and equanimity. Slaves were freed at the point of the gun, women took and are taking a role in ruling and the young now have a vote before being sacrificed. There are no peaceful revolutions. We are witnessing victory.
    What is best in life? Conan : To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women.

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  8. Jill, I am not a huge fan of Tillis, but he has occasionally made good decisions. Usually, he pays penance when pushed back on. For example, when he has been critical of Trump, he will usually soften that stance later.

    As for Trump, it amazes me 12 million people are willing to commit violence to restore him to power, of all people, someone who has committed actions that are treasonous on multiple occasions, that sexually assaults women and teen girls because he is rich, bullies and name calls because he cannot tolerate dissent or criticism and just cannot consistently tell the truth. As I have asked on multiple occasions of Republican Senators and Representatives, is Donald Trump the person you want to throw your reputation away on? The answer to many is sadly yes.

    Keith

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    • I don’t know a whole lot about Tillis, but was pleased to see that he obviously has some values, which is more than I can say for about 95% of the GOP today. And then he gets punished for doing what he was elected to do … act in the best interest of the people. One more bit of proof, if we needed any, that the GOP could care less about us.

      Yes, Trump’s hold on such a large portion of the public is … jaw-dropping. WHY??? What’s to love??? If it were only men who support him, I might say they envy his ‘dominance’ over women, but at every rally you see pictures of women fawning and throwing themselves at him? Have they no self-respect? Whatever it is, it is making me question the sanity of the people of this country.

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      • Jill, these people who fawn over him think he is brave, strong, and knowledgeable. He is not brave or strong as he cannot take criticism or dissent and gets his feelings hurt. And, he chooses not to read or study issues, so he is not as knowledgeable as he portrays which is why he name calls and repeats himself.
        Keith

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        • Agreed on all counts. He has NEVER struck me as strong or brave or knowledgeable! He whines like a 2-year-old child when he doesn’t get his way, and has to photoshop images of himself wrestling in order to think of himself as a ‘man’. Those who fawn over him or call him “great” are shallow and deluded.

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  9. Thank you for sharing!!.. The desperate element of America you are referring to has always been there, lurking in the shadow of a different image created by Americans.. In the past one was not aware of the issue because of the lack of technology and communication or one chose to ignore it… 🙂
    With today’s technology two things; one is that desperate element of today’s society has been exposed, the reality is now known with people working together to make change, and two, technology has given that desperate element a voice which they use as an attempt to hide the truth and prevent the change they see as a threat to their ideology and way of life… “The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom”. (Isaac Asimov)… 🙂

    Hope all is well in your part of the universe and until we meet again…
    May love and laughter light your days,
    and warm your heart and home.
    May good and faithful friends be yours,
    wherever you may roam.
    May peace and plenty bless your world
    with joy that long endures.
    May all life’s passing seasons
    bring the best to you and yours!
    (Irish Saying)

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  10. I haven’t lived in the United States since 1970 (and haven’t even been there since 1989), so I very much appreciate your candid assessments of what is going on over there.

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  11. I wonder if the majority of those 12,000,000 have ever thought that there maybe more then another 12,000,000 Americans who might think that using force to put down that first 12,000,000 might be an acceptable idea, as they see them as terrorists, insurgents, traitors etc.
    The door swings both ways y’know.

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      • Only needs 0.1% of either side to take up a seriously organised paramilitary mindset and you’ve got a whole new set of problems because there will be a reaction from ‘the other side’
        There are still too many folk who think this ‘might go away’.
        Yes it ‘might’ but only if they take affirmative actions to play a part in dampening down the current political frenzy on The Right.

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        • I just wish I knew how to do that … dampen down the current political frenzy on the right. I’m definitely NOT going to buy a gun or join some citizens paramilitary outfit … I am a pacifist and while I’m a fighter, I won’t take to the streets with a gun for ANY reason. Does that make me part of the problem, I wonder? Sigh. I really think the girls and I need to start considering a move to Canada.

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          • I don’t think it makes you part of the problem. Violence mostly just begets more violence–it seems like the solution, but it isn’t. (I will make an exception here for situations like Ukraine, where your nation is literally getting invaded by outside forces.)

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            • I fully agree with you that violence often begets a response of more violence, but that violence is rarely the solution to the problem. If only we humans could learn to resolve our differences by talking them through, and learn to live and let live. Sigh. Not likely, is it? And thus, having nearly unlimited access to guns in this country seems utterly stupid to me … an open invitation to violent responses and outcomes.

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            • Wow. Just wow. The Democrats try to play nice, to not be alarmists, but maybe you’re right … maybe it’s time for them to get more brash, more ‘apocalyptic’. Sigh. I think it’s a damn shame that the running of our government is, rather than being serious business, naught more than a circus show.

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    • It sure does. Not that this is a good thing, but I am noting that a lot more people on the left are now arming themselves as well, in anticipation of possible violent conflict and the need for self-defence from right-wing attacks. I wish the people who are so eager to call for civil war would spend a little more time pondering what the realities of that civil war would actually look like.

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      • Well there is plenty of documentary footage of what are referred to in the UK and Ireland as ‘The Troubles’ between 1968-1998. Two communities locked into a cycle of heritages going back centuries.
        Proving that communal violence does not just happen in ‘third world’ countries.
        A rougher-tougher Democratic Party would be playing on that possibility.
        It’s been done before:

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  12. We would need all of what Robert Kennedy said all over the world.
    As far as the violence is concerned, I just say “goodbye democracy”, but that has already been at peril when politicians started to use the spin doctors. Who is really making the decisions? I think that politicians should not even have professional consultants. If they need to know something, they should go to the (hopefully unbiased, haha, I am so funny) experts directly.

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    • You’re so right … it isn’t confined to the U.S. It almost seems as if the world has tired of democracy and wishes to go back to authoritarian rule. I can see the need for consultants, for nobody can be an expert in everything and there are only so many hours in a day, but I would think the politicians would do a bit of fact-checking of the information they receive!

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        • True. But I think back to the early days of Covid when, if Trump had listened to the scientists instead of creating his own agenda, we might not have had 17% of the world’s deaths in the U.S. Sometimes the experts need to be consulted.

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          • In many countries here in Europe it has come out that the COVID deaths numbers have been artificially blown up. In England they claimed that it was a computer mistake. In Denmark for example the big hospitals started their own statistics because those of the health authorities were unreliable. I am sure they did the same all over the world also in the US. The reason? Make people afraid and pliable, as usual? I got alarmed when it suddenly changed from “died of COVID” to “died with COVID”.
            As my dermatologist said when I had skin cancer (the non aggressive one): I would die with it, but not of it, therewith giving the explanation of the two expressions.
            Doctors have confirmed that they were ordered to mention COVID as cause of death on death certificates, if the person was infected with COVID, even if the person died of something else. If you cannot trust the official health institutes, whom can you trust?

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  13. As I read the start of this post, two things crossed my mind. Firstly, it appears there are a few decent Republicans, who are prepared to vote in favour of rights. Secondly, they are being driven out of Republican circles by their extremist brethren.

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    • Yes, there are a few, but they are vilified by their Party, eaten by their own, so to speak. Two such served on the January 6th committee and have since given up or lost their seats in Congress.

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  15. “There Is Something Wrong …”
    Couldn’t have said it better. But … ugh, you know, whenever an outsider mentions the same things we get to feel the full hatred of America! 😮 So we’ll keep our mouthes shut and working on a new multipolar world order, without the almighty dollar and without the American hegemon and its endless warfare.

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