The soul of America is sick and divided in Daydreaming on the Porch
- Nov. 5, 2020, 12:47 a.m.
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- Public
I just texted a friend who lives in a more civilized part of the country — Seattle — as compared to this backward, racist state where I live — South Carolina— home of Republican Sen. Lindsay Graham, the biggest hypocrite in Congress, who was disgracefully re-elected. Here’s what we
discussed.
I told him these past 24 hours have utterly blown my mind. What’s so shocking is how 65 million people could vote for a totally immoral/amoral/immoralist criminal, and the most dangerous and destructive type of narcissist one can imagine. That’s an objectively true description. It’s as if people have lost not only their souls, but their minds as well. We’ve had four years of that creature from some malevolent swamp, actively assisting in destroying our health and healthcare during a pandemic; engaging in every manner of corruption and lies possible; demolishing efforts to control global warming and climate change and rein in pollution; destroying our federal government agencies and departments, as well as our democratic institutions; and promulgating a de-facto racist, authoritarian state. I don’t even pretend to know this country anymore.
It’s terrifying. Mass stupidity and ignorance is much worse that I ever could have imagined. The consequences of a lack of education are abundantly clear. It’s like a mindless cult has infested the country. This election should have been an utter route and landslide. Instead, were biting our nails and hoping and praying it isn’t Trump for four more years because I don’t see how the country survives it. Yes, of course, it’s been a long time coming, but with Trump everything wrong with this country blew up in our faces, and has forced us into a long overdue reckoning
The writer Marianne Williamson said that basically our country’s soul is sick.
She wrote, To say our nation’s soul needs healing is absolutely true, but it’s not going to happen without a deeper understanding of what it means. The reason our nation’s soul is sick is because it hasn’t been healthy for a while. America doesn’t just have a pandemic, a broken economy or a tyrannical president to deal with. We have a collective mental health issue that is hiding in plain sight....
Only when we decide as a society to actively align our policies with the tenets of a healthy soul—putting kindness, love, mercy and compassion over cutthroat attitudes that put glorification of self over a commitment to the love that binds us as one, not only in our private behavior but in our political and economic behavior as well—will our wounded soul begin to heal itself…
Healing will take a long long time. I think the younger generations are the best hope for that process because they clearly see the kind of world older generations have left for them to mop up. I will continue to support organizations that fight for environmental and social justice, as I have for many years. And it will be my hope that the Biden administration will be the catalyst for positive change, and a return to decency in government and in our national discourse.
Last updated November 05, 2020
Deleted user ⋅ November 05, 2020
I am just speechless to see and hear what is happening there. how is it possible that a dictator, a narcissist, capable of anything, can get so many people behind him. So, half of Americans are immoral, uneducated, criminal, and even narcissists. Very disturbing and extremely dangerous. For that reason I broke up with some friends from long ago. former neighbors in Baltimore, OD friends, and also friends here in Belgium who are openly fans of the dictator. Those friends here are also the ones who openly declare that the pandemic doesn't exist and that the cases and the dead are fake news. It is also remarkable that they often rave about far-right political parties in our country. I ban them from my mailing list and do not speak to them anymore. Anything I tried to get them to see what's really going on hits a wall of unwilling immoral behavior. Disgusting.
A recent example of that behaviour is our very ill neighbor. 10 days ago he was hospitalized with covid19. He had to go to IC immediately. was intubated, put in coma. His wife has just been warned that he will not make it. His lungs are almost completely filled with that typical inflammatory fluid of covid. only 30% oxygen saturation. A healthy sporty 75 year old man. Last night, when I talked on the phone to an old friend who lives a few blocks from us, a stupid twin brother of Trump, he said: oh but how can you be sure that he is infected with covid19? Perhaps the specialist does not know very well. I slammed the phone. DONE!
Oswego Deleted user ⋅ November 05, 2020
It’s a terrible thing that people we think of as friends and good people can support and vote for a very bad and evil man with no morality or conscience. I don’t blame you for being so upset with your friend. They will have to be held accountable for supporting such a terrible and destructive man.
Marg ⋅ November 05, 2020
I agree with Marianne Williamson wholeheartedly! And your sentiments as well - it’s just blowing my mind that the election results can be in such a cut throat situation right now - the first time was bad enough but I could kinda understand people getting swept up in all the lies and corruption but now? After four years of that ignoramus?? Why is this not a landslide?
Oswego Marg ⋅ November 05, 2020
Exactly, after four years you’d think those people would wake up, but it’s not easy to do so when they are in the Trump Cult!
Sleepy-Eyed John ⋅ November 05, 2020 (edited November 05, 2020)
Edited
I think regarding Trump it's not so much that everyone who voted for him is morally bankrupt, stupid, etc, although there is that in spades. There's something deeper going on. But after this long you'd figure people would figure it out too; disappointing.
I have a theory about the states, being Canadian. It's that you guys are hardcore. Because of the influence of the military on life, probably because of religion, the kinda media you have there (it makes me feel dirty), because of privatized healthcare, because of the proliferation of guns, the drug war and punishment in general, maybe even because of population density, there's a survival and threat mindset that doesn't exist in countries like Canada and other developed nations, I feel. You know if you fuck up there you're dead, or bankrupt, so there's a real drive to not fall behind, get taken, or care about the other guy. And that plays out in the way Americans think about so many issues. Just a feeling. I question what goes through American people's heads sometimes.
I saw a meme that said how crazy do you have to be to run out in the middle of the night during a pandemic to vote against healthcare for yourself? It's insane.
woman in the moon Sleepy-Eyed John ⋅ November 05, 2020
You make a lot of sense. Americans are independent- in ways that do not do us any good. We have this wide spectrum of political and religious and just plain common sense thought. I am as liberal as possible yet I have to live with people who are not liberal at all. After a while I doubt my own beliefs even if I know I'm right.
Anyway ---- I'm hoping Biden scrounges up a few more electoral votes and is our next president.
Oswego woman in the moon ⋅ November 05, 2020
What you say is true, but we’ve never before had to live with people who are so mercilessly ensnared in the Republicans’ proto-fascist blueprint for America.
Sleepy-Eyed John Oswego ⋅ November 05, 2020
:(
I hear ya.
Sleepy-Eyed John woman in the moon ⋅ November 05, 2020
I'm hoping Biden comes through too, and that the legal challenges get shot down.
Oswego Sleepy-Eyed John ⋅ November 05, 2020
Good points! The concept of individual “rights” has run amuck under Trump (eg., Second Amendment, etc.), and this country is no longer recognizable to me. What we have now from the past four years is a warp -speed acceleration of all the dangerous claptrap put in place by Reagan starting in 1980. Forty years of downward spiral into an authoritarian oligarchy. It briefly slowed a bit under Obama, but now it’s going to take many years to undo the damage, what can be undone, that is.
Sleepy-Eyed John Oswego ⋅ November 05, 2020 (edited November 05, 2020)
Edited
I've heard China was set to be number one economy in world by 2024. However environmental woes might affect that as well as the pandemic. But i remember seeing something at the onset of Trump's presidency that said an unexperienced politician will cause America to lose superpower status. And I started reading John Bolton's 'The room where it happened' and I actually thought Trump seemed to be thinking about how to do things. I didn't finish though. Not even close. I guess my thinking is less emotional than I originally felt and I can kinda see how it's a multilayer job network to get things done and overall the lack of stability and mmmmm oversight by knowledgeable staff or whatnot means America is getting played by itself and others. I don't see the state collapsing. I don't think most Americans have the stomach for really extreme actions. But i do think the states are a slowly sinking ship. The same could be said for many nations however but there was always an assumption that you'd come out okay or on top. I'm not so sure now. But I don't think there's a timer and detonation. Just a withering.
Deleted user ⋅ November 05, 2020
The racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic idiocracy is upon us.
Oswego Deleted user ⋅ November 05, 2020
It’s not just upon us, it has infested and blanketed the entire country!!
ConnieK ⋅ November 05, 2020
What we have witnessed is a repeat of Germany in the 1930s. Hitler rose to power by playing to peoples' fears: another race is secretly plotting against us, super-patriotism, posters that mock minorities, minorities blamed for problems, etc.
This is how normally good people turned against neighbors and friends in the 1930s and it is how it happened in 2016.
When people sleep through high school history class they don't learn the lessons of the past.
Oswego ConnieK ⋅ November 05, 2020
I shudder to think this is actually true, but what else can one think when witnessing the tragic spectacle of mass support for this abomination of a man.
His supporters are not just sleeping through history, but creating a living nightmare for all of us.
ConnieK Oswego ⋅ November 05, 2020
Fortunately, the GOP is remaining silent, indicating they do not support Trump's claims. I do not think the Supreme Court will hear a meritless case.
Oswego ConnieK ⋅ November 05, 2020
I even hear some have grown a spine and are speaking out against Trump.
ConnieK Oswego ⋅ November 06, 2020
It's called Rats Deserting the Sinking Ship, I believe. ;)
Oswego ConnieK ⋅ November 06, 2020
Definitely, except rats is complimentary for them! 😤
WhatDreamsMayCome ⋅ November 05, 2020
Very well put.
mcbee ⋅ November 05, 2020
My thought processes were very consistent with yours. It's not the country I thought I knew anymore. I was stunned at the numbers that voted for him. At this point, the chance of Biden nabbing the win look very good and that has made today a little more tolerable. If Biden wins....it will put a little salve on the injury to my soul, but it won't make it go away.
Oswego mcbee ⋅ November 05, 2020
It will take a very long time for those wounds to heal, but at least Biden can begin to repair the damage and we will be rid of that atrocious family.
Sleepy-Eyed John Oswego ⋅ November 05, 2020
I don't think the family is going away. They've been learning the ins and outs of major government departments, making connections, etc. Even if Trump were to die tomorrow, his family is probably gonna be kicking around for years to come.
Oswego Sleepy-Eyed John ⋅ November 05, 2020
Sadly true. And in no telling what form those hydra-headed monsters will appear!
Sleepy-Eyed John Oswego ⋅ November 06, 2020
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/11/04/mitch-mcconnells-senate-will-be-where-biden-presidency-goes-die/?outputType=amp
Jinn ⋅ November 08, 2020
In the end all those people who worshipped Trump did not win. Ot it seems that way :-)
Oswego Jinn ⋅ November 08, 2020
They will be held accountable, and their progeny will be saddled with the shame of their ancestors forever.
Jinn Oswego ⋅ November 08, 2020
I wonder :-(