Inkwell: Authors and Artists

    
I'm pretty sure he's right. And it's a terrible thing and I am sad
that this is what our country has come to. But as a whole the
country legit voted this in, and now we're going to see what comes
next.
  

    
"Nazi" and "fascist" are just words. MAGA voted in droves for a
person that made monstrous promises. It doesn't matter if the
promises come to fruition, or were just rhetoric in terms of putting
their values on display. They are mot my values. They celebrate
harming others. These are not my people. At the very least, MAGA
voters are adversaries.
  

    
>It's hard for me to believe that 50% of Americans are all
completely sociopathic.

I don't believe anything, but as I recover from hopium addiction, I
must be candid. Evidently, ~50% of voters willingly and voluntarily
chose fascism over liberal democracy, and I really don't give a
flying fuck what they think they have to be so fearful of that they
would abandon the fundamental principles on which this nation was
founded.

Winston Churchill is my political muse. His life is my area of
special study, and while he was flawed in many ways, he was
absolutely correct that you cannot let these people get a foothold
or they will resort to their darkest impulses. There is nothing in
the GOP's stated ambitions that persuades me history is not
repeating itself. Thus must I consider expatriotism as a lifestyle
choice. 

Recent developments in the House, regarding the first out
transgender member being elected, is a harbinger of their
intentions. I don't mean to "other" them, and I apologize for
resorting to clinical jargon, but these people are all fucked up.
The question is not whether innocent fellow citizens will die at
their hands, the question is "how many?"

The grievances animating this malignant movement do not interest me.
We should know by now, though, that appeasement (surrendering
principle for the illusion of safety) only emboldens them. We don't
negotiate with terrorists; we defy them, and if necessary, we fight.


Or at least I'd like to hope so. But the equivocation in the Vichy
Press (looking at you, Joe and Mika) is discouraging, and the lack
of martial spirit in the Democratic Party is terrifying. This is why
we must now entertain migration beyond the jurisdiction of the US
Code. We had lunch with another couple yesterday in our demographic
who have a winter home in Mazatlan. They're moving there right after
Xmas. A good friend and former colleague is in Costa Rica right now
exploring residency options. We know others formulating exit
strategies, as well. It's GTFO time, it appears. As the satiric meme
says: "First they came for the journalists. We don't know what
happened after that."

As for rank and file Trump voters, they knew what they were voting
for. While they may not be prepared to throw the switch themselves,
they nevertheless voted for an explicitly fascist agenda targeting
vulnerable communities with imprisonment, forced relocation, and
death. This was never about the price of eggs, and I'm tired of
pretending that it was.
  

    
Oh I’m sure a lot of people who voted for Trump are “human beings”
who are “capable of empathy.” They probably have tons of empathy for
their own loved ones and people who look like them and think like
them. But not so much when it comes to those Trump has given them
permission to hate.

In Minneapolis on Monday two trans women were brutally beaten while
a crowd stood around and cheered. I’m sure most of those “human
beings” in the crowd have shown great empathy at many points in
their lives. As we speak, vigilante militias armed with guns,
drones, sophisticated trail cams, and hateful rhetoric are gathered
along the Mexican border hoping to round up groups of migrants,
maybe hunting and killing a few along the way with impunity. And
yes, they too are “human beings” who are “capable of empathy,” at
least whenever they choose to feel it. 

I too see these people as adversaries. This is a national emergency,
not a time to make nice across the aisle. People are dying and it’s
only going to get worse. 
  

    <scribbled by jonl Thu 21 Nov 24 10:25>
  

    
I don't know how to reason with people who reject the importance of
empirically verified facts. Rational discussion is worthless when
it's based on flawed premises.
  

    

Putting on my co-host hat: I really appreciate the dialogue going on
here. If any non-members happen to be stopping by Inkwell, this is a
good glimpse at how conversations can go on the WELL.

Speaking with the hat on a hook, and going beyond the professional
(where I have a really solid idea of what's about to happen), my
dominant feelings since the election have been growing anxiety and
depression, and I must admit it's taking a lot of my attention right
now to keep them in check. It would probably be better for me if I
could let myself get as angry as some others are. Maybe that'll
happen soon.
  

    

> what they think they have to be so fearful of that they would abandon the
> fundamental principles on which this nation was founded.

Some of the younger people I know don't seem to have any idea what those
principles are.
  

    
And if they did, they'd recognize immediately how much of the
country either doesn't know or understand those principles. Kids
ain't dumb.
  

    
Every morning when I wake up and find out I'm still in the same
time-line where Donald Trump was president, got voted out, and then
voted back in four years later, I realize it's going to be a long
day.

But to kids, I guess, this probably seems somehow normal. It's all a
big drama-packed reality show.
  

    
What-aged adults are we talking about when we’re talking about
“kids”?
  

    
I've had people tell me that I'm being optimistic, but I think I'm
just being realistic. Republicans are already pushing back against
Trump and MAGA, and I get the impression 
there's widespread cognitive dissonance among Trump voters. So I'm
not convinced that he's going to be able to just do whatever he
wants to do. I'm surprised that people so readily think otherwise.
Trump and MAGA are not without effective opposition. 
  

    
From your keyboard to god’s screen. 
  

    
The “fundamental principles” upon which this nation was founded were
chattel slavery, genocide, exploitation, expropriation, and white
male supremacy.

The country is returning to it’s roots.
  

    
This country was founded to practice a revolutionary form of
self-government, which eventually allowed it to abolish those
things. 
  

    
Sure, Candide.
  

    
There is a small part of me that Trump's all about the dopamine of
adoration, and that any populist instincts he has are rooted in
that. As such, there seems a non-zero chance that as the winds blow
fowl for him in terms of fulfilling his horrible promises, he could
just throw all of MAGA under the bus and do whatever turns the tide
of the vitriol that may be otherwise coming his way. 

He's not running for any office again. Once he's gotten his get out
of jail free card, he may still have no idea what it means to do the
right thing, but he can instinctively do the more popular thing.
  

    
> He's not running for any office again.

That's assuming he 1) lives 2) doesn't find a way to a third term.

I personally don't think his is the health of an 80 year old, but
we'll see.
  

    
If, within the bubble of the White House, not enough MAGA dopamine
continues to exist and get through...it could be a wild card. This
is unlikely, but it doesn't seem an impossibility.
  

    
I fear Trump may be the Undead Emperor from Warhammer 10K.
  

    
I fear that Elon Musk is Palmer Eldritch. 

Well whaddya know! Autocorrect offered up Eldritch as soon as I
typed the E after Palmer. Pretty sure I’ve never typed that name in
on this device.
  

    
So where are the Perky Pat layouts where we can live? Where's our
Chew-Z?
  

    
Those come after we’ve started a Mars colony. It’s early days.
  

    
I'm realizing how tired I am of having people tell me what to think. 
  

    
Who's done that?