I find this
a particularly hard time to blog. The
MAGA world has brought violence and intimidation into the political processes
to an extent not seen since the Civil War; and the Supreme Court is moving the
country toward the fundamental Christian far-right. I fear I am seeing this country, its
stability I have always taken for granted, move toward becoming a fascist
theocracy.
(Fascism:
a form of far-right authoritarian, characterized by dictatorial power, forcible
suppression of opposition, exultation of nation and race above the individual,
with a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader.)
This country
has a history of good things and terrible things, but it has always strived
toward a vision of democracy outlined in our Constitution.
I spent 22
years in the military. When deployed
among other nation’s troops I was always proud of the display of the Stars and
Stripes – the symbol of our country.
But that was
in the past. Now when I see our flag its
connotation is insurrection, rebellion and fanatical cult allegiance to a monumental
con-man and would be dictator. To me, the
American flag has now become the symbol of the destruction of the democratic
government that I have lived under for over eighty years.
Perhaps this
country is past its sell-by date.
the Ol’Buzzard