Over a decade ago I wrote this in a letter to the editor. Parts of it were even mentioned in a book.
"You can only age
gracefully to a limited degree. I’m happy with who I am at 60, but I’m not
happy about the lack of expectations people seem to have for me. My memory is
still intact and I have a lifetime of experiences to draw on. I’ve done things
a lot of people haven’t and I’ve learned from everything I’ve done – both from
my successes and my failures.
Our political parties have failed us. Political
campaigns are advertising campaigns. We are treated as idiots by those who want
our vote. We are subjected to an endless stream of slogans and sound bites.
There is little or no substance in what we hear or see from our leaders."
Since then, things have gone from much better to much worse. Since then, I've become a grandpa three times. Since then, Donald Trump was elected as president.
I may be whistling in the wind, but if I am, I am doing it with the lungs of a much younger me.
Each of us has to find our own way to participate in this Republic. Participation is our duty and our responsibility. It is the legacy left to us by the founders of our country.
I applied for an IT position with the FBI after 9/11 and was excluded from consideration because I admitted to smoking pot more than 5 times in my life - the last time being when I was in my 20s.
When that door closed, I began shouting out the window and in the streets. I haven't stopped.
The people who attended Trump's rallies were participating. I don't agree with them, but that was their choice to make. What they did is of less concern to me than what the people voting against Trump did.
People who voted for Jill Stein were blind. They threw away their votes. People who supported Bernie Sanders and then refused to vote for Hillary Clinton were worse. They indulged in a hissy fit that helped usher in Donald Trump.
I understand the bigots who voted for Trump. I don't understand anybody who calls themselves a Christian voting for Trump - I mean really? I don't understand women or minorities who voted for Trump - once again really?
If you can't see what a threat Trump poses to our Republic, you must be living in a cave. The man is a total degenerate, an idiot and a criminal who crossed the line into treason.
The only reason Trump has not been removed from office is because our Congress is not afraid of us. Our House and Senate members believe they can be reelected if they don't impeach Trump.
What's wrong with this picture? If people who are allegedly opposed to Trump were doing their jobs as citizens, our current crop of Congress people would have impeached him months ago.
Demonstrations are fine. Letters are fine. Personal appearances are better. Go visit you representative now and continue to do so until they commit to impeaching Trump. Be a pain in the ass. Be a responsible citizen in a Republic.
We still got time for one more go-round.
Holy Moly!
Needed to be said then. Needed NOW.
ReplyDeleteI love your authentic nature that shows in all your writings. You are so right about the negative bias toward anybody 60 or over- in the workplace 50 perhaps. I’m astounded pot smoking in our youth is a no no for the FBI. My god everyone tried pot in the 60s.
ReplyDeleteWell as you suggest here, we are not too old to fight for the preservation of our constitution and democracy. And we vote. So let’s make sure we get our vote counted no matter how it gets to the right people. Thanks Brendan. A pleasure to read.