As an 80-year-old (yes!) who served in USAF Intel as a very young Staff Sergeant in the 1960s, I clearly have a worldview that is different from yours. Growing up in the 1950s was an almost idyllic setting, looking back. What I felt through much of my early adult life was a profound sense of pride in my country. I still "stand tall" duri…
As an 80-year-old (yes!) who served in USAF Intel as a very young Staff Sergeant in the 1960s, I clearly have a worldview that is different from yours. Growing up in the 1950s was an almost idyllic setting, looking back. What I felt through much of my early adult life was a profound sense of pride in my country. I still "stand tall" during the national anthem. I salute Old Glory. I remove my hat.
Yet, I also have witnessed the failures of Vietnam, the shooting at Kent State; the assassination of JFK (my Commander-in-Chief); the assassination of Martin and RFK. Then there was Nixon. Ugh. (I voted for him 2x.) The Iraq "war" was carefully orchestrated to secure oil rights from the Kurds (thank you Dick Cheney / Haliburton.). Our history is sordid and non-too-pleasant, despite the efforts to portray us otherwise.
The ambush of President Zelenskyy was the most shameful and embarrassing act I have witnessed in all my years. You, Tim and Ellie, talk about today's young(er) generation. In their defense, have they been taught civics? U.S. history? Were they taught manners and "table etiquette? Do they really understand what is being lost throughout in this union with Russia? One does not know what they have lost until it is lost. Trump is hobbling and crippling our nation with sadistic pleasure. He has no bounds on hatred, cruelty; lies or deception. As the saying goes, "We have done it to ourselves." Yet, 50% of us did NOT buy into the nefarious screed. A dark and pernicious force is asserting itself into our body politic. If that force is not curtailed NOW, it will win and the people will suffer miserably. And, misery is what Trump, Vance and Musk want for the people. They are draping a veil of hopelessness across the land. Time is of the essence. Again, I thank you, Tim and Ellie. You are the breath of hope.
Not as senior as you, but I grew up as a child feeling the ambient attitude that there was God in heaven, and right below him was the President of the United States, the greatest man on earth. JFK had been recently assassinated and we learned about him like he was a martyred saint.
I was in early adulthood, I think, when it began to come out what a philandering serial adulterer he was, how little he actually accomplished during his half-term, and it almost broke my heart. I knew Nixon had been a crook, and was becoming aware of what corrupt liar LBJ had been, but John F. Kennedy? Since then I've become so disillusioned that I could mourn for the 1950s-60s child I was, so idealistic and innocent, with statesmen who actually behaved like statesmen most of the time.
My perception is somewhat different. I revered JFK. He did a lot in what you define as his "half-term". Each of us is flawed. But not all of us are crooks and liars. As to your idealism, hold onto it. The strength of our idealism helps us to get through "all of this". Innocence, naivete and being gullible in some crude fashion shield us. My mother would chide me from time to time for being so gullible. I took the world at first glance, often trusting people at face value only to later learn I had been duped. As to those "statesmen", I can lean on Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama. Bush #1 garnered my respect and admiration, but Dumbya (Bush #2) was a disgrace. Looking across the worldscape, I see where we are sorely misguided and misdirected. We, the whites, are more concerned about the private sex lives of others. We dislike people because of their skin color or their country of origin. Or, their religion. Our self-proclaimed "Christians' are anything but Christian. (I am an ordained theologian.) The current occupant of the White House is a cruel and amoral traitor celebrated by fools and evangelicals. The people have yet to realize the suffering we may be in for. Your disillusionment is understandable. But do not allow that to also be your disappointment.
I’m with you 100%, and feel the same way; you just said it much better. When did you ever think we would be voting (UN) with China, Russia. N.Korea and Hungary, against our loyal allies for 70-80 years? This is despicable, and grotesque!
That said, what Trump did to Zelenskyy, the president of a nation under attack, and fighting for his country’s very existence; was beyond words! And you know me well enough in the comments section, to know, I have no shortage of colorful words in my vocabulary; and I’m not afraid to use them…:)
Expletive or no expletive, the message is still there. Terrorism has come home to take a seat in the White House. Comic strip character from long ago, Pogo: "I have seen the enemy and he is us."
As an 80-year-old (yes!) who served in USAF Intel as a very young Staff Sergeant in the 1960s, I clearly have a worldview that is different from yours. Growing up in the 1950s was an almost idyllic setting, looking back. What I felt through much of my early adult life was a profound sense of pride in my country. I still "stand tall" during the national anthem. I salute Old Glory. I remove my hat.
Yet, I also have witnessed the failures of Vietnam, the shooting at Kent State; the assassination of JFK (my Commander-in-Chief); the assassination of Martin and RFK. Then there was Nixon. Ugh. (I voted for him 2x.) The Iraq "war" was carefully orchestrated to secure oil rights from the Kurds (thank you Dick Cheney / Haliburton.). Our history is sordid and non-too-pleasant, despite the efforts to portray us otherwise.
The ambush of President Zelenskyy was the most shameful and embarrassing act I have witnessed in all my years. You, Tim and Ellie, talk about today's young(er) generation. In their defense, have they been taught civics? U.S. history? Were they taught manners and "table etiquette? Do they really understand what is being lost throughout in this union with Russia? One does not know what they have lost until it is lost. Trump is hobbling and crippling our nation with sadistic pleasure. He has no bounds on hatred, cruelty; lies or deception. As the saying goes, "We have done it to ourselves." Yet, 50% of us did NOT buy into the nefarious screed. A dark and pernicious force is asserting itself into our body politic. If that force is not curtailed NOW, it will win and the people will suffer miserably. And, misery is what Trump, Vance and Musk want for the people. They are draping a veil of hopelessness across the land. Time is of the essence. Again, I thank you, Tim and Ellie. You are the breath of hope.
Not as senior as you, but I grew up as a child feeling the ambient attitude that there was God in heaven, and right below him was the President of the United States, the greatest man on earth. JFK had been recently assassinated and we learned about him like he was a martyred saint.
I was in early adulthood, I think, when it began to come out what a philandering serial adulterer he was, how little he actually accomplished during his half-term, and it almost broke my heart. I knew Nixon had been a crook, and was becoming aware of what corrupt liar LBJ had been, but John F. Kennedy? Since then I've become so disillusioned that I could mourn for the 1950s-60s child I was, so idealistic and innocent, with statesmen who actually behaved like statesmen most of the time.
My perception is somewhat different. I revered JFK. He did a lot in what you define as his "half-term". Each of us is flawed. But not all of us are crooks and liars. As to your idealism, hold onto it. The strength of our idealism helps us to get through "all of this". Innocence, naivete and being gullible in some crude fashion shield us. My mother would chide me from time to time for being so gullible. I took the world at first glance, often trusting people at face value only to later learn I had been duped. As to those "statesmen", I can lean on Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama. Bush #1 garnered my respect and admiration, but Dumbya (Bush #2) was a disgrace. Looking across the worldscape, I see where we are sorely misguided and misdirected. We, the whites, are more concerned about the private sex lives of others. We dislike people because of their skin color or their country of origin. Or, their religion. Our self-proclaimed "Christians' are anything but Christian. (I am an ordained theologian.) The current occupant of the White House is a cruel and amoral traitor celebrated by fools and evangelicals. The people have yet to realize the suffering we may be in for. Your disillusionment is understandable. But do not allow that to also be your disappointment.
Thank you for your service and your post. I agree with you, 100%.
Most welcome and Thank You!
Well said…:)
Thank you! If I were not witnessing this current moment with my own eyes, I would never have believed it.
I’m with you 100%, and feel the same way; you just said it much better. When did you ever think we would be voting (UN) with China, Russia. N.Korea and Hungary, against our loyal allies for 70-80 years? This is despicable, and grotesque!
That said, what Trump did to Zelenskyy, the president of a nation under attack, and fighting for his country’s very existence; was beyond words! And you know me well enough in the comments section, to know, I have no shortage of colorful words in my vocabulary; and I’m not afraid to use them…:)
Expletive or no expletive, the message is still there. Terrorism has come home to take a seat in the White House. Comic strip character from long ago, Pogo: "I have seen the enemy and he is us."