Sunday, August 13, 2017

this is how it starts, the question is how will it end


I've been working at the antique store the last few days as the owner decided not to reopen since she had the new location in Rosenberg that was doing well and she has put the buildings up for sale and needs to clear out what she hasn't already moved to the other location so she was having an 'estate' sale there at the old Miss Hattie's. She expected a big crowd, which had my sister and I shaking our heads because...Wharton, so she hired my sister and Jim who also had worked there and me to help with the enormous crowds and sales. Long story short, we did have a slow steady stream of people for the 2 1/2 days but no crowds, big or otherwise, and just one extra person besides the owner and the other vendor would have been sufficient for the amount of sales, so while it didn't keep me particularly busy Friday and Saturday, it did keep me away from the news.

Saturday, during a quiet period, I started a post...

What is the matter with that man? Not satisfied with threatening N. Korea with fire and brimstone he has now turned his eye to Venezuela, threatening a military take-over there because 'the place is a mess', not that he even knew where Venezuela is. John Kelly has started bringing an atlas with him to meetings says one of the rogue WH twitter accounts. He is even verbally attacking and threatening the few Republican senators that are finally showing some sort of spine as well as some of his own appointees.

Never mind, I know what's the matter with him. He's an empty shell who is incapable of creating anything and so he destroys instead. Well, that's just one of the many things wrong with him. There is so much wrong with him that he is a joke, albeit a dangerous joke, not just here but abroad as well. There's an interesting article on Alternet about how Trump is perceived by leading European officials and it ain't pretty.

Number one is his obsession with Obama and his primary motivation seems to be undoing everything Obama did...“It’s his only real position,” a European diplomat told the site. “He will ask: ‘Did Obama approve this?’ And if the answer is affirmative, he will say: ‘We don’t.’ He won’t even want to listen to the arguments or have a debate. He is obsessed with Obama.” Which of course we know since nearly every executive action and directive has been aimed at undoing something Obama did regardless of how good for the people it is, the most recent two being rescinding the ability of residents of nursing homes to sue for mistreatment and ending the highly successful program aimed at ending teen pregnancy which has been reduced by 40% under the program...

That's as far as I got but I recommend reading the article.

Now here it is Sunday and I've spent yesterday evening and most of the day today reading about Saturday in total disgust of what happened. Nazis marching down the street with torches in their khakis and white polo shirts spewing racist and white supremacist garbage, every single one of them a privileged asshole who has never in their lives experienced any form oppression. Armed Nazis wearing helmets and holding shields gathering for a 'peaceful' rally around the statue of a fucking traitor to this country to which he pledged his fealty, gathering in defense of white supremacy, gathering in support of Trump, of getting their history back as if the history of this country wasn't created by and written by people just like them, armed groups gathering in camo and body armor who were there to protect the Nazis during their demonstration and violence while the police stood back and watched it all without trying to stop them, not until one of the Nazi terrorists ran his car into a crowd of anti-Nazi protestors killing one and injuring 19 others.

This happened here in America yesterday.








And what was Trump's response? Did he condemn Nazi ideology, did he refute their support of him? Hardly. He namby pambyed around saying we should be united and condemn all that hate stands for, blaming 'many sides' for the violence. It was so vague and non-specific that the nazi crowd is seeing it as a positive.

Well, the nazi terrorists, and make no mistake, there is no difference between alt-right, white supremacists, and nazis, no matter what they call themselves, were eventually run out of town and denounced in the most concrete terms by Virginia's governor and some republican politicians are doing the same, most surprising among them to me was Ted Cruz who called them what they are, nazi terrorists, and condemned them roundly. They'll be back though. There is another such rally planned for September 11 at A&M University in Texas. I think they're testing the waters, trying out their tactics for the civil war they want to start if Trump is removed from office and Trump will embrace them as his own personal loyal army. It's going to get ugly folks.

This nation harbors a heart of hate and oppression. We have been at war for nearly every year of our existence. We whites have enslaved and committed genocide. We have repressed and subjected. With our completely unfettered access to guns, more Americans have died at the hands of our own citizens than have died in all the wars we have fought combined...see sentence 2. I'm afraid we are becoming what we have always been. Still, I never thought we would inherit the soul of Nazi Germany.




9 comments:

  1. Oh Ellen, I know I should be posting my horror and disgust at the white supremacist, neo-Nazi, alt-right, KKK factions of our nation, but I am so disheartened with it all. I haven't been back to Georgia since my brother died the week after the election was held in 2016. I'm afraid that I'll find some of my relatives sympathizing with these hate groups and that a wedge will be driven so deep & wide in my family that I'll never be able to repair the damage

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  2. The more I watch the news, the more my heart breaks for our country. I wonder if the Republicans will ever put country of love of power.

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  3. Nazis.Nazis.
    Here.
    How in the world?

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  4. It's been some hard days. In case you never stumbled across this, http://tomdegan.blogspot.com/
    You rational thinkers help me pull my brain into shape.

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  5. Since November, there has been a lump in my throat and one in my stomach over what is going on in our country. It hurts so much and day by day, it gets worse. I still have hope for change but the scenes we saw on Saturday and the reaction of 45 was heartbreaking.

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  6. It is truly shocking to see a Nazi flag in America. Trump is directly responsible for this. Hate has always existed, but a true leader deplores it. Trump, instead, fosters an atmosphere that allows these protesters to feel justified in spreading their hate.

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  7. The hate message that the "toddler in charge" has vomited on our country is now paying off for him and his puppeteer Steve Bannon. What I really can't wrap my head around is the worship of two failed "icons" which are symbolized by a confederate flag and a Nazi flag. Both of these entities had there asses handed to them, so what the hell are they idealizing? Stupid is no longer puzzling, it is a call for all of us who value our fellow humans no matter their particular bent, to not be silent and let the ugly win. Great article and great post by you.

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  8. I'm just so very sad & disheartened. I knew this was out there - but I naively thought that's just where it was - out there. I hope if they do show up in Texas that they get their asses handed to them.

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  9. I fear that it will become worse before it gets better.

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I opened my big mouth, now it's your turn.