Por Kathleen Wallace
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The most “American” of us by these new standards, the common clay of the new West–you know…..morons (thank you Mel Brooks and friends) will thrive in this environment. Well, not exactly thrive, but they will think of themselves as an appendage of the great and powerful Trump and will get to feel like the bully loves them (not unlike the veracity of the stripper liking you). Weak minds and weak morals produce those who wish to align with what they deem as powerful, and this is often simple cruelty. Think Alligator Alcatraz/Auschwitz (think I’m exaggerating by that term? What do you think will be the result of placing individuals in a swamp during hurricane season in flimsy tents?) No costly purchase of Zyklon B needed to rid yourself of these souls. And they are selling merch such as Alligator Alcatraz hats because, you know, it’s so Christian to celebrate mass death.
It is frightening to be among such individuals. Whether it is simply stupidity or cruelty, or most likely, a heady mix of both, we have to accept what we are in the presence of such individuals. They mistake all the virtues that make life meaningful with those that mark the slippery slope to barbarism. You don’t have to wear a mask at your job if you are doing work that can stand scrutiny. How ironic is it that these are the same individuals who decried mask wearing to keep others well during a pandemic, but now celebrate masked thugs gobbling up anyone looking off-white? I think many of us have had difficulty understanding the mindset of these people, much like it is difficult to put yourself in the headspace of a narcissist. Normal healthy people do not receive masturbatory delight in the suffering of others.
Humans are complicated, but it is all too common when hatred is normalized and wanton violence is viewed as a virtue, those at risk become infected. What starts out with a few cases, patient “X/Twitter” if you will, then becomes a full-on cultural pandemic. Many of us tried to reach liberals during the long period of normalization of cruelty, even within the Democratic Party. You can’t be fine with things like bombing hospitals. When you accept this, it will come back to you. And this is exactly what we are seeing. When sweet, kind individuals like Miss Rachel, who simply don’t want kids blown up, become demonized…….well, you are firmly in up-is-down and right-is-left territory. And this is clearly a situation that can make those who want to live in a collaborative world of kindness lose their fucking minds.
Some rays of hope come through, even if it is simply infighting among the worst of them. The Trump v Musk pay-per-view has been kind of entertaining, but I’m pretty sure the fight is ultimately rigged. They may loathe each other with the professional courtesy malignant narcissists feel for one another, but I think there’s certainly a mutually assured destruction element to their relationship. Vague hints about how this election came to find the results that it did come from both of their mouths in speeches. I think you know what I’m saying. I do see Musk and Trump being like Carmella and Tony Soprano. They will never truly get that divorce, both benefit too much from the larcenous status quo of the arrangement and each one has probably gotten a free consultation from all divorce attorneys in the area to thwart the other when they look for counsel.
I think the wildest element of the feud was Musk thinking somehow it made him look virtuous to exclaim that Trump was on Epstein’s list, even though he only seemed bothered by this after his government contracts were at risk. It’s like –I was fine with the boy-raping priest in our parish until he told me I no longer have the landscaping contract for the grounds. All the same, it never hurts to have those you hate fight among themselves. Sadly, the real puppet-masters like Curtis Yarvin (without the trashy drama) see their dreams flourish. Their dreams are the thing of nightmares for most of us, however.
It’s in this setting, we see another Fourth of July, a holiday at this rate, that might start feeling as unsettling as Columbus Day, if we don’t see some changes for the better. You have to be part of a nation that cares about you and yours or else it’s some kind of fear-based nationalism to bang the drum on such days. I think the answer to it is that you pare it down to the ones you care about, your family, your local neighbors, but without losing love for all of humankind, warts and all, and feel empathy no matter where they live—this is the way. And this is the future, not whatever these sick clowns in office now are selling.
I’m going to wax nostalgic for a moment, please indulge me. I’m thinking about a 70s childhood, playing outside, coated in dirt-covered sweat (probably some Bomb Pop stickiness in the mix)–playing till the lightning bugs come out. Running around in the humid Midwestern evenings, as that hum of nocturnal insects becomes a compelling roar. As I get older, I find the memory of nights like that so exquisite. To the extent, it feels like a sweet knife in my heart to recall. Perhaps because it’s the last memories I have of (hate the term, sorry, but can’t think of a substitute) living in the moment. Not being defined as anything but a kid, not really a girl or a boy, certainly not by education, money, or profession. Just the inherent worth of being a live creature. And that simple joy was just existing, running with friends, being tuned into the cycle of night/day and the seasons. I think of these moments due to the time of the year that we find ourselves in. Yes, the Fourth of July. As a child, in that simple childish manner, I felt pride and something of a patriotism because in my limited way of thinking “our country got rid of a king”.
Make of that what you will and enjoy just being a living creature, if even for a moment.
Kathleen Wallace writes out of the US Midwest. Her writing is collected on her Substack page.
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