Lost in a Roman wilderness of pain
And all the children are insane
All the children are insane
Waiting for the summer rain, yeah
The day has arrived. The tin-plated dictator with delusions of godhood has placed his hand on the Bible, and our once great nation has fallen into the hands of fascists and oligarchs, often in the same body.
I grew up believing in the good of people. If there was trouble, we’d pitch in and help. I was raised Christian, and as I looked around, I saw that all of us ascribed to some variation of “treat your neighbor well”. I look at those who supported this felon, and I no longer see where even half of Americans would do that.
Forty years, I’ve seen this day coming. When it first happened in 2017, I took comfort in the fact that competence would out, and incompetence would force this American to repudiate evil, and set sail for the future and a good and kind country. The MAGAts would realize they were conned and would slink back into the shadows of the stool in the corner of the bar and guzzle their shit beers.
I was half right: the economy struggled once Obama left office, then tanked as the Boob In Chief bungled the simplest task any human would ever be asked to perform: inform someone on how not to get sick.
And after the J6 riots, it seemed like the bastard would get his comeuppance, both from the legal system as well as the followers who enabled him. Add to that the blatant criminality of the entire enterprise, the corruption and graft, the evasion even avoidance of norms, the deliberate flouting of the legal system, it looked like a slam dunk, an object lesson in how NOT to win elections in the future.
It wasn’t enough and it makes me mourn my nation. I feel a sense of loss not unlike the loss of a loved one, a cherished helpmeet who woke with me each morning and whispered “Things will be OK, just get through the day with me.”
I gave to her and she gave generously to me, sharing her bounty in ways large and small. I took comfort knowing these gifts were not just for me but for all residents of this land. Maybe not in equal installments but for sure, in a basic distribution that if it didn't emulate fairness, she at least made an honest attempt at it.
Now we have what we have. Those who have will get much more. Those who do not have will be expected, nay demanded, to put more back in. And those of us in the middle will find ourselves slowing sinking into the mire that we worked hard to crawl out of.
I have privilege. I recognize that. I’m male, of a light skin colour, with income and resources (among which are dual citizenship and two passports, which is an option).
Some of my friends have escaped already. Most will stay behind, and endure. Some will fight.
All need to know, there are those of us remaining who are #OnYourLeft
