Read ‘em and weep

I was mostly successful in my endeavor to ignore the ceremonial changing of the guard, from well intentioned feeble to malovent tyranny, this past Monday. Rather than subject myself to the crowning of the naked emperor, I opted to nest at home with warm soup and baskets of clean laundry to fold.

It was a good choice because every single thing I’ve read about since Monday’s inauguration has left me utterly irate and aghast. I simply can’t believe that I am living in a time in history when the majority of voters, in the country where I was born, elected a man so accurately described by British writer Nate White as

“…a Picasso of pettiness; a Shakespeare of shit…”

Again.

On Wednesday evening, Day 2 of the Regime Redux, the NYT headlines literally brought me to tears. I read about the new administration’s encouragement to inform on colleagues who might (because they’re intelligent and concerned with equality and justice) not be abiding to the demand requiring the nullification of DEI initiatives.

I read about the thousands of refugees, some of whom assisted our government in Afghanistan at the risk of their own lives, who had already been approved to enter the U.S. and were, tickets in hands, being told that their travel plans had been cancelled leaving them stranded far from family and safety.

I read about the ridiculous move to strip Denali (again!) of its given name to name it once again for a President who is DJT’s current crush.

I read about a new Republican panel being formed to counter the “false narratives” of what happened on January 6th and the desire for retribution expressed by those recently pardoned, described by DJT as “hostages,” by executive order on Day One.

To every single person, republican or otherwise, who claims that the attempt to overthrow our duly elected government was merely an innocuous visit to the Capitol by constituents, I say – f*ck you. I watched it. I saw what happened live on television and I will not be gaslit.

For every person whining about the cost of eggs, start saving your money for medical care as the avian flu spreads across the country and scientists and federal researchers have been muzzled by the Federal Department of Health and Human Services.

I haven’t even yet mentioned the decree about gender and pronouns…my heart is breaking for those who simply want to live their lives authentically.

Lest you think that the new adminstrations’s wrath is directed only at humans, be aware that the vengeance with which the very Earth itself will be attacked is beyond comprehension. From “drill, baby, drill,” to the death of the green economy along with the support of energy guzzling AI technology at the cost of the environment, our planet will be under assault. Superstorms and massive fires will visit us with even greater frequency than we’re already experiencing.

My God, my head is spinning. Once again, it feels like a game of whack-a-mole, but the real rodent is the president and the ones being beaten down are the educated, the desperate, and the marginalized.

Living in America is becoming the ultimate bad hand. This deck is loaded.