What Do We Do Now?

What Do We Do Now?

Ever since covid hit and the world went into lockdown I’ve settled in and embraced isolation. And even though I’ve been vaccinated (and everyone I know has as well), I still have no desire to go outside and rub elbows with the unenlightened, uneducated, ill informed, and especially the unvaccinated. I really don’t see a point in this ongoing confrontation with all the ignorant right-wing nutters that make up half the population of America and who are busy breathing our much needed air. I’m not going to change the mind of someone that’s already denied science, firmly believes in conspiracy theories, irrationally hates another race, fears someone’s sexuality, imposes their beliefs with violence, cites god as the reason they’re right, or claims an unborn fetus deserves “saving” more than a starving child living below poverty.

I am so fucking tired of all the politicians that are out of touch with what the people need, let alone want. I am sick of a government that wrings its hands as atrocities play out everyday and then claims there is nothing they can do. I don’t want to hear about one more mass shooting when simple legislation to prevent another one could and should be enacted. I am so tired of billionaires and their corporations running the show. I want all the lobbyists and their flagrant influence peddling to be outlawed and the outright bribes to be stopped. I don’t want another bad law to go unchanged, unchallenged, un-appealed, or un-eradicated. The members of law enforcement that continue to murder with impunity should not only be held accountable. But every white supremacist, Nazis, Oath Keepers, Three Percenters, Proud Boys, and all the rest of the American terrorists must be removed from the ranks of the police and armed forces. The criminal justice system needs a complete overhaul. Everyone convicted of any and every type of marijuana offense has to be released and pardoned (otherwise The Adult Use of Marijuana Act is a farce and shown to be exactly what it is… another racist law for one part of the populace to gain impunity while another continues to be imprisoned).

In my own neighborhood there are still those that refuse to wear masks, or worse, wear it below their chins or under their noses. All the while citing their undeniable right to freedom as if caring about someone other than themselves is too much to ask. Faced with this on a daily basis I’m left wondering if humanity is just too far-gone. Have we crossed a line where there is no empathy or at least consideration? Is it just everyone for themselves and damn everyone else? Emergency rooms are currently faced with hard decisions on whether the needs of people who are vaccinated and require immediate care should come before the unvaccinated. In reality the one side did what they were supposed to do, get vaccinated. On the other side they’re in immediate danger of dying from not getting vaccinated. And the question is should we reward stupidity? Because that’s what it basically is. You didn’t get vaccinated, for whatever reason, and now you have covid. Doesn’t take Einstein to figure this one out. But the ramifications are that we have to bear the brunt when those demanding their god given right to exercise the “First Amendment” that catch a virus they could have avoided and worse, spread more of it, and are now terminally sick and overburdening our hospitals. Meanwhile here’s a cancer patient, who has been vaccinated, and they need immediate help, but the ER is full with the unvaccinated. Should we just turn our collective backs and stop caring?

I already have contempt and anger for the “other half.” But wishing someone dead is another matter. Yet we are rapidly approaching the two year mark dealing with the coronavirus and it’s still a political issue rather than a health issue. Fox News, Breitbart, and OAN continue to demonize vaccines while all their talking heads, owners, stockholders and workers are vaccinated. The BIG LIE has become embedded in colloquial folklore. The American media falls over themselves to give Trump a platform because he sells more news then the Left. Seditionists that attempted a coup on January 6th are still in office. Politicians that are corrupt and have outright committed crimes are operating with impunity. Cops continue to shoot people. Voter restrictions are being implemented. Abortions are being outlawed. Guns are proliferating. Mass shootings continue. Why the fuck do I want to be part of all that?

And yeah, yeah, I hear you all saying we have to keep up the good fight. But it’s really disheartening when I continue to show up and vote, only to have the Democratic Party flounder and flail with indecision, infighting, corruption, and self-serving agendas. I’m a registered Green for fuck sake. But every election it’s the same old deal. Circle the wagons. Don’t split the vote. Remember Ralph Nader! I re-register Democrat only to hold my nose and vote in the primaries. And time and time again we are lied to and in the end we’re stuck with this dysfunctional two party system that is more concerned with their own fortunes than “the people.”

Unfortunately with the way things are, the right is going to take back their power, and this time they’re not going to let go. They have the cops and the armed forces to help them do it. The left have nothing. It’s not going to be a civil war. It’ll be another coup as the leaders of the last attempt are still running around free. So yes, let’s all argue about infrastructure and welfare until they take over. Let’s pretend that it’s just Manchin and Sinema that are blocking legislation. Let’s not arrest and convict seditionists sex traffickers in congress. Let’s smile and make jokes as a racist Q-Anon senator erodes democracy just a little bit more everyday. Let’s allow politicians to become rich while their constituents go hungry. Let’s give tax breaks to corporations and companies that continue to profit only the 1%. Let’s pretend that the US Supreme Court isn’t biased. Let’s ignore systematic racism like we’ve been doing for the last 100 years. Let’s allow armed terrorists to run rampant and free. Let’s just go about our business as usual… it’s worked so far, right?

Um… no.      

America can no longer point fingers at Banana Republics because we have become one.      

And I can’t help but ask myself if I’m going to keep playing this game.  

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