Fragility
09/01/24 06:58
January 9, 2024 (Vol. 18 No. 2) - Practically every astronaut, cosmonaut and erstwhile space traveler says the same thing when he or she looks back down on the earth for the first time. They see that the dividing line between life and death is a relatively thin layer of atmosphere. No doubt, they're struck by the fragility of life on earth. Frankly, if more people had the opportunity to see the earth from this vantage point, there would be fewer global warming skeptics. Metaphorically, our tenuous hold on life on earth is similar to our equally tenuous hold on democracy in the United States. Just like the air around us at ground level, our democracy is omnipresent, seemingly limitless and secure. But when one steps back and takes in the context of our times - much like viewing the earth's atmosphere from space - there is a different picture. We see more and more of our citizens abandoning fundamental values in favor of vague and unrealistic short-term goals. In their caucuses next Monday, the Republican voters of Iowa are likely to give their support to an oligarch who wrecked the economy, stood by and did nothing while hundred of thousands of our citizens died in the pandemic, gave aid and comfort to the enemies of the United States, and, after losing the 2020 election, ruthlessly tried to overthrow the government. (It makes you wonder about the color of the sky that Iowa voters see.) The Defeated Former President has openly said he'd be a dictator "for a day." He calls the people jailed for attacking the Capitol on January 6, 2021, injuring dozens of police officers, "hostages." The Orange One speaks of vengeance and retribution should he return to the White House. Some may try to convince you that the whore-mongering man-child is only joking when he says these outrageous things. But considering his track record of lawlessness and self-indulgence, how can we afford to ignore what he says? Just like the oxygen we breathe, if you take away our democratic values, institutions and principles, America as we know it will die. Even with all of its flaws, the United States still represents humanity's best hope on earth. Should it fail, the world will plunge into a new Dark Age. For more than a century, America has stood in the breach, preventing global tyranny. But - completing the metaphor - there are those willing to poison the air we breathe in support of a False Messiah who stands for nothing more than himself. Our democracy has never been more fragile than it is now. We must resist these evil forces, defeat the Cowardly Liar, and protect our democracy - even to our dying breath. That's it for now. Fear the Turtle.