Isaac Asimov said, “Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.” Although his intent was clear, in that the incompetent resort to violence as they can think of no other action to take, he is inherently wrong. The Kellogg-Briand Pact of 1928 attempted to outlaw war as an act of national policy, but it has obviously failed. The simple fact is that throughout history, war has been much more the norm than peace.
As much as we strive to prevent war, there are, and always will be, those who covet power and are willing to do anything to gather it unto themselves. This was made clearly evident to those of us in this country during Trump’s speeches today. It is critical that those of us who would stand up for ourselves, those of us who would stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves, must be prepared to fight against the evil that still exists in this world.
Trump and many of his cronies are truly incompetent, especially where it comes to anything other than self-aggrandizement - which was obviously his primary desire for his first term, and he has made plain to be his plan for his second as well. As such, we should not be surprised when he resorts to violence against those who oppose him; rather, we should prepare to fight him wherever and whenever we can.
Keep your powder dry ladies, for all it takes for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing.
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All we have to decide . . . .
Thanks, Dallas. I find myself wishing, often, that none of this had happened, but having my spine stiffened by the words of another fictional hero — “So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.”
I will confess that my first instinct, post election, was to disappear. Delete all my accounts. Erase any evidence that could ever be used to connect my online self to the character I play in the real world. I decided, instead, to take such electronic cautions as I could, and then to carry on. Staying here, in solidarity with this targeted community — my community, damn it — is one of the few things I actually can do to resist the evil that took power today. Other actions will no doubt present themselves in time.
— Emma
I am a daughter..
I am a daughter of Manetheren, the old blood flows me. I am a shieldmaiden of Rohan. I will not abounded my sisters, my brothers, or my people. This community, is my community, and all women who dwell here are my sisters. Now, is a time for unity and for us to come together as one. Now is time for us to become that city on a hill that all of the LGBTQ+ community can look upon and draw strength from. Now, is the time we must all hang together or surely we will hang apart. And now, while the foul armies of Mordor gather at our border, and threaten to take from us our liberites, our rights, our freedom. Let us as one united body draw together our swords, and raise our shields together. Sisters, when the Rohirrim is musterd, let we the shield maidens of Rohan be there to follow!
I stood on that wall for more than two decades…….
I have the scars and the nightmares to show for it. I put my life and my sacred honor on the line for this country - but the country I defended is no more; it has been superseded by some lesser, darker vision. It has been perverted by those who think of only themselves, those who care nothing for their fellow citizens, those who care nothing for those who cannot care for themselves - both here and abroad.
But this is still my home, my country ‘tis of thee. My country right or wrong; when right to keep right, when wrong to put right. And unfortunately it is headed down the wrong road as of today. So it lies with those of us who are willing to stand up to correct that path.
It truly sickened me today to watch the toadies and sycophants as they lined up to kiss the ass of their lord and master, Donald of the Orange Makeup.
We all know that politics is a dirty game - me perhaps more than others as I actually have politicians in my family, on both sides of the political divide. Watching the same people who called Trump every name in the book, who derided him repeatedly, ripped apart his personality, his background, and his actions - to watch those same people smile, shake his hand, kiss his cheek (which even his wife won’t do), and suck his dick (which I am willing to bet his wife definitely won’t do, lol), was enough to make me vomit.
We are truly pilgrims in an unholy land. But the only course I can steer is to sail toward righteousness. I will ever stand up for that which I believe is right, and our current administration is so wrong it can’t even see what is right from where they stand. Hopefully enough people will wake up and see just how wrong Trump is before it is too late.
D. Eden
Dum Vivimus, Vivamus
Circling The Drain
I woke up at 5:00 AM thinking about the activities of our new President. Being a Vietnam Era Veteran who did not go in country, I still learned valuable lessons about graft and corruption from high level members of our own government.
I've lived as a woman since 2005 and had surgery in 2007. Now I have been buying male clothes and thinking about changing my name back to Gwinn. S***** has been on my mind a lot. Sort of regretting having sold my pistol...
What will become of this site? ....................
Gwen Brown
Unfortunately
Unfortunately there have been lessons learned by the cronies. What I fear is not just the hate and everything else coming towards anyone who is trans in the next four years. (Enough damage was done yesterday already) The real fear for me is this attitude of a land grab that's clearly coming. The parallels with the US and Nazi Germany are historically terrifying to me.
1) Criminal leader kicked to the curb
2) Rises again to power
3) Survived assassination attempt (and credits divine intervention proving his right to rule)
4) Clearly stating a 'destiny' to expand the country
5) Huge army capable of doing that
6) Clearly showing tendencies to ally self with other despots. (Russia, North Korea, China, etc.)
If you look historically at democratic civilizations the same spiral we're seeing into oligarchy/autocracy is a common factor.
Trump gained unlimited power essentially when the supreme court declared 'any official act' is shielded. He can pardon anyone else. In a year to two years I will not be surprised to see our armed forces being used to conquer for the first time since the march west. At the same time we'll watch China take Taiwan, and Russia push through Europe while North Korea and South Korea probably end up in their own war actively again. There is no amount of hoping it's only four years that makes me sleep any better.
I personally hope that somehow in four years we've survived, passed on the mantle to someone who believes in democracy, and can pick up the shattered pieces of our constitution.
This is how I see it
America has historically been ruled by a small group of rich white men.
They are a minority and because of that, devices like the electoral college and other mechanisms to deny proper representative voting have been developed over time. The USA has never been a true one person one vote democracy. The seeds for what has happened have always been there.
It was all going according to plan until Obama became president. Something had to be done. The ruling elite were in despair.
Along comes Trump, a gifted fool. Gifted because he seems able to communicate with the stupid, and there are enough stupid people to accept his words as truth.
But make no mistake, he is one of them - the small group of rich white men.
The demography of the USA is their problem. Ignorance is their solution.
I have faith that reason will prevail, but until the culprit is identified, this will be a battle.
Do not go underground. Stand proud.
Trump will pass. But he is only an instrument of the real power.
The constitution protects the right of free speech. Use it. Your enemy is the mob, manipulated by more sinister forces.
Reason will win.
Here's hoping ...
Maryanne
The wealthiest colonist?
George Washington. But at least he insisted on vaccinated troops.
George Washington was no saint……
But then again, none of us are. But he did counsel against exactly what is happening in our country right now in his Farewell Address:
“The disorders and miseries which result gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of public liberty.”
When our country won it’s independence, after the victory at Yorktown, Washington’s officers and a large contingent of politicians looking for a strong central government suggested that he should establish a monarchy and become king. He declined. Later, after being elected to two terms as President, he resigned and refused to run for a third term, declaring that no man should serve more than two terms. He was afraid of dying in office, worried that people would assume that the office was awarded for life. By leaving office, he established the convention of the peaceful transfer of power - which at that time, in all the world, was unique to our country.
"His integrity was pure, his justice the most inflexible I have ever known, no motives of interest or consanguinity, of friendship or hatred, being able to bias his decision," Jefferson later observed. "He was, indeed, in every sense of the words, a wise, a good, and a great man."
He truly embodied the words of our Declaration of Independence, “We pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."
It’s too bad that this has been lost in the current generation and administration.
D. Eden
Dum Vivimus, Vivamus
This too shall pass
Sure it will. BTW, I'm selling bridges. Any size - any price. Make an offer!
Robert Heinlein (may he rest in peace) wrote a book called "If This Goes On". It tell the story of the right wing takeover of the United States. The only real error is he assumed it would be a religious dictatorship. Which still could come to pass, I suppose. The other part is the underground overthrowing it and restoring democracy. Could happen, I suppose. But I don't expect to be around for it.
“When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn’t become a king. The palace becomes a circus.” - Turkish Proverb