The Republican Party is like a zombie, a dead man who doesn’t know he’s dead. And the Democratic Party is inextricably bound to this quasi-corpse, unable to proceed with or without him.
This is the state of democracy today; we are unable even to fix a pothole, let alone tackle the pervasive and multiplying threats to our lives, liberties and pursuits. That we are more unwilling than unable to extract ourselves from this La Brea tarpit of self-destruction may be owed to the recrudescence of a fundamental flaw in America’s character. That flaw is a celebrated orneriness, a stubborn individualism, that rejects the idea that people living together constitute a society with responsibilities to each other. To believe such a thing leads to the Hell on Earth they imagine socialism to be.
So to avoid socialism, we must accept hundreds of thousands of deaths from a disease we have the power to prevent. To avoid socialism, we have to keep accepting the steady, yet profitable, degradation of the world’s environment and climate. To avoid socialism, we must compound human misery in detention centers and refugee camps, rather than relieve it. To avoid socialism, we must bear billionaire greed and hubris, rather than impose appropriate curbs to their power.
We are stuck in a world we can’t bring ourselves to change, even though we must; consequently, the world will force us into an awful change we can’t control or avoid. It’s called reaping the whirlwind.
JEFFREY HOBBS, Springfield, Ill.
With all the informative, well-formulated letters to the editor as well as insightful input from TPP’s editors and numerous columnists, I wonder how many of us feel this is essentially preaching to the choir? How can we best translate our particular concerns using alternative media to actively involve others with at least one significant issue especially reaching beyond their immediate well-being?
While a retired educator, though not retired from educating, I continue to feel obligated to respond to social/environmental challenges hopefully persuading without antagonizing in the process. Here are some things I have been inspired to practice besides calling and writing my state and US congresspersons and writing letters to the editor:
• Succinctly messaging with T-shirts, buttons, and bumper stickers (My most recent bumper sticker (from Northern Sun in Minneapolis) reads “Fight Truth Decay.”);
• Placing stickers and stamping a message on envelopes and inserting informational copies in letters (One such stamp I use is a picture of Chief Seattle with the quote “We belong to the earth, earth does not belong to us.”);
• Signing email petitions;
• Hand-writing postcards (through Activate America) to voters in key states;
• Making banners to use on overpasses (One of three made reads “Prog. Populism, Ahoy!”);
• For my 70th and 75th birthday celebrations, I submitted in advance to relatives and friends a short list of progressive organizations and alternative media which they could choose to support instead of my receiving an unnecessary gift; and
• Encouraging like-minded organizations to network with each other … united we stand, divided we fall.
As we find ourselves drifting toward a world demanding more and more interdependent solutions to mutual challenges, the world becomes my country as Garry Davis was so committed to promoting after WW II.
RICHARD LAYBOURN, Bloomington, Minn.
The reality of America’s entrenched and pathological love, adoration and fetish for guns was recently highlighted by yet one more local gun tragedy. This particular tragedy involved two brothers embroiled in a heated argument that turned violent. Of course, one brother was exercising his love of freedom and was armed. He shot and killed his brother in a frenzied panic, he jumped into his car and drove off recklessly at a high rate of a speed. In his escalated state and panic he hit another car head on, killing both passengers. A reasonable question one reviewing this horror story might ask is, what would the outcome have been if this brother turned murderer had not had a gun readily available?
Of course, this is just one more tragedy in America’s endless and on-going gun slaughter. Keep in mind that 61 people commit suicide by gun daily. Ten children are shot to death. Approximately 342 people are shot daily in the United States. And our current firearm genocide is almost with certainty going to be eclipsed annually, given the current national surge in both gun and ammunition sales. The exponentially growing threat from domestic terrorism organizations is, by itself, a sentinel concern. It is a damning indictment of the American character that we are lulled into almost comatose complacency by the daily gun carnage that has both redefined the United States and showcased a dark and unsettling facet of the American character.
Reasoned, sane and civilized Americans need to collectively work together and advocate for common sense gun control. We see on a daily basis the end results of a nation turned into a virtual shooting gallery. We can build a better future where endless mass shootings and such are not the norm. Now is the time.
JIM SAWYER, Edmonds, Wash.
The Jan. 6 attack on the nation’s Capitol was an attempt to block confirmation of the results of the 2020 election and retain the former President. Many people were injured, several died and considerable property damage resulted. It can accurately be described as a coup attempt to overthrow the elected government of the United States. For 10 months various investigations have been going on and a number of “foot soldiers” involved have been charged and convicted. Attempts to identify the key people who encouraged and organized the coup attempt and bring them to justice have been resisted/ discouraged at the highest levels.
Iowa’s Congressional delegation is predominately Republican. They were present at the Capitol and experienced the violence first hand. I am unaware of any of their attempts to investigate and bring justice to the instigators at all levels. Many of their actions the last four years have covered for/ enabled President Trump even when his actions were impeachable.
Thanks for everything you can do to shed light on these events, bring justice to those involved and preserve our democratic system.
GEORGE CUMMINS, Charles City, Iowa
Concerning Afghanistan, In the 09/15/21 TPP Ted Rall mentions “$2 trillion down the toilet.” Sounds good, but I think we need to focus more on where the money actually did flow.
I think a primary function of war, one even could argue the only function of war, is to make money or money equivalents for those who influence the process, or who would like to influence the process.
By this standard, the project in Afghanistan has been spectacularly successful. I think one could find plenty of corporate execs, bankers, warlords, high wealth families, drug dealers and so forth who right now are going, wow, that was great!
JERROLD RICHARDS, Lyle, Wash.
The recent Time magazine article by Charlotte Alter had me reflecting on Tucker Carlson’s earlier career and his ouster from the McLaughlin Group political talk show many years ago when his unsupported commentary “wackiness” was originally demonstrated causing his eventual termination. His statement and admittance to journalist Alter shall probably be adopted by today’s (Alt Right) (Autocratic/Racist) Republican Party as their new motto and gospel. “You’re required to say things everyone knows aren’t true but punished if you don’t say them.”
The essence of this for today’s Republican Party is facts, truth, ethics, honesty, respect and morality don’t mean squat in a world where comments from Trumpian-minded shills like Kelly Ann Conway state, “It’s an alternative facts world for us.”
This is the societal conundrum we now face in today’s world with our nano-second technology and no/none behavioral deterrents or controls for the denigration of “others,” nor ruination of all we once held important and sacred enhancing our past world status.
It truly behooves me, as I approach 87 years of longevity, that our nation’s Birchers and Birthers, from McCarthyism’s bogus claims to the continual lies and propaganda, that the cries of wolf keep bringing the Republican Party and our nation an inordinate amount of arrogant, ignorant shame.
FRANK C. ROHRIG, Milford, Conn.
Recent Supreme Court inaction on an emergency request by abortion providers for an injunction to stop a Texas law from going into effect that bans abortion after six weeks — an example of the Republican mantra equivalent to the defunding and deregulation of lawful Government agencies (such as the EPA) and its institutions.
Is the court’s inaction indicative of the attitude of our previous exalted ruler (#45) who’s whims were to circumvent the rules, regulations and previous court rulings of our land and make the American populace subservient to his parties far right agenda.
Those on the religious right don’t subscribe to rules, regulations or mandates that affect their rights and freedoms, such as owning as many firearms as they can, or not masking up, even if it is for the protection of their fellow man. A certain church member of mine, who also is a legislator on the county Board of Ed, was recently in the minority of a 4-2 decision mandating the use of masks in the county school system (staff and others). He equated his and others’ personal freedoms to not mask up, with the BLM movement(right to protest). Does he not also respect a woman’s personal decision relating to her own health and wellbeing? Why does the Right seek for babies to be born, only to turn around and fail to care for them by restricting and reducing SNAP benefits? This same church member now is running to be sheriff of the same county.
Do I vote for somebody who seems to instill an us-vs.-them mentality, or do I trust my vote to a candidate who embodies we, as in, We the People, and the majority rules aspects?
Is the high court’s action, NOT TO ACT, a precursor to an upcoming (next summer) decision on the state of Mississippi’s draconian abortion law. It does not bode well for “settled precedent,” or woman’s rights under Roe vs. Wade.
HAROLD E. STOVER, Jr., Salisbury N.C.
To avoid unimaginable results at the holiday table this year, we should not start talking about anything resembling science vs. stupidity, Earth vs. economy, or Truth vs. Consequences.
Suggested safe subjects: Why do interviewees start with “That’s a great question”? Why don’t newscasters know an adjective from an adverb? What happened to the “much” in “It was so fun”?
Try to avoid calling attention to the moth-sized android hovering outside the window that may be the offspring of Alex and the Supreme Court.
And don’t cry foul if fowl isn’t your thing. If you feel the need to open your mouth, just jam in some yam and keep your eyes on the pies.
FLORA ORMSBY SMITH, Marblehead, Mass.
Some Christian fundamentalists believe the First and Second World Wars were actually the same conflict, with just an armistice dividing them. Hence, the hostilities were the Biblical Armageddon.
Accordingly, it’s further conjectured we are currently in the Tribulation — a time of worldwide confusion and affliction.
Yet Pauline Scripture reminds us, “We know in part and we prophesy in part. (First Epistle to the Corinthians, 13:9) Since things are seldom as they seem, let us put our faith in God and man.
WILLIAM DAUENHAUER, Willowick, Ohio
From The Progressive Populist, November 15, 2021
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