I have a few thoughts on reality tonight. I thought I knew what reality was but after tonight I'm not sure if I know what it is anymore.
I was a teacher for thirty seven years. All of my teaching was at the middle school level. Some may say well, that was crazy but I look back and enjoy every minute of it. So from time to time there was a little disagreement . The Joe lawyers of the class would defend their friends but they were all in reality. They rarely told a lie. They knew the proper rules of behavior and stuck by them. If they got in trouble they accepted their punishment and life went on.
After today and before I'm not sure that many of our politicians know what reality is . I'm not sure if they understand honesty. I'm not sure if they recognize that they are to serve the citizens of the country. I don't think our politicians understand law and order. I really wonder what politicians think their responsibility is. It doesn't look like it's to uphold the law
For the last few years politicians have been playing fast and loose with the truth. Take the law into your own hands. Count your own ballots. I wonder how many of these people can count accurately?
So is reality gone? Will the word reality be taken from our dictionaries and not be used anymore?
Is there something to replace reality. Can we bring reality back?
For democracy and society to function properly caring and respect for one another has to be a basic quality.
I was not happy to see how law order and justice played out today in the impeachment trial. Come up with any lame excuse to protect your buddy.
I have to make a disclaimer as I'm not an American but a Canadian. Because we live side by side and have respected one another, it's important that I know what's going on. I'm not hopeful about improvements in the near future. Some major changes are going to have to take place. How will this happen.
Could we start with some major penalties for telling lies?
I watched almost all of the impeachment trial and even though this outcome was expected it still blows my mind. I am very worried for our country. I agree with everything you have said Red and I am an American.
ReplyDeleteFor people who have their feet firmly planted on the ground it was a very sad thing to see happen.
DeleteKind of related... I often ponder the way the word 'apology' has become debased in my lifetime. Politicians and other public figures these days 'apologise' for things they quite deliberately say and do. The way they use the word, it's like walking up to somebody, looking them in the eye, then down at their foot, deliberately stamping on it and then saying you're sorry you trod on their foot.
ReplyDeleteThese days, people apologise when their publicists tell them that if they do and then keep their heads down for a few weeks or months, everything will be okay.
You are so right about the misuse of apologies. They become meaningless.
DeleteI think, Red, that you have written a very insightful post which mirrors what many of us all over the world are thinking. Politicians have always had certain self-serving traits even if they were great advocates for the public good. It's in the nature of people who seek power. However the thing now is that dishonesty and lack of moral fibre is becoming socially acceptable. It's NOT.
ReplyDeleteI wish it was just as easy to tell them that they are off base as you so easily expressed it.
DeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to find an honest politician! They all lie, a penalty for lying would be a good thing. I think there should be term limits, some have been in office way too long. Take care, enjoy your day! Have a great new week!
They seem to be too much about being reelected.
DeleteThey are more loyal to their political careers and to being self serving rather than their country and the citizens. It's shameful.
ReplyDeleteYou've got it right. wW are not being served well at all.
DeleteIntegrity has been lost for the time being. It got swallowed up by fear and greed.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how we get integrity back.
DeleteI watch American politics with interest since we are so entwined with them. It is never boring...
ReplyDeleteWe are entwined and it will always be that way. To this point it's worked well.
DeleteI just wish. My SIL isn't running next election. He gave it a good go for the Green Party. (They are falling apart!)
ReplyDeleteI am not surprised, but I am shocked at the lack of courage on the part of the jurists. Mind you, they are afraid of violence, but surely...
They've allowed themselves to become entrapped. By avoiding issues they are blackmailed even more.
DeleteThank you for writing this, Red. I am blown away by the verdict in the impeachment trial. I did not for a moment think that they would actually convict, but when they confirmed my dread for what we have become here, it broke my heart. I worry for my country, for our planet, for the future. America is broken, and I'm not sure it is reparable.
ReplyDeleteThe division thing has been played for far too long. People aren't friends anymore.
DeleteLarge sums of money have been allowed to drive the engine of our government. The money had driven the campaigns and created fancy lies to the voters, the money has written the laws and paid for the Congress to vote for them. Until we get money out of politics we are an oligarchy.
ReplyDeleteThe money has certainly caused many problems.
DeleteI completely agree. The fact that we can't agree on what's "real" depending on our political stance seems like a grave threat to Democracy. You can't debate issues if you can't agree on foundational facts. The Republicans are looking out for their own skins. They're scared to death of their own constituents.
ReplyDeleteIt boggles my mind as to how people have ended up in such extremes.
DeleteI just had an online "discussion" with a family member who is a very good, well meaning, truthful person who said to me, "I guess truth and facts are subjective". They are not! Truth is truth and fact is fact. Opinions are subjective. Deliberate lies and conspiracy theories erode our ability to find the truth, but it is our job as citizens to search for it.
ReplyDeleteI am appalled by the number of people here in the USA who still cling to the lies told by the former president. Why do they do this? Because people believe what they chose to believe, what suits their purposes, and don't care about the truth. People love to say "All politicians lie", but that's not true either. We have some good, honest public servants who are trying to do their best. And for that they are attacked.
Yes, I am angry at the outcome of the impeachment trial, even though I knew it would end with an "acquittal". But we have a good, honest man in the presidency now and we need to make as much progress as we can in restoring truth and respect to our government.
Thanks for this post, Red.
Watching the mob attack the capital was frightening when you think that there are many more of the same people out there.
DeleteIt is immensely frustrating.
ReplyDeleteWe have to keep ourselves informed.
DeleteI wrote a comment that seems to have gone off into the void. I think I said something on the order of: 75,000,000 Americans voted one way and 80,000,000 voted another (and many didn’t vote at all) so it is only to be expected that their representatives and Senators would see things differently. There is certainly a sharp divide in this country.
ReplyDeleteP.S. - Here is a poem by Oxenham that just came to mind (it was not part of my original comment) that I quoted on my blog not too long ago:
To every man there openeth
A way, and ways, and a way
The high soul climbs the high way
And the low soul gropes the low
And in between on the misty flats
The rest drift to and fro
But to every man there openeth
A high way and a low
And every man decideth
The way his soul shall go.
We seem to have forgotten that in a democracy the people we put in are for everybody. The winners are not just for themselves but are responsible for everybody. We have to agree to things so that most people are looked after. It's not just who gets all the marbles.
DeleteYou are exactly right, Red. But even if the general populace remembers this, the representatives have agendas (and the heck with the other side’s agenda, we’re in control now). It ought to be about serving, not controlling, but unfortunately it is not.
DeleteI agree with you, Red. It is a mess right now.
ReplyDeletePeople don't seem to know how to compromise .
DeleteAlthough I will admit to not having watched any of the impeachment proceedings, Red, the outcome was disturbing. It does have me wondering if there is no "punishment" will acts of violence become more commonplace in the future. Politicians should be held to a high standard in my opinion, but sadly they are not.
ReplyDeleteI don't watch TV so I didn't see the nonsense but yes, they are setting things up for bigger and better crimes.
DeleteI totally agree with you!
ReplyDeleteThey are a very poor example.
DeleteIt is a heart breaking mess. It isn't even about truth, as far as I'm concerned. What you have are a group of people who are placing their love of power above their duty to country, a violation of the very oath that they took when they came to office. When I saw Hawley doodling, Cruz playing Candy Crush, 15 republicans simply taking the day off, refusing to even weigh the evidence, it was obvious that tRUMP would get off. It is breaks my heart that people in power are unable/unwilling to decide right from wrong. Your post was a good one, and even though you are not American, you've spoken for most of us.
ReplyDeleteThey seem to think that compromising shows weakness.
DeleteIt will all work itself out, for better or worse. The one thing we can count on is that nothing stays the same for long these days. I watched the trial and learned quite a bit I didn't know. And I have to say it was awful to see Trump acquitted on a technicality. Everyone knows he was responsible.
ReplyDeleteThe use of division is the opposite way to go in a democracy. we have to be able to compromise.
DeleteThank you, Red. We will be a long time coming back, I fear.
ReplyDeleteThey don't seem to have any intention of changing their ways.
DeleteIt was a waste of time when they should have been working on Covid Relief. I wrote one of our senators ands told her to get back to work.
ReplyDeleteWhat isn't making the news ...Gasoline is increasing in price every week. Up 30 cents since Joe took office. Joe rescinded the order that kept Insulin prices in check...now diabetics have to pay up to 500 a month for insulin. Joe is an idiot...and many of those using him as a puppet...Nancy...et al really have terrible ideas.
Next winter will we be able to heat our homes?
At one time it was what politicians were judged by.
ReplyDeleteI dislike Trump and I'm glad he is gone. I understand why anyone dislikes him after all his lies about election stealing, etc. But I also think people need to take a step back and remove their hatred for Trump when looking at this second impeachment. “Donald John Trump engaged in high crimes and misdemeanors by inciting violence against the government of the United States”
ReplyDeleteWhat proof was presented of given to support that charge? Was it the statement about marching to the capital to peacefully and patriotically protest? So was it using the words fight in a figurative sense just as dozens of democrats were shown using it in the same sense in the four minute video shown during the trial?
There was proof shown that the attack was planned weeks if not months in advance. People didn't hear Trump speak on the Capital Mall and hit up the hardware store on the way to the Capital with their pipe bombs, tactile gear, handcuffs, etc. But there wasn't a single email, phone call, picture showing Trump planning this event for which he was charged. How can someone be convicted of one of the worst crimes without a single piece of proof other than saying he used the word fight literally and not figuratively after showing that the figurative use of the word is rampant on capital hill>
Trump is a liar, he is morally impaired, he used the judgement of a fourth grader during his time in office, but not of those are crimes. He did commit election tampering fraud in Georgia by trying to manipulate the certification of votes but for some reason, wasn't tried for that. He was only tried for something that is purely based on emotion and nothing factual. I sincerely hope he gets his due with the lawsuits against him in New York but I don't want to be part of the group of people who want to charge a person for a crime without any evidence what so ever. All that will do is set the stage for future presidents to be removed from office for the sole reason that Congress is held by the opposing party.
My $0.02 worth of opinion.
Hi Red, You will not be surprised to hear that I agree with 100% of what you've said in this post, "Reality." You are right on. I felt very much the same way you did as I watched the trial unfold. I simply do not understand those in the GOP who voted not guilty. I think the truth is, they are cowards, they are afraid of Trump. A lot of what I'm reading in the major newspapers says the GOP is falling apart. I think that is reality. While there are some parts of the conservative agenda I can agree with, I have zero respect for Trump. His behavior brought the highest office in our country down to a new low. My hope now is, since he is out of office and a private citizen, he will be prosecuted, for his (as I see it) criminal behavior, tax evasion, inciting the riot, etc.
ReplyDeleteNow, on another subject ... I missed getting a comment in on your last post, "I'm Still in a Deep Freeze". Thank you for the mention of my blog in that post and for your kind words. It has been interesting the way the very cold air in Alberta that you blogged about has slowly moved down into the states and is bringing historic cold temps to places along the Gulf Coast. And, yes, I do think it had something to do with our giant snow storm over this last weekend. Anyway, it just shows how Hiawatha House is always on the cutting edge. :-) Best wishes to you and the Micro Manager for a good week ahead. John
Well said
ReplyDeletePower and money “Trump” truth. I’m glad I’m not raising children today.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you 100%, Red. But you already know that. I knew what the outcome would be, but it was still really HARD to take. McConnell was the one who insisted on the impeachment being held after the inauguration, and then said Trump couldn't be convicted because he was no longer the president. What the heck! And then he said Trump was responsible. I'm standing here just shaking my head.
ReplyDelete