Random Thoughts On Where We Are Now, And A Husband Who Continues To Serve

My husband was emotional this morning looking through his newsfeed that showed pictures of children visiting the graves of a parent killed during military service. He’s a disabled Vietnam veteran and Memorial Day has always been about service for him. He remarked as neighbors around us high tailed it out of town for the long weekend that we never do that. We always stay home and play catch-up, working throughout the weekend planting a garden or finishing some other project that was long overdue.

He spoke of the plane ride home, filled with wounded soldiers, some wounds not visible yet their effect was palpable. He spoke of survivors guilt and the unmitigated disgust he has for a guy who claimed bone spurs so that he didn’t have to serve, leaving someone else to serve, become wounded or die in his place. He’s a coward, my husband says, a bone spur coward, and he has no business anywhere near the White House.

As we both watch in horror the behavior of our new Attorney General, that’s now complicated further by his boss giving him the ability to declassify intelligence related to the Mueller investigation. Depending upon what the AG does, the lives of confidential informants and other assets are potentially at risk. Active duty personnel are being sent to the border to police migrants while they appear to be readying for war with Iran. Nothing is proceeding in a normal, expected fashion. Instead, it’s governing by whatever the last guy said to him or what someone says on FOX. Then he presents it to the country and the world on Twitter.

Nothing is as it should be.

The repetitive slogans on the campaign trail designed to ratchet up racist fervor were nothing short of mind control, brainwashing his supporters into believing that he was the answer. That he would drain the swamp and make America great again. Is that what it looks like now? With all the swamp rats in his “administration” bilking the taxpayers out of tax dollars that could be used for something that actually does make America great again? How is that actually happening?

Someone wrote a piece suggesting that this is all about abortion which explains the strange evangelical support of this man. The man who claims he doesn’t do cover-ups, paid hush money to porn stars so that they wouldn’t reveal their relationship with him. But he plays ball with evangelicals and appoints two guys to the court who may vote to overturn Roe v. Wade, so of course, they support him.

Nothing is as it should be.

And now he’s essentially instructed the new Attorney General to go after his detractors, actually naming former DOJ officials who, in his apparently deteriorating mind, should be charged with treason. This was after the journalist reminded him that treason results in a death sentence. He actually offered up a list.

Which brings me to the phrase his lover, Lisa Page. Not a former DOJ lawyer, but Peter Strzok’s lover. His obsession with these two people is disgusting as is his continued sexual reference of Ms. Page. It’s perverted and demeaning and beneath anyone holding the office of the presidency. And yet, it’s not just standard fair with this guy, it’s become expected.

I said to my husband that we’re all under so much stress from this guy’s words and deeds that it’s beginning to affect even going to the grocery store. I wrote about this in a previous post, but I’ll mention it briefly again here. The tension in the stores in our area is increasing. Men are becoming increasingly inappropriate and behaving aggressively toward women. Male staff members, typically the younger guys, have zero idea how to speak to customers and offend at every turn. I no longer shop in my favorite store because of a couple of experiences with aggressive men there, one directed at me. The store owner apologized for what the guy did and told me he would tell him not to come back, but he also admitted he knew about this guy so why did it take what happened to me for him to finally respond?

We’re hearing the term toxic masculinity quite frequently now and it’s unfortunately the perfect term to describe the patriarchy that has plagued humanity for so long. Whether it’s what we’re paid or the control men want to have over our bodies, the harassment, oppression, and objectification of women that we’ve endured must end.

I watched a video yesterday of a guy punching two women, one who was clearly an elder, in the stomach as he walked between them. One man ran to the other woman while the older woman staggered toward them both, eventually falling to the ground while the attacker continued to walk off, turning back to look when the older woman hit the ground. I showed my husband and said that it reminded me of the guy in the checkout line at our favorite store who, after I asked him if he could move his items a little forward so that I could put the rest of my stuff on the conveyor belt, became visibly agitated, closing both fists, his body becoming tense and rigid to the point of shaking, his eyes closed and his face scrunched into a livid expression, after which he suddenly stopped and moved his items without so much as a word.

As I said. Nothing is as it should be.

An empath, I experience the vibrations of the world around me and the vibration I experienced from that video was the same as what I experienced that day in the checkout line at my favorite store. He was well over six feet tall and a big guy, therefore intimidating in appearance. My husband didn’t realize what was happening until I turned to him and insisted that he get between us. We’re both Black Belts in Kenpo but I wanted to make a point and have my husband between us, but rest assured, had the guy done anything physical, we would have both responded to him. But the thing is, we shouldn’t be experiencing any of this. Ever.

It’s as if a segment of the population has forgotten how to exist with others. Their grievance mindset has them at odds with everyone and the tension between people is only increasing. Gunfire is commonplace now where we live. Target practice with weapons of war has now filtered into the neighborhood, all legal. Just a couple of days ago at least 50 large caliber rounds were fired only a block or so away from our home. Unnerving to say the least, but legal.

Just what are they training for? And who will be their target?

Tomorrow is Memorial Day. My husband is marinating a roast to cook out on the grill which we will share after planting whatever else is left out in the garden including eighteen tomato plants and an untold number of Thai pepper plants, all grown from seed. They’re gorgeous and I can’t wait to see them in the garden. We’re going to try to stay away from the internet and all cable news, however.

He’s the epitome of the soldier who continues to serve, my husband of forty years. He’s lived his life in service to others, always ready to step up, always ready to help and I thank him for every day that he’s been in my life. In fact, I really don’t know what I would do without him, his presence is that essential.

So, if you know a veteran, thank her (or him) for their service. Thank them for sacrificing their time and their lives for the sake of our country. Thank them for the dedication and their commitment to stand in our stead against the enemy at the door. Thank them for their integrity and their devotion to our country and its citizens.

And thank them for doing something the current occupant of the White House would not: serve their country with honor and distinction.

Nothing is as it should be.

The question is, going forward, will we have the integrity shown by endless soldiers to do something about it?

Blessings to all!