So much hand-wringing, toward what end?

It is Friday morning as the wind batters us again. We might "walk backwards against the wind."  

So a scan of the headlines gives a feeling of redundancy: we learn of so much bad stuff in connection with the Trump presidency. On and on it goes, to the point where I hardly care to read the updates now. Worse than Watergate? Demonstrably so, yes, but weren't a lot of higher-ups indicted in connection to Watergate? What's happening now? What's happening now is almost leading to an indictment of the media. 

Because, the media presumes there is so much outrageously scandalous staff to be unearthed. You can make an argument that there is, certainly. But bad actions are supposed to have consequences. Without such consequences, isn't the media being presumptuous? 

The pattern goes back to midway in the Trump presidency. We got the bombshell news one day that one of Trump's close associates had "set up a back-channel with Russia." Oh, interesting and intriguing. But is there a presumption that we should be revulsed by this? Who says? Let's see, was it Jared who did that little number? I don't want to get my facts wrong. 

There's such a litany of the suspicious-appearing stuff, it's hard to get it filed away correctly. Media people have fluffed up their careers royally by just being able to report on all this, like it's a cottage industry of sorts. So is that part of the problem? A weird symbiotic relationship between the self-interest of the media crowd and the shady folks who propped up Trump? 

And it's not even over. It is hardly over. Trump can start out the day's news cycle on any given day. Rudy Guiliani pops up often. There is a whole rogue's gallery that is having new life breathed into them by the prospect of "pardons." So the specter looms of Trump getting back in driver's seat, very real. 

An actual indictment would stand in the way of that, but does anyone now think this will actually come about? In spite of Trump's voice being ON TAPE with Georgia secretary of state? My God, how did cases like this get prosecuted in the days before tape recordings? 

An ironic part of this, is that Trump's weird misbehavior is so out in the open, we become sort of disbelieving about how it could actually be illegal. If the perpetrator were conscious of this, wouldn't he try to be more low-key or "stealth?" But Trump is like the bull in the China closet, with impunity. So instead of real legal consequences, what we get is this incredible gravy train of media people who churn out sensational stories day after day. 

It's breathtaking, I guess, the lengths to which Trump and his odd little band of sycophants and hangers-on would go to wrest the presidency, keep Biden from assuming the job. This is so drastic it's jaw-dropping. We as a society are failing to internalize it. So is this the very end of the United States as we've known it? 

Liz Cheney is just one person, a Republican with a clear eye re. all the goings-on. One person! This Kinzinger fellow helps too. But Cheney has the real Republican "creds" for standing up and trying to penetrate the incredible fog of deflection and emotion. 

Kevin McCarthy is worse than a fool or a toady. Mitch McConnell thinks mainly of judges, the kind who will get abortion outlawed everywhere. No wait, it won't technically be outlawed, but there is a back-door tactic opening the way for "lawsuits." Check out Texas. Hoo boy, wait until that tactic starts getting abused, as it will. We might see a $10,000 fine for failing to recycle. Are you all prepared for this? Plus, a litany of other like infractions, which would make America a reflection of the old East Germany. What was it called there, "stasi?" 

Are we supposed to feel surprised by all the "disagreement" across rural America? It's a big deal now because of the Associated Press article that focuses on Benson. I suppose Sinclair Lewis could have written about Benson. Or Morris. Small town with petty and parochial people, right? Beautiful stereotype. 

The article would not have happened were it not for the cooperation of the Anfinson family. 

So Reed has a column of response in the current Morris newspaper. It's nice the column was put on the website or I might not have seen it. I saw the original AP article because I peruse the Yahoo News headlines daily. 

Reed Anfinson (MNA image)

Reed confirms that the article got published all across the breadth of the U.S. He says the article could have been written about any place like this. Well, I wish the AP writer had gone elsewhere then. 

How did he end up here? There has to be a story for that of course. Reed has been kind of a big shot with the Minnesota Newspaper Association. His fellow press people are no doubt aware of a little "tic" to the left politically. Why should that be such a matter of notoriety? I guess these days it is. So let's profile little Benson MN like it's a lab sample of something, talk to a local minister of course. Stoke the conflict, add a little kerosene. Which the article appears to have done. 

I have told friends that I would be shocked if Shelly Anfinson was not incensed by the article. Article noted that both Anfinsons had been married previously. I didn't know that. Not sure how that fits into the theme of the article. 

I would have liked to see Shelly write something for the Morris paper. She seems like a level-headed person. 

The minister in question is with a Missouri Synod Lutheran Church in Benson. I checked on that. It's a very conservative synod. Perhaps the parishioners are inclined to place Donald Trump above God and Jesus. I'm sick of the ties between so much of the Christian faith and Trump, because so many people have gotten "played." The damage now is likely permanent, damage to the United States of America and the Christian faith itself. 

Young people are turned off by so much of this. Sorry, it's too late, just like the Federal Reserve is going to be too late fighting inflation. Maybe the Trumps will end up in Russia. Maybe they'll be spirited away in secrecy. Putin knows how to pull strings, he's KGB.

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com