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| So he committed rape too? |
I at least have a sense of calm and peace because I am writing this at 3:30 a.m. Hardly a creature is stirring. Except those crickets. Soon we'll have to be aware of the potential for mice intrusions. The only good mouse is a dead mouse. I have become rather a Bill Murray on that (from "Caddyshack").
This morning the Trump headlines will hit harder than ever. We did not have to get to this point. Of course, I have been writing time and again with the appropriate advisories. Nothing seems to change. Why do I do it? I have had a couple friends slip away from me because of this. Those who still speak to me will be annoyed again that I am bringing it up.
I might say I'm annoyed that these people, seemingly intelligent, are still pro-Trump and would vote for him again. Even after this morning. I'm sure what the top of the Star Tribune front page is going to look like. The Star Tribune is still fairly relevant in this media age of so many voices scratching and clawing to get attention. Like mice, I guess.
Monica Crowley was quoted in the news recently. Who's she? A name that might still ring familiar from the conservative end of things. The conservatives have found such a blowhorn with the new media. Crowley dropped several notches with her credibility due to a plagiarism problem - not a borderline one. She still has standing to get quoted sometimes. She is presented as "having a podcast" like this gives her standing.
Sheesh, anyone can have a podcast. I had a podcast once through the "Anchor" system and put up quite a few posts. I felt I covered some interesting ground. I felt in the end like I just preferred pure writing. Not sure audio is my thing. You might say I have a face for radio and a voice for print.
I would not rule out doing some podcasting again. Please take a moment now and then to consume some of my journalism. It is all that I have ever lived for, my raisin d'etre. (And that's not a breakfast cereal.)
So, what's the upshot of this morning's headlines? Nothing more than a means for Trump supporters to get irritated even more? What is it that y'all think that Trump has actually done for your lives? Judge Kaplan in New York State has stated that it is accurate to say Trump committed rape. Still no corner turned with his supporters.
I can just hear some of these people in the middle section of Detoy's Restaurant in the early morning. It's all men. Men have evidently decided it's just "macho" to support Trump. It's such a shallow basis. What if Trump's support actually starts growing now? Might he build up such momentum that he'd get the U.S. military on his side when he's ready to march into Washington D.C. and occupy the White House again?
We'd be looking at an unspeakable reign of terror. There might be no limits. Think this is hyperbole? It would have been hyperbole in the pre-Trump years to predict what has happened starting with January 6. Seeds of this were planted throughout Trump's actual term as president. And all along we saw this dogged, fire-breathing support of MAGA from that particular wing of the media.
Many of those people are not stupid. In private they know what's up. But they seek attention. I personally appreciate some attention for my journalism and commentary. How can you put that aside? But if I cannot try to accentuate truth, it's a pitiful situation. So I have written repeatedly to remind you all of what our congressperson Michelle Fischbach said on January 6, her own words, right from her office.
Fischbach voted against certifying the 2020 election results.
I have tried getting a current statement from her on whether she feels her words still ring true, if she stands by them now. It's not hard to look up her original words. Here they are:
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| Michelle Fischbach |
"Today, I plan to vote for the objections to the certification of electoral votes in certain contested states. This election was shrouded in allegations of irregularities and fraud too voluminous to ignore. In order to fulfill my duty to the constitution and my constituents, I believe there must be a proper investigation to consider these claims.
"Perhaps most fundamental to the rights of an American is the right to vote, and we must do all we can to protect that franchise. If the American people lose faith in the integrity of their elections, the impact would be an irreversible and catastrophic blow to the exercise of free and fair democracy.
"Minnesotans can count on me to continue being a vigorous defender of election integrity and our democracy."
Not eager to talk
Is it asking so much to want the congressperson to reflect on those words from a truly pivotal day in U.S. history? A day that might have sown the seeds for an outright autocracy being established in America? And so many of you would cheer for that? Evidently so. And in fairly short order y'all would be shuddering because of this.
You never know how autocratic rule will end up affecting you. How hard would it be to get true democracy restored? Perhaps impossible. The authorities might become aware of my history of online writing and come after me. Things that might seem preposterous now could creep into the picture. We never could have imagined a president like Trump during the days of Ronald Reagan or the elder Bush. America had a temperate tone.
The right wing has always been out there. The right wing is not always off base. Traditional Republican thinking has much merit. Heaven knows we needed it back in 1980. What we have never needed is the truly "wacko" voices. As a kid I saw that in the occasional booth at the fair, Stevens County Fair and State Fair. Heavens, you'd see everything at the State Fair. So I'd say "Hey Mom, what's the Libertarian Party?"
Today the new media has swung open the door wide for the most strident voices on the political right. Those voices have buttressed Trump and could in fact get him past his present legal problems. Yes it's that bad.
Trump will still have his legal problems unless he builds up his sheer power - stay tuned - to demolish our established and cherished legal system. Please, be aware of the possibilities. But I don't think you are, not enough of you. Maybe today should be the turning point. Problem is, I have thought that in the past. Then I get dragged back into reality. I have to be prepared for this to happen again.
Maybe Mitch McConnell went stone cold quiet at the microphone because he is feeling shock at what all is transpiring now. It was Senate Minority Leader McConnell who advised that impeachment is not the proper course because we have the legal system. But these are not normal times.
I invite you to read more of my thoughts from my August 1 post. The headline asks the question "Can the nation's women be our savior?" Here's the link:
Addendum: In the headline I use the expression "firebell in the night." I learned this from Alistair Cooke.
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
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