I’m a Democrat even though I recognize a lot of problems with the Democratic Party. (What alternative do a have MAGA, or irrelevant?) I’m an idealist, but my idealism is tempered with a pragmatic respect for the reality around me. One of that realities is that Election Day is the only day that your opinion matters to the masters of our universe - which is why, for me one of the most frightening and unexpected aspects of this future we’re living is the incredible apathy towards politics. It’s too boring, too hard, too whaa, whaa, whaa.
Of course, all this comes back to how we were raised (not just parents, family, but what’s hsppening around us as we grow up) and I grew up with parents who read newspapers and magazines and people discussing matters. At Bell Avenue (my >10 year home) half a block down a small apartment alcove became a Polling Place. A big notice appeared on the front door a couple weeks before the event. On morning, the flag was put out every two years, and the lines formed, and it was fascinating for us kids.
I’m thinking the actual polling place was next door (entry on right), but that building front has been very renovated, so it wouldn’t work for my reminiscing - this a sort of a mirror image of what the other once was.
*I couldn’t resist a little side trip via GoogleEarth. Amazing, the old neighborhood remains, location, location, location, these days it’s all gentrified but still very cool to recognize so many homes. Most renovated a little or a lot and the rest spruced up real nice. We lived in a ground level ‘flat’ with two flats above us. It’s all one unit now, and the stairs that transformed our entryway into a bat cave is also gone, it’s way down on the left, second from the end of the street. There’s a T intersection down there, which made our block offsides for nonlocal traffic. Excellent conditions for playing ball in the street, and winter shenanigans.
Memories are strong, and never leave us, even if they sink into forgotten obscurity, they help form who you are.
Election Day was important, people cared and projected a sense of duty and pride in the duty. It infected us kids (this was good old fashioned America, where the neighborhoods weren’t so much a gang, but we all played together, all the time, and Election Day was always a sort of festival, with all the people lining up talking to each other.
If I didn’t have those experiences, I’d have nothing in that spot and I’m sure a fraction of the inner drive that currently possesses me. Lordie knows, there are times it all implodes and the depths of the utterly self-destruction misery of what we’ve unleashed upon ourselves and the coming years, that will begat the worse years to follow, drives home. But like mourning, what are you gonna do live the misery all the time, or come to terms with it make peace with it, wrap it up and place it in it’s niche, and continue living.
Still regardless, those old ideals and lessons were instilled into the fiber of my being. Thus I need to participate, or when I sit it out, I feel like I failed at something, like if no one tries where will that leave everyone. You know, they say nature abhors a vacuum, society is a little like that too. And society is composed of the actions of individuals who find themselves sucked into such vacuums. Where it’s so not important if you are brave, it’s important that you project bravery, the rest will take care of itself.
Knowing that my efforts come to pretty near nothing has become an irrelevance. Standing up, making some honest statements, helping raise some awareness, is better than doing nothing. Once in a while the timing is right and it works, that’s the best, but if one doesn’t achieve that, what’s to do?
What are ya going to do? Keep bailing or rollover and give up by hiding behind contrived idealism, or nihilism, and laziness?
It’s frightening to me how many people rather roll over.
Which is exactly what the billionaires want and the Trumpster mentality is playing right into their hands, giving over all the power that our Constitution invested in We The People through battle and times as vicious a todays,
with the exception that two centuries of scorched Earth mentality has destroyed the Earth’s ability to sustain the insatiable Gods we’ve become. {MAGA man. But, but, but he promised us so much winning we’d get bored of it?}
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Oh but how I can digress in my efforts at justifying myself - but I came here for something else altogether, Bussy from Montana.
Another fresh, Democrat to keep an eye on.
Can he win Montana’s Governor’s Chair in November?
Tied to that, will the MAGA strangle hold on their State House be broken up in the bargain.
It looks to be a race to watch.
Mar 2, 2024 - Ryan Busse for Montana - Let it Fly
Democrat Ryan Busse is running for Montana Governor this year, taking on Republican Greg Gianforte who was caught fleeing his state when it was in crisis.