You know, we’ve watched footage of ISIS fighters destroying sites of antiquity…and some of us cringe in horror. Much as we might’ve cringed, had we been privy to the burning of the Library of Alexandria. Loss. Treasure. Human history reduced to ashes. Given human inclinations, there is really no telling HOW much of our past has been destroyed, not by time or nature…but by purposeful, willful human decisions. I watched footage tonite of 911. Over the past 17 years I’ve seen much of what has been captured. Tonite I saw yet more I’d not seen…but this enduring thought remains: It is always easier to destroy than it is to build.
The damage those largely Saudi terrorists accomplished upon our world on this day in 2001 is still being assessed. American prestige, our economy, our psyche, our responses initially in Afghanistan and Iraq…then Syria, Libya, Yemen, Africa…Blood, treasure, quality of life, fear, partisanship, climate change, wealth redistribution….
World events then occurred, becoming opportunities to exploit long held agendas by the empowered. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, regular people just kept on keepin’ on. Here at home, the middle class was getting hosed. The civilians in wartorn Middle Eastern countries were getting hosed. The past 17 years have seen a redistribution of wealth around the world, without parallel in recent centuries. I don’t think they’re done yet. This is the time of oligarchs. We are the vassals. Well, some of us. A shitload of us 8 billion human lives struggle to rise to the level of serfs. 😉 Yet we breathe. Some of us actually get to vote. And some of our votes might actually matter. I don’t blame anyone for being pessimistic. A lot of us really should be pessimistic. 😉
But WTF? November is coming. God knows what will come to pass before we go to the polls. Even so, the midterms are my Lodestar. It is all that I have. It will suffice. IT MUST. And afterwards, we’ll take a look around and access the seas and set our new heading.