Dealing With It

Coping With Life in America

I’m not really one to offer advice. I mean, what difference does my opinion make on any subject? I am not a very good advice taker, either. I believe, probably to my detriment, it is up to me to figure out whatever needs figuring out in my life.

This post is not an attempt to advise anyone to do or not do anything. Nor am I asking for anyone’s advice. I’m just going to explain, as best I can, how I deal with life as it is now in America. What works for me, might not be what’s best for someone else. If anyone wants to follow my examples, hey, that’s great. But do so at your own risk.

How should those of us who oppose the POTUS (Piece Of Totally Untruthful Shit) go about doing it? I would say it’s up to each individual to make that decision. Public shaming and name calling on my little Substack is one way I do it. Expressing my anger and disgust in this way is good for my emotional and mental health. I can’t allow the anger to fry my brain cells from the inside over stuff I cannot control, so I’m thankful I have this outlet. It’s best to get it out, somehow.

I almost never watch broadcast news anymore. All I get from TV news are more reasons to be enraged. And, outraged. I read the headlines on several news feeds online, which allows me to pick and choose which stories require my attention and which ones I can skip. And, the truth is, I do not need all the minute details of everything the addlebrained Criminal-in-Chief is doing. I already know he is an ignorant racist felon who is going to try to please his masters in the Kremlin, and the country clubs or wherever his rich billionaire buds hang out. I would rather do damn near anything else than see or hear that iguana-faced asshole speak.

My guess is that the American Idiot is beaming with pride because Vlad told him what a good boy he is.

Some folks might believe I am sticking my head in the sand. But, you know what? I’m going to do what’s best for me. I plan to live my life as best and as normally as I am able. I can’t begin to help anyone else deal with all the awfulness of the current administration if I’m a mess myself. It’s kind of like being on an airplane and the flight attendants give the safety talk that no one pays any attention to. They tell the passengers in case there’s an emergency, and the oxygen masks are needed, to put your mask on first, then help others.

Photo courtesy of DemonDays64

It’s the same principle when opposing the criminal in the White House and his cabal of asskissers and toadies. I have to do what’s best for me first, then I’ll do what I can to help others. And, what’s best for me is to not become worn down mentally and emotionally over every single outrage perpetuated on the American people by the Criminal-in-Chief. It doesn’t mean I don’t care. It’s just that I do not have to immerse myself in the details of every shitstorm to know how bad this administration smells.

I do believe the next four years are going to be difficult for middle class and poor Americans. Farmers and rural folk, especially. Thank goodness the wealthy among us will be all right. They are the only folks who really matter. (Yes, that is sarcasm.)

Strangely enough, though, I think we will eventually come out of this nightmare okay. It’s not like me to be overly optimistic about anything. But, in the long run, I believe America will survive these terrible times.

Why do I think that? Well, we as a country have survived many bad times in our history. In my lifetime, I think back to the 1960s and 70s. The Cold War was in full swing, and we lived with the fear of nuclear annihilation. We were well aware that the Soviet Union was America’s enemy and not to be trusted. We had disaster drills in our schools in case the Soviets started dropping nuclear bombs on us, although I doubt hiding under our desks would have saved anybody. The Soviets never attacked us, but the fear was real.

Kids doing the duck and cover drill. Like that would have saved us in the event of a nuclear blast.

In the 60s, we saw the assassinations of several of our leaders. John Kennedy, Dr Martin Luther King Jr, Bobby Kennedy were all murdered in cold blood. Many of us wondered who would be next.

Our cities were burning. People took to the streets to protest for civil rights and women’s rights and against an illegal, meat grinder of a war far away that had no end in sight. Sometimes the protests turned into violent riots. Sometimes people died.

At Kent State University, four college students protesting Nixon and the Vietnam War were gunned down by the Ohio National Guard. Then came Watergate and the Arab oil embargo and runaway inflation. It was one crisis after another. Our nation was in constant turmoil.

Four students were killed by Ohio National Guardsmen on May 4, 1970 at Kent State University. This iconic photo encapsulates the pain and turmoil of the era.

I was just a kid but I remember wondering what was happening to our world.

We got through it, but I don’t know how.

Previous generations of Americans pulled us through two World Wars and an economic depression that brought our country to its knees. This nation has also survived a brutal and bloody Civil War, lest we forget.

In more recent times, during George W Bush’s time in office, we lived through the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, and a recession in 2008 at the end of his term that was the worst since the Great Depression.

And, just a few short years ago, as a nation, we survived a global pandemic, although, individually, way too many people died due to the mismanagement of the pandemic response by the Idiot-in-Chief we had at the time. In fact, his rise to power might prove to be the single worst, most difficult thing our country has ever had to overcome.

The point is, we as a nation have gone through many horrible situations, and we’ve always come out the other side, perhaps battered and bruised a bit, but still the United States of America.

This is one of the most disgusting pictures I have ever seen. No way we will let this sonofabitch take that flag from us.

And now, we Americans have a new challenge. Unfathomably, the Idiot-in-Chief is back in office. How do we survive the next four years with the absolute worst human being ever to hold the highest office in the land? This is someone who terrorizes our allies with hostile threats and tariffs and takeovers, and cozies up to the worst thug dictators on the face of the earth. This is someone whose goal is to make more and more money for the wealthy at the expense of average Americans. This is someone who could not possibly care less about anyone who is not a rich, white, entitled male. This is someone who is a convicted felon, a sexual assaulter, a cheater and a liar. This is someone who, emboldened by an illegitimate Supreme Court, believes himself to be an infallible monarch, claiming the authority to rule over this country in any way he sees fit.

This is someone I desperately hope to see get his ass handed to him in my lifetime.

I do not have any answers as to how we are going to do it. But, history tells me that although it will be difficult and painful and costly, we will get through this terrible time. We will deal with it and we’ll survive somehow.

We Americans always do. And, we always will.

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