Hey everyone! I know it’s been a little bit since I’ve posted. I have so many thoughts and so many ideas sometimes, that it’s hard to put them all down. But, I knack and with something to say! I recently saw an article from the web publication The Nation, on Facebook. It was an article about how Hunter S. Thompson, author of Hell’s Angels, predicted the rise of Trumpism in America. You can read that article here.
I’d like share this quote from the end of the article:
There’s no doubt about it: trouble lies ahead. That Hell’s Angels foresaw all this 50 years ago underscores the depth and seriousness of Thompson as a political thinker and of ours as a singularly dangerous time. Trumpism is about something far more serious than Trump, something that has been brewing and building for generations. Let us take Thompson’s cautions seriously, then, so that this time we Berkeley types are not naive about what we face. Otherwise, we’re all liable to get stomped.
This is an extremely interesting read. And an important one in these times. It’s a discussion that needs to be had as well; how do we stop this idea of ‘total retaliation’? What is it that we can do to make sure these people don’t feel like the only thing they can do is lash out in this way? We can’t possibly go backwards just for them to make them comfortable, but we can’t just keep leaving them behind. Something has to be done on both sides. These poor white voters need to realize that the world is changing and seek ways to deal with that, but the ‘elite’, as it is called on this article, needs to realize that not all of these people have the resources, knowledge or education to do so by themselves. But, also we must stand firm in pir conviction to stop ignorance and hate. It’s a very complicated time we’re living in. With someone like Trump in power, it just makes everything difficult, because now that there is someone who seemingly thinks like and works and works for some of the lower class white citizens, it feels like there is no listening to reason in some of them.
What is the solution? How do we break this cycle? How does it even happen? Are people just refusing to move on with the rest of the world? Is it because the world moves so fast now that they just get left behind in the dust?
The one thing I do know is this…yes we have to help this base of voters and understand them, but we can’t go back in time and we can’t allow hatred and intolerance to be the driving force of our nation and our society. We also can’t let politics and politicians divide us as a nation, everyone has their own ideals, but we are ONE NATION. We can’t allow lies and distractions from those in power to let us slip slowly into insanity and numbness. We have to keep working to better this country and this world for everyone!!
Remember don’t play ‘holier than thou’, though it won’t always be easy. But, also be vigilant in the fight against Trumpism and intolerance. We can’t allow that darkness to continue to spread.
Live to laugh another day,
Jaybo
THE SIP! 