The Image of the Beast (American Revelation II, Part 5.)

 Our public interest depends on private character, on civic duty and family bonds and basic fairness, on uncounted, un-honored acts of decency which give direction to our freedom. Sometimes in life we are called to do great things. But as a saint of our times has said, every day we are called to do small things with great love. The most important tasks of a democracy are done by everyone. I will live and lead by these principles: to advance my convictions with civility, to pursue the public interest with courage, to speak for greater justice and compassion, to call for responsibility and try to live it as well. In all these ways, I will bring the values of our history to the care of our times. ~George W. Bush

Fucking seriously?

Last night, and continuing into this morning, "Conservatives" are making a full-court press to slime Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, and increasingly not only him, but in effect all immigrants as "untrustworthy scum" for...doing his job, upholding his oath, attempting to deal with a situation through proper channels and only going to Congress when...all other avenues were exhausted?

Again, seriously?

It's funny how all one has to do these days to be voted off the island is...be against or disagree with Trump, increasingly even if it's just about one thing.

It's no longer a political party, it's a cult.

These people don't give a fuck about America...or more precisely, they've bought into Trump's conceit that he is America.

And they've bought into all this shit, so hard that they're willing to abandon everything else, light everything else on fire, and shit all over everything they've ever previously claimed they valued...for Donald Trump?

How does that work exactly?

I mean, I understand they see themselves in him, and they like that he enables their racism...but one could have said the same thing about a lot of Republicans...and no few Democrats as well. What makes Trump different?

Or is it Republicans who changed?

Well, technically no. One of the people who's joined in trying to slime Lt. Col. Vindman is John "Torture Memo" Yoo, of Bush Jr. Administration infamy.

Fuck that guy.

Yeah, at least some Republicans have always been this shitty, or the kind of cowardly opportunistic shits that'll go along with anything, if they think they might get something out of it. We as a country, have been fortunate that even these sons of bitches, before 2016, managed to find themselves leaders who had a grander vision than racism, tax cuts and unlimited executive power.

We are all unfortunate, that this time they failed to do so. But none are more unfortunate here, than Republicans themselves. Far too many have gone along with this shitty ideology the whole time, hoping they would get something out of it, fearing they'd be asked too many questions.

And now, they're being shown as what they have been all along, by their devotion to Donald Trump of all fucking people.

I think we've officially hit the point where Republicans don't give a fuck about America or its national security.

They believe in their racism. They know that kind of crap can be protected with AK-47's and Technical Trucks, or white hoods and burning crosses.

I think we've hit that point because Republicans have realized that the rest of us aren't going away and they're going to have to share America with LGBT folk and liberals and non-Christians and people of Color.

They bought into Trump's lie in 2015, they bought into the fantasy. I think, under the radar all too many realize they fell for nothing but a hologram.

Quite frankly I think they know they're going down, next year if not before. At the rate these people are going, they're as likely to be run out of power by an angry mob, wearing a spiffy new coat of tar and feathers as they are to be voted out.

I think they know it.

And now they're openly looking about to see who or what they can take down with them.

And as far as they're concerned if that happens to include the United States Armed Forces, they're good with that. Maybe they think Trump can smite the enemy with his bone spurs and Filet O' Fish farts.

Hell if I know, I cannot fit my head far enough up my own ass to see these people's "logic."

Fuck these motherfuckers.

Just remember, people, if they can slime Lt. Col. Vindman, they can and will slime you, for any reason or none at all.

I didn't take no oath to Trump. The Constitution and government and military oaths do not demand loyalty to any particular President, period...much less this one. You're supposed to obey your command team and accept civilian control of the military, not worship any aspect of it as a god.

I spent much of my life as a Baptist, I was warned endlessly about cults.

I'm no longer a Christian, myself...in no small part because of all these people who've now abandoned Christ for Trump.

But let me tell you one thing.

If we want to get through this mess in one piece we're all going to have to believe in something greater than ourselves more than these fools believe in their hate, racism, and Trump.

Never forget that the only thing that a racist will do with the Cross of Christ, at the end of the day, is set it on fire.

Never forget that they don't give a fuck about our Democracy, our history, our military, or any of the other aspects of our country that they've claimed to champion forever.

If they really believed it, they wouldn't be doing this shit.

But if they believe in nothing, that means the rest of us have to believe in something, even if it's just the Constitution or the secular principles of our country. I was taught that without belief in something greater than yourself, and without belief in Truth, freedom dies.

We all have to believe that America is greater than the emptiness in one man's soul. Is that so hard?

For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
    But it's "Savior of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
    An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
    An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!

~Rudyard Kipling, Tommy.

Part Four.