Genius? (We Are Spirits, Not Animals, Four.)

To those neighbors and allies who share our freedom, we will strengthen our historic ties and assure them of our support and firm commitment. We will match loyalty with loyalty. We will strive for mutually beneficial relations. We will not use our friendship to impose on their sovereignty, for our own sovereignty is not for sale. As for the enemies of freedom, those who are potential adversaries, they will be reminded that peace is the highest aspiration of the American people. We will negotiate for it, sacrifice for it; we will not surrender for it, now or ever. Our forbearance should never be misunderstood. Our reluctance for conflict should not be misjudged as a failure of will. When action is required to preserve our national security, we will act. We will maintain sufficient strength to prevail if need be, knowing that if we do so we have the best chance of never having to use that strength. Above all, we must realize that no arsenal or no weapon in the arsenals of the world is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women. It is a weapon our adversaries in today's world do not have. It is a weapon that we as Americans do have. Let that be understood by those who practice terrorism and prey upon their neighbors. ~Ronald Reagan, First inaugural address.
 

In an interview today, Donald Trump called Vladimir Putin a "Peacekeeper" and said he was "Wonderful" for invading Ukraine. Trump waxed rhapsodic about the sheer number of tanks in the Russian army and said "We need that on our Southern border" regarding Putin's alleged resolve and the expectation of use of force.

Are you God-Damned Mother-Fucking Kidding Me with this shit?

Did this addle-brained, demented mass of orange Jell-O forget what country he's from? Jesus, a former American President slavishly praising a KGB-trained Russian dictator whose declared, explicit goal is to bring back the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact. Ya know, if I wrote this shit in a manuscript and submitted it to a publisher in a novel, they'd have me escorted out by security and caned in the alleyway behind the goddamn building.

But this bullshit is real life. Again, are you fucking kidding me?

But of course, there's a war in the process of starting, so Republicans are rallying 'round the flag. The only fucking problem is that at least 60% of these fucking people are rallying around the Russian flag and think Vladimir Putin is their President...or something.

These people are lost, in every spiritual or theological sense of that word that one can imagine. What in the hell kind of lack of sense does it take to support not only a country other than your own, but one that for most of living memory has been The Enemy of the one you live in?

Do you motherfuckers think if the goddamn Russians win, they're going to give you an extra ration of potatoes and vodka, or something?

Or is it that you assholes hope they'll persecute LGBT people? 

Which is it?

I simply cannot begin to fathom the level of confusion that is implied here.

Russia has, for most of the time that I've been around anyway, basically been regarded as a backwards repressive shit hole that has a big military and nuclear weapons, where the government can produce a 100 megaton nuclear bomb, but can't be bothered to pave the roads outside of Moscow. For much of my life, religion...especially Christianity...was oppressed in Russia.

Its current President was one of said oppressors during the Soviet era.

What exact level of spiritual confusion does it take to think that somebody like Vladimir Putin had some kind of legit Damascus Road moment, and that his claimed Orthodox belief isn't just some kind of fake bullshit?

If it's confusion and not just plain evil and love of authoritarianism.

And I'm being goddamned charitable in calling it confusion, because whatever the cause of it, in terms of actual loyalties and real-world actions the truth is, it's sedition and very likely, working up to treason.

And like I said, watch and see if it don't come to the exact Constitutional definition of the term, levying war against the United States.

Again, it's going to come to a fight, and I don't see how we're even remotely going to be able to stay out of it for long.

The threat of a pro-Russian, American fifth column here, is a real thing. The fact that it's Republicans doing this shit induces a white-hot rage in the parts of my brain that remember what I was taught as a conservative younger person.

This ain't it, yo. This ain't it.

As Russian forces move into Donbas, the Ukrainians have called up their reserve forces, Canada, the EU, the UK and the US have instituted a wide range of sanctions and NATO and the US are deploying more aircraft, ships and troops to Europe.

And hell, there's something to be said for the fact that the Germans cut off Nord Stream 2 themselves.

Which is exactly what we're supposed to be doing.

I saw a  speech by the Kenyan delegate to the UN Security Council that I think should be required watching, or required reading if it's been published.

And meanwhile, Donald Trump is praising Putin and the Russian Army like some teenager talking about a goddamn war movie. There is something wrong with that guy.

How does Kenya get it, when Republicans don't?

I'll never understand the point of hating your own countrymen, your own fellow citizens, more than you love your own country...or even your own life.

How many people have died choking on their own mucus, literally drowning in snot because they thought they were going to somehow get one over on the "other team" by doing so?

How many people has this culture war, political tribalism Unga Bunga bullshit literally killed?

Too many.

And it's really that simple.

How the hell did we ever get to the point where people would rather die than get vaccinated because they're against public goods like a government-backed vaccination program against a deadly virus? I mean, I get that these idiots think that they're Mel Gibson in Braveheart shouting "Freedom!" as he's executed, but I always thought it's real hard to be free when you're dead. Once you're dead, your fate is constrained by the actions you did while you were alive. There's no freedom in the grave. I was always taught, once you die your fate is set. What we do in life echoes in eternity.

Not that I think most of these fucking people would recognize the Word of God if somebody engraved it on a stone tablet and busted it over their head.

And that, folks, is the Truth.

If you're an American, or a citizen of any civilized, free country, fucking act like it.

Or, as far as I'm concerned, you can move to Russia.

But I bet they won't have you.

As Reagan said, we are spirits, not animals. Remember that part.

There's going to be a test very soon.

If the Ukrainians are willing to endure sacrifices to defend their country, and the Russians are willing to endure sacrifices to take it away from them...why aren't you?

The time is coming where we're all going to have to pick a side. Either you believe in freedom or you don't.

It's that simple.

Part Three

Wile E. Coyote: Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Wile E. Coyote, genius. I am not selling anything nor am I working my way through college, so let's get down to basics, you are a rabbit and I am going to eat you for supper. Now don't try to get away, I am more muscular, more cunning, faster and larger than you are and I am a genius, while you could hardly pass the entrance examinations to kindergarten, so I'm going to give you the customary two minutes to say your prayers.

Bugs Bunny: Sorry, Mac, the lady of the house ain't home and besides, we mailed you people a check last week.

~From the Looney Tunes cartoon Operation Rabbit.