Stained (Z-Publicans, Three.)

Have you ever seen the coyote in the desert? Watching, tuned in, completely aware. Christ on the cross, the coyote in the desert — it’s the same thing, man. The coyote is beautiful. He moves through the desert delicately, aware of everything, looking around. He hears every sound, smells every smell, sees everything that moves. He’s in a state of total paranoia, and total paranoia is total awareness. ~Charles Manson

I wasn't going to write anything tonight, then I saw this.

Staind front-man Aaron Lewis said "Maybe we should listen to what Vladimir Putin has to say..." and "Putin is fighting the Deep State."

Are you fucking kidding me?

Isn't that a bit like praising Charles Manson for his excellent management skills? I mean, come on dude. I'm sorry, I just don't get it. I don't want to get it.

The thing I don't get here is this guy has no concept of freedom, of self-determination or sovereignty or even that the Ukrainians had a right to not be invaded in the first place.

Why are we trying to protect Ukraine? Because the Russians themselves have said this isn't about Ukraine, it's about upending the global order that the United States and Western Allies created in the first place. They want to destroy Ukraine because they want to destroy America too.

Of course this idiot really does understand that. He just wants America to be destroyed because the majority of it doesn't align with his shitty politics.

Americans...especially conservatives...should goddamned well understand that Vladimir Putin, KGB Agent, is not their friend. I don't give a damn if you don't like the government. I grew up around people that didn't like the government much and could be rather paranoid about it, and for a number of years didn't like it that much myself (A circumstance that my military service did not actually improve.)

But, That doesn't mean you start idolizing foreign leaders, especially foreign leaders who've dedicated their lives explicitly to the destruction of America and who've openly said they seek to avenge the Fall of the Soviet Union. At the end of the day, you're either an American or you're not. You don't get to switch sides just because some washed-up Commie's authoritarian talk gives you a boner.

I know I keep pounding on this, but Russian troops in Ukraine have been flying the Hammer And Sickle. 

You know, the flag of the Soviet Union, which none other than Ronald Reagan referred to as "The Evil Empire."

Like I said, Reagan Wept.

And the guy who gave the order that this flag be flown is actively bringing back the bad old days of the Soviet Union while threatening nuclear war...and, excuse me, "Conservatives" are the ones saying "Well, maybe dude has a point?"

Again, you're either an American or you're not. According to what I was taught, betting against the home team on this one doesn't make you cool or edgy or show that you possess hidden knowledge, it makes you a traitor fit only to be run out of America on a fucking rail.

And yet, there's a certain species of "Conservative" these days that absolutely cannot stop fangirling Vladimir Goddamn Motherfucking Putin, late of the KGB. Again, that's three letters that These Fucking People thought could conjure up demons 40 years ago.

According to what I heard, we tracked these hypersonic missiles that this dude is ejaculating all over himself about from launch aircraft to impact point, and they missed their target and hit a chicken farm.

Is that a missile in your pants, Clint, or are you happy to see Vladimir Putin today?

Meanwhile, I saw this video earlier, F-16's refueling from a KC-135 tanker over Romania. In the video you can see they're carrying Slammer (AIM-120 AMRAAM) missiles and drop tanks, including having Slammers rather than the smaller point-defense AIM-9 Sidewinders on the wingtip rails, so somebody's expecting beyond-visual-range air-to-air combat soon. Normally for air-defense intercepts you want close-in weapons because you want to make a visual ID and radio contact, and then escort a potentially hostile aircraft out of friendly airspace. Yes, that's how this normally works.

Where you see it differently is no fly zones like we had in Bosnia or Iraq. Or when we're expecting air-to-air action, which is not actually a common occurrence.

If these fighters are bombed up that way, it's clearly past time for talking and somebody somewhere knows it. 

This could get real serious, real fast. I cannot, I mean, cannot stress that enough here.

And Republicans are gunning for being on the other team this time and want everybody to know that, too. In fact, they can't wait to tell us they're on the other team and tell us how scared of all that we should be.

Well I'm not. Fuck you, Republicans.

War is a serious business, but if you cannot control your fear, you're going to lose. You cannot be brave selectively. It's just that simple. You cannot be afraid all the time, and then just turn that shit off when it becomes inconvenient. The truth of what you are will out, one way or another, eventually.

Seriously, Republicans, the side you guys are picking is losing so many soldiers that now they're actively trying to hide the fact of their losses from their own people and from the craven, cooperative neighbors. Are you really sure you wanna do this?

And Republicans answer that "Of course they do."

Why? Because freedom is "Confusing." Or at least, Marsha Blackburn thinks so.

Whether it's women having the freedom to have control over their own bodies, the freedom of a couple to use birth control or condoms and delay having kids or just not have them at all. Or for that matter, the freedom of cultural, racial, or sexual minorities to be themselves, or of different kinds of conservatives or liberals to have differing political and social opinions and views.

Court decisions like Roe Vs. Wade or Griswold Vs. Connecticut aren't really about sex, except in the particulars. What it's really about is freedom of choice and individual rights, which modern "Conservatives" detest. At least, for other people.

These fucking people think it would be so much better if they had an autocratic "Strong Leader" to just tell them what do do, tell them who they could fuck or how they could fuck them or who can have kids or not or who's who and what's where in some kind of racial or social hierarchy. And all the worse, too often they think that none of the bad shit from all this is going to apply to them. Marsha, you ain't got a dick. In your own perfect world, you'd be nobody and no one outside your neighborhood would know who the fuck your dumb ass even was.

And what's worse, is that these goddamned fools want this bullshit so bad, that they're willing to align themselves with the side that's flying the very same flag that was in all respects the symbol of everything These Fucking People were against! 

Republicans are so against self-determination that they'd allow themselves to be conquered and give up their own.

The Russians aren't flying that flag just to troll people. They're flying the Hammer And Sickle because that's who Vladimir Goddamned Putin is, as a person, and that's what he stands for and he wants everybody to know it and to know that as long as he's in power that's what Russia stands for too.

And from what I hear, the undercurrent of Sovietization that's recently become a Red Tide isn't actually a new thing, this has been going on for awhile under the radar.

And it's funny how the paranoid delusion crowd that saw Commies in every dark corner and under every bed and in every government post 60 years ago is just fine with that right about now.

It's almost like it was all bullshit, all along. Oh, no, that's wrong.

It is that. It's exactly that. Or the alternative is worse.

The alternative being that it was always really all good, and that for at least some of these motherfuckers it was all Kabuki dance the whole time. But now that the neo-Soviets have dropped all pretense of "Leftism" or even caring about The People or the rights, self-determination, or Will thereof, the Republicans can put all that shit behind them and embrace the New Soviet Man as a Comrade in the cause of authoritarianism, and none other.

So which is it? But be careful what you wish for, "Conservatives."

If the Russians or Neo-Soviets or whatever they are now are allowed to, on the most spurious grounds, decide that Ukraine (an internationally recognized sovereign state since 1991, and a culture and nation that predates Russia itself) isn't a real country, then they could do the same with any other, including any European country or even Canada or the United States. 

And the point of this violent Russian ethno-Nationalism is that by definition, you ain't Russian.

And that's what we're fighting against. You cannot align with or reason with or live with people who don't think you have a right to exist, and all Collaboration will get you is the hatred of both the enemy and your fellows. "Stained" doesn't even begin to cover what these motherfuckers should be considered at this point. Paint 'em Red.

A "Conservative" at this point should probably be defined as "A person who likes the taste of boot-leather."

Either you believe in freedom or you don't.

It's a time for choosing, if there ever was.

Pick a side. But be aware, there will be consequences.

Слава Україна!

There will be no curiosity, no enjoyment of the process of life. All competing pleasures will be destroyed. But always — do not forget this, Winston — always there will be the intoxication of power, constantly increasing and constantly growing subtler. Always, at every moment, there will be the thrill of victory, the sensation of trampling on an enemy who is helpless. If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face — forever. ~George Orwell, 1984.

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