Three Trails to Tyranny
The Handmaid's Tale or an Inquisition?
For your Sunday morning reflection. I offer three short clips that are among the great HORRORS of this administration and the Republican efforts to dismantle environmental protections, facilitate a theocracy, and distribute MORE wealth to the ultra rich. First, a short story.
I have shared with you my garden stories. Working the Earth for food at our Community Garden is satisfying on many levels. We get to eat well. We get to share the harvest. Every year I learn something new about various crops. We win some, lose some. I just keep planting. Asparagus, beans, garlic, lettuce, squash and more. Critters and bugs eat some of it. I just keep planting more.
Yesterday I spoke with the mother of a friend who has a plot near ours. She was watering his beautiful plot while he was away on an extended hiking vacation in Canada.
“He told you what happened to him, didn’t he?”
No, what happened?
”He works for the EPA. For two years he has been working on a research paper that was to be included in new legislation. It appeared that the bill was about to pass in Congress. His team at the EPA sent champagne to his home to celebrate.”
That’s great!
”Not really. His whole team was fired. All of them. He was offered a buyout plan that required him to reverse what his two years of research had concluded. He was to lie and get paid as he was being shown the door.”
Welcome to the NEW DARK AGES of America.
Welcome to the AMERICAN TALIBAN.
Enriching the Rich while killing the Poor.
So there you have what Republicans seek. Profits over the protection of our small planet. A nation where women “submit” to men and Christianity is the National Religion. And a country where a handful of people have more wealth than 50% of the rest of us.
This is scientifically stupid. This is morally reprehensible. This is obscene.
I worked for the EPA in the 90s. It was very, very difficult to get anything done. Many internal political fiefdoms and bureaucrats hindered the work. That was when it was operating in good times. With tRUmp in office, it will be completely dormant. Sending my regret to the world and all the kids and future kids to be born on this planet.
Wow! Thanks Bill! A frightening group of videos... ! I knew/know about these movements but the extent and mainstreaming of these ideas (the Christian Nationalist one especially) hits hard.
I loved that you started off with your own story and the anecdote about your neighbors son and it makes me cry..
Keep writing and gardening and keeping us informed..