Saturday, October 20, 2018

These Are Not Normal Times



These Are Not Normal Times

     I have written this blog for over ten years.  I have written about dogs, about seasons, about books and always with an eye towards lifting up, towards celebration and beauty, towards Love.  If these were normal times, I would happily be writing about those things once a week at least, just as I have in the past, for they are just as important as ever.  These are not, however, normal times.

     Jamal Khashoggi was a journalist for the Washington Post, a permanent resident of the United States who fled Saudi Arabia in 2015.  He criticized the Saudi government for many things, particularly the bombs they are dropping on the people of Yemen.  On October 2nd he was seen on CCTV entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to obtain documents related to his planned marriage.  He was soon followed by a fifteen member Saudi hit squad who dismembered him with a bone saw while he was still alive.  His Apple watch recorded the whole thing.  This was his punishment for criticizing the government.

    The night after this report came out our “president” held another one of his “rallies”, this time in the state of Montana.  Before his cheering, red-hatted crowd he praised the Montana congressman who is running for re-election, for assaulting a reporter, calling the congressman “my kind of guy”.  He now calls the Saudi government’s explanation of Mr. Khashoggi’s murder “credible”.  That explanation?  That the reporter died in a “fist fight” during an interrogation.  (Who brings a bone saw to a fist fight?)

     Evangelical leader, Pat Robertson, tells his followers (please note I say “his” followers, not followers of Christ) that he agrees with the president.  “We can’t risk a 100 billion dollar arms deal”, he tells us.  Because really, there’s nothing more Christian than selling billions of dollars worth of arms to a fundamentalist Islamic government, is there?

     This is not the America I grew up in.  When the president of the United States refuses to stand against totalitarian regimes, when he “loves” the North Korean dictator, and practically worships the Russian one, while all the while he denigrates and insults our allies,  calls the press the "enemy of the people" and any news that does not flatter him "fake", we  no longer have a leadership that respects American values or even knows what they are.  When so-called Christian leaders stand shoulder to shoulder with this despicable man, we have lost any semblance of moral leadership.  This man and his actions should be repudiated and condemned from every pulpit in the country tomorrow morning.

    We have a chance, a chance, to stop the bleeding of our once respected country and that is on November 6th.  I will be voting a straight Democratic ticket this year.  I cannot respect any Republican candidate, or any Republican, who stands for what that party represents today.  I refuse to relegate a great America to a memory.  I refuse to lay my values at the feet of greed, mendacity and evil.  If you feel the same, I ask you to please vote on November 6th.  Please.   

     If this is not the sort of post you would normally expect to find here, so be it. As I said at the outset:  These are not normal times.


39 comments:

  1. Yes, yes, and a million yeses and me too. Thank you.

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  2. Well said! Hope your compatriots are listening.

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  3. Thank you for this post. My thoughts are exactly in keeping with yours.

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  4. I echo Kathy B when I thank you for speaking. This may be the most important election in our nations's history.

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  5. It is about the only thing we can do Pamela. I'm a worrier and like you, this is the worst of times for our America. Donna@gatheratthefarm

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  6. I agree with you. I will be voting. All my children will be voting. I hope the American people, especially the young one, will be voting.

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  7. Absolutely spot on. You nailed it. Every new piece of news breaks my heart. I'm already a Democrat, and I'll be voting completely blue on November 6th. But I appreciate how well you articulated all of this.

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  8. You give me heart. If I lived in America I'd be there too... This man is vain,venal,vicious and totally lacking in any feelings that he should represent all American people. Empathy, kindness and goodness is not in his make-up.

    I really am grateful that we have compulsory voting.

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  9. Thank you for urging all of us to be a part of the help America needs. I agree with all you have said. In addition: in the State of Georgia please vote Yes for equal rights for victims of crime. The law we have now is better than most, if it were implemented. As a victim of abuse, I can assure you in the last fifteen months my attacker has not even plead to the crime, and I have no idea where they are. I am not advised on the status of the case. Please help send this message to the Court System by voting yes on amendment Four.

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  10. Vote as if our Democracy depends on it - because it does!

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  11. SO well said - I couldn't have said it better! As far as I'm concerned this whole disaster of trump is at their feet. If trump's mouth is moving - he's lying. BUT not about shooting someone on Fifth Avenue - who knew at the time that he was absolutely right. I look at the flag flying on my house and get tears in my eyes . . . will we ever be the same? I'm afraid of the answer . . .

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  12. I do agree Pamela and I’m glad you wrote this post! Thank you!

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  13. I do agree with you Pamela! I’m glad you wrote this post!

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  14. I live in a state so totally RED that it would blind a bull.
    I vote every time. against everything they stand for and shout about.
    at least I know I have voted my heart. maybe someday it will make a difference. the "president" got elected because enough people apparently believe the swill that spews from his mouth.
    you have courage. and yes. these are not normal times. I hope I have the personal courage it will take if he and his kind finally rule this land the way they want to. God help us all.

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  15. I couldn't agree with you more, and thanks for having the courage to say it.

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  16. I could not have stated my feeling any better. Thank you. Ever since the despicable Supreme Court's new member (I will not speak his name) was rammed through the Senate, I have not posted to my blog. I had hoped that women would be considered to have value in our Democracy. But we still are not believed or valued. I have already voted. And I will continue to rail against the rape of our government by men who I consider to be traitors. Hopefully, with this election we will commence on the long road of rebuilding our democracy, our reputation among nations, our judicial system and all of the cherished institutions where trump's (small t) destruction has wrought havoc. May God be with us.

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  17. As an Australian I can only hope that the American people heed these words for his influence is like octopus tentacles .... only an octopus is more intelligent.

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  18. While I would usually prefer a blog about dogs or beauty as you say these are strange times and this needed to be said. Thank you.

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    1. Peter,
      I would much prefer to be writing about dogs or beauty.
      It's just impossible to ignore what's going on.
      xx
      Pamela

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  19. Pamela,
    I pray every day for reason and a return to the moral values most of our politicians used to reflect. It is beyond my understanding how anyone can stand behind the dispicable person we currently have in the white house. Thank you for your voice, I alwasy feel a certain amount of comfort hearing your thoughtful and articulate way of expressing what is going on.
    xo,
    Karen

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  20. I'm in total agreement...Thank you!

    Renee

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  21. I read your post on Instagram, and now I have read it once again. Thank you for writing this and hopefully moving some people to vote with the Democrats. My husband and I have always considered ourselves independent voters, but this has moved us to become Democrats. Thank you, once again, for your heartfelt post.

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  22. So well stated! Thank you for your courage in speaking the truth. I will be voting and so will every member of my family.... all BLUE!!! (And my husband is a FORMER republican.)

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  23. Thank you..I agree..and I am very lucky to live in the Netherlands..

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  24. I could not agree more. My husband and I have both sent in our absentee ballots and have been encouraging everyone to VOTE BLUE this year.

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  25. And since you wrote this oh so necessary post, we have had bombs in the mail to our Democratic leaders as well as to others who have dared to oppose or disagree or criticize and tell the truth, and today we have had a mass killing in a synagogue in Pittsburgh.
    And the response from him is just awful, and the silence from our other elected leaders is deafening. We must vote and hopefully prevail. Thank you for your truth and courage.

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  26. I enjoyed reading your post however being an American, I truly feel that both the Democrats and Republicans have short changed us in this country. As a note to that, I hate paying excess taxes just because I happen to be in a different tax bracket . We all need to be treated equally. I currently have two residences in Turkey and commend President Erdogan on calling out the Saudis and their cover up of this horrendous crime.

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  27. I voted early - straight Democratic ticket.

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  28. VOTING BLUE all the way. Grandson who just turned 18 us going with me.

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  29. Thank you for your lovely writing and important commentary. I am not a subscriber but I am a regular reader. I know that we share a love of dogs, books and Britain. I am proud that we also share a love of humanity and a hope that our country will find its way back to that.

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  30. Thank you for your post. While times like these make me want to run away to a tropical island and escape the insanity, this is my country and I will fight the only way I can, with my ballot! #voteblue!

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  31. I totally agree with you. And yes, I also voted a straight democratic ticket. There really was no other choice.

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  32. Happy First Birthday Andrew! You are going to love the Holiday Season, because sometimes yummy crumbs accidentally fall on the floor. And there will be many people coming to your house to visit you and Apple! We have enjoyed being a part of your very first year!

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I love to read your comments! Each and every one! Though I'm always reading your comments, I may not respond in the comment section. If you want to write me directly, you may do so at pamela@pamelaterry.net. Thank you for reading!