RESIST FACISM

 MORNING THOUGHTS

One almost has to admire their cunning. Since Newt Gingrich showed them how, they have convinced enough Americans, including the young, that it is It is acceptable to:

Dishonor the dead,

Dishonor the veteran,

Dishonor the physically challenged,

Dishonor the female,

Dishonor persons of color, and

Disrespect the words of the Galilean on the Mount.

Can we even imagine an America fueled by youth indoctrinated so? It’s taken only 80 years to go from the band of brothers to the band of brigands.

DEFEAT FASCSIM

 Journal of a Left-Wing Radical: No confirms yesterday.

That’s a full week in which we added no victims to HC’s imaginary pizza parlor basement. Oh well. We did win the “Battle of the obstinate tractor seat” on B's tractor. The damned thing wouldn't slide up and down and she couldn't push the clutch all the way in.

It was our third day in which to work on it to no avail

In this post-factual age, we could have used the MAGA Technique, named after the president who hates me. That would be simply to say, “It works,” and "voilà." Fox news would have proclaimed that it worked better than any tractor seat had ever worked in history. But we would have had to strap clogs to her feat. She said, “No.”

She didn’t actually say it that way, so we persisted until victory. All it took was a bit of extra profanity, a lot of WD 40, and some muscle power.

I plan to return to the path of treachery today. Gonna create some sawdust making Christmas presents. Look out you decent people. I’m coming for you.

THOUGHTS ARE FREE

 Just finished “The Ship That Wouldn't Die: The Saga of the USS Neosho- A World War II Story of Courage and Survival at Sea” by Don Keith. What a story of a brave ship, not a massive warship or aircraft carrier, but a workaday oiler attacked by two squadrons of aircraft but who kept herself afloat for four days until rescue arrived.

It is such a thrill to know my beloved U.S. Navy produced such ships and men. If you have never served, you have no idea how disheartening today’s America has become. I'm sure that that the shipmates, men and women, who serve her now want to carry on the tradition.

The top of the Chain of Command, however, is rotten, and I fear that the rot will begin to seep below decks. 

I have no control over our government. But I have the Oath, music, literature, memories, and a wonderful life to make me keep smiling. Oh yes, there is a life-partner whose father fought fascists through France, Belgium and Germany. We have his Combat Infantry Badge and Purple Heart, … and I have a DD 214.

Life is good because thoughts are free.

Salute a brave ship for today.

USS NEOSHO (AO 23)

DEFEAT FASCISM

 It appears that people who love America are in for some rough times. A missive (Project 2025) written for a dictator in exile is now the operating manual for our country. (Yes, the similarities are devastatingly terrifying.) Will these times make us hate America the way our current leaders do? They don't have to. Let us consider other groups that have lived through hard times. There are several.

One includes our African American brothers and sisters. They descend from those who suffered the unimaginable effects of raw slavery here from 1619 until 1865, and economic slavery until now.

Do they hate America?

No, they have served honorably in every one of our wars since the one that freed them.

They have contributed to every aspect of story of America's greatness, including science, work, service, art, literature, and sports almost always without the recognition afforded their Caucasian kin.

Role models exist for us as the darkness descends. Let us draw strength from their bravery.