Having taken a short hiatus I do feel a little distant from current events. It's a good thing. I feel like I'm just coasting along, disengaged from the drama. The news goes on however, and I am beginning to hear that drone. As I sit here typing away I am offering retorts in my mind. Some things just never change I guess, especially the foolishness of some people. The troubling part, and the part that draws me in, is when this dribble comes from what are supposed to be informed, intelligent people. The main stream media. I can't help but shake my head at times and wonder about that. I get the whole ratings thing, we have to pay the bills, but the slanting of world news and domestic policy just irritates me. It has just become such a blatant thing.
Another aspect in all this I find troubling and amusing is all that feigned outrage. Every reaction has to be to the extreme. For instance, the other day at Walter Reed hospital there was a drill. Walter Reed is a Army hospital after all, and that is part of what the Army does, hold drills, there was a bit of a snafu. For the uninitiated the acronym SNAFU means, situation normal, all fouled up, some substitute a more, shall we say robust term in place of foul. The problem? It was a drill but it wasn't announced as a drill. While the drill was in progress it was being reported on the news as an " active shooter " is in Walter Reed hospital, details to follow. I'm immediately annoyed by that term anyway, active shooter. What does that imply? That there are shooters there and one is now active? Are there inactive shooters? And if there are, what can we do about that? But I'm getting off subject a bit. Procedure was followed, the lights were turned off in the hallways, doors closed and locked. People were told to shelter in place. It just so happened that Dutch Ruppersberger, a congressman from Maryland, yes he is a Democrat, was at the hospital at the time. He was among those that was in a room where the door was barricaded and it was scary! Later, Dutch is on the evening news saying he is demanding an investigation, he demands answers! How could this happen? People could have been hurt, some folks have been traumatized and require counseling. Hey Dutch, want to know how it happened? Some GI screwed up is how it happened. Don't really need an investigation do we? But to hear him tell it, it was a major breach of some kind. But that is how we must react to anything that doesn't go as planned, or that proves to be inconvenient. And anything that may be upsetting, OMG, that is to be avoided at all costs. Mustn't disturb the unicorns and fairies!
On the national level I am uninformed. I heard something about using tear gas at the border, sounded reasonable enough to me. Hey I remember Kent State when kids, US citizens, began attacking the National Guard by throwing rocks, bricks, and anything else they could get their hands on. Several wound up shot! A tragic bit of history to be sure, but I wasn't surprised by it when it happened and remain unsurprised. Throw stuff at armed people, threaten their safety and guess what? Yes, it happens. Keep it up at the border and it will happen there too. I'm not advocating for that measure to be taken just predicting a result based on history and common sense. I also hear some folks don't like the Christmas trees at the White house. LOL, it's a national tragedy.
Well the vacation is over and I'm easing myself back into the world. It is tempting to remain isolated and just tune it all out. It isn't that I feel like I can make a difference or anything, I'm not that vain. Still I do feel a certain obligation to at least comment and add my thoughts to the conversation. It is like I always say, it you don't vote, you can't complain. If you don't offer solutions, advice, or comments you aren't participating. I do feel the need to participate. Hey, who knows, these days I might even get a trophy for it!
Another aspect in all this I find troubling and amusing is all that feigned outrage. Every reaction has to be to the extreme. For instance, the other day at Walter Reed hospital there was a drill. Walter Reed is a Army hospital after all, and that is part of what the Army does, hold drills, there was a bit of a snafu. For the uninitiated the acronym SNAFU means, situation normal, all fouled up, some substitute a more, shall we say robust term in place of foul. The problem? It was a drill but it wasn't announced as a drill. While the drill was in progress it was being reported on the news as an " active shooter " is in Walter Reed hospital, details to follow. I'm immediately annoyed by that term anyway, active shooter. What does that imply? That there are shooters there and one is now active? Are there inactive shooters? And if there are, what can we do about that? But I'm getting off subject a bit. Procedure was followed, the lights were turned off in the hallways, doors closed and locked. People were told to shelter in place. It just so happened that Dutch Ruppersberger, a congressman from Maryland, yes he is a Democrat, was at the hospital at the time. He was among those that was in a room where the door was barricaded and it was scary! Later, Dutch is on the evening news saying he is demanding an investigation, he demands answers! How could this happen? People could have been hurt, some folks have been traumatized and require counseling. Hey Dutch, want to know how it happened? Some GI screwed up is how it happened. Don't really need an investigation do we? But to hear him tell it, it was a major breach of some kind. But that is how we must react to anything that doesn't go as planned, or that proves to be inconvenient. And anything that may be upsetting, OMG, that is to be avoided at all costs. Mustn't disturb the unicorns and fairies!
On the national level I am uninformed. I heard something about using tear gas at the border, sounded reasonable enough to me. Hey I remember Kent State when kids, US citizens, began attacking the National Guard by throwing rocks, bricks, and anything else they could get their hands on. Several wound up shot! A tragic bit of history to be sure, but I wasn't surprised by it when it happened and remain unsurprised. Throw stuff at armed people, threaten their safety and guess what? Yes, it happens. Keep it up at the border and it will happen there too. I'm not advocating for that measure to be taken just predicting a result based on history and common sense. I also hear some folks don't like the Christmas trees at the White house. LOL, it's a national tragedy.
Well the vacation is over and I'm easing myself back into the world. It is tempting to remain isolated and just tune it all out. It isn't that I feel like I can make a difference or anything, I'm not that vain. Still I do feel a certain obligation to at least comment and add my thoughts to the conversation. It is like I always say, it you don't vote, you can't complain. If you don't offer solutions, advice, or comments you aren't participating. I do feel the need to participate. Hey, who knows, these days I might even get a trophy for it!
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