I know some of you folks out there will find this hard to believe: I’m not prepared to die because some pseudo-religious crap artist asks that folks like me sacrifice ourselves for the good of our grandchildren aka The Stock Market. Tuchas am der tisch. That’s what it is - The Stock Market. If I had paid more attention to it, would I be asking myself, what’s the dollar value of a human life? Slaves had a dollar sign on them, but me? I got no sign. Somehow (I know it’s a stretch), I am led to the core belief that my grandchildren would rather have me making stupid faces than a little, round piece of metal, a trinket “filled with sound and fury, signifying nothing.” My Uncle Josh used to give us silver dollars at passover, but it was the fact that they came from a wonderful uncle that really gave those dollars value. I should step aside so the economy gets better? For whom? I should step aside, why? To leave this world to the Hollow Men, the hucksters, hypocrites, liars, and damn fools with the vision of gnats? To leave this world to those who have the rest of their lives to enjoy it? Of course, I am a doting grandfather. Of course, I want a better world for my children’s children.. Of course, the economy is important. Still, in time. In time. But not when I am told. And not for blood money.
Actually, these days I’m in a constant state of wonderment. I continue to be astonished by the cruelty and mendacity smack in our faces day and night, by mean-spirited politicians and their ill informed constituents, by lies passed on as truth, by religions that hate. It’s all as insidious to our society as covid-19, and might just kill you in the meantime. In my Hollywood days I was quite friendly with a veteran studio chief. I’m still not sure how and why, but we really enjoyed each other, although he never hired me to write a damn thing. He was incredibly smart and quick, a legend, but also an admitted thug. At least, to me. One morning I’m in his office when the door bangs open and a producer in a volcanic shit-fit barges in screaming, “Goddamnit, Frank, yesterday you told me such and such. Today I find out it’s just the opposite. What the hell’s going on?” My friend, the studio chief, calmly looked at the guy and spoke in an even voice, “I lied. So what? What’re you gonna do about it?” I was stunned by the audacity it took to say such a thing, yet my friend didn’t blink, didn’t change his expression. His eyes had become steel. I prayed for that audacity, but it just wasn’t me. I’ve said some cruel things, witnessed others, but something that brazen, that nasty was king of the hill. In today’s world, it seems bland by comparison.
I realize Jamie and I are fortunate compared to so many others. We don’t need to report to work; we don’t depend on a paycheck; we live in a rural valley. Nonetheless, I can understand the fears of so many working people. I’ve worked and hunted with them most of my life. I’m not them, but I know them. It must be terrifying to have your income obliterated overnight and your family threatened by no crimes of your own. It must be terrifying to look at your children, to look at your spouse, to look at your dog that needs a tick collar, and the roof which may have sprung a leak, and have no idea what’s next? I get it. Sheer terror. Been there. I understand how important our economy is both domestic and internationally, and how we need to start up again as soon as possible albeit with safety protocols in place. I even understand the mentality of the “Boogaloo Boise” and their ilk - the Posse Comitatus folks, the militias, sovereign rights proponents, gun fanatics - while vehemently disagreeing with them up and down the whole damn board. Fine people on both sides? Two sides to everything? There are not two sides to everything, not two sides to slavery, not two sides to the Holocaust, not two sides to shooting bear cubs in their den, not two sides to lynchings, and what about those tin soldiers who storm government buildings and flaunt laws. What’s their side again?
But, the people I really don’t understand are all the government officials and retired military who took a sacred oath to serve our country then proceed to act as if they never took that oath at all. How could these men and women ignore the testimonies of seasoned intelligence officials, of credentialed scientists, of bonafide experts, educated men and women, and accept without question the prosperity gospel preached by that trifle of a woman who is Trump’s spiritual advisor? Trump’s spiritual advisor? How do you say that without gagging? I am astonished that these people can look at themselves in the mirror. What protects them from knowing what they are? You cannot swear to defend our country against all enemies foreign and domestic then brush off Russia’s successful cyber attack. Where was our response? Where was the counter attack? Miller. Kudlow. Mnuchin. Meadows. Pompeo. West Point graduate. Top of his class. So what? Who is he now? A man whom I knew well was an evangelical Christian. Lots of church, Bible studies, and potluck dinners. He’s a good, kind man who helps out many people on our mountaintop. Over the years we’ve sat on the porch and talked a lot. Once I brought up the Sermon on the Mount. My friend had no idea what I was talking about. What? Never heard of it? His pastor never talked about it, either. The very words of Christ! How do you not know them?
And now we’re asked to be warriors? Asked by a spoiled brat whose daddy financed four fake deferments? How dare he, and how witless to believe him? When asked what he did during the war, this guy joked and said, “I spent the war avoiding syphilis.” Said by someone who trashed men like Captain Khan who walked into fire and literally gave his life to save his men, like the Guatemalan immigrant who joined the Marines for his citizenship and became the first American killed in Bush’s war, like the pilot named McCain who was shot down and spent six years as a POW, “I like people that weren’t captured.” Good God, could anyone be a bigger asshole? According to our American creed, trashing our military is akin to blasphemy. Anybody out there remember,”Support Our Troops”? I am aghast at people who still support him. Where are Mattis, McMasters, Kelly, Dunphy, Mueller - all Generals but Mueller, and he an officer and decorated Marine - all decorated warriors, men who vowed to protect our nation.You’re retired. Safe. So, where are you? Lt.Col Vindeman stood up. So did Admiral McRaven, Navy SEALS Chief of Operations who oversaw the Bin Laden raid. When Trump, out of pure spite, stripped the security clearance from a key official, a colleague of McRaven’s, McRaven went right up in Trump’s face. “Take mine, too,” he said, said it loud and clear. No mistaking. “Take mine, too.” Where are the rest of you? He had the belief and guts to stand by his principles. Why don’t you? Who gives a shit about the chain of command? This is a war for the soul of our nation. When your life is at stake you don’t fret protocol. You do your duty. You do what you were trained to do: protect our country.
I was once ready to die for my country, our country, not that I gave it a whole lot of thought, but when you’re a Marine it comes with the territory. You sign up. You survive PI. You really don’t think about it. If you died you died a hero. I was young then and didn’t know any better, before I learned that poor men fought rich men’s wars. Now, I do know better, although I can still imagine being willing to die for something. However, rest assured, your wallet is not one of them. You are not good people. You talk a good game about God and heroes, and spout noble beliefs, but you are not good people. You gut our creed and eviscerate our institutions. You send young men into combat without proper equipment. You scam the rest of us. And those of you who continue to support him? Do you hate our country that much? Why do you want to take it apart? Isn’t that what Lenin wanted? Tear down the state? Just for the helluva of it? Hey, remember this one? ”Love it or leave it”? Suggestion: take your own advice. Go! Make your own rules somewhere else, but take your hands off mine.
Want to give up your social security, your medicare, your disability insurance, your justice system, fair wages, decent prices at the pump, clean air, safe meat, highways without potholes, water without lead, rescues at sea? Want international ocean shipping lanes under control? Want airlines to follow safety rules? Want children trafficked without a chance of escape until they die? Want counterfeiters to make all the fake twenties they can until they run out of ink? Want drunk drivers to keep on driving? How could one despicable liar of a human being wreak so much damage so quickly on our way of life, a man brazen in his nepotism, flaunter of emoluments, leaker of intel, grabber of pussies, kiss-ass with murderers, proud of his ignorance, fat with a foolish hairdo, gauche and classless? This is the real plague, and no vaccine in sight.
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