For the last few days, I have continued to post light-hearted items about movies, TV shows, and other lifestyle stuff, along with some Pictures Of The Day. My thinking was that, with all the horrible stories in the news, we needed some pleasant distractions. Oddly, when we were dealing with a pandemic that has killed over a hundred thousand Americans, causing forty million people to lose their jobs, and financial hardship befalling many more, those distractions seemed fine.
But not right now.
I had more such items scheduled to post on this site today, but I just can’t. The images dominating TV newscasts, social media, and traditional media are too overwhelming, too sad, and too upsetting. The only recent event that brought a smile to my face was the launch Saturday and docking Sunday of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon as it carried two NASA astronauts from the Kennedy Space Center to the International Space Station.
The leadership void in the USA has never been more apparent, and the silence of those whose only interest is maintaining power is sickening. How can any authority figure rail about law and order when it is members of law enforcement who are killing people in the street and their homes, firing rubber bullets and tear gas at close range into groups of citizens peaceably assembled, and targeting journalists covering their actions?
The media continues to be obsessed with the small-minded utterings of the Liar-In-Chief while ignoring the caring, empathetic remarks of his opponent. The notion of growing racial tension is continually promoted as footage of nighttime looting is played on a loop, while the presence of tens of thousands of people of all races at peaceful rallies that take place in daylight across the nation is all but ignored. Who needs outside agitators to exploit our divisions when the insiders do it so well?
By the way, take note of the many peaceful protests taking place in smaller cities — Portland, Maine / Lubbock, Texas / Pendleton, Oregon / Bozeman, Montana / Harrisonburg, Virginia / Islip, New York — some drawing crowds in the thousands. Bet you didn’t see those localities on whichever news source you consume.
If you’re a regular reader of this site or listened to my radio show over the years, you know that I’m rarely speechless and seldom hesitate to offer my opinions.
But not right now.
I am going to remain silent for awhile because I simply don’t have anything to add. I can’t offer any solutions, let alone anything witty or funny or clever to share.
So, I’m going to do what George Floyd can’t: take a breath.
At some point — it may be a couple of days, it may be longer — I’ll resume writing and posting items that are both serious and silly that may interest you or serve as a nice distraction from the realities of this world.
But not right now.