Alleluia, the Great Storm is over!
Alleluia! The great storm is over! Lift up your wings and fly!
Alleluia! The great storm is over! Lift up your wings and fly!
Bob Franke wrote this song to celebrate a diagnosis of his daughter’s orthopedic illness. I don’t have the full story, but his daughter was essentially crippled, requiring nightly muscle massages, with little hope for her future. Upon a definitive diagnosis, the relief and hope for the future came forth in this moving song. Bob did not yet know how much his daughter would recover, he just knew the worst was over, there was hope.
So – is our great storm over?
First, understand that there are actually many storms. And sometimes what you think is the end of the storm may only be the eye of the hurricane passing over you.
I’ve lived through the storm of the Vietnam War, and the equal rights protests of the 1960’s and 70’s. I sat with friends in graduate school and watched Nixon board the helicopter that took him away after his resignation. On a vacation with my family, spending quality time with my two children, I heard of the children murdered at Columbine High School.
So many storms. Some of these specific storms are over, but there will be others.
The storm of 2017-2021
Election night, November, 2016, is hard to forget. I soon wrote a letter to my past colleagues in the chip design community, many of them from other nations, telling them how sorry I was about America’s failure on election day to reject #45.
I recently wrote another letter to my past colleagues and people in the larger progressive community thanking them for turning out on election day to reject #45. I ended that letter with a “don’t let the door hit you on the ass on your way out” summary of #45’s failures. That letter was written way too soon!
It is no longer appropriate to just let the door swing shut after #45 leaves. It is now time to slam that door on #45 himself and everything he and his minions stand for! And those doors should have bars, locks and clang loudly.
How F…ing dare you!!
#45 was elected in 2016 by the distortions of the Electoral College upon the popular vote. This is an artifact of our original constitution, written into the bedrock of our nation by a combination of the poor transportation and communication resources of the late 18th century, fear of the popular vote on the part of the all-white, all-male, all-wealthy, all-land-owning framers of the constitution, and compromises between northern and southern states made to protect slavery.
In 2016, Democrats, liberals, and progressives all accepted the Electoral College result. Not happily, but we live and work within the constitution that we have.
Now in 2020, #45 lost both the popular vote and the Electoral College vote. What did he do then? He cried, lied, schemed, sued, bullied, ranted, fomented and incited a treasonous assault by a mob on the sitting Congress, which was then engaged in the counting of the Electoral College votes that rejected his administration.
#45 has exceeded my lowest expectations time and time again.
To the mob that marched on the Capitol: you said that the Capitol was your house, that you were retaking your house. Have you read the Constitution? Do you understand the powers, and especially the separation of the powers, of the three branches of government? In 2000, the SCOTUS rulings resulted in George Bush “Jr” being declared the winner. Again many of us were not happy, many of us felt this was a poor ruling that would be questioned in later years, but we accepted the ruling, as it was consistent with the Constitution.
#45’s lawyers, led by the increasingly pathetic Rudy Giuliani, have filed about 60 challenges of various election results in four key states. The manner in which elections are carried out is largely left to each state. This is one of the states’ rights that conservatives are usually so worried about protecting from the federal government and pesky liberals seeking justice. So when a lawyer or politician who doesn’t even live in Pennsylvania or Georgia challenges the vote results, as certified by the state government of Pennsylvania or Georgia, they are attacking a state right. Will they now call for snow in hell?
Watch who you challenge!
The mob that invaded Congress felt empowered and privileged. In their very small world experience, everyone knew they were within their rights.
Well, y’all ain’t in Kansas any more!!
The majority of voters are disgusted with #45 and his minions. That is why #45 lost the election. Just over four years ago, #45 bragged that he could shoot someone in the middle of the street, in full view, and his supporters would still love him. He was sort of right. Many of his true supporters do still support him. But the vast majority of the public saw him commit an undeniably mortal sin. #45 never had much of a soul. Now he doesn’t have much of a legacy either, other than as America’s absolute worst president.
The Don’t tread on me! flag doesn’t belong to the far right. It belongs to America, the America that believes in democracy, that claims ever vote counts, every citizen has the right to vote. We aren’t perfect in living up to these ideals. But we sure as hell won’t let political scum pull us down!
So, don’t tread on us.
Finale
How does this storm end?
The saying used to be that the revolution won’t be televised. Times have changed. The Capitol invasion was a failed revolution. It was recorded, live streamed, and televised. Both a few actual journalists and lots of self-deluded invaders recorded the illegal and violent actions of themselves and the mob. For many of these people, the storm ends in court and probably jail. To them, I can only say Don’t let the door hit ya on the ass on the way in.
To #45, I say that what this nation needs is enough Republican Senators with backbones and honor to help bring a vote of conviction at your second impeachment trial!
Alleluia, this great storm is over. We can lift up our voices to sing!
–30–