- Route 66.
- Americana.
- Nostalgia.
- Simpler times.
But somehow Americana became very badly twisted. Like Detroit Steel in a head-on collision on an iconic road. Leaving behind blood-flecked shards of glass (but not from a glass ceiling.)
Just over 3 months ago, I wrote about choosing Baggage over Fear. I really thought Hope (even with Baggage) would prevail in the U.S. But I was wrong. Terribly wrong.
Am I surprised? Not entirely. We've seen intolerance, hatred and fear rearing its ugly head pretty well across the world. Everyone needs to "go back" to where they came from. Even though that might actually be Windsor, Ontario. Or Brooklyn, NY. Or Leeds, UK.
[... But someone who looks different from me must be from somewhere else. Right?]
I am very afraid that a lot of glass will be broken. And it will be bloody. People will be harmed. Because people who look different must be from somewhere else. Whether 3 years ago, 30 years ago, or 300 years ago.And women? Well, women are just c*#ts. The pretty ones are prey... and it's always open season. And if a fugly one says she's been prey... well, she's obviously a liar. A lying c*#t... because who would want a piece of that?
And women who dare to stand up as leaders - as intelligent, informed, rational, logical, and loyal human beings - they are the worst c*#ts of all, who need to be knocked down a few pegs to remind them of their station. Never let truth stand in the way of a good take-down.
Is this Americana? Is this nostalgia? Is this the legacy of getting your kicks on Route 66?
Yes. Yes. Apparently it is.
So Kill Hillary. Kill Obama (clearly shouted out during Trump's acceptance speech - yet not reported) Because they created ISIS, right? Kill all those who look different or think different, including those who just might think different. Who's got time to fact-check, after all?
Let's get back to simpler times. Homogeneous times. Homophobic times. Misogynist times.
Let's charge full-steam ahead. If we don't turn around, we won't see the destruction and devastation left in our wake. And let's ignore that "simpler times" are a very bad fit for today's complicated, nuanced, multi-faceted world.
[... It's simple. Right?]
When we lived in the U.S., I came to appreciate, on a very personal level, that logic and reason are not relevant on a political level. At that time, it was 'selective information' that ruled the day - ignoring/burying all reasonable facts that did not support your view and using/amplifying only those details that helped your chosen conclusion.
But now the disregard for logic and reason has doubled down.
Hubris. Lies. Threats. These are today's discourse. And apparently, that's ok.
[... OMFG. Right?]
