2025 “Delights”

The first quarter of 2025 is even more horrible than I expected, though none of it should actually surprise anyone who has been paying attention. As a former journalist, journalism teacher and professor, and natural news addict, I have been paying attention, long dreading exactly this, yet things are now worse than I envisioned.

Others willfully avert their eyes and minds. Some people avoid news lately because it is simply too difficult or too painful or too depressing to expose themselves. Some simply don’t care because they think it doesn’t relate to them personally or they can’t do anything about it anyway. Some will support this guy no matter what he does, so why should they bother keeping up with legitimate and long-respected news sources? Ignorance is bliss to many different people for countless reasons. It is easier to pretend they are exempt from the responsibility that citizens have, in a Democracy, to help maintain that Democracy.

As multitudes finally seem to be grasping, no less than our Democracy is under siege. Not to mention our economy and our entire system of government. Much of it is being smashed and bludgeoned by screaming madmen with chain saws—instead of being surgically improved by thoughtful experts using appropriate scalpels.

The riveting “No Other Land,” a pre-Gaza War documentary collaboration by two Palestinians and two Israelis, focuses on a small West Bank village being destroyed day after day by Israeli bulldozers. As those small stone homes crumbled, and people were senselessly forced out into the harsh unknown, bewildered and begging for mercy, I thought, “This, symbolically, in microcosm, is America under the present regime.”

The sorry state of our country right now was fully predictable. The current president of the United States is doing just what he said he would do. He’s been pretty clear for years. As has been often repeated lately because of its wisdom and salience for our times: when someone shows you who they are, believe them.

2025 has begun pretty much as 2025 (the treacherous tome) said it would! Too many didn’t believe it. Or couldn’t imagine it. Or believed it and shrugged. So what? Or, most sadly and terrifyingly, some got it, and cheered. Cheered silently if not loudly.

Trump and some of his minions have implied or actually stated…Denounce and destroy DEI! Let’s get white men back in the power positions they deserve. Get rid of the filth invading our land from the South. They all bring drugs and steal and eat our cats and rape our women (women who should be having babies and kept out of power). And what’s all this crazy gender ruckus the Dems have been making up? Stomp out trans and gays and anyone not following the beliefs and behaviors of the Christian right. Separation of church and state? Nonsense! Whose idea was that? Free press? Dangerous! Whose idea was that? Balance of powers through three separate and equal arms of government? That’s history, baby. And, oh yeah, history! Accurate and thorough history? That’s totally history. The Constitution? Rule of Law? Due Process? Depends on whose needs and wants are being served. Liberty and justice for ALL? Ha! Liberty and justice PLUS for MAGA cronies! Let’s Sock it to the Libby Woke!…

Americans got exactly what America voted for. The margin was narrow, but it was just enough to potentially destroy our country. Are we happy now?

Upcoming Musings will further explore some specific threats and realities and potential future impacts of the “blessings” we brought upon ourselves. One blog may enumerate diverse options for any individual to consider trying to help stop the destruction, another may focus on the essentialness of empathy and what is known about this superpower I consider the core root of our humanity.