Thursday, July 02, 2020

Re 4 July

I'm not even going to wish the USA "Happy Birthday" this year on 4 July 2020, as I've done on this blog in most of the previous 16 years I've lived here, especially in those years after becoming a US citizen - 2008.

This is a vast, varied, very beautiful country, with potentiality to be a powerful force for good in the world. From time to time, over centuries and decades, it has managed to be just that. Right now, though, due mainly to the man who became president in 2016, the country's reputation has nosedived to a place between laughing stock and heartless would-be master of the world with a highly incompetent leader. "Incompetent", though, is too mild a word on its own, to get a clearer description, Google synonyms of the term - they all (and more) apply.

I do not understand why, somehow, the leaders and members of the Republican Party could not have rid the country of this man as a leader months ago? There have to be ways and means. He is doing the party's reputation no good, but its leaders seem afraid to take steps in that direction. "Home of the brave" they said? Hmmm!

There is, and has been for many decades, a dreadful level of racism here in the USA. There is also deep general inequality - not only among the African American communities, but also among the population as a whole, whatever their skin-shade or ethnicity. Until THIS area of general inequality of opportunity is adjusted nothing else will change in any concrete fashion. If this inequality were to be adjusted, and in an appreciable way - then all kinds of change could follow smoothly, it'd be a natural progression.

On a different topic - I managed to get my PET scan done on 30 June, 8 am, without too much difficulty, after days of anxiety bringing on nausea and even more loss of appetite than normal. I wasn't sure I'd be able to lie flat on a hard surface for 20 minutes during the scan, due to the joint and muscle pain I experience (side effects) - but I did, with the help of an extra pain pill. Now I must wait until my appointment with the doc. on 15 July for results. I guess there'll be something to deal with, but shall try not to let anxiety get the better of me, at least not for a few days!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Reality TV presidents can often disappoint. Knees crossed that your scan holds good news. Let's not forget Rwanda's Liberation Day celebrated on July 4th. Full moon lunar eclipse on the 4th and 5th, so you have an extra special Buck Moon!

Wisewebwoman said...

That Pet scan sounds brutal, good on the painkillers on pulling you through it. It seems to never end for you and your anxiety must be difficult to cope with. Anyone in your position would be stressed out and pile on the Covid-19 on top of that.

The US is crumbling. Never really addressing the horror of slavery on which the economy was based for so long.

I saw snippets on the Rushmore thing (can't call it anything else) today and just groaned at his ignorance and his dog whistling and his crazed supporters. Eerie similarities to mein fuhrer and Dear Leader.

It's really hard to predict any kind of healing. Joe seems inert and full of cliches.

I wish there was a young, vital woman running with a good vision and plan.

XO
WWW

Twilight said...

Anonymous ~ Thank you! I hope the sky remains clear tonight - enough to see something special up there. :)

Twilight said...

Wisewebwoman ~ Thank you, WWW. Yes, it does feel like just one flippin' thing after another at times. Could've done without Covid worries on top of it all, restricting what I can do in whatever time is left to me. Cases in Oklahoma have zoomed up from around 100 per day to almost 600 per day (580 yesterday!) Shelter in place continues.

Trump gets worse and worse - can't bear to listen to him for more than a couple of minutes. Biden - he's well past the time when he'd have made a half-way decent president. If, though, he chooses a female VP (as he has promised to do) she'll end up in the hot seat if Biden isn't able to last a 4 year term. I'd choose Elizabeth Warren, but I suspect he'll go for a black female VP. There are several possibilities, but I don't see one quite as well-placed and as universally well-known as Warren would be, to take over the presidency.