Whistling in the Wind

 

I engaged in a polite Facebook discussion over the past couple of days with a gentleman who said I was “whistling in the wind” when I sent this letter to Chief justice Roberts:

 

Dear Chief Justice Roberts,

 

The decision handed down by your Court regarding presidential immunity was farcical on its face. The behavior it implicitly condoned was acceptable for no public official, or, for that matter, any citizen.

 

I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you did not foresee the current resident of the White House so openly accepting bribes the only line he has yet to cross is publicly posting a fee schedule.

 

Your Court has done potentially irreparable harm to this nation by enabling unconscionable behavior such that he may now openly ignore rulings with which he disagrees, with no recourse available to check his behavior.

 

Thanks a lot, asshole.

 

Sincerely,

Dana King

 

My reply:

you may well be right about me whistling in the wind. What are you doing?

 

His reply:

right now, I am shell shocked. Hoping to get out on the 14th to protest. And pestering my Congress person

 

To which I replied:

hopes won't get it done.

 

Therein lies the rub. DemLibs have long complained about RepCons sending “thoughts and prayers” after a school shooting or other horrific, yet preventable event. “Thoughts and prayers don’t do any good,” we say. “Action is required.” (I don’t always include myself with DemLib sentiments, though I do on this one.) “Hopes” fall into the same category.

 

We’re past the point of “thoughts and prayers” and “hopes.” I don’t want to hear about “shell shock,” either. The only thing about the 47 regime that should even surprise anyone is the magnitude and rapidity, not the effort. He told us what he wanted to do; now he and his henchmen are doing it. Anyone surprised by this wasn’t paying attention.

 

How quickly and recklessly 47’s minions have moved is surprising, but that should fall into the category of “It’s worse than I expected,” which does not lead to “shell shock.” Shell shock is too close to a standard DemLib response, often referred to as “hand wringing,” for my comfort. We need to be raising hell now, before it’s too late. Speed up the recovery a little.

 

 (“Shell shock” is a terrible term in this instance. It was coined during World War I for those who underwent so many nightmarish events so quickly their psyche couldn’t keep up. Unless this gentleman is actively under fire, or feels an imminent threat of rendition, he can tell that story walking.)

 

While we’re at it, if my letters are “whistling in the wind,” what to you call “pestering” your congress person? This gentleman appears to live in or near San Francisco. Pestering his congressperson is not quite a death-defying act.

 

It’s put up or shut up time. This gentleman says he is a “veteran of the Vietnam protests;” that’s all well and good. What have you done lately? I must be out of town on June 14 to take care of urgent family business that cannot be rescheduled, or I guaran-goddam-tee you I’d be downtown protesting the parade. As it is, The Beloved Spouse™ has found us a protest in Tampa we’ll attend. One does what one can.

 

(I’m also not crazy about his use of “veteran.” The Vietnam protests were necessary and worthy; they weren’t uniformed service. Let’s not too directly compare ourselves to those who went in harm’s way. Of course, maybe he did serve and came back to protest, as did John Kerry. That is admirable, and, if so, I thank him for his service. It also means he took the same oath I did, which had no expiration date. It’s past time to step up again.)