Senior Momentum by Zoe Tummillo - November 2018
Unfortunately even the bad guys very often get what they wish for. Even though one way or another I have been a
Older ones in the writing (or sports) field might remember Red Smith (Walter Wellesley Smith), best known as a sportswriter for several major newspapers from 1927 thru his last book (Strawberries In The Snow) in 1974. He died in 1982. He wrote with a sarcastic humor and was a true maverick in his field. His bio remarks that “...his work profoundly influenced a generation of writers.” I am surely one of them! In the early 1950’s I would read his columns, for his writing style and his humor. He once said: “There’s nothing to writing. You just sit down at a typewriter and open a vein.” That was Red Smith.
When journalists are in the news for one reason or another, I always think of Red Smith. When something horribleagainhappens to a journalist, I try to imagine what Red’s column would have to say about it. I can promise you, the earth would shake...
This White House makes me crazy – especially when it gets what it wishes for. I, for one (and I am not alone), draw a direct line from this president’s ravings to the horror and death of journalist, Jamal Khashoggi. If you preach loudly and maniacally, long enough, to radical fanatics who in the 21st century are still chopping off heads, what would you expect? If you make a passionate enough case that the press, its journalists, writers, reporters and anchors are the enemy of the people –well, why not chop off their heads? (...said one simple-minded fanatic to another...) OMG...What’s going on?
The recourse we have in our constitutional republic is to do what outraged, democratic process citizens can do: VOTE. To start with: VOTE. All the many, many other things we can and must do are simply adjuncts of our power to vote. If we are to preserve what we view is at risk, and if we truly believe in our democratic process, it starts with the example of our leadership -- and control through the vote. You old, patriotic babes and farts know what I mean – rememberthat old-fashioned spirit? So many in the younger generations don’t quite “get us” a lot of the time, and that’s partly our fault. We smoothed the way, won those two big ones way back then... Maybe we made it too smooth.
Don’t give up on them! Even when they don’t want to listen and they give you “the look,” tell them the stories! Buy thema flag(with a pole and bracket). The holidays are coming; buy them a copy of the Constitution. Take them toa military cemetery – I have yet to see someone who is not moved. Our millennials are smart; they just need more information –the long versions, not the quickie-Google-20-words-explains-anything versions...
I keep hoping that “stop!” will kick in, but it seems that every day this administration out-does itself with unbelievable behaviors, actions and positioning. And, that’s just the parts we know about! What amazes me (and probably will until I am pushing up Daisies) is that this man is revered by anyone.
As long as we tolerate (a White House that encourages violence, tears children from parents, characterizes civil disobedience and protest as mobs, lies to the ignorant for control and holds democracy hostage), we are complicit.
If we don’t VOTE, and act or participate in some way, we, quite simply, are getting what we wish for; like it or not.
