Wednesday, February 21, 2018

The Kids Are Alright

And a child shall lead them....

Fifty years ago it was the college students of America that shook this country up and turned it around. This new revolution will be waged by mere teenagers in high school. They're standing up and are refusing to be sacrificed on the altars of political expediency, corporate greed and human stupidity. After sixteen students and one faculty member in their Parkland, Florida school were slaughtered last week by some homicidal psychotic who was able to obtain a rapid-fire weapon that, in a civilized country, he never would have had access to, the survivors of the massacre are determined that they are not going to live in a country where that sort of tragedy has become the new norm. They have decided that the politicians in Washington who are there merely to serve as handmaidens to the National Rifle Association are going to finally do the right thing by the children of this country or they're going to disappear forever.
`
These kids are pissed, Buster. You'd better believe it.
`
What happened at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida on February 14, 2018 - one week ago today - would never have happened anywhere but a "shithole country" such as this. Donald Trump should take note: These kind of grim events just don't happen in Haiti. Something we all need to take note of.
`
These kids don't want the "thoughts and prayers" of a bunch of corrupt and greedy politicians, they want to be secure in their own country.  While avoiding any questions involving these lethal, people-killing-machines, Senator Marco Rubio (of Florida no less) suggested that Florida law should be amended to make it legal for police in that overrated state to seize the guns of people they believe are a threat to the populous. What good would that have done? Although it's being reported that the FBI was aware of the perpetrator's peculiar gun fetish, no evidence suggests that the police in Parkland were aware of it at all. Besides, such a law would not have prevented the massacre in Newtown five years ago. The murderous little nerd who pulled that one off wasn't on anybody's radar. Neither was the guy who killed fifty-eight human beings in Vegas on the first of October. These politicians are going to continue to stall, delay and rationalize. The campaign contributions from the NRA mean more to them than the lives of our children. Think about that for a while.

And now a new tweet from the First Twit:


If there's one thing we may be completely certain of in these trying and uncertain times, it is that our esteemed, Common-Pervert-in-Chief can always be counted upon to say the wrong thing at the wrong time. Attempting to deflect attention in the wake of so hideous a tragedy is beyond contemptible. A student of Stoneman/Douglas High named David Hogg replied:

"Children are dying and their blood is on your hands because of that. Please take action. Stop going on vacation in Mar-a-lago. Take action. Work with Congress. Your party controls both the House and the Senate. Take action. Get some bills passed. And for God's sake, let's save some lives."

Ah, the bittersweet optimism of youth. I wouldn't know how to break it to this poor kid that his life means not a thing on the altar of greed and corruption. I am glad that I'm not the one that will have to give him the bad news. Oh, and speaking of gun violence, I do hope that Secret Service agents are on their toes and are working diligently to keep this president safe. The last thing the loony right wing in this country needs is the bloated, martyred body of this dimwitted sociopath to rally around. Spare me.

And if you need any further examples of what an unfeeling piece of shit your president is, here's a dandy one: At the moment the first of the students were being laid to rest, he was forty-five miles away playing golf on the course that he is the owner of. Isn't that soooo "presidential"?

On March 14, one month after the shootings in Parkland, Florida, students are planning a ten minute walk-out at high schools across the nation. School boards and administrators are already saying publicly that no such demonstrations will be tolerated. Fuck them. Walk out, kids. Many of us will be there to support you. I know I will definitely be there.

Don't look to my generation to clean up the mess we've made of America. We were handed - on a silver platter - a country that, while not perfect, was functional and rational. And what is it we're handing over to the generation of the students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School? A clusterfucked cesspool.

These kids are the ones who are going to turn America around. Just you wait.

Tom Degan
Goshen, NY

UPDATE: 

The GOP in the Florida statehouse voted down a debate on assault weapons. Minutes later they declared pornography to be a public health emergency. All of this was done in the presence of the survivors of the Parkland massacre who bore witness from the gallery.

Idiot Nation

AFTERTHOUGHT, 2/22/18, 9:26 AM:

Below is  a photograph of Marjory Stoneman Douglas (1890-1988). She was a pioneering journalist in a day when women doing anything outside of the kitchen were pioneers. It is she for whom the now infamous high school in Parkland, Florida was named. Her good name will be forever linked to the carnage of February 14, 2018. That's pretty sad.

13 Comments:

At 5:41 PM, Blogger Joanne Noragon said...

It took us a long time, fifty years ago, Tom, and I think more than a few of us were diverted by plastics---and guns. These kids are the next wave, and it is up to us to back them.

 
At 2:58 AM, Blogger Paul said...

The students are about to find out they won't get what they want by simply demanding it.

March 14 is scheduled to be a day of protest against gun violence in schools by having students and faculty walk out of school and march against gun violence. But school boards, mayors, and principles across the country have decided to not support this mach by claiming no one has the right to "disrupt" the school schedule and school leaders will address the problem in other ways such as giving speeches to the whole student body.

I'm not sure what actions by students changed our government 50 years ago you are referring to.

The student protests back then did not stop the war (Nixon prosecuted the war until his last day in office) did not end the draft, or end the jailing of young men who refused to be inducted, did not force Nixon to resign, did not end ROTC on school campuses; in fact those protests drove Nixon and LBJ to enhance the war, draft more young men and drive up the number of dead soldiers and Nixon won two elections during those protests.

The students today will find, if they want to change law, it's going to be a years long hard fight that will probably last the rest of their lives. I see no sign that this latest massacre has changed America's fundamental thinking about guns and certainly has not changed elected politicians thinking about guns to the point where they will change their voting habits about guns.

Good luck to the student movement to get serious gun control measures passed, where can I send check?

 
At 7:00 AM, Blogger Jefferson's Guardian said...

"The student protests back then did not stop the war..." ~~ Paul

It sure helped. Of course, watching all those dead soldiers being unloaded in Dover every night, on network news, helped turn public sentiment against that unjustified war.


"...did not end the draft..." ~~ Paul

Sure did. It got eighteen year olds the vote, also.


"...or end the jailing of young men who refused to be inducted... ~~ Paul


That's probably, and unfortunately, true. Most took refuge in Canada and stayed. It's where I was going to go.


"...did not force Nixon to resign..." Paul

No, Nixon's own corruption and violation of the Constitution took care of that. I'm hoping and wishing the same for the demagogue currently residing in the White House, but the odds look slim with an equally corrupt GOP holding the House of Representatives.


Yes, Paul, it may take these students all their lives to achieve a gun control law they want. Small steps lead to great things, and one day they'll be making the laws.

 
At 4:36 PM, Blogger Mozart1220 said...

Paul, Public protest to Vietnam was a key to it's ending. JFK wanted out of Vietnam and was killed for it. LBJ wanted to end it but knew what would happen if he tried. RFK ran on ending it, and was eliminated. Nixon promised to continue it, but when he started pulling out, Watergate. POWERFUL people were making billions from the war. They still are. That's why the GOP promotes guns. MONEY.

 
At 12:23 AM, Blogger Paul said...

It would be interesting to see proof of your conspiracy theories Mozart. Anytime you want to produce some evidence of what you say, I would love to read it.

 
At 3:42 AM, Blogger Mozart1220 said...

Paul, I love how anytime someone wants to "discredit" someone's FACTS ( read some history) they call it a "conspiracy theory". That's how they got people to stop asking questions about JFK. "Anyone saying it's not Oswald is nuts".

Think about it Paul. Who benefitted from ALL the wars since 1945?

"Defense" contractors, which didn't exist before WWII. What do THEY do when there is no war? Come on, man. War is big business, which is what Eisenhower warned us about.

So now with a constant state of war, these gun manufacturers need even MORE customers, so now it's all about selling as many guns as possible to anyone who wants them. Who cares if they are nuts and shoot up a school or a church? More people will think about "self defense". Win-win.

Tell me I'm wrong about THAT! I dare you to try.

 
At 10:41 AM, Blogger Paul said...

History has not proven the claims you make Mozart.

I call them conspiracy theories because you claim there is some/one evil force behind all these events since WW II.

Fine, who are these powerful people and where is the evidence that they acted in collusion on all these events?

Checking the internet - gives responsibility of the death of JFK and RFK to 100's of different individuals. None of which have any proof, just opinion not backed by facts.

Believing something without facts is faith. I don't use faith as facts.

Thanks for your reply, but you just reiterated your opinions, you did not give any proof of your assertions.

 
At 5:48 PM, Blogger Clueless It Seems said...

LOVELY rant!!

A rabbi I know didn't believe me this morning when I said to him that there was going to be a revolution. It will indeed be done by youngsters (I'm nearly 70 and I won't be around to see it). The alter of greed is long overdue for a fall and everyone who worships at it. It might just come about. Bull on the sidewalk in Manhattan? Give it a rest already.

 
At 11:20 PM, Blogger Mozart1220 said...

Wow. Just when you think Trump can't sound more ridiculous and STUPID, he reaches for the stars.

"We need to arm the teachers because teachers love their kids, but security guards don't care". REALLY? That guard gave vital info to re enforcements. Had he gone in like Rambo he'd have MAYBE gotten off ONE lucky shot IF the gunman didn't see him first. It would have been suicide to go in and he, as a TRAINED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER Knew that that would help no one.

Who pays for all the guns? Who pays for the TRAINING? Who pays the "bonuses" (euphemism for "combat pay") you promised? You are gutting the budget for public schools and stealing a bunch of what's left for "charter" schools. You know, PUBLIC funding for teaching RELIGION. So what's left for you know, textbooks and lab equipment? Heating and cooling?

Law enforcement is against it. Parents are against it. Teachers are against it. You know damn well that the STUDENTS are against it. Seems like the only ones supporting it are the NRA. I wonder WHY 20 million more handguns sold would be important to them, as opposed to say , banning the AR-15 and the like outright, and requiring serious background checks, TRAINING, and LICENSING for all other weapons?

Any 18 year old cannot buy alcohol, or tobacco, but CAN buy an AR-15 at a Wal mart. He can aquire any number of other deadly weapons over the internet.

Add to all that the gutting of the national healthcare system, Social Security and medicare, And what is Florida's TOP priorty?

Making sure no one's doing the one hand Watusi to "Gaggingirl's Island"

(Looks like your Orlando vacation is off, Clucky)


Oh, Marco Rubio got schooled but GOOD didn't he? Heh...heh. These kids are restoring my faith in the future.

 
At 10:26 AM, Blogger Tartrazina said...

need to stop by here more often. need to start blogging again.

 
At 1:46 PM, Blogger Paul said...


U.S. military draft ends, Jan. 27, 1973

By ANDREW GLASS - Politico

On the day in 1973, as the Vietnam War drew to a close, the Selective Service announced that there would be no further draft calls. The decision came several months after President Richard M. Nixon had easily won reelection, running against Democratic Sen. George McGovern of South Dakota, an outspoken opponent of the war.

In the 1968 presidential campaign, Nixon had promised to end the draft. During his time out of office, the GOP nominee had become interested in the prospect of an all-volunteer force.

Nixon thought ending the draft could be an effective political weapon against the burgeoning anti-war movement. He believed middle-class youths would lose interest in protesting the war once it became clear that they would not have to fight, and possibly die, in Vietnam.

The draft law was due to expire at the end of June 1971 (a law passed when LBJ was president) but Nixon decided it needed to continue and asked Congress to approve a two-year extension.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mr. Glass say it correctly and it is a matter of public and Congressional record.

The amendment to the Constitution giving 18 year old the right to vote said nothing about conscription, or the military draft.

Maybe it's better if we do have a draft, because Nixon was correct ending the draft ended the anti-war protests, but not until after the Vietnam war ended. If we still had a draft when president Bush invaded Iraq, he might have had stronger opposition to doing that.

Most historians say, and I would agree, that the student protests did figure into LBJ's decision not to run for president in 1968, but by then the older (WW II) generation was turning against the war in Vietnam and LBJ's military people were telling him they could not win the war without more troops and escalation of bombing, which is exactly what Nixon did along with asking for a 2 year extension of the draft.

The draft ended because the war was winding down and the military told president Nixon the draft was no longer needed.

If the older generation did not come out against the war there is no evidence Nixon would have been swayed by the student protests. Nixon escalated the war during all the years of student protests even with the killings on the Ohio campus.

My personal opinion about guns is they should be banned from this country, but unlike Toilet Paper, I am not willing to call people murderers just because I disagree with the Constitution.

The students and the whole country have an uphill fight against guns, because it's not just Republicans who want to keep guns flowing freely in America. I don't think we will ever get 2/3's of the States along with the House, Senate, and the president to sign off on rescinding the 2nd amendment and our history of passing reasonable gun control is poor.

 
At 4:53 PM, Blogger Just the Facts! said...

"911, what's your emergency?"

"There's someone breaking into my house. Could you send the Broward County Sheriff's Department to water my garden while I kill the intruder?"

 
At 4:03 AM, Blogger Lydia said...

Great post, Tom. My own hopes sure rest with these young leaders. And, after the March for our Lives this day, I do think that Marjory Stoneman Douglas'name will also be linked to the revolution.

 

Post a Comment

<< Home