Shots Fired

 

Strange times in this year of the pandemic

Celebrating the March on Washington, fireworks go off behind the People’s House for a different party. Most people are walking around looking like robbers and many are carrying weapons. Monuments that have been around for decades ignored until now are coming down for the Cause is Lost and always was.

Just last week the two recognized political factions had strange talking head conventions without balloons and strange hats. Both were dull and boring because you knew the conclusion but missed the old arenas filled with hot sweaty white men yelling and blowing horns while waving banners and signs designating a state.

Back in the black and white television days when there were three channels all still cameras showing this feature of our democratic process, we’d crowd round trying to pick out a fuzzy image of our congregation at roll call trying to detect through the static how many votes were going to the next Leader of the Free World.

It was such a great example of the 50’s before conventions (like politics themselves) became entertainment instead of hard fought backroom wheeling and dealing choosing the next CEO of the country.

Then, like now, each party would have a platform or agenda. Each platform was to separate ideas and values and the nominee was only the spokesperson to sell the message with a smile, a handshake and a kiss to a baby.

Many families just followed the party handed down, like the grandfather clocks and family recipes, to vote mule or pachyderm. It didn’t matter which guy and his backup looked like as long as they followed the party line.

The conventions were like giant frat parties gone wild with no harm, no foul. It was two opposing teams struggling for the touchdown to declaim themselves as vicarious winners through the election.

The next two months will have sight and sounds of each party mudslinging with tons of fact checking. The surveys or polls will calculate numbers of possible results and social media will feed the bias with whatever you like to hear.

This year, with all the health scare, economy worries, unemployment, social distancing and worst of all, no sports, feeling confident in the virtual selection of the next Commander in Chief (can we say ‘Chief’ any more?) even with no new promises that will never be accomplished to vote? This is the time of ‘heroes’ and ‘warriors’ and ‘patriots’ and ‘essential workers’ (who have been ignored before) and ‘the other side’.

If there is an alternate, they are too hidden under the constant animosity and distrust of the other. Rather than rational conversation, there are voices in the streets stating their displeasure on items not on either ballot.

And now, shots fired.

If the revolution takes place, which side will you take?

Yank or Reb?