I'm Alive and Ready to Rumble
It's time for some plain speaking.
And… I’m back. After a 10 day break for kinda major reconstructive surgery at UCSD La Jolla. Those folks are miracle workers and I was well cared for at every step of the way.
I’m happy to be home, happy to be alive, and hopeful that what needed fixing got fixed.
I have scars everywhere, zero veins left unpoked, and a huge list of medications to consume daily. Between meds, wound care, and other routines, I’m looking at a full time job just healing for the next couple of weeks. And I’ve got family close in to help where needed.
All in all, I’m a lucky guy.
***
That said, I expect my energy level will continue to rise. I do not anticipate taking any more time off from writing in the near future.
As I rise from my anesthesia-induced haze, a few things stand out:
Forces opposing democracy are at a dangerous point. Some cracks within the ranks of the faithful on the right have appeared. The next few weeks, as the House Select Committee goes public, will offer opportunities to educate the public.
Sadly, I think that’s as far as it goes. If the spinmeisters of the country can see their way past the connections between white supremacist violence and the Great Replacement Theory, I’m willing to bet odds are good that an attempted coup will be dismissed as “boys being boys.”
Enjoy the highlight reels, get girded to organize.
As Jonathan Katz said at The Racket substack:
In other words, asking whether the Buffalo shooter — or the El Paso, Pittsburgh, Christchurch, or Charlottesville killers — got their ideology directly from Tucker Carlson Tonight is asking the wrong question. The real question is whether Carlson reasonably fears he is going to become associated with a killer who shares his ideology.
It’s time to step up to the plate. The days of playing “nice” on the political battlefield are over. A fact sheet is not the answer to a deluge of misinformation: context and plain speaking are.
What’s going on right now isn’t just domestic terrorism or criminal behavior or mental illness. We are speaking of white supremacist violence, ideology, and organizations. Use those words. Use them often. Use them without fear of offending.
There is no reason in hell that the Mitch McConnells and the Kevin Faulconers of the world need be given respect. They’ve made their choice and let’s make sure everybody knows it. If they want nice, let them speak with their actions. It’s up to them to say they are not associating (or enabling by their silence) racist white supremacists.
Those words matter.
There are more people in this country who believe in democracy than those who think an ideological magic wand (Great Replacement, Dominionism, etc.) is a cure for what ails us. When we vote, we win. It’s as simple as that.
There is much to be said and more to be done. *We* are at a crossroads. I’ll do my best to illuminate some better paths forward, and kick some ass as needed.
Email me at WritetoDougPorter@Gmail.com
Lead image by Thomas Guignard Creative Commons CC BY-NC-SA 2.0