What gives me hope is that I think the majority of Americans, those who are vaccinated and those who revere our democratic norms and abhor violence, are running out of patience.
Enough? Yes, you are correct. People have had enough of morally superior media zealots like you. CBS had enough in 2006. The pandemic and its vaccine mandates and masking policies are all about power and control. Unfortunately, media types like you are completely acquiescent in the continued push of polices that take civil liberties and force compliance. It's funny that the left for years has pushed the idea that its "your body, your choice" in everything from medication to gender to abortion, yet when it comes to vaccines, you better do it or else. America is founded on liberty. Its a Republic in which people use their voice to send elected leaders to government. Instead today, people believe in pure populist rule lead by ostracism of any opposition and with blame and abuse permittable in order to gain compliance or worse yet, removal of the obstacle. You see you have had enough of non-vaccinated, religious GOP members. You think they need to be turned unto your beliefs or face cancellation or worse. What's funny is that is straight out of Mein Kampf. Congrats on that. Have American's had enough? Yep. And our enough starts with you and your self righteous media brethren.
Typhoid Mary, a professional cook, infected an estimated 122 people with typhoid fever. At least five of those she infected died.
Some Typhoid patients treated with antibiotics can lead a miserable life and succumb to diseases such as pernicious anemia or TB. Other patients can be subject to intestinal indigestion and constipation for the rest of their lives.
And Mary continuously denied she was a carrier of the disease. She refused to give samples of bodily fluids until she was arrested and found to be a disease carrier. She promised to give up professional cooking, but went back to food preparation using fake names to hide her identity while infecting more people.
She would not listen to the facts.
Don’t be a Typhoid Mary. Listen to the facts and join the growing majority of Americans who are protecting themselves, their families and their community. Get vaccinated. Covid can be stopped.
The scary part for me isn't just the cult mentality, but also the insistence of living in an alternate reality where no amount of facts or proof can be "true" enough for them. When I was growing up, I never though I would have to debate the truth of things as simple as common medical science or weather science (such as the path of hurricanes or wearing masks or getting vaccines during a pandemic). When it is impossible to even form a crack in this alternate reality, where all scientists and doctors are liars, the fear starts to outweigh the frustration and fury since it feels like there is no way to bring them back. When there is no argument that is good enough for them to start to listen to reason, and we are instead told that we should be patient, kind and yielding to try and bring back those that don't want to be brought back. People are only human, and there is only so much frustration about the double standard of accountability and false equivalence that people can handle before it becomes too much. Since none of the Republican base seems to want to hold their people in office accountable for the bending of rules and other shenanigans they get away with when they are the only ones able to do so due to how the system is set up, at some point it makes it hard to not want to completely throw the system out or start to ignore the rules as well. It turns into an endless question of "What is the point?" when no matter how upright you try to be, the other side always seems to win by rolling in the mud. The feeling of no agency in getting anything done, whether on climate change, wealth inequality, etc., burns out the stamina and motivation of anyone involved. Is there any way to keep up moral when it all feels so pointless, especially when it feels like the other side would rather let everything burn than to let you have a win?
On a side note, I do wonder if part of the reason why some people refuse to see facts or break away from the lies and conspiracy theories is due to how ingrained they have become in their beliefs and personal identity. When they have cognitive dissonance due to a doctor or scientist pointing out facts about covid or something else, it might be easier to consider them to be liars or have an ulterior motive than to change their world-view, especially when they have a group supporting them.
I don't know what the answer is to the infuriating display from the right after the officer's eyewitness hearing the other day except to say that they don't even care to watch, which shows their ignorance. Republicans have lost their way, shame on them and shame on us for being silent for far too long in our outrage, maybe we needed this moment to finally say "enough".
Regarding the Covid virus it's just this simple: THE VIRUS' GOAL IS TO SURVIVE, that's it-survive. It doesn't think or feel or care, it just wants to survive by any means necessary and to do that it need us-humans. Yes, it's that simple. We humans are at war with a virus, in order to survive we need to fight it as human beings, not divided as we are now. There will be many more viruses and other things in the future that we'll have to fight, this is just the beginning of this chapter of human existence. We've won before by coming together i.e. small pox, polio...we can do it again. But will we, right now I don't have much hope.
"A lie told once remains a lie but a lie told a thousand times becomes the truth". History is in danger of repeating itself. It's become part of a Trump Sales Play that is now being adopted by House Republican leadership and the right wing media feeding the frenzy. I am deeply frustrated, even angry that so many have embraced the propaganda of lies and conspiracy theories. This is an incredibly dangerous time for democracy, for America and for the world.
Enough? It's gone way beyond "enough". To quote Popeye, "Enough is too much!" and I couldn't agree more. It boggles my mind and infuriates me how many - in spite of overwhelming evidence to the contrary - still believe the "big lie", continue to support president #45 (I choke on his name), think the treasonous insurrection was just some tourists out for a walk in the park (while their congressmen ran and hid for their lives), continue to question the science of climate change, still think COVID is a big hoax (or at least no big deal), and refuse to get vaccinated against this killer. It reminds me of the saying, "I can explain it to you but I can't understand it for you." I'm in a town a few miles north of Austin (where you are) and our ICU and COVID units are full to overflowing. Our healthcare workers are exhausted, our hospital chaplains have comforted more dying patients and cried with more families in the past year than in all their years working as hospital chaplains. I'm angry and frustrated, but keep looking for the light at the end of the tunnel, but I fear it's only another train coming at us.
One the best pieces you & Steady team have written.
As so many resonate with frustration & anxiety for our Democratic institutions in response to your summary that puts the GOP & Republican deniers of truth in context, the relentless perfidy - the onslaught of acts of deliberate betrayal of our Constitution by the former guy & the HateForProfit media - now has to be met with a ruthless bulwark of 310 million Americans willing to take a stand.
For most of my life (not always) I have looked to the future with positive thoughts and learned from my/our history. I still believe deep down inside the majority of United States citizens see through the GOP/Trumpism garbage. I have hope that our country will survive the current political chasm of indifference and become stronger long term. These thoughts of hope bubbled to top of mind today while watching our brave and committed D.C. police officers testify. Our country was formed and built on laws, not religious zealotry, conspiracy theories, or THE BIG LIE. I also believe Trumps MAGA base has lost many voices and support. Their financial coffers are not super strong and their overall strategic plan for America is somewhere between vapor-ware and zero. As citizens of voting age, we must stand fast and be heard at the voting stations. Remember, it's still "we the people." As a US Navy veteran I was and still willing to put my life on the line for democracy, not authoritarianism. Hope is still alive and so is our capitalistic American dream. Thank you!
Just the title "ENOUGH" and the first photo of the four law enforcement officers speaking UNDER OATH to the select committee are enough that I knew to click the "LIKE" heart on this submission.
It has been over six months since the attempted coup, and no matter what it takes or how deep the entanglements, this evil has to be pulled out by the ROOTS, not simply trimmed down like a mower. A failed coup is simply a training exercise.
These were NOT tourists who were hugging and kissing the officers. It doesn't matter that the word "insurrection" is used as an excuse for twenty-one Republicans to vote AGAINST awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to the officers who heroically performed their jobs protecting those very legislators, who previously claimed to support "The Blue." So now they are "too busy" to even listen to the testimony? Another LIE.
Let's expose who is really responsible for January 6, and let's administer the appropriate consequences!
Thanks to you, Dan, and your Steady team for all the good work you're doing! Your words always cause me to take a breath, think reasonably, and form cogent thoughts around where we need to go.
I agree that we've all had Enough. While the wheels of justice turn, they turn slowly but they turn nonetheless. We must remain steadfast in holding our Congress' feet to the fire to get to the truth. Will it happen in time for the next election? Maybe. If it does, perhaps justice will solve our issues on a more permanent basis. And if it doesn't we need to ensure the vote gets out and give time for justice to prevail.
Others have said far more eloquent things than I. I take comfort in knowing that all our fears and frustrations are shared and we're all working toward right.
I agree. I think we've been more than patient, tried to be rational and cool-headed, and worked to be inclusive of all. But I'm so very sick of the the lies and attacks and hate spewed daily. Thanks for opening up the chance to air our feelings. Enough! More than enough of all of those who would destroy our country and our health!
Words of wisdom: weaponize truth. Get to work journalists of America.
Enough? Yes, you are correct. People have had enough of morally superior media zealots like you. CBS had enough in 2006. The pandemic and its vaccine mandates and masking policies are all about power and control. Unfortunately, media types like you are completely acquiescent in the continued push of polices that take civil liberties and force compliance. It's funny that the left for years has pushed the idea that its "your body, your choice" in everything from medication to gender to abortion, yet when it comes to vaccines, you better do it or else. America is founded on liberty. Its a Republic in which people use their voice to send elected leaders to government. Instead today, people believe in pure populist rule lead by ostracism of any opposition and with blame and abuse permittable in order to gain compliance or worse yet, removal of the obstacle. You see you have had enough of non-vaccinated, religious GOP members. You think they need to be turned unto your beliefs or face cancellation or worse. What's funny is that is straight out of Mein Kampf. Congrats on that. Have American's had enough? Yep. And our enough starts with you and your self righteous media brethren.
Typhoid Mary, a professional cook, infected an estimated 122 people with typhoid fever. At least five of those she infected died.
Some Typhoid patients treated with antibiotics can lead a miserable life and succumb to diseases such as pernicious anemia or TB. Other patients can be subject to intestinal indigestion and constipation for the rest of their lives.
And Mary continuously denied she was a carrier of the disease. She refused to give samples of bodily fluids until she was arrested and found to be a disease carrier. She promised to give up professional cooking, but went back to food preparation using fake names to hide her identity while infecting more people.
She would not listen to the facts.
Don’t be a Typhoid Mary. Listen to the facts and join the growing majority of Americans who are protecting themselves, their families and their community. Get vaccinated. Covid can be stopped.
The scary part for me isn't just the cult mentality, but also the insistence of living in an alternate reality where no amount of facts or proof can be "true" enough for them. When I was growing up, I never though I would have to debate the truth of things as simple as common medical science or weather science (such as the path of hurricanes or wearing masks or getting vaccines during a pandemic). When it is impossible to even form a crack in this alternate reality, where all scientists and doctors are liars, the fear starts to outweigh the frustration and fury since it feels like there is no way to bring them back. When there is no argument that is good enough for them to start to listen to reason, and we are instead told that we should be patient, kind and yielding to try and bring back those that don't want to be brought back. People are only human, and there is only so much frustration about the double standard of accountability and false equivalence that people can handle before it becomes too much. Since none of the Republican base seems to want to hold their people in office accountable for the bending of rules and other shenanigans they get away with when they are the only ones able to do so due to how the system is set up, at some point it makes it hard to not want to completely throw the system out or start to ignore the rules as well. It turns into an endless question of "What is the point?" when no matter how upright you try to be, the other side always seems to win by rolling in the mud. The feeling of no agency in getting anything done, whether on climate change, wealth inequality, etc., burns out the stamina and motivation of anyone involved. Is there any way to keep up moral when it all feels so pointless, especially when it feels like the other side would rather let everything burn than to let you have a win?
On a side note, I do wonder if part of the reason why some people refuse to see facts or break away from the lies and conspiracy theories is due to how ingrained they have become in their beliefs and personal identity. When they have cognitive dissonance due to a doctor or scientist pointing out facts about covid or something else, it might be easier to consider them to be liars or have an ulterior motive than to change their world-view, especially when they have a group supporting them.
This is truly excellent commentary as I would expect nothing less from you. Thank you for your efforts and for being who you are….
I agree with EVERYTHING here. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
I don't know what the answer is to the infuriating display from the right after the officer's eyewitness hearing the other day except to say that they don't even care to watch, which shows their ignorance. Republicans have lost their way, shame on them and shame on us for being silent for far too long in our outrage, maybe we needed this moment to finally say "enough".
Regarding the Covid virus it's just this simple: THE VIRUS' GOAL IS TO SURVIVE, that's it-survive. It doesn't think or feel or care, it just wants to survive by any means necessary and to do that it need us-humans. Yes, it's that simple. We humans are at war with a virus, in order to survive we need to fight it as human beings, not divided as we are now. There will be many more viruses and other things in the future that we'll have to fight, this is just the beginning of this chapter of human existence. We've won before by coming together i.e. small pox, polio...we can do it again. But will we, right now I don't have much hope.
"A lie told once remains a lie but a lie told a thousand times becomes the truth". History is in danger of repeating itself. It's become part of a Trump Sales Play that is now being adopted by House Republican leadership and the right wing media feeding the frenzy. I am deeply frustrated, even angry that so many have embraced the propaganda of lies and conspiracy theories. This is an incredibly dangerous time for democracy, for America and for the world.
Enough? It's gone way beyond "enough". To quote Popeye, "Enough is too much!" and I couldn't agree more. It boggles my mind and infuriates me how many - in spite of overwhelming evidence to the contrary - still believe the "big lie", continue to support president #45 (I choke on his name), think the treasonous insurrection was just some tourists out for a walk in the park (while their congressmen ran and hid for their lives), continue to question the science of climate change, still think COVID is a big hoax (or at least no big deal), and refuse to get vaccinated against this killer. It reminds me of the saying, "I can explain it to you but I can't understand it for you." I'm in a town a few miles north of Austin (where you are) and our ICU and COVID units are full to overflowing. Our healthcare workers are exhausted, our hospital chaplains have comforted more dying patients and cried with more families in the past year than in all their years working as hospital chaplains. I'm angry and frustrated, but keep looking for the light at the end of the tunnel, but I fear it's only another train coming at us.
One the best pieces you & Steady team have written.
As so many resonate with frustration & anxiety for our Democratic institutions in response to your summary that puts the GOP & Republican deniers of truth in context, the relentless perfidy - the onslaught of acts of deliberate betrayal of our Constitution by the former guy & the HateForProfit media - now has to be met with a ruthless bulwark of 310 million Americans willing to take a stand.
For most of my life (not always) I have looked to the future with positive thoughts and learned from my/our history. I still believe deep down inside the majority of United States citizens see through the GOP/Trumpism garbage. I have hope that our country will survive the current political chasm of indifference and become stronger long term. These thoughts of hope bubbled to top of mind today while watching our brave and committed D.C. police officers testify. Our country was formed and built on laws, not religious zealotry, conspiracy theories, or THE BIG LIE. I also believe Trumps MAGA base has lost many voices and support. Their financial coffers are not super strong and their overall strategic plan for America is somewhere between vapor-ware and zero. As citizens of voting age, we must stand fast and be heard at the voting stations. Remember, it's still "we the people." As a US Navy veteran I was and still willing to put my life on the line for democracy, not authoritarianism. Hope is still alive and so is our capitalistic American dream. Thank you!
Not surprisingly, a brilliant analysis Again, thank you Dan.
I am now going through premorbid anxiety for a second time. I wonder if that has happened to anyone before? 🤔
Just the title "ENOUGH" and the first photo of the four law enforcement officers speaking UNDER OATH to the select committee are enough that I knew to click the "LIKE" heart on this submission.
It has been over six months since the attempted coup, and no matter what it takes or how deep the entanglements, this evil has to be pulled out by the ROOTS, not simply trimmed down like a mower. A failed coup is simply a training exercise.
These were NOT tourists who were hugging and kissing the officers. It doesn't matter that the word "insurrection" is used as an excuse for twenty-one Republicans to vote AGAINST awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to the officers who heroically performed their jobs protecting those very legislators, who previously claimed to support "The Blue." So now they are "too busy" to even listen to the testimony? Another LIE.
Let's expose who is really responsible for January 6, and let's administer the appropriate consequences!
Thanks to you, Dan, and your Steady team for all the good work you're doing! Your words always cause me to take a breath, think reasonably, and form cogent thoughts around where we need to go.
I agree that we've all had Enough. While the wheels of justice turn, they turn slowly but they turn nonetheless. We must remain steadfast in holding our Congress' feet to the fire to get to the truth. Will it happen in time for the next election? Maybe. If it does, perhaps justice will solve our issues on a more permanent basis. And if it doesn't we need to ensure the vote gets out and give time for justice to prevail.
Others have said far more eloquent things than I. I take comfort in knowing that all our fears and frustrations are shared and we're all working toward right.
Steady indeed.
I agree. I think we've been more than patient, tried to be rational and cool-headed, and worked to be inclusive of all. But I'm so very sick of the the lies and attacks and hate spewed daily. Thanks for opening up the chance to air our feelings. Enough! More than enough of all of those who would destroy our country and our health!