Cranial Alignment

 Where is your head at?

Forced faith, but in whom and for what?

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil

                                            Is for good men to do nothing."

                                                                         Edmund Burke

Light Years:

Over the past century the world has seemingly advanced light-years from where it was at the end of the first world war. We were not only dealing with man's inhumanity to man, but world leaders were also dealing with a flu pandemic which would eventually take the lives of more than 21 million people world wide, and the American death toll being 675,000 souls. This was just the start of things that went wrong in the early years of the 20th century.

In 1929 just ten years after the end of the "Great War" America suffered what was to date the greatest financial catastrophe in its history. The Dow Jones Industrial average dropped 13%, and by mid November the stock market had lost nearly half of its value. This left the financial "geniuses" of their day wondering what they should do to manage the failing economy. Many investors would take their lives by jumping from the windows of their offices. The fall continued through the summer of 1932 and at its worst it had reached its low at 41.32 it was 89% below its peak. The recovery was not completed until November 1954 a full twenty five years after the crash.

Almost 90 years ago in the midst of this crisis the second world war was kicking off in Europe. America in it's wisdom had made the same poor choice to sit on the sidelines and be spectators, while Europe tore itself to pieces. For several years we had been helping the British and other nations of Europe by way of the "Lend Lease" act. The idea being that if our neighbors house was burning down we should at least let him borrow our hose to put it out. Unofficially entering us into the war. On 7 December 1941, a date which according to our President Franklin Roosevelt, would live in infamy the naval base in Pearl Harbor Hawaii was attacked by the Japanese empire. This was the act that brought America out of the shadows and to the forefront of world leadership. Roosevelt would die in Warm Springs Georgia at the "Little White House" at the age of 63 on 12 April 1945, less than one month before the war in Europe would end.

On 8 May 1945 the war in Europe was over, however, the war against the Japanese empire continued. The combat actions in Japan wouldn't end until two atomic weapons were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These events finally forced the Japanese into a complete surrender on 14 August 1945. Ending the war in its entirety. The combined death toll was approximately 3% of the world's population in 1940 and is estimated to be between 50 and 85 million people, both military and civilian.

Fast forward to 2018 after then president Donald Trump upon cancelling a trip to the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, this individual, himself a draft dodger (claiming to have bone spurs) had the audacity to label the brave men and women of our nation's armed forces who have died in service to our nation "Losers and Suckers". As a veteran of our military forces and the son of a member of the "Greatest Generation" I find this statement reprehensible. Especially coming from someone who had money and was able to avoid the draft for Vietnam, which as I said before makes him a draft dodger in my opinion. Without the sacrifices of these brave military personnel he wouldn't have had a chance to "lead" this country. Oh, how far we have come!

Integrity:

Over the course of Mr. Trumps life he has been accused of many illegal things, business fraud, rape/sexual assault, defamation of character, misappropriation of funds for personal gain, defrauding the students of a college he created, theft and concealment of government documents, obstruction of justice by concealing the theft of government documents, defrauding the citizens of America by attempting to overturn a free and fair election at both state and federal levels, and finally exciting an insurrection. All of these are alleged crimes which he may or may not be tried for depending on his re-election to the office of president.

However, he has been adjudicated as guilty of not just one case of defamation in not just one but two civil trials and in one he was found to have sexually abused the same person who accused him of defamation. falsifying business records to pay off an adult film actress to cover up the affair he had, in this case he was found guilty by a jury of his peers on 34 separate counts. 

Should he become president before the federal cases make it to court he will use his power to have a weaponized department of justice interfere in the prosecutions to get the cases shut down. It is also likely that if these cases are concluded he will misappropriate the power of his office to pardon himself for his offenses. This in and of itself is an admission of guilt, the premise of pardoning someone is that they are guilty of the acts they are charged with. 

On the contrary, we have President Biden whose son has been found guilty of owning a weapon while addicted to illegal substances, charges brought by the special counsel appointed by Trump, and is expected to stand trial for tax charges related to his business operations, again by the special counsel appointed by Trump. Yet this same man has claimed that a special  counsel is illegal as it applies to his alleged illegal activities. President Biden has sworn that he will not pardon his son for any crimes for which he has been found guilty. 

Yet, Mister Trump has accused President Biden of being the head of a "crime family", I think he needs to look in the mirror and stop projecting his activities at his rivals. After all it was he who pardoned how many of his cronies for their actions on his behalf? He has also said that he would seek revenge and retribution on those who he believes have done him wrong by prosecuting them with his actual weaponized department of (in)justice, this includes the members of the January 6 investigative committee, especially Liz Cheney, and Adam Kinzinger who were members of his own political party. It appears to me that this man in sorely lacking in integrity.

Devotion:

As this word applies to the former Republican party now the MAGA (My Ass Got Arrested) party, the followers are not supposed to show devotion to the country, but to him and him alone. This would then require them to forgo the oath they take to support and defend the constitution of the United States and swear to protect and defend the personage of their dear leader. Also forsaking any allegiance they may or may not have to God in whatever form the hold dear. So much for Duty, Honor, Country and God all of whom come before a single man. Sorry Mister Trump, but my allegiance/duty goes to God first then the founding document of this country, not to you and never to you.

Fact v. Fiction:

The fact is that this country was founded so that we could all be free from the oppression suffered at the hands of the tyrants in charge of a church state, kings and dictators who only serve themselves above all others. That is why the American Revolution happened. That is why General Berthier went to Rome and by force of arms removed the pope from office in 1798. This was also the cause of the French Revolution. It was the tyranny of the Russian Czar which led to the Bolshevik uprising in 1917. The fact is that tyranny has never been popular and almost always results in the death of the leader of the nation.

Fiction is the belief that any nation under control of a dictator is better off than a nation governed by the rule of law. The fact is that Donald Trump, although claiming that he would only be a dictator on day one, he would not reliquish this power willingly and eventually destroy the constitutional republic we have had and defended for almost two and a half centuries!

Democracy v. Autocracy:

It is my opinion as both a citizen and a defender of democracy that an autocracy is completely against the desires of the governed. In a democracy there are freedoms that we as citizens are guaranteed among them are life and liberty including the right to believe as we choose. No one is forced to pay homage to man or God, it is our choice. No one is forced to do anything that goes against their conscience. No one should be forced to blindly obey the rules of a tyrant for any reason. 

Adolph Hitler was quoted as saying "Give me 10 years and you won't recognize Germany." Well in a way he was correct, after 10 years of war the country was almost completely destroyed by the nations that had become aligned against it. Millions of Germans were dead who previously had been loyal citizens of the country, and why? Because he saw them as the reason that Germany had lost the first world war. This included Jews, homosexuals, gypsies, dissidents the mentally ill and handicapped. 

So if for any reason you believe that you are safe following your dear leader I would suggest that you read history, if for no other reason than to find out what happens to the citizens who are promised peace and security by the dictator they swore fealty to. Quite often that leader looks at his followers as threats to his peace and safety and find themselves on trial for treason, heresy, or any other crime that can be brought against them. And frequently the verdict is guilty and the sentence imposed is death. 

How do you want to live your life? I prefer to live my life believing in God and His will over the doctrines of man. I prefer freedom over oppression. I prefer integrity in leadership over the dishonesty of tyranny. But these are my choices, I leave the rest up to you.

Just something to think about. Peace?