OH HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED

 

Imagine coming of age in an era where a republican president, (a republican president who was forced to resign from office in disgrace because of serious criminal activity,) started the Environmental Protection Agency, ended the draft, lowered the voting age to 18, ensured affirmative action in federal agencies with an executive order and enforced school integration in the South.  That is the era I came of age in.  That’s the era my ideologies were formed in.  I was no fan of that republican president and my views ran far to the left of his but these were things that actually happened under the administration of a criminal, right-wing republican president when I was young.  I mention this to point out just how far to the Right the Republican Party and this country have moved.  Republicans of today call Democrats, “Leftist Extremists,” but the reality is Democrats aren’t supporting any policies that Republicans weren’t supporting themselves when I was coming of age.  In fact I would go so far as to say that Democrats are no longer even Left of the center that existed back then.  And what that means is that it’s the Republicans that have become extremists.  Republicans have moved so far to the Right that they are no longer even recognizable as a political party in a nation that is supposed to be a democracy. They’ve been radicalized so much by the influences and money of fundamental Christians, billionaires and organizations like the NRA that they are a dim shadow of what they once were.  And they don’t even try to hide it!  They enthusiastically show off their radical conservative donors and influencers like badges of honor.  And from my perspective as a once wide eyed, idealistic young man who wanted nothing more than to make the world a better place for everyone it’s all very sad.  This is no longer the country I grew up in.  This is no longer a country of hope, progress and equality and it’s very disheartening.  I’m now growing old but my core ideologies have not changed.  My light might be dimming but it’s not out yet and I will continue to fight the good fight as best I can.  I only hope that there are more people out there who feel the same way.  More people that want to get this country back on track to being what it advertises itself to be.  To quote Bob Dylan, “It’s getting dark but it’s not dark yet.” Hopefully we can somehow manage to turn the lights back on and point this ship in the right direction.  Only time will tell I guess but time is something we’re fast running out of it seems.  Good luck everyone.