Courage and Cowardice

I am a very fearful person, and while my fears do not approach Adrian Monk’s fears, they’re substantial. Some of them are overcome with logistics. For example, I have an irrational fear of running out of organic whole milk, and therefore always have a half-gallon in the fridge, along with one or two back-up half-gallon cartons.

But my politics know no fear. I stand up for that in which I believe. I always have, always will, with my dying breath. There is a lot of risk to this, and potentially large costs. But I have courage of my convictions. For those of you who don’t know me personally, on a really good day, if I stretch, I’m almost 5’4”. I could lose 15 pounds, but I’m not a big person. Since I only re-learned to walk last year, I am not fast, and sometimes I fall down. I cannot run. But when I knock doors, or talk to people out in public, if I am faced with a MAGA-head, I look in (generally his) eyes, and generally up at him, and hold my place. I will talk, I will argue, and if he hits me, there is potentially an arrest, and a civil case. I’ll take the hit. Not recently, but in the past, I’ve been hauled into HR because “no politics at work.” (Yeah, I should have known better, but I cannot always help myself around idiots.)

In blogging under my real name, and holding a press credential, I understand that if the Convicted Felon and his minions win, they’ll likely send me to the camps. I understand that I am not a prime target, as I’m not on TV and I don’t podcast, but it is a risk. I don’t care, my voice matters. ALL of our voices matter.

There are public people who exhibit true courage in these difficult times. Like Michael Cohen, who has been outspoken in telling truths about his former boss, on TV, podcasts, and through his books. He has already felt the wrath, when he was wrongly jailed for writing his first book. He plans to change his name, and leave the country if the Convicted Felon wins. More info and video here. He will not be silenced, and there is no doubt he’d head an enemies list.

Not to mention the young women: Cassidy Hutchinson, Olivia Troye, Stephanie Grisham, Alyssa Farah Griffin, Omarosa Manigault Newman, and Sarah Matthews. All worked in the White House, all have been very vocal.

There are certainly others who have signed on, military personnel, historians, ex-employees, etc., etc., etc. Even the Cheneys.

Contrast that to Mitt Romney, who will not endorse Vice President Harris, because he fears what could happen to his family. He voted to convict Trump, along with a few other Senators, and where are their voices today? WHERE ARE THE ELECTED REPUBLICAN OFFICIALS??? They are doing their constituencies a great disservice, and history will not treat them kindly.

Other notable cowards include CNN and the New York Times, along with a few other media outlets, none as big as these two. They continually platform the Convicted Felon, just “as is” – with no context, no response to the ever-increasing dementia, and always turning it ON Vice President Harris. Luckily, we have Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi. (Start at 4:00)

We have other great defenders in our elected officials, truly doing all that they can. Props to Pete Buttigieg who spends time on Fox. But often they are singing to the choir.

My gripe is really with the media. While I don’t believe the polls, I do read them, and I understand that while the major stumbling block to Harris-Walz prevailing in November includes too many people who do not read, nor consume television news, there is the over-65 crowd, and they are the largest consumers of MSM.

While theoretically the over-65 crowd (especially women) are in play this year, as a rule, these folks vote in high numbers, and they skew Republican. Over-65s haven’t voted as a group for a presidential candidate since Al Gore in 2000. If ONLY the media was not so cowardly as to just accept the Convicted Felon for what he says, and constantly berate Vice President Harris for not doing “enough.” If, IF, the media could just treat the two campaigns fairly and equally, it could pay huge dividends.

Egregiously, the Convicted Felon keeps calling Vice President some version of “mentally impaired.”ALL the “news” shows play a clip. Did any of them point out that this is untrue? The only one I heard comment about it at all, and I watched for it, was Colin Jost, on SNL. While the MSM might shrug off what they consider ridiculous, there are voters listening who do not know any better.

I wonder why. Why are CNN and the New York Times in the tank for the Convicted Felon? They must understand that he’ll shut down the media, except likely NewsMax, so that there is one voice (think Russian Pravada). They can’t honestly believe he’d let them survive even with their kowtowing. Is it that they cannot believe that a woman could lead the country? Is it racism? Is it just inculcated into their leaders that the “journalists” are forced to follow the historic path of media and drill down on things like clothing, makeup, laughter, facial expressions, tone, but only for women?

I wish I could understand why the media is working AGAINST its own interests, just like too many idiots vote against their own self-interest.

I leave you with this today. Even if you never click on a link, click on this one. I promise that it is something you don’t know about. Something that encompasses courage and joy in the face of impending death, along with lives well-lived and completely dedicated to making the world a better place, and doing so successfully. It will be the most beautiful thing you’ll read today.