A Continuing Silence in Book Seven: Reconstruction 2020

I honestly have nothing new to write really.

More “the world is crazy and I’m enraged” I suppose.

Despite 1,000 new confirmed COVID cases over the weekend? Despite over 300 new confirmed COVID cases in the last 24 hours? Our Governor is opening churches, malls, bars, restaurants, and farmers’ markets back up on Friday. She refused to issue any Shelter in Place, was painfully slow to act in any way, and now is opening things up despite saying herself that we haven’t reached peak yet. And I look out into the country and I see much the same. I want to absolutely SCREAM at the people that are Protesting Stay Home Orders (because the Government can’t control us) but are Pro-Life (because the Government should control other people). This entire experience has reminded me that my typical “security blanket” is a lie. One way I get through dealing with the worst of humanity daily is to lie to myself that “this is isolated.” Methed out parents abusing their children, those abused children then sexually assaulting someone, that victim lashing out in violence against someone else.... these cycles that I see perpetrated over and over again.... I lie to myself that this level of criminal ignorance and self-destruction is limited to just the very small group of people in this relatively small community. But then… I’m reminded by things like this. Humanity is largely a failure as a species. We care more about money than each other. We believe a shyster preacher when he says “God will protect his faithful, there is nothing to worry about” but scorn the religiously faithful medical experts saying “By following these guidelines, you will be protected.” We twist “Give me liberty or give me death” into “Give me liberty, give them death.” But this isn’t new… just a bigger example. The amount of people out there that witnessed the evidence of Climate Change and had the same response? “But money!” “But God wouldn’t allow it!” “But my freedom to be a lazy asshole!” The amount of people out there that treat any attempt to improve our education system with the same responses? “But money!” “But they took God out of schools!” “But my freedom to pay less taxes!” The amount of people out there that believe in Flat Earth theory? The amount of people out there that witnessed all of the evidence as to Trump’s inability to effectively lead… that are STILL witnessing it… and yet continue to praise him, support him, lift him up and declare that he is THE BEST THING FOR THIS COUNTRY?

Growing up, people would often ask if I was going to be a pastor. I have the Spiritual Gift of faith, I think critically but compassionately, and I enjoy speaking in front of a large audience. But I would always say, “I have faith in God. He is in the Heavens and He is our creator. But I have no faith in his people. His experiment failed. I have no hope that humans will ever achieve even a tenth of what we’re capable of because as a species, we’re a disaster.” And while there are wonderful and beautiful people out there creating, and giving, and sacrificing, and doing everything possible to make the world a better place… look to the ones that are in control. Look to the ones that are in command. While some places (New Zealand) did amazingly… The United States Federal? Iowa as a State? My County?

And I know people will say, “More evidence you should move!” And perhaps I should. Perhaps I would enjoy life better somewhere else. But I’m a fighter. And this is my home. And where once Iowa was a shinning beacon to others (excellent education standards, one of the first states to desegregate, one of the first states to recognize Gay Marriage)… we have fallen desperately to the politics of division, willful ignorance, and voluntary destruction. Maybe I can’t win a fight like this. Rural communities are dying all over, Fox News has infiltrated and won the souls of the White Rural Voter in many places… maybe there is no opportunity left to convince my people that intelligence, education, experts, and compassion have a place in the world. But I have to fight.