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I Can Breathe. [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2023-08-02

It feels as though I’ve not been able to take a full, chest filling, bad air liberating breath since Donald Trump decended on a golden escalator to begin his bid for the presidency of our nation. Watching that, I just knew it wouldn’t end well. All the years where he actually held power felt to me as though I were panting, chest heaving desperately, the stricture growing ever tighter with each criminal act or racist policy put forth or enacted. I exhaled and all that came out was horror.

They seemed to be winning on so many fronts, and, worst of all, so MANY of our people were in lockstep with the treasonous. Let us emplace no barriers to memory- the racism and misogyny, bigotry and contempt for any laws they didn’t like started immediately- Hillary named them deplorable and she was right on the mark.

Each criminal assertion tightened the bands about my lungs, every kiss kiss to a dictator who was an enemy squeezed me as though a giant pliers held me around my heart. By the time we hit the upside down bible and the actual insurrection, I was gasping for any air at all, on the ropes but stubborn in my belief that some agency in our American way of life was going to ensure, this one time, that Justice keep her blindfold on and her scale true.

No one prosecutes the rich and powerful! That was said by their side in that childish, singsong “Nananananaaaaaa” voice by the supporters of chaos and mayhem- they KNEW he was a criminal and traitor and found that good. They dared us to try and prosecute him and reveled in the evil circus that his administration turned out to be.

It was echoed in sad tones by so many of the people on our side, too. People’s voices dripping with resignation and an almost fervent acceptance, the warnings of imminent loss were seemingly in every discussion. It’s all corrupt, the sky is falling, we have no chance at a fair deal! Sometimes, it felt like too many of us wanted to lose, wanted proof that we will always come out the underdog. I can’t understand it, even though I’ve felt some of that too. By any God or any of the Random Factors, look at WHAT was at stake! Everything! But you have to have faith. If we give up, they win by default.

How the HELL can they keep winning? How many times have I asked that, myself?

But they aren’t, are they?

The whole mess is coming unraveled on them because they finally hit an institution that is immune, so long as it is not corrupted, to the mealy mouthed lies and the gaslighting that lets them, those willing to disenfranchise ALL of us for their own desires, shape the narrative and paint the picture seen.

“The facts and just the facts” doesn't give that evil tree any illumination under which it can wax tall and horrific, there is no room to spread in that arena, so the weeds they would sow, won’t grow. Tell those lies in that forum and get more troubles than you had or need.

I don’t blame anyone for being pessimistic, me included, when it was darkest, it was damned dark- and all of us are human, of more or less internal fortitude and or differing logic sets. Everyone deals with the darkness in their own way.

Still, right or wrong, for damn few were indifferent, we still somehow stuck it out and made it through to here. They would have loved to have caused us to give up with nothing more than their mouths- but that did not happen! Thank you to everyone. That’s sincere, from me to you.

Justitia has come back, stridently, and with her came the breath of fresh air that lets my chest finally expand- I’ll have to sit down, it’s been a long time since I could do this. Breathe free.

The rich and powerful will be tried in front of a jury of their peers. Somehow, despite the polemic and attempted coup, the rage and threats of civil war if accountability were attempted, we all made it to here. Atlanta isn’t burning- at least, not because of a civil war or an insurrection.

Donald Trump and the beginning of a long list of indicted co-conspirators, hopefully, have been/will be charged for their actions in trying to nullify your and my vote for their own benefit.

They will answer to us all, now, for trying to steal our voice, our nation and yes, our freedom.

For, what freedoms would have been mine by right and not fiat had they been successful? Being the American I am, a true believer in equality and fairness for all people, a believer in non approved Gods, a person who doesn’t care who or how you love so long as you LOVE- I can tell you, my rights would have been none.

For even though my skin color would have let me bow my head and mumble their propaganda, it would have allowed me to hide in plain sight in their world, I would not have been free. Freedom for all would have become a thing of the past, a failed experiment, the corpse of an idea laid into a shallow grave, it’s ghost pulled forth to serve the new masters as propaganda forever.

I think we missed that future by a few, spare, degrees on the brass wheel that has Democracy and Dictatorship scribed upon its outer rim. The hand is still pointing toward democracy and freedom, although the fight is never ending- it is unsteady, that pointer, as sad as it makes me to say that. We can never be less than vigilant.

I see you Justitia, I feel your aura of equality and I can smell the perfume you wear, the one named fairness. The wind that rustles your robes as you walk to the lectern has tickeled my nose and your gavel fills my soul with respect and expectation.

Good Lady Justice and all who serve her willingly- Thank you for this.

I can breathe.

Kell

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