I've just learned that Authorized Departure has been extended for another month, meaning we'll be here until at least July 11. On that happy note...
The fear keeps popping up in my Facebook feed. A couple of days after "Prepared Not Scared" (complete with a bullet) was posted by a friend, this was put up by a relative:
For the sake of harmonious familial relations I didn't engage with said relation on their FB page. Rather, I'll do it here for all the world (or at least a couple dozen people) to see. Here are five reasons why I feel the need to comment on memes such as these:
1. They demonstrate fear, not toughness. Who is the target audience of such a post? The potential home invader/looter? That's doubtful, as those people are unlikely to be checking up on Facebook first before launching their assaults on the poster's residence. No, the poster is demonstrating to their FB friends that they aren't afraid to do what is necessary to protect their freedumb. Their friends are no doubt putting up similar memes, so everyone reassuring each other that they're armed and ready for...for what?
In real life, in the highly unlikely event that fantasy turns into reality, they would probably only injure themselves and their loved ones, and not the attacker. Movies and TV shows present an image of the calm warrior coolly disposing of his foes with uncanny accuracy and a follow-up witticism. In the real world, fear, nerves, perspiration and sweaty hands would more likely result in a family member being mistaken for an invader, with tragic results.
2. Their moral compasses have become skewed. Many of the folks who posture in such aggressive manners will state they're willing to do what it takes to protect their family and their property. Family I can understand - on more than one occasion I've acted quickly to put myself between my wife and/or daughter and someone acting inappropriately. But property? I find it chilling that someone would brag to the world that they wouldn't hesitate to unload a cartridge into another human being in order to protect their flat screen TV. Dude, just take it and leave my family alone.
According to my expert armchair analysis, this is the result of a society that emphasizes the acquisition of material goods and the pursuit of wealth at any cost, instead of prioritizing social programs that would benefit the society as a whole (can you say "universal health insurance"?).
3. There's that whole Freudian thing when it comes to firearms and the displays thereof. Suffice it to say, depending on your anatomy, you're either compensating or substituting for something when demonstrating your supposed love of weaponry.
4. The racism behind these memes. Oh sure, the posters will deny it. But when they fantasize about protecting their family and property from those seeking to harm the former and seize the latter, I doubt they're imagining white, college-educated males breaking down the door to their house. We know who they're afraid of, which leads us to the last reason...
5. This is why we have police brutality. White people in the suburbs are terrifed of young African-American males. This is why black men have the police called on them, and why they often end up arrested or brutalized or worse. The police are well aware of the fear, and act accordingly to "protect and serve" the community. For years we've heard about unarmed African-American men being shot dead by police officers, and yet the people who post the aggressive memes will either remain silent on social media; or, if they do react on FB, it will be along the lines of "all lives/blue lives matter". Or they will go to great lengths to point out that not all police officers are "bad", which is true, but at the same time obfuscates the real issue that there are serious abuses going on in the name of law enforcement. As long as scared white suburbanites either ignore or seek to explain away police brutality, or divert attention to looters and the so-called threat to their families and properties, the problems will go on...and on...and on...
Bridges
OK, let's finish this post on a lighter note. I've always been fascinated by lightning and thunder (much to my wife's bemusement), and living on the 21st floor gives an interesting perspective on passing rainstorms. Yesterday evening I went out onto our balcony, looked to the west and saw the approaching clouds:
It wasn't long before the storm was upon us:
After a few minutes, the rain clouds continued on their merry way:
But in the distance another burst of rain loomed. In all, three storms would blow over us by the time I went to bed last night:
The white glow in the background is the closest I've ever come to catching lightning in a photo:
The BBC has video of lightning striking the Washington Monument last night. As I tidy this up this rant before posting, yet another lightning show is going on outside, though the rain hasn't started falling on us yet. Hey, 61 days into authorized departure, entertainment options are still somewhat limited...
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