Most Americans are completely oblivious about what is going on here, much less in other countries. Our legacy media covers very little of the real world so we turn to the Guardian, BBC, Al Jazeera, and other foreign media, who do much more concise coverage of the US.
We are so wealthy here, relative to the rest of the world, and we take basics that billions of other humans around the world cannot even imagine, like toilets, or running water and food available to most, and constantly available electricity. We are not perfect, but instead of fixing what needs fixing, the new Felon Elect will tear down everything he can get his tiny filthy grifting rapist hands on.
Thank you, Walter, for sharing your Beloved's life experiences. It provides an important "snap out of it" reminder of the potential dangers of a weakened democracy like ours currently is.
This helps explain why you’re so vocally screaming warnings while most Americans are essentially saying, “Chill, Bro, everything is fine.” It’s NOT fine and shit can and will happen here.
People for whom nothing has ever gone wrong have trouble imagining things going wrong.
Thank you Michelle! This was another one that wasn't Boosted on Medium, and I suspect it's because it has that kind of political warning running through the spine. We have already had acts of terrorism in the US, it's just that they were directed by the former president so the media didn't label them as such. They're coming again, unfortunately. Thanks for the comment.
Nothing I write is Boosted there anymore, including the stories that get very high engagement and draw comments like, “This was Boosted, right?” Idk if you saw the recent one I wrote that compared Trump to a disastrous storm, but it’s a good example.
Plus, I’m not seeing the same juicy stuff Medium used to have. The trending list used to be something I’d dive into. Now it’s mostly boring stuff I don’t want to read. Idk what’s going on there.
I’m concentrating on Substack more now. I continue to keep a hand in on Medium in case they get their shit together soon.
I only had one boosted last month. I'm trying not to name the leader of the criminal administration anywhere. The trending list has been bizarre for about 2 months. I don't know what's going on there. I'm still having good luck with stories I nominate, though I think I only got about 7 stories approved this month. I'm taking the same approach to Medium. I still think it's an excellent opportunity for new writers who haven't yet built a following.
You're wife had to deal with things we can only imagine at a very young age. There is a sense of "That will never happen here" with Americans. They are very wrong. We know what a terrorist attack looks like because of 9/11. But we've never had to deal with a sustained attack like what your wife went through.
I would never wish such an awful fate on the US, but it appears that we are flirting with the possibility. People have elected someone who is already fomenting war with Panama, Greenland, Mexico, and Canada be it a tariff war or an actual military war and he hasn't even taken office yet.
Words matter. Trump and his followers are playing with fire. They are oblivious to the fact that other countries may take him very seriously and pursue a defense strategy. MAGAs are saying, "Oh, he doesn't mean what he says," to excuse the buffoonery. But words have consequences and he is digging a very big hole he may not easily get out of.
He's picking unnecessary fights with our allies. This is the guy who's going to end all wars on Day 1? His followers are just as deluded as he is. The next 4 years are going to be utter chaos.
I agree. I was disappointed when this one was not boosted on Medium, but maybe they read it as political. But the thing is, we NEED warnings like this now more than ever. You miss times of peace when chaos descends. America made such an awful and irresponsible choice. Thank you for your comment Sarah!
This is a very worthy article. It shows that we are sheltered in the US to what is happening in the world. I don't know anything about what it takes to get an article boosted, but it seems to me a near impossible thing to accomplish.
Yes, we are definitely in for a dumpster fire for the next 4 years. I have had conversations with acquaintances that say Trump isn't going to do the awful things like deport immigrants and I tell them they're wrong. I have lost friendships over this, but I'm OK with that.
Putting my head in the sand isn't an option for me. I will speak the truth as I see it no matter what. A lot of people can't handle the truth.
Yes, we have to speak the truth. I can't take all these lies. In fact, I'm attacking all the lies that we've already been socially conditioned to just accept.
Thank you for this piece that explains something of what it would feel like to be under siege. My closest experience to that is living in New York when 9/11 occurred and feeling dread and anxiety for months every day when I stepped foot into the subway to go to work, but what your wife, her family and her country went through was on a completely different level.
I'm sorry you had to go through that Joan. That stress is very real, even if the worst never comes to pass. I kind of feel that way right now as we're facing the uncertainty of a criminal administration. Thanks for your comment!
Thank you. I am also quite worried about what is to come from this next administration. All we can is keep putting one foot in front of the other in our daily lives, but also work in opposition, even if it's quietly.
"Perhaps the great tragedy of our age is that we’re overly focused on complaint rather than appreciation." I was born shortly after WWII ended. Even though I grew up in safety, there was a steady diet of wartime stories. This makes me appreciate peace and a sky free of falling bombs. I live in gratitude and grieve for people who got caught up in war in their homelands.
Most Americans are completely oblivious about what is going on here, much less in other countries. Our legacy media covers very little of the real world so we turn to the Guardian, BBC, Al Jazeera, and other foreign media, who do much more concise coverage of the US.
We are so wealthy here, relative to the rest of the world, and we take basics that billions of other humans around the world cannot even imagine, like toilets, or running water and food available to most, and constantly available electricity. We are not perfect, but instead of fixing what needs fixing, the new Felon Elect will tear down everything he can get his tiny filthy grifting rapist hands on.
Thank you, Walter, for sharing your Beloved's life experiences. It provides an important "snap out of it" reminder of the potential dangers of a weakened democracy like ours currently is.
Yes, the entitlement of the US will be its undoing.
Apologies, dropped some of the sentence....we take basics for GRANTED that billions of other humans around the world cannot even imagine....
I must have filled it in mentally when I read it! I do that often :)
This helps explain why you’re so vocally screaming warnings while most Americans are essentially saying, “Chill, Bro, everything is fine.” It’s NOT fine and shit can and will happen here.
People for whom nothing has ever gone wrong have trouble imagining things going wrong.
Thank you Michelle! This was another one that wasn't Boosted on Medium, and I suspect it's because it has that kind of political warning running through the spine. We have already had acts of terrorism in the US, it's just that they were directed by the former president so the media didn't label them as such. They're coming again, unfortunately. Thanks for the comment.
Nothing I write is Boosted there anymore, including the stories that get very high engagement and draw comments like, “This was Boosted, right?” Idk if you saw the recent one I wrote that compared Trump to a disastrous storm, but it’s a good example.
Plus, I’m not seeing the same juicy stuff Medium used to have. The trending list used to be something I’d dive into. Now it’s mostly boring stuff I don’t want to read. Idk what’s going on there.
I’m concentrating on Substack more now. I continue to keep a hand in on Medium in case they get their shit together soon.
I only had one boosted last month. I'm trying not to name the leader of the criminal administration anywhere. The trending list has been bizarre for about 2 months. I don't know what's going on there. I'm still having good luck with stories I nominate, though I think I only got about 7 stories approved this month. I'm taking the same approach to Medium. I still think it's an excellent opportunity for new writers who haven't yet built a following.
https://medium.com/thirty-over-fifty/a-question-on-the-us-citizenship-test-changed-my-perspective-on-history-and-humility-196a96a4bf61
You're wife had to deal with things we can only imagine at a very young age. There is a sense of "That will never happen here" with Americans. They are very wrong. We know what a terrorist attack looks like because of 9/11. But we've never had to deal with a sustained attack like what your wife went through.
I would never wish such an awful fate on the US, but it appears that we are flirting with the possibility. People have elected someone who is already fomenting war with Panama, Greenland, Mexico, and Canada be it a tariff war or an actual military war and he hasn't even taken office yet.
Words matter. Trump and his followers are playing with fire. They are oblivious to the fact that other countries may take him very seriously and pursue a defense strategy. MAGAs are saying, "Oh, he doesn't mean what he says," to excuse the buffoonery. But words have consequences and he is digging a very big hole he may not easily get out of.
He's picking unnecessary fights with our allies. This is the guy who's going to end all wars on Day 1? His followers are just as deluded as he is. The next 4 years are going to be utter chaos.
I agree. I was disappointed when this one was not boosted on Medium, but maybe they read it as political. But the thing is, we NEED warnings like this now more than ever. You miss times of peace when chaos descends. America made such an awful and irresponsible choice. Thank you for your comment Sarah!
Walter,
This is a very worthy article. It shows that we are sheltered in the US to what is happening in the world. I don't know anything about what it takes to get an article boosted, but it seems to me a near impossible thing to accomplish.
Yes, we are definitely in for a dumpster fire for the next 4 years. I have had conversations with acquaintances that say Trump isn't going to do the awful things like deport immigrants and I tell them they're wrong. I have lost friendships over this, but I'm OK with that.
Putting my head in the sand isn't an option for me. I will speak the truth as I see it no matter what. A lot of people can't handle the truth.
Yes, we have to speak the truth. I can't take all these lies. In fact, I'm attacking all the lies that we've already been socially conditioned to just accept.
Thank you for this piece that explains something of what it would feel like to be under siege. My closest experience to that is living in New York when 9/11 occurred and feeling dread and anxiety for months every day when I stepped foot into the subway to go to work, but what your wife, her family and her country went through was on a completely different level.
I'm sorry you had to go through that Joan. That stress is very real, even if the worst never comes to pass. I kind of feel that way right now as we're facing the uncertainty of a criminal administration. Thanks for your comment!
Thank you. I am also quite worried about what is to come from this next administration. All we can is keep putting one foot in front of the other in our daily lives, but also work in opposition, even if it's quietly.
"Perhaps the great tragedy of our age is that we’re overly focused on complaint rather than appreciation." I was born shortly after WWII ended. Even though I grew up in safety, there was a steady diet of wartime stories. This makes me appreciate peace and a sky free of falling bombs. I live in gratitude and grieve for people who got caught up in war in their homelands.
Well said.
That is a powerful story. Thank you for sharing that with us Walter.
Thanks for reading William!
My pleasure!