We're Off Our Rockers
Hyperviolence and War in America
My wife put it succinctly today: “We’re off our rockers.”
By we, she meant the actions of “our” government, which of course isn’t ours at all.
Consider President Trump’s latest call for a $1.5 trillion Pentagon budget in 2027. The Pentagon has failed eight (!) audits in a row but let’s give the military-industrial-congressional complex (MICC) a gigantic increase in money so we can build a “dream” military. This from the self-identified peace president, the one who vowed to challenge the MICC and even to cut its funding in a big way. Well, this isn’t the first lie Trump has told.
Speaking of lies, Trump has told us not to believe our own eyes when we watch video of the deadly shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis by ICE agents. According to Trump, Good was a "professional agitator" who "violently, willfully, and viciously" ran over an ICE officer. There is no video evidence to support that accusation. The video I’ve seen shows Good attempting to drive away as she is shot and killed by an ICE agent who was clear of any threat posed by her vehicle.
I recently reread portions of George Orwell’s “1984,” so this famous phrase immediately came to mind:
The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
All governments lie, of course, but the lies of Trump and his enablers are so blatant, so vicious, so malicious that they pose a national security threat of their own.
I often cite Ike’s statement that “Only Americans can hurt America.” Obviously, those Americans with the most power can inflict the most hurt. And we see evidence of that hurt both at home and abroad as “our” government embraces hyperviolence.
And the man most responsible thinks he deserves a Nobel Peace Prize. Yes, we are off our rockers.