If there’s one three-word phrase I could never imagine myself saying to anyone, it’s this: “May you suffer.”
BUT… if you are among the millions of Americans who voted for the Felon-In-Chief, I will say this to you: “May you suffer immediately.”
What’s the difference?
Well, the difference is that I know you are indeed going to suffer eventually – just like the rest of us. I just want you to hurry up and get it over with.
I know, I know. You didn’t think that would be part of the bargain. You only voted to make OTHER people suffer. You know, the ones who really deserve it. Refugees. Transgenders. Gays. The homeless. Ten-year-olds impregnated by their stepfathers. People like that. And above all, you wanted to “own the libs”, no matter what you had to destroy to do it.
You probably never imagined that there would be any blowback to affect you personally. But be assured, there will be. Sooner or later, there will be. I just hope it happens soon enough for you to associate cause and effect.
Unfortunately, we live in a culture of instant gratification and extreme short-sidedness. People often don’t look beyond their own noses. So if there is any lapse of time between cause and effect, they don’t make the connection. And this leads to some very bad judgments.
When all the “illegal” immigrants have been deported (and, if your new president gets his way, even many perfectly legal immigrants – such as the Haitians in Ohio whom he accused of eating pets and vowed to send “back to Venezuela”), who do you think will harvest your crops and gut your Tyson chickens? If you think food prices are outrageous now, you ain’t seen nothing yet. Even if by some miracle agribusiness persuaded American workers to take up the slack, the heavy increase in costs such as wages and insurance would still cause retail prices to skyrocket.
Maybe you make a habit of voting for candidates who try to outlaw abortion. Feels good to call yourself “pro-life”, doesn’t it? But how much thought have you given to the long-term consequences?
If history is any guide (as it invariably is), the effects will be very grim indeed. Abortion will just be driven back underground, with procedures often performed by unqualified personnel under unsafe conditions. The result: more death, more disfigurement, a much greater toll of human suffering all around. And sooner or later such a tragedy just might strike someone near and dear to you. Is that really what you want? Before you respond, note that, no, banning abortion absolutely will not reduce its actual numbers in the long term. There are reliable studies that show this.
Because of the public’s grossly skewed lack of perspective, presidents and other political figures often get blamed or praised for events simply because those events happen during their terms. One of the most ridiculous examples is that Ronald Reagan is often praised for ending the Iran hostage crisis, even though he didn’t lift a finger to do so; the hostages were released on the FIRST DAY of his presidency, as planned by the captors in order to cement a relationship with him (which paid off handsomely later when his administration illegally sold them weapons). But the late Jimmy Carter generally gets no credit, even though he’s the one who actually negotiated the release.
More recently, President Biden has been frequently attacked for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan – even though it was his predecessor who cut the deal. And he has been soundly blamed for the recent economic slump, even though it was his predecessor who put the gears of economic collapse in motion, and the full effects just didn’t show up until later. And the Biden-Harris team has actually presided over one of the strongest economic recoveries in history.
And now that predecessor has been handed the keys to the Oval Office again. The results absolutely will not be pretty. And the disasters will not spare anyone, even his strongest supporters.
If you are one of them, here’s hoping that you receive the blessed gift of instant karma. May you reap what you have sown with record swiftness. I wish this not because I bear you ill-will, but because I want you to learn from your mistakes.
That’s the only hope that we’re ever going to stop history from repeating itself in such a nasty fashion.
The Propaganda Professor 
Yup, Trump brainwashed voters by insisting over and over that Biden was ruining the country. My self and others wrote emails suggesting that CNN should host a town hall meeting where the worst conspiracies could be easily debunked, and after some viewers witnessed the facts, maybe a few states would not have gone to Trump. But that’s a big if, and the news media only made passing references to the findings of FactCheck.org. Politifact, and the Washington Post. Instead, they talked about obscene comments and obscene acts which all passed by voters while little or no attention was paid to the larger issues they were interested in–a great economy, not ever realizing that Biden had already given them one, up until the election.
Yes, they had to (own) Biden, no matter how many lies, deceptive graphs, misinformation, or biased news sources they peppered Google with. I know that the appointed one gave an ethically horrific speech at his inauguration But I prefer to watch CNN and MSNBC whose gifted journalists finally disagree with Repubs, now that info-nuances make no difference! They need to clearly explain why suddenly misinformation, lies, and fake news, managed to succeed. I guess now that now Trump will try and perform some magic economic tricks to make himself look like a genius, but will eventually, steer us into serious ‘trade wars, And Trump will probably bring us all to the brink of disaster!!–even militarily!
I saw a post from the r/LeopardsAteMyFace subreddit yesterday (somewhere, sorry cannot find link I saw) showing a proud trumper in a panic because his wife (another ‘proud Trumper’) was scheduled to start a new job as a VA nurse; they had already sold their house, packed up everything, bought a new house where her job was, and were mid-move…when he EO’ed that the entire Federal Government was under a hiring freeze, and her job offer was rescinded…Many more at the link below.
Instant Karma is often the best karma …
https://www.reddit.com/r/LeopardsAteMyFace/
I left a comment here two days ago, and I don’t think it was innapropriate. Did you remove it POP?
My apologies. Limited internet until tomorrow. In a remote village in India.
OK, yes there are many areas of the world where Internet access is limited. I just wanted to know if somehow my comment was removed by accident.
I’ll be happy to wait.
I’m back in civilization (sic), but I can’t seem to locate your unapproved comment. Perhaps you could submit it again?
I have been having trouble posting comments even on Liberal Newsite and I don’t punctuate them with lies or animosity. I also didn’t agree (to my awareness) that I gave anybody to post my yahoo email at their beginning.
Hello POP, I am trying to post this comment underneath another of your articles. I’m still having a hell of a time leaving my current comments here, like the one about things you no longer believe:
This is a very interesting post you have written. I have indeed changed many of my opinions by reading your articles and also from life experiences.
Years ago, when the genetically modified food scare hit the nation I remember reading about the monk Gregor Mendels and his experiments to cross breed various plants, and due to his efforts we discovered the existence of Dominant and recessive Genes. I thought his work was interesting and during the genetically modified food scare, I realized that Mendel’s experiments involved ways to genetically modify peanut plants. Then later during my life, nectarines and various kinds of apples were crossbred for sale in our supermarkets and at one time a newly created kind of corn literally saved world’s critically shrinking supply of it. So I thought this genetic foods phobia must be another kind of scare about foods that the human race relied on in regard to our increasing knowledge of how important a healthy diet is for our well being. So, this cross breeding or plants or manipulations of genetic material—was a really good thing. And, as long as the next head of lettuce I buy doesn’t have eyes looking back at me, I believe such modifications are not dangerous for consumers!
About Transgenders and gays – earlier I spent no time wondering if they were deviants who corrupted others, but since Psychiatrists in the 1970 still considered gays to be suffering from pathological illnesses, I did give some thought to that idea. However, as it so often goes with scientific progress, after more and more research, Psychiatrists determined that the large groups of gays they interviewed did not suffer from pathological illnesses They were also proven, statistically, not to commit any more, or any less crimes, than heterosexuals do, including sexual child abuse. Psychiatrists also discovered that, when it came to raising children, gay couples experienced no more, and no less parenting failures, than did hetero groups – and were sometimes-considered even better at raising children than straight parents, So when the big ado about getting gender changing surgeries, hit the mainstream news, I was not very concerned about what were then called, (sex-change operations). Since it made sense that transgender and gay orientations occurred due to genetic anomalies and perhaps abnormal hormones levels. However, who is to say that all “abnormal” traits are bad things? I reached this conclusion after remembering the fun that a gay friend of mine and I had during our childhoods. And of course, at that time sexual orientation meant very little to us, since we were just kids having fun.
Since our entire genetic history is carried on by genes which change over very long periods of time, and are continually passed on through natural selection, the winners may not even have been as strong or fast as other species, but they were better adapted to survive during very long geological periods– including the several extinction events our planet has already gone through. So I think the uproar coming from the religious right is just another controversy, designed to produce self-righteous contempt for others, and often designed by political operatives who created the huge outcry against abnormal sexual orientations which actually convey nothing sinister or unnatural about the evolutionary process.
I have, at times been uptight when talking to “raving queens,” but many gays are more masculine and some transgenders look very much like beautiful women in many respects, which is exactly all that they want. And after transitioning surgeries their brains now matched their birth gender’s, and far fewer Transgenders feel tormented by bouts of anxiety and depression—often touched off by people in their surrounding cultures who keep telling them they are sick and/or sinful. But anybody who has ever been insulted or bullied for being different should understand how effective the scorn of others can be when it comes to self-esteem. So Transgenders as well as gay people, were often repeatedly portrayed by others as being extremely evil and unnatural. So let’s just stop fearing differences and understand that no person who just looks or speaks somewhat differently, is part of some vast conspiracy!–As the late great comedian Joan Rivers said, “Grow Up!”
I also consider the notion of prayer to be unusual in many way that involve repetitions of ideas based on one’s core beliefs. Yet many people, once more, have become the brunt of undeserved scorn at the hands of self-righteous minorities. My wife often quoted a song from “South Pacific,” “You’ve got to be carefully taught”–to explain the flawed thinking of previous generations and how oppressive church doctrines keep affecting younger Generations. And since my beautiful wife spent 69 years living with Cerebral Palsy, she developed an especially kind and unresentful attitude toward those who bully or judge others. She often encouraged me to not be polarized so easily. So, currently, during all the horrific and bizarre actions undertaken by our puffed up King, that’s exactly what I try to do. But for me, even that is a very difficult attitude to maintain. And unfortunately, reading and being told facts about others, often does not dispel prejudice or unwarranted hate– especially if the hater has large amounts of anger invested in maintaining their hatred. But human biases and hatreds do not erase the fact that many people of faith really do become more tolerant by practicing their faiths. And many religions fundamentally act with good will towards others even though they too are not perfect examples of tolerance and love. Then there is the fact that the Bible says “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath”—and Christ encouraged us to commune with our God privately, to go into a closet where we can then share our treasures with God privately—treasures that often are not always in step with rewards given by men—like Church officials whose rewards involve being acknowledged and praised by men. So even though I know scripture quoting can be equally vain, I attempt to give allegiance to what I believe is clearly spelled out in all 4 gospels, by Jesus himself. Yes many parts of the Bible were written ages after Christ was crucified and the 4 Christian gospels are not exactly written in exactly the same ways either, nor do all of them completely cover the same historical account. But the accounts of Christs life in all four are close enough to the others for me. And when it comes to the accounts of his crucifixion, the adage, “no ordinary person can make up that stuff,” again seems applicable in all 4 accounts, recorded in all in all 4 Gospels. I also find much wisdom in other major religions, all of which are similar enough to regard as being shared in common with many other spiritual teachings And of course I am free to doubt any Biblical narratives according to my own conscience.
Southeast Asia…hmm…I was a teenager during Viet Nam and my lottery number was a low one, meaning that I would probably have been sent to Vietnam, even though I hated the massive acts of violence that were perpetrated by the enemy as well as by our own troops, Thus horrific experiences at the hands of the enemy only made this particular war impossibly heartless, and wrong. But if not for my disability, I might have died in Vietnam. And strange as it sounds, I often feel grateful for being disabled during that time, since securing a deferment was one of the few good things I was lucky enough to experience because of it.
Institutional racism, yes, then and now. I remember the black man who wanted to study at a certain southern college in the 1960s who had to be escorted by the national guard just to get through the front door? And since far fewer black Americans are lucky enough to be eligible for good jobs, or lucrative employment, after attending prestigious Universities, I still do not consider affirmative action, a bad thing, primarilly because it (does help) many worthy people of all colors and ethnic backgrounds to attain their life’s goals. Recently in New York, Trump dissed DEI issues, as if it they encouraged unqualified jobs seekers to be air traffic controllers who then, caused the recent unfortunate airplane accident. But no schools that evaluate various types of applicants are being (unreasonably forced) to accept someone who say, they have had only one High School biology class, but still feels qualified to attend medical school. Yet Ivy League school’s should still be very much in play, in order to find exceptional students of all races and backgrounds. However, some very deserving candidates for higher educations are still rejected based mostly on their race. So attempting to end that kind unfairness is a goal that our government needs to be involved in.
When Barack Obama was elected I was momentarily lulled into believing that the Supreme Court’s denial of Title 5 of the Civil rights Act, was indeed no longer needed, due to the belief that our country was no longer racist enough require such oversight, so the SCOTUS struck it down. However, positive proof that racial bias is still alive was directly demonstrated by the mass rush to enact many more voter suppression laws after the High Court’s ruling because it was something that Republicans hoped would enable their party to be victorious–but in this case, the SCOTUS actually gave them (permission) to strengthen the ballot in favor of Conservatives).
Modern Art…yes much of it seems out in left field and perhaps ridiculous. But many kinds of abstract art truly impress me, particularly those in a three dimensional gallery full of unique art, done by Bay Area artists, (while I lived briefly in San Francisco during the 1970s). One display consisted of a small, room constructed of wire in such a way that observers saw and heard a video of houseflies flitting around in a similar caged area, as their voices became full of fear concerning the possibility that they might never be able to escape. Yes it made you laugh, but I also thought it was particularly clever, in that, it placed the fears of common insect’s on par with the fears we humans often worry about. The same art show had another exhibit that consisted of a chair sitting in front of a loaded gun, where a clock ticked down the time, and a sign informed viewers that the gun would fire one bullet sometime between then and New Years day. It also asked newer viewers if they would like to sit there for a while. But like most other people I understood how uncertain and how unsafe the future might be, regardless of any very unlikely scenarios. So I did not accept that invitation and still don’t care whether the exhibit was truly set up to respond unpredictably. Then there are some paintings which contain large areas of different colors that depict no real shapes or realities, yet some are awesome by virtue of the way those painting are composed, often with spacial qualities that were at first, unnoticed. I also like many of picaso’s creations even though they contain confusing montages and colors and that overlap distorted human forms, including distorted human faces and bodies. One I particularly remember is a painting inspired by the Spanish Civil war during 1930s Europe. The entire canvas screamed like a midnight siren warning of immanent violence and cruelty, and in it the surrealistic nature of all wars was clearly stated. But before I get carried away, let me just mention two more amazing paintings that have always stayed in my mind as well. One was Vincent Van Gogh’s “Starry Night,” and the other a painting titled “The Scream,” by Edvard Munch.” If you’ve seen them (as millions of us have) let me just say, you already understand why these incredible paintings speak for themselves.
About names for sports teams, yes I was also confused. It seemed to me that adding words, like Braves, warriors, or just “Indians,” were meant to convey strong fearless players who were hard to defeat. Then while watching (was it 60 Minutes)?–a guest Native American asked how the interviewer would feel if his team was named, (The Milwaukee white Guys), and still used race to convey what might otherwise be considered funny, and would confuse many of us who simply felt, that this name just didn’t sound right–as if it were a joke being told on SNL. And when you think of it, the only real Americans are decedents of the many indigenous tribes which flourished in North America long before the first white man walked on an American shore. So about this and other sensitive issues, my Maxim is that, if anybody is offended by anything I say, then I should just apologize and quit saying it–because the various types of people I might offend probably have histories and backgrounds that I don’t– Therefore I should respect their feelings simply based on shared human dignity!–Why the hell not!
During the Obama McCain election one of my sisters asked if there was anything I approved of about Republicans, but excepting the military bravery of John McCain, my answer was no! However, during and after his brave vote against an onerous health care bill, the house committee examined Trump’s role In Jan 6, 2021, and I now have great admiration for the handful of Republicans who stood up for the Constitution and for the truth–despite the certainty that they would not be re-elected if they merely voiced their honest concerns, (Like Liz Cheney, and Adam Kinsigger)–who each deserve a chapter in “Profile In Courage,” to commemorate their bravery as they faced down all of the conspiracies, lies, and forms of, disinformation, (still being used by evasive Republicans). As for all the others, Mitch McConnell also deserves a chapter, after talking for almost half an hour in Congress, saying, that the Jan 6, riot was “perpetrated by the President and other powerful people. My impression has always been that McConnell wore a sad and sullen face indicating he was uncomfortable about being forced by the GOP to lie.
Is Walmart Evil? Maybe if you consider that it has a budget larger than the entire economies of some small countries, and because it also sold guns so easily and for so long, and paid only minimum wages to its legions of employees. But on a practical basis, Its still the only place someone like me can find almost everything he needs, all for a lower price. But it’s a shame that some employees work long hours to keep jobs that are hard to fill, and which still provide only small paychecks to those who need to eat and pay their bills.
One thing you didn’t mention is the rigidity and fear of illegal actions that make many employees of bureaucracies and large company’s fearful of disobeying even the smallest rules regarding mostly minor issues. The customer is no longer (ever) right, and must make large monthly payments on furniture that do not include the convenience of having that furniture delivered it to one’s home, even if one lives only three blocks away, and even if you offer to pay them extra? Today businesses are so completely dedicated to their bottom lines just to remain competitive, that they continue to secure their own financial gains, while good customer relations and helpful services for buyers are essentially non-existent. Thoreau lamented, “We do not ride the railroad, the railroad rides us,” So can you imagine what he would say if he lived in today’s trickle up, computerized, and shady uses of political power world? He would not only turn over in his grave, he would claw his way out and run away full tilt, at record breaking speed!
Yes, both the Beatles and the Stones are amazing, but as far as beautiful lyrics and pleasant cord changes, of course, there has never been a group quite like the Beatles. And way too often rock from recent decades has been all about loud noise and cult appeal—like the 90s – when a lead singer for “Nirvana,” literally screamed and shouted out obscenities, like a spoiled brat, for the entire lengths of several songs – accompanied by a heavy metal sound, so heavy, that it could literally inspire real music lovers to barf. I also don’t care if Miley Cyrus twerks her butt during concerts—she has a nice one. So yes, that’s entertaining, but it’s hardly about defying “fake plastic, people.” especially when she enters the arena riding on top a huge plastic hot dog? So how it the world does the academy still call such performances art, and praise them as a great performance? I have no idea! Maybe we should consult Mad Magazine?
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Thanks, great comments.