‘SCOTUS Gone Wild’
A few years ago, holier-than-thou Republicans deemed those “Girls Gone Wild” videos as immoral. But what’s even more obscene is “SCOTUS Gone Wild” with the Supreme Court’s moves to undermine the will of the people:
- Easing gun access in New York, a ruling that could ease gun access nationally, even as the majority of U.S. citizens of all races (Democrat and Republican; progressive and conservatives) want more gun restrictions.
- Overturning Roe v. Wade even though over 75% of the nation believe in a woman’s choice, whatever it may be, to exercise authority over her own body.
- Excusing police from having to read you your Miranda Rights (“You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law”), freeing up police to inflict more abuse on us with even less restrictions, even as the country demands police be held accountable for wrongdoings, just like we would if we broke the law.
This is the most political SCOTUS ever, and it’s acting consistently with the Jan. 6 insurrectionists who sought to replace democracy with minority (white, hyper-conservative) rule. And this SCOTUS isn’t done yet.
Democrats: Asleep at the wheel
For years, I led missionary trips for my church that meant long hours on the road wile a carload of fellow missionaries. As team leader, I did the bulk of the driving. But when I got tired, someone else would take over while I caught some ZZZs in the backseat. But on more that one occasion, while sleep in the backseat, I’d wake up in total terror thinking I had gone asleep at the wheel and put my team in danger. The reality was, I hadn’t, but it felt real.
Well, Democrats really are asleep at the wheel, and have been for far too long. And they’ve put us all in danger. They haven’t acted with the urgency these dangerous times demand, choosing to focus and campaign on “kitchen table issues.” But there won’t be a kitchen or a table if these fools who want to overthrow democracy with violence on all levels aren’t stopped. If Dems want to win elections and excite their base, they have to wake the hell up soon, or we’re all crashing.
Voting: Playing the long game
That said, we (folk who stand against the dictatorial, violent program of the modern-day GOP confederacy) have to play the long game. The overturning of Roe v. Wade is a prime example of folk who are anti-everyone who’s not them, playing the long game. They’ve been talking about overturning Roe v. Wade forever, and suffered setback after setback for decades. But they stayed true to their plan, even voting for candidates they personally hated, but who were committed to their same goal.
Now, they’ve won, and are looking to overturn everything else on their list. In contrast, if we don’t see results immediately from those we elect, we quit voting for good. I’m not saying we shouldn’t expect results in exchange for our votes. We should. But we’ve also got to commit to fighting until the fight is won. That’s the long game.
