I grew up in the ’50s during the cold war when we had air raid drills in case of a nuclear explosion. I remember hiding under my desk or going out into the hallway as if we could really be protected from an A-bomb or H-bomb. That’s how stupid we were. The United States tried using diplomacy and nuclear buildup so that wouldn’t happen. We as Americans were powerless. Today, children in schools are given drills to protect them from an active shooter with an automatic weapon who attacks anyone within sight. Big difference between then and now. We as Americans are not powerless. We can vote people out who will not change the laws to ban automatic weapons as they had once been banned, and we must. These weapons have but one use…to kill. To kill as many people in a short period of time as you can. They are not for hunting, they are for war. Allowing them for public consumption is just as stupid as telling my young-self that hiding under my school desk will protect me from an A-bomb.
I also lived through the Nixon years. I wasn’t into politics much then. I had mixed feelings about the Vietnam war at that time but now I know better. All the reasons we were there had nothing to do with altruism and ideals but plain stupidity, greed, and power (a form of greed). I watched the Nixon impeachment hearings spellbound. Could our American government be that corrupt? Could our president really act like a thug, treat the office as if he were a crime boss? Surround himself with such shady characters in his cabinet? I was glad when that phase in our country was finished and we could get back to being a democratic republic. How were we that stupid to elect and re-elect a guy like that?
And yet. Here we are.
Once again the American people have demonstrated that they’re comfortable having an authoritarian dictator than a president. Even after this president-in-name only behaves criminally they make excuses. Even after it is common knowledge that a foreign adversary got him elected and he is inviting that kind of help again, there are Americans who support him, party affiliates who put party country. Will we always be stupid? We will soon find out.
In the publishing world where I spend my time trying not to be stupid, I remain stupid as well. I fall for the promo sites that are expensive thinking that they must have lots of subscribers to justify their high prices. I would recommend staying away from spending $129 to Kindle Nation Daily. If your book is priced at 99C they will also advertise it on Book Gorilla for no additional charge. Well, that seemed good. But no. All I sold was 6 books, which is a horrible ROI. Ebooks Hound is another one. Cost is $60 for 3 books sold at 99C.
I guess we are all stupid sometimes.
We are all that stupid. I wonder if the people who voted Nixon in also voted Trump in. Better yet, I wonder if those who voted Trump in round 1, will vote for him again for a second term. And if they do, what would their reasoning be? He tells like it is? His first term was stolen? He made the economy. Yeah, we are a dumb.