I'll Call It Like I See It

by sheila morris

Tag: government shutdown

  • Reflections on Disney, America’s Shutdown and No Kings Day

    Reflections on Disney, America’s Shutdown and No Kings Day


    Jumbled words. Fragmented phrases. Images of Disney World still swirling in my mind. It’s a small world after all, isn’t it. Is it?

    While we frolicked with thousands of people from around the “small world” of Disney in Florida two weeks ago, the United States began what has become the 4th. longest shutdown in American history. As of October 17th. approximately 900,000 federal employees have been furloughed, and many of those who remain have not been paid. Many will be laid off, permanently. The shutdown began on our granddaughter Ella’s sixth birthday, the 1st. day of October.

    As we rode the rides in Disney World for Ella’s special day, federal forces and members of the Tennessee National Guard were deployed in Memphis, Tennessee, as part of the Trump administration’s overall plan to send federal troops to American cities including Los Angeles, Washington, D. C., Portland, Oregon, Chicago, and the southwestern border.

    Jumbled words. Fragmented phrases. Images of Disney World still swirling in my mind. It’s a small world after all, isn’t it. Getting smaller, I fear, for my little granddaughters.

    In a telephone call with one of my favorite first cousins earlier this week, I mentioned I had the overwhelming feeling I was “winding down” in my life to which he responded, you’re not winding down anywhere, you’re cruising. The thought gave me pause because I do feel the inclination to let it all go, as three-year-old Molly loudly sings with her hero Queen Elsa in Frozen; sorry, Sweet, too soon to cruise past your future without protest.

    Tomorrow is another No Kings Day of Protest. Remember the words of Congressman John Lewis about the purpose and power of our protests. Protest is an act of love, not one of anger.

    Share the love. Equality is for everyone.

    ******************************

    Slava Ukraini. For the children.

  • dear john or er… karen


    Dear Second Lady Karen Pence,

    News flash: 800,000 employees of our federal government are working without a paycheck on this the 26th. day of a shutdown perpetrated by your husband and his boss; yet you have now found employment teaching art at Immanuel Christian School, an elementary school in northern Virginia.

    Karen, I have to say the optics are not good for your starting a new job this year when other people are suffering severe hardships as a result of having no money. That’s bad, Karen.

    But now, seriously? Just when I think things couldn’t get worse, I read that your new employer discriminates against hiring LGBTQ teachers and further, your new school doesn’t allow any LGBTQ students. Can I just say the optics keep getting “worser and worser” for you in my most humble opinion.

    You need a new public relations manager – and a fresh look in the image you see in your own mirror. This is bad, Karen. Shame on you.

    Stay tuned.

     

     

  • the emperor’s new shutdown

    the emperor’s new shutdown


    A vain emperor who cares about nothing except wearing and displaying clothes hires two weavers who promise him they will make him the best suit of clothes. The weavers are con-men who convince the emperor they are using a fine fabric invisible to anyone who is either unfit for his position or “hopelessly stupid”. The con lies in that the weavers are actually only pretending to manufacture the clothes. Thus, no one, not even the emperor nor his ministers can see the alleged “clothes”, but they all pretend that they can for fear of appearing unfit for their positions. Finally, the weavers report that the suit is finished and they mime dressing the emperor who then marches in procession before his subjects. The townsfolk uncomfortably go along with the pretense, not wanting to appear unfit for their positions or stupid. Finally, a child in the crowd blurts out that the emperor is wearing nothing at all and the cry is then taken up by others. The emperor realizes the assertion is true but continues the procession. (Wikipedia’s plot summary of The Emperor’s New Clothes by Hans Christian Andersen in his Fairy Tales Told for Children published in 1837)

    Hm. Let’s substitute President Trump for the emperor, border crisis for clothes, White House staff and Cabinet members for ministers, the American people for the townsfolk, and a refugee child for the child in the crowd.

    A vain Emperor Trump who cares about nothing except building a border wall because that was a campaign promise he made (along with the promise that Mexico was supposed to pay for the wall) hires Fox News to help manufacture a national emergency on the southwestern border of the United States. Fox News (along with a merry band of radio talk show hosts including Rush Limbaugh and Laura Ingraham) promises the Emperor that the network will make the biggest, baddest national immigration emergency ever created to show off the need for a border wall. They convince the Emperor that the border crisis will be invisible to anyone unfit for his position, or the “hopelessly stupid.”

    The con lies in that there is no national emergency at the border and the wall is not the best option for border security at all. No one, not even the Emperor or his Cabinet members, can really see the national emergency but they all pretend they can for fear of looking stupid or unfit for their positions. Finally, the Emperor goes on national TV to  deliver a major address to the American people about the national emergency at the border, the desperate need for the wall and not to worry about the 800,000 federal employees who will have no paychecks until the wall is included in the budget – that is the US budget, not the Mexican budget. The Republicans “uncomfortably go along with the pretense, not wanting to appear unfit for their positions or stupid.”

    Finally, a refugee child illegally detained at the border cries out from her miserable camp conditions, please help me – I am hungry, cold, and afraid. Where is my family?

    Indeed, where are the families of the 800,000 federal employees who are also feeling hungry, cold and afraid as the longest shutdown in American history rolls on into the second weekend in January, 2019 and a vain Emperor Trump holds a nation hostage for a campaign promise he never really made.

    Stay tuned.