How Did We Get Here?

It's obscenely depressing to watch everything good and decent and fair in this country being stripped away. The crushing weight I've felt since the morning after the November election is heavier and more oppressive every day and I've never felt so grateful to not have children.

How will we justify the world we're leaving them? How will we explain that we chose it?

I am grateful that:

I will not have to explain to my children or their's why they have no health insurance and may die for lack of care.

Nor why the cities are black with pollution and choked with smog.

Nor why there is no clean water or safe air.

Nor why there are no national parks to visit.

Nor why they are not protected from predatory bankers.

Nor why the oceans are poisoned.

Nor why they can be arrested if their skin color is darker than mine.

Nor why they are not free to marry regardless of gender.

Nor why, should they be female, they are considered second class citizens, if they are considered citizens at all.

Nor why they've heard stories of immigrant children living in cages.

Nor why there are no decent jobs or decent schools.

Nor why the churches preach hate and the politicians preach to the rich.

Nor why there are no more elephants or leopards or giraffes or pandas or rhinos.

Nor where their social security has gone or why a prescription drug is more than a house note.

Nor how and why this country self-destructed into war against its own for profit.

I won't live to see all the consequences of the decisions being made for and against us. I won't see the final solutions of a government run wild with corruption and greed, monstrous stupidity and contempt for every living thing that isn't white, male and wealthy. I'm only sorry for those who will.