The People I Place My Trust In

42 years ago today marked the end of my enlistment in the United States Navy. I look back at how astonishingly fast the past 4 decades have gone by and I'm saddened a little because I know what that means for my future. There's no slowing this speeding train down. It only continues to press on even faster with each passing year—something I think about a fair amount as I contemplate the days that lie ahead and what exists beyond this life.

Here's an entry in my journal from the 10th of December, 1979, and the following day's entry written as I was flying back home to Minnesota, uncertain what my next move would be. I've been at this journaling/blogging thing for a while.

I watched Brian Williams's final show last night on MSNBC. I liked his program, The 11th Hour with Brian Williams. He had a way of cutting through the nonsense and getting to the point, oftentimes with wit and humor to make it more palatable. His final words into the camera last night had some sobering commentary. Have a listen.

I share Brian's concern for what's becoming of our country. I'm sometimes reticent to write about my uneasiness here for fear of coming off like some crazed, angry uncle. But every now and then I need to make mention of those valid worries of mine because what I fear more than coming off like a crazed, angry uncle is having to look back at the things I wrote about here and see that I had been silent as our democracy went into free-fall. I couldn't forgive myself for that. And so I'll continue to bang my little drum.

I'm either being played and lied to by the media personalities and publications I choose to invest time in or the other half is being gaslit by the voices they trust. What I do know is that the people I'm placing trust in aren't lying about election losses and inciting an insurrection to overthrow the government. Neither are they defying subpoenas for testimony intended to get to the truth about what happened this past January 6th at our nation's Capitol, or pleading the 5th. The people I'm placing trust in concede their election losses and move on. It's what responsible leaders and true patriots do. The people I'm placing my trust in aren't trying to suppress the votes of those they disagree with. 

I remind myself that the other side has Nazis and white supremacists among their ranks. I don't mean that to be incendiary. Authoritarianism and fascism are on the march in the U.S., and of that there can be no doubt. Please open your eyes to it if you've not recognized it yet. It's happening and it spells the end of our democracy if it takes hold.

That's all I've got.

Comments

Joan said…
Keep banging your drum. I'm doing the same but it seems like I'm bashing my head against a brick wall. At least I have a hard head so hopefully, sooner or later, I can make a dent in that wall. Love your videos. Thanks so much for taking me along on your rides. I really miss getting out on the trails. I used to know the river bottoms by the Izaak Walton property like the back of my hand.
December 13, 2021 at 11:53 AM
Kevin Gilmore said…
Thanks for your kind words, Joan. I worry that for many there's no coming back from the dark road (as I see it) they're traveling down and that only when it becomes personal for them will they pause long enough to consider the choices they made along the way. But will it be too late? I do see us moving in the direction of authoritarianism and fascism—they seem to go hand in hand. Conservative media has such a stranglehold on such a large percentage of our population. I'm normally an optimistic person but not with this. We appear poised to burn it all down. The latest rulings by SCOTUS are making that all too clear. I did not see this coming—not in my lifetime.

I'm glad you like my videos. I enjoy making them. I'm out of commission for at least the next week after a fall on the ice last Friday but I hope to be back out there on my fat tire bike and my GoPros when my body gives me the go-ahead. 🥂
December 13, 2021 at 1:22 PM
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