I normally don’t make any comment on this blog about political news, not because I don’t care, but because I do that in other venues. As a social scientist, I write/do research for a living about political and economic consequences of choices that are sometimes ill-advised and incredibly damaging, and I don’t feel the need of repeating myself here.(Also, the mathematical models I use are beyond boring, even for me).
(Goya, Plate 43, “Los Caprichos”: The sleep of reason produces monsters, 1799)
But even a feature about Space News of the Week this Sunday won’t be able to ignore what’s happening in the US now – since all government agencies are threatened by the new Administration, NASA included. Good for us, they’re fighting back.
Everybody is entitled to his/her beliefs – this is what a free country should be about. But when you start making people accountable not for their deeds but for the place they had the sheer (un)luck to be born, well, you’re heading toward a world we don’t need to see (ever again).
Choose your way of pledging support – be it by subscribing to magazines that try to give public opinion hard facts and not shameful lies or, even worse, fantasy worlds – or whatever works for you; go to the protests if you can, otherwise say it where you stand for -calmly, loud and clear. You don’t need to move mountains; a small rock is enough. We are millions out there.
I’m getting off for the day since I ‘m on twitter following the unfolding events. I’ll leave you with the quote from one of the finest Italian poets from XVIII century, a political exile (among other things). “Se non volete combattere, siate servi e tacete. [If you don’t want to stand up and fight, be slaves and shut up.] A few centuries later, I found it still relevant – unfortunately, I might add. Over and out.
As one of your American readers, thank you. I cannot express how painful to me and millions of people the election and now the first week of this presidency has been. The Women’s March was huge, and it was wonderful to see so many in other countries showing and expressing their support. It means a lot to hear from you. Equally huge are the actions of a president who clearly is unqualified, inexperienced, and unhinged during the Inauguration and the days following. I wish Twitter would ban him, but I suppose he makes them money somehow. A few weeks before the inauguration, a good friend asked me if I were prepared to be arrested. He meant, of course, for what I believe, for my opinions, for expressing myself. We are on a razor’s edge right now in America — it could go either way, i.e. to fall off into fascism or to fall off back to where we’re supposed to be in a democracy. What will the Republican leadership in Congress do?
BTW, I was appalled at the Orange One’s behavior at the press conference with Prime Minister May, blaming her for a reporter’s question he didn’t like. He’s certainly been demonstrating beautifully how a person with narcissistic personality disorder behaves.
I can’t but agree. Here in the UK BCC’s Laura Kuenssberg is known to ask difficult questions – she also has a blog and she spares our PM nothing. As it should be: this is how political journalism works. Maybe the President, among other things, hasn’t watched House of Card long enough…!
Even on the other side of the ocean, what is happening in the USA is quite painful to witness, and it’s even more painful to note that there are voices raised in praise of the new president’s choices. But it’s also comforting to see that the voices of those who don’t want to accept all of that as a given are equally strong, and they keep expressing their displeasure, either in earnestness or with some well-placed sarcasm: sometimes, even laughter – as tinged with bitterness as it is – can be effective…
Yes, I agree, sometimes laughing is the only thing you can do!