Visit

It really was wonderful

We ventured down the Columbia to visit some family and friends in Portland last week. The Federal Troops hadn’t arrived yet, so we got to see the war-torn city, as our President refers to it before the intervention.

We crossed the harvested Palouse before we hit the scablands. We went past all those dams. Big, beautiful dams that make so much electricity. Then we came to the city.

We parked on the street in front of my cousin’s house. It’s less than a mile from downtown. He bikes everywhere. He warned that cars get broken into. Ours didn’t. Maybe the Idaho plates signified nothing of value inside.

We had a great visit. We told stories and so did he. Now that he has retired, he is invested in a “Tool Library” that empowers homeowners to do their own remodel projects. The main value he saw in the project was how important it was to not talk down to people with lesser knowledge. Empowerment comes from confidence. Diminishing people doesn’t promote confidence. The building trades can be pretty exclusive and judgmental. He works the other way.

The neighborhood was very walkable. I saw no bombed-out buildings. In fact, I saw less visible firearms than here in Idaho. Maybe they are more discrete.

The Japanese Garden had no snipers.

Powell’s Bookstore was not besieged, though there was a panhandler out front.

Let’s just admit it.

Our President is a liar.

And some of you folks think lying for the cause you support justifies lying.

I don’t think anything justifies lying.

So if you are going to support a military action (here you can start waving hands about National Guard or US Army) ordered by our President with no plausible evidence for the need, then you and I are going to disagree.

And that’s just what this is about.

Disagreeing.

If one party in this disagreement has the power of the US Military, and choses to use it to pound their chest or impose their force, what are responsible citizens to do?

We all know what the wealthy landed white men did in 1776 in this country. They saw corrupt and abusive power waged against them. They listed their complaints as they declared independence. Then they gathered their guns and fought.

I doubt Oregonians will shoot at the military sent to their city. They ride bikes and have small dogs. Maybe that’s our problem.

What are we willing to fight for these days?

We have a corrupt President enriching himself and his family and cronies with the power of the office we elected him to. And now he sends troops into a liberal city. Are concentration camps next? They are already here for ICE detainees.

Maybe this is OK with you. It seems it is with most Republicans.

This is what we need to be talking about.

The Portland visit was good. We talked about family. We talked about those gone, the departed. How they chose to die and why. And how they dealt with their death as it came.

We did disagree. But we heard each other as we did so.

And that’s what you and I need right now.

Before the troops march in our streets and before we take up our weak bolt action rifles against them. Is this what we want for America?

Maybe you think this is just some liberal whining. We’re in power now, so we get to call the shots.

You forget. I am an Idaho Democrat. You guys have been in power forever here.

And by in large, you haven’t done too much wrong.

But things are changing. We need to have a visit.