Much like BeninSC last night, I had a different diary planned. Yesterday was the anniversary of my father’s death, and it’s the year that marks the point at which he’s been missing from my life for longer than he was present. Until yesterday morning, that’s what my thoughts had been focused on. But then I woke to news of Las Vegas, and spent most of yesterday in a daze. I’d been at a concert three days earlier and couldn’t get the thought that had it been outside, all the metal detectors I went through and all the building security in the world wouldn’t have saved me if someone had been trying to mow us all down during the show.
Grab a glass of something strong, get impressionable children and others unused to strong language to a #safespace, and follow me below the Story Break for some stream of consciousness after a word from our sponsor...
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I don’t know about you, but my thoughts yesterday were a repeating series:
- OMG, what kind of person DOES THIS?
- Fracking hell, how do we NOT ever get to the Time For Talking About Gun Control?
- I need to tell everyone I know they are important to me and I love them.
- Oh look, the color wheel theory of terrorism. White dude = Lone Wolf.
- Our President is a fucking narcissistic sociopath asshat. (OK, I thought that one like a refrain after all other thoughts)
This morning, I hoped my thoughts would settle. However, I flipped the television on while I ate breakfast, something I never do… and heard our Jackass-In-Chief yammering about how ‘miraculous’ law enforcement response was. And then followed it up with absolute bullshit about Puerto Rico, claiming San Juan Mayor Cruz was ‘coming around’ on her opinions about the response to date. His desperate insecurity manifesting as a need for cult of personality makes me sick.
What really got to me today, however, and set my mood for tonight’s diary, are two separate statements by Republicans:
First, Trump’s Competitive Tragedy statement:
"Every death is a horror," Trump said, "but if you look at a real catastrophe like Katrina…
[...]
"16 people certified," Trump said. "Sixteen people versus in the thousands. You can be very proud of all of your people and all of our people working together. Sixteen versus literally thousands of people. You can be very proud. Everybody watching can really be very proud of what's taken place in Puerto Rico."
What the ever-loving fuck kind of person SAYS something like that? Puerto Rico is absolutely gutted, most of the island is without power, most do not have potable water, it will take YEARS to recover from Hurricane Maria (which wikipedia describes as “the tenth-most intense Atlantic hurricane on record, the worst natural disaster in Dominica in its recorded history, and the strongest to make landfall in Puerto Rico since 1928), and it’s not a ‘real’ disaster? Oh but wait, there’s more:
"I hate to tell you Puerto Rico, but you've thrown our budget a little out of whack," Trump said with a grin. "Because we've spent a lot of money on Puerto Rico and that's fine, we've saved a lot of lives."
Yes, I’m sure that Puerto Rico walked itself into the path of a major hurricane just to fuck with our budget. Maybe a few fewer trips to the Winter Palace in Florida and cutting your people off from the charter jets and you can make that all up?
Then the second comments, made by South Dakota Senator John Thune:
“I think people are going to have to take steps in their own lives to take precautions,” he opined. “To protect themselves. And in situations like that, you know, try to stay safe. As somebody said — get small.”
So gun control legislation and changing our culture of MOARGUNZ is impossible, and what we all need to do is live in a constant state of fear and learn how to roll ourselves into small balls for our own protection. Got it.
Dear Senator Thune- The children of Sandy Hook Elementary School were in fact pretty damned small, being mostly first graders and all. EXACTLY HOW MUCH FUCKING SMALLER DO PEOPLE HAVE TO BE TO “PROTECT” THEMSELVES?
I tried really hard today to remember that if we don’t carry on, we’ve conceded defeat. So I ate well, went for a walk, got a good made from scratch dinner on the table (zoodles with pesto sauce, serious comfort food!), and am glad to be here with you tonight.
Please peruse what you really come here for then join everyone in the comments. Thanks to my friend and collaborator BeninSC, for the Tops tonight.
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Note: Please remember that comment inclusion in Top Comments does not constitute support or endorsement by diarist, formatter, Top Comments writers or DailyKos. Questions, complaints or comments? Contact brillig.
From CanyonWren:
Here's an exceptional comment in Kelly Macias's diary on the shooting and its coverage today, from Fatherflot, exceptional for the breadth, the accuracy, and the insightful content.
From susans:
Nominating this comment by Crashing Vor for its intense, bitter snark. In ursulafaw’s diary on 45 trivializing death from Maria.
Highlighted by jwinIL14:
Comes this wistful comment from lexalou on our favorite First Lady of recent years.
Highlighted by Sylvanus Prince:
Is this comment by Angmar on the wisdom of our native peoples, and how we’ve moved away from nature.
Highlighted by Roberto De Beers:
Is this comment by ontherocks, concise, but full of anger and frustration at him (45) who deserves at least a lengthy stint in federal prison.
Highlighted with unclaimed attribution:
Is this thread BEGINNING with Gordon20024’s comment picture of … (#waitforit) DOGBUTT JESUS! From samanthab’s Toosdai Critters diary. Uhoh, will jotter cause that to reappear tomorrow night?!
Top Mojo ala mik!
For Monday, October 2, 2017, first comments and tip jars excluded. Thank you mik for the mojo magic! For those of you interested in How Top Mojo Works, please see his diary on the subject.
Top Pictures
2017-10-03, courtesy of jotter!