One of my work colleagues is a naturalized U. S. citizen born in Ethiopia. As he was growing up, he lived through a few political convulsions in his home country, ranging from the reign of Hailie Selassie, through the Communist regime, to its present democratic republic. He is also swift to remind me that Ethiopia has its own very long history, much longer than most Americans could fathom. In any case, he has lived through all sorts of experiences that a middle-class white person in the U. S. would have no clue about.
So we had a conversation about the events of January 6 in Washington D. C. the other day. He said “Nothing like what happened in Washington last week has ever happened in Africa.” I know that there has been a lot of political tumult in Africa in the post-colonial period, so I was curious as to what he meant. Surely, after all, mobs have ransacked parliamentary buildings in Africa when a regime fall, haven’t they. He said “Yes, mobs have ransacked parliamentary buildings in African countries, but not while while the government was still operational and attempting to do its job! When the ransacking took place, government officials had already fled for their lives, or been imprisoned, or were dead. There was nobody left in the building to defend it.”
So there you have it. Donald Trump has brought the U. S. to a crisis point that even poverty-stricken, third-world nations in Africa have managed to avoid. That’s a feather Trump can put in his cap next to the one for being the only U. S. president in history to be impeached twice. Something to ponder with one full week to go before Joe and Kamala are in the White House.
Comments are below the fold, but first, a word from our sponsor:
Here at Top Comments we strive to nourish community by rounding up some of the site's best, funniest, most mojo'd & most informative commentary, and we depend on your help!! If you see a comment by another Kossack that deserves wider recognition, please send it either to topcomments at gmail or to the Top Comments group mailbox by 9:30pm Eastern. Please please please include a few words about why you sent it in as well as your user name (even if you think we know it already :-)), so we can credit you with the find!
Top Comments (January 13, 2021):
From indycam:
elemenoPea offers some encouraging cliches to the orange one in anticipation of the collapse of his business. From AloyshaKaramazov’s recommended post on Trump’s disappearing business prospects.
From JustaHippie:
Addressing the unnamed friend in kbman's diary, Letter to a conservative friend, lawnorder lays out an image worth a thousand words:
"We knitted hats when we lost. His side built gallows.
Tell me about evil again"
[This is a repeat, but it is a really good comment. -Ed.]
Highlighted by Amaze:
This photo comment by PlinytheWelder in annieli’s recommended post on Trump losing youtube privileges.
Highlighted by ozsea1 and ZereldaLee1207:
This comment by TexasAggie in Lefty Coaster’s recommended post on how Trump bonds with his marks, er, voters.
Top Mojo (January 12, 2021):
Top Mojo is courtesy of mik! Click here for more on how Top Mojo works.
Top Photos (January 12, 2021):
Tonight’s picture quilt is courtesy of jotter!
