Churchill is back in Ukraine, rallying his people and the world against tyranny
An evil man is back, trying to rebuild lost glory; promising to make his nation great again; daring the world to stop him.
America has witnessed the return of Huey Long. Father Coughlin is on the air again.
Criminal empires built on drugs, not alcohol; gangsters terrorize innocents on American streets with gun battles.
The “forgotten man” is forgotten again – by those who have the money.
Soup kitchens replaced by food shelves; the hungry/starving with us srtill.
Fascism is alive with modern “Silver shirts” and neo-Nazis; now they have guns.
American Firsters are back; likely ignorant it didn’t end well the first time.
Suffering from the Great Depression [16 years], replaced by suffering from COVID [2 years].
Income inequality back since 1980; half of Americans living paycheck-to-paycheck.
Bing Crosby and melodic big band music replaced by music with an edge.
The “Dust Bowl is replaced by by a significant western drought.
Tom Joad is now part of the “Great Resignation.”
1936’s Rhineland remilitarization replaced by the 2014 Crimean invasion.
For now [April, 2022] “Austrian Anschluss” has been prevented in Ukraine.
The 1936 banning of Jesse Owens from amateur track replicated by “suspension” of Colin Kaepernick.
The 1932 WW I vets “Bonus March” on Washington forcibly stopped by the U.S. Army; the January 6, 2021 assault on the U.S. Capitol was not.
Assaults and lynching of Blacks replaced by assaults on Asian-Americans; Blacks still discriminated against.
“Politicals” sent to Dachau replaced by Ukrainians forcibly deported to Russian interior.
Threat of war hangs over Europe again; the new dictator threatening nuclear weapons use; Western nations once again debate wider war protecting democracy.
Unemployed millions now replaced by underemployed/underpaid millions.
Movies in theaters replaced by movies electronically on demand at home.
The agony of the Spanish Civil War replaced by the agony of Ukraine.
Falling birth rates of the Great Depression replicated by COVID.
The rich largely prospered in the 1930s; the rich have exploded into millions of millionaires, and thousands of billionaires [which they earned “all by themselves”]
The Republican Party did everything possible to sabotage FDR’s recovery from the Great Depression; the current Republican Party does everything to sabotage recovery from greed.
l930s homeless were that because they had no jobs; 2lst century homeless often homeless with jobs. Hoovervilles replaced by homeless camps and people living in their cars.
The 1930s witnessed too many people under-nourished and skinny; recent times feature too many people over-fed and over weight.
Baseball has been replaced by pro football as the dominant American spectator sport.
There was talk of “revolution,” but FDR’s “New Deal” prevented that; today there is talk of armed “revolution” by “patriots” wanting to install the anti-FDR.
Then the family farm was threatened by nature; now by corporations.
Clubbing/killing of union activists replaced by sophisticated “consultant” anti-union industry; then millionaire owners, now billionaire owners, refuse to share the wealth [which they “earned all by themselves”]
1930s wives forced to retire to give jobs to men; now women stay home because of child care issues.
1930s Supreme Court controlled by “conservatives” thwarting Depression relief; McConnell/Roberts Court “conservatives” thwart democracy.
Few 1930s people had “health care”; now many have “health care”, still go bankrupt from “health care” bills.
Proof money doesn’t buy happiness: Americans are NOT the “happiest people on earth”; that honor annually goes to “Scandinavia.”
Then Americans frightened by a fictional radio broadcast of Martians invading New Jersey; now Americans frightened by fictional Fox “News” propaganda.
Then religion was primarily a personal thing one did in their home and community; now religion has been politicized by zealots demanding to run YOUR. life – by THEIR. dogma.
Then Congress sought to limit A & P to 10% of retail; now WalMart and Amazon allowed to dominate retail.
Then we had simple cars anyone could fix; now we have “advanced” computerized vehicles that can only be fixed in dealer garages.
Then it was possible for one adult to support a family; now two adults might be able to support a family.
Then few people had much money or many things, life was insecure; now the upper half has more money and things, life still insecure for too many.
Then graduating from college could lead to a prosperous life; now graduating from college means lots of debt.
World population was 2 plus billion, most were poor; now world population is 9 billion plus, most are poor.
So – the question is: how much have we “advanced” ?????
Perhaps, it is time to reconsider:
– “that the government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.”
– “We, here in America, hold in our hands the hope of the world…shame and disgrace will be ours…if we trail in the dust the golden hopes of men.”
– “If you have a chance to help people and you don’t do it, you are wasting your time on this earth.”
– “..the only thing we have to fear is fear itself – nameless, unreasonable, unjustified terror..”
WHO are we??? WHY are we here??? Do we HEAR the music???
With Justice For All 