Storm on The Way
Not a Very Big One
I was glad to be out of America those first few days after the election, and I am trying not to obsess too much over the shitshow of Mango Mussolini’s nominees. Hard not to when half of the six people you are with, are as horrified as you are.
I mean, no one in their right mind would want me for any of these positions. The permanent bureaucracy of the Department of Defense, for example, would eat me for breakfast while I was having my first cup of coffee—and if the intell people got involved, there’s a good chance I wouldn’t even notice.
But here’s the thing. I’m not a rapist. You wouldn’t have to worry about me even keeping my hands to myself. I’m not gonna sell or give information to my nation’s enemies. I respect scientific expertise because I know a little about the process: I mean, I hang out with scientists and sometimes lend a hand. I know some Americans have chosen to be the enemies of all women, and thus their children and their partners, but I have no desire to have them shot or imprisoned or rendered destitute. Actually, I’d like them to be able to be happy in their lives and I do have some ideas to make that happen, because I think each is a human being of dignity and worth, deplorable as they have chosen to be. I don’t want to strip America for parts, siphoning off the people’s wealth to line private pockets. I am committed to the rule of law. And I believe in upholding America as the Constitutional Representative Democracy that we are, imperfect as it is.
Those qualities immediately elevate me above every nominee so far. So you know, maybe the permanent bureaucracy of DoD would say, Tell you what. You serve as a firewall for us, try to protect America’s interests as best you can, and we’ll teach you how this place works. You might even get a Ph. D. thesis out of it.
Fortunately, I am in Antarctica, and we’ve got a bit of a storm coming in tonight. Maybe 2 cm of snow, not quite an inch, winds up to 32 mph, about -14 c by noon Saturday and improving after.
All photos © Erin Solaro, 2024