CRAZY LAND

February 14th, 2018, Valentines Day, the headline read: -

Florida community in mourning after school shooting leaves 17 dead

I’m barely moved by the headline. I think that it’s crazy, but then we’re speaking about life in Crazy Land, once known as the United Staes of America, the Good Old USA, now land of the paranoid where ownership of guns is considered a God given right. You know, I used to be shocked, saddened, when I read about shootings, mass killings, people, innocent bystanders, shot while shopping, and simply minding their own business. Now, it seems like a daily event in the USA, hardly worthy of being considered news. Violent video games, and news reporting designed to have shock appeal, have made most insensitive to violent acts, fodder to create panic and paranoia. Has the American sense of decency sunk to levels where evil is considered….not so bad?

We used to travel to the United States to vacation. Now, well, it’s become a bit scary. Crossing the border is a bit of a nightmare. No matter how good you are, no matter your lack of a criminal record, you’re still considered suspect with border guards plying with trick questions in an attempt to deny entry. So, who wants to, needs to, visit the USA just to be hassled, and put in harm’s way? The scary thing is that the American Way is beginning to seep out of its borders infecting the rest of the world.

It is interesting to watch, however, the so called Fall of the American Empire. I wrote a piece dealing with the history of the fortress, and how it bears a great semblance to a prison: -

Imaginary Enemies

Wikipedia:-

"Fortifications are military constructions or buildings designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and also used to solidify rule in a region during peace time. Humans have constructed defensive works for many thousands of years, in a variety of increasingly complex designs. The term is derived from the Latin fortis ("strong") and facere ("to make”)."

When I was very young I’d attend the Saturday afternoon movie matinee. The movies that were offered often played to the interest of younger children, Disney features, nature, and more often than not a western that pitted the calvary against Indians. The calvary would ride out from their fort, and confront the blood thirsty Indians. The calvary it seemed always came out on top, and would ride back to their fort victorious. Our imagination fired by what we had seen we’d make spears and bows and arrows, and go off into the woods at the edge of town, and make forts to defend against imaginary enemies.

As we grew older we were introduced to medieval history and the forts and castles of that time, as well as the part that they played in the protection of the rulers, and the citizens over whom they ruled. We also learned that fortified cities had been around for a long time, as long as 4,000 BC. Cities are no longer fortified, although we still make use of fortifications as a means of temporary protection for armed forces fighting in foreign lands. With the advancement of technology a wall is no longer protection, especially against ballistic missiles.

Still, despite the fact that fortifications, walls, such as the Berlin Wall, served as only temporary solutions to political problems, there are those that continue to try to fight political turmoil by building walls. The United States seeks a solution to an internal drug, and foreign policy problem, through the construction of walls and intense surveillance at their borders. The wall fortifying America from Mexico is meant to keep drugs from being smuggled into the country to feed a home grown drug problem. Passports, and background inspection, of not only foreign visitors, but of American citizens entering and leaving the United States, creates yet another wall. Ironically these walls of presumed security,  a fortress of sorts, rather than protect American citizens is creating a prison of sorts to control American citizens. American citizens instead of enjoying freedom, are fast becoming prisoners, victims, in their own country.

It seems that there is a price to pay both physically, and psychologically, for protection against one’s own vices. Time no doubt will prove that walls are only a temporary solution to facing head on the problem(s) for their creation.

So, guns and fortifications, signs of a nation gone crazy? Then there’s this billionaire that sent a rocket into space, obsolete by historical standards, just to prove that some of its parts could be reused, and that it would cost millions less than other rockets, and as a gesture of what I don’t know, he sent the rocket with his expensive sports car on a journey into space accompanied by a tiny replica, and a tiny driver…….why? The best day of his life, or something to that effect, he mentioned. Personally, I’d be more enthused for his accomplisments if they were humanitarian in nature, instead of self centred. How about you?

I find it quite sad to realize that the money and energy of a nation are being spent on futile ambitions, and that a people, capable of solving this world’s problems, are being driven crazy immersed in fear for their own safety, and the safety of their families. Perhaps, we’re witnessing a once proud nation self destructing?

Since there’s no doubt that I’ve now been barred from entering the USA for the rest of my life (who cares) it’s probably time to get back to writing about nature and art, and in that regard, all things considered, I should have Part Two of, "My Painting Places - Algonquin” ready to publish by Blurb in two to three weeks.

View from the Visitors Center - Algonquin Provincial Park   Watercolour Painting