“Between Here and There“- At the Principle Gallery, Alexandria, VA
Take a map of the world
And measure with your hands
All of the miles
Across all of the land
Write it down, add it up
And you might understand
About the distance between you and me
— Dwight Yoakam, The Distance Between You and Me
One of the casualties of these past several years, especially the last two, has been the erosion of my trust of people I don’t know.
And some that I have known for some time.
I come to every interaction with these folks with at least a small degree of wariness. I find myself looking for any indications that they might at any moment go off into a spiel about how the election was stolen and that the former guy in charge, a proven selfish liar and cheat with fascist leanings, was somehow looking out for them and would somehow be soon reinstated to office.
Or how the vaccine contains tracking chips or makes you magnetic or sterile or changes your DNA.
Or that my mask offends them in some way, that it is somehow harmful to them that I am wearing one.
Or that how sucking down horse-paste or swilling betadine or doing shots of kerosene is the most effective defense against covid-19 which, by the way, is a hoax. Or, even if they do somehow grudgingly admit its existence, that they will do their own research to find a solution that works for them because the real truth and secret information can certainly be found online in YouTube or TikTok videos.
Or that they might just come out and say that their beliefs– no matter how far out in the ozone they might be–are as valid as the entire body of scientific evidence and historic precedence amassed in the past millennium.
I could go on and on because the list of conspiracies, inaccuracies, prejudices, and glaring contradictions they embrace is seemingly endless. So many that I am fatigued just trying to keep up with whatever new nonsense some rightwing nutjob on radio or TV might unleash on these gullible folks who want to hear anything but the reality of the situation.
That’s just a small bit of the baggage I find myself carrying into every interaction now.
And I don’t like that it is that way. I knew before these past years that these people were out there. They would show themselves every so often then recede back into the woodwork. Now, they wear their absurd and convoluted belief system like a badge of honor and wield it like it was the hammer of Thor.
I think that is because they believe now that everyone shares their beliefs and worldview. Their small circle of like-minded friends in life and online reinforce this, as does everything they read or view, with little resistance or pushback. It then becomes more and more concrete to these people. Why wouldn’t they feel free to spout about what they see as the obvious truth?
Like I say, I don’t like distrusting people and can generally find common ground with most folks. But it’s getting harder especially as these folks exhibit more and more violent and cruel behavior. I don’t have an answer and asking these folks what they want is fruitless.
So, I am left with looking into the eyes of everyone I come across with a deep sense of wariness, wondering what bubble of reality they are living in. And sometimes, thinking I live in that same bubble, they let me know quickly, much to my dismay.
If only this song from Dwight Yoakam, The Difference Between You and Me, could be playing at those moments. Maybe I should put it on my phone so that once they start spouting that this or that is a hoax, I could whip it out and drown out the nonsense.
I don’t know. No answers here, of course so I am sorry for subjecting you to my moaning this morning. Try to at least enjoy the song. It’s a good one.
Well, it is, in my bubble.
Redtree Times 
There will always be those whom, we will, encounter, in our, lives, who are, too, stubborn, in believing what they want to believe, that we can’t, sway them, with even, concrete, evidence, against, what they, believe, and, we can choose to either, just, ignore them, to, tell them of, or, to, just, not, associate ourselves, with them.
Gary, I want to copy and paste this whole post onto a sticky Facebook post… But then I would be subject to all of the comments about how my “friends” are “entitled” to their own opinions… I would put it on a t-shirt, but no one would read it.
I share your angst. Living in rural Texas, I have always walked to a different drummer and kept mu head down so as not to attract too many of my neighbors attention. I even worried about the “good ole boys” taking target practice at my house when I put out my Obama sign back in the day. It’s the price I pay to live close to family… even as my extended family moves further and further away from me philosophically .
To be honest… I think I liked it better when “they” thought they were the “silent majority”. That was a mistaken opinion I could live with. Until they decided to try and make it true by hook or crook.
Hang in there my friend…
You, too, Gary.
Watching your society in USA ripping itself apart, endangering the lives of its people with ridiculous opposition to BASIC public health measures (distancing, washing hands & wearing masks); let alone opposing life saving vaccines which at least prevent serious disease and often hospitalisation/ ventilation (all helping to ease the load on your medical & health services). Frankly it is incredible! We too have our lunatic vaccine confabulators, but they are thankfully a tiny minority in Australia. We watched the madness and the daily insanity engendered by your previous President. We watched and hoped for change and frankly anyone less loud, less racist, less obnoxious, less misogynistic & less rude.
Sadly, we too have a rather useless Federal PM, but under Australia’s federation it has been our state Premiers who have saved the day, locking down quickly and managing the pandemic. Our PM received a call from Pfizer in June 2020, kindly offering us 40 million doses. They offered the same to Israel too because both countries were doing well, by closing borders & successfully instituting public health measures. Sadly, our Fed PM & Health Minister failed to accept that offer & did not order doses until November 30th 2020, by which time we were only able to get limited supplies and left overs.
Our PM Scott Morrison (who was a great pal of Mr Trump) followed the same line “it’s just a mild flu”, “no need to worry, open up asap” “it’s not a race to get vaccinated” – EXCEPT it was!. We were the lowest Western country in vaccination levels mid year 2021. Luckily now, supplies have finally arrived, vaccination rates have improved. But Morriscum (as I like to call him) is still pushing a Trump-like plan to open up asap. He is a TORY, though they call themselves a Liberal National Party (a 2 party coalition) government. They are pro business & anti Unions; pro Coal & anti real action on Climate change etc – you get the picture… He is also pentecostal and has right wing nut job views about women etc.
As a Marxist, atheist, retired Registered Nurse, life long unionist, greenie, socialist & POET you will understand that I do not like the rich getting richer and the poor, indigenous, working community getting much, much poorer. I see the gaps, the spaces between us too. But thankfully our multicultural, multi ethnic society has been acting mainly together. I hope we do not go further down your path. Many of us here are hoping for a new government soon federally. Disappointingly, Mr Biden has just sealed a deal which is likely to mean we will have a “Khaki election” focussed on imaginary threats fro China. The majority of Asian people want to trade, co-operate with China in a peaceful, prosperous Asia; not waste billions of dollars on nuclear submarines, when there is so much more important things to work on in our world TOGETHER.
Love reading & viewing.
THANK YOU
I was watching some videos of anti-lockdown protests in your country, near Melbourne, and was shocked by the violence of it. It is indeed a crazy, dangerous time everywhere on this planet. Thanks for taking the time to read and for sharing your experiences. Much appreciated.
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