My world, right now, is filled with angst. Rapidly changing information and endless opinions are coming fast and hard. The constant pleading for money never ends. And yet I can’t say that it isn’t warranted. I think it is.

Yesterday I overheard a conversation at my favorite coffee shop that went something like this: “How can so many people have their head in the sand? How can so many people believe the lies?” I gave that a lot of thought and came to realize that people don’t start with believing lies. They start with wanting the lies to be true. People don’t have their head in the sand as they espouse the lies. They have their head exactly where they want it to be. They are saying exactly what they want to be true.

Apparently, it is easy for our deepest desires to overshadow our commitment to truth. It is easy to look for evidence that supports what we want to believe and it is easy to ignore or discredit whatever challenges it.

I say we here, but in fact, I am over including myself in this new demented reality. I work at fact-checking. I seek out multiple opinions. I know what too good to be true means. It means it’s time for some introspection. 

After careful self-examination, I would never believe the shit that half this country does. Am I a better person because of it? A week ago I would have said of course not. But with my new insight, I say you bet your ass it does.

I don’t know why this distinction has become so important to me but I think it has to do with putting a stop to the hope that if republicans could just see the evidence, their vision would clear and they would be on our side. 

But the truth is their vision is clear. This wrecking ball is exactly what they want. 

I am a pacifist. But as of today, I believe pacifism is a luxury. We can go down clutching our morals or we can say not on my watch.  

Is anyone else at this stage?