Time Starts Now

Time Starts Now

or: No More Mulligans

My father was a 22 year old signalman when he sounded the General Alarm aboard the USS Ralph Talbot at Pearl Harbor on Dec 7, 1941. This did not go over well with the XO (the Captain sounds the General Alarm, no one else) but, that’s a story for another day.

I once asked what went through his mind at that moment. He said he had two thoughts one atop the other. First: Time starts now; Every second between the Big Bang and that moment was out the window. Second: From that moment on, he had to be perfect! No more trying, no more doing your best, and, sure as hell, no more mulligans. He had to be perfect in everything he thought, said and did or everything he knew and loved was dead and gone.

Girls and boys, time starts now!

197 Republicans voted in favor of a violent overthrow of democracy and demand forgiveness while expecting the innocent to apologize to murderers and terrorists. According to Rev. Franklin Graham, supporting the Constitution is a betrayal of Jesus; There’s Sharia right there.

Time starts now! The failed Beer Hall Putsch of 1923 didn’t stop anything; That’s the moment the Nazis got started. Jan 20 will not put the stop to fascist Trumpism in America. If you’re black- no vote for you. If you’re gay or trans- no vote for you. If you’re Muslim, concerned with women’s health care or support democracy- no vote for you. White supremacist, conservative christians will not be satisfied with anything less than a White, theocratic dictatorship.

In two years we start it up all over again. When you step up to the ballot box, remember Dec 7, remember 9-11 and remember Jan 6.

No more mulligans. Time starts now! 

Wash your hands and put on your @#$%! masks.

Happy Trails,

Smitty