Tumbler Ridge and the disintegration of justice - thoughts from Robert Reich

from  Robert Reich

 Friends,

The neofascist takeover of America — of our cities, universities, media, law firms, museums, civil service, and public prosecutors who tried to hold Trump and Trump’s vigilantes accountable to the law — worsens by the day. 

As I’ve traveled across the country peddling my book, trying to explain how this catastrophe happened and what we can do about it, I’ve found many Americans in shock and outrage.

“How could it have happened so fast?” they ask. I explain that it actually occurred slowly and incrementally over many years until our entire political-economic system became so fragile that a sociopathic demagogue could bring much of it down. 

Some people I speak with are still in denial and disbelief. “It’s not as bad as the press makes it out to be,” they say. I tell them that it is — even worse. 

Others are in despair — heartbroken and immobilized. “Nothing can be done,” they say. I tell them that hopelessness plays into the hands of Trump and his lackeys who want us to think that the game is over and they’ve won. But we can’t let them. The stakes are too high. Hopelessness is a self-fulfilling prophesy. 

Rest assured. The seeds of Trump’s destruction have already been sown. He will overreach. If the Supreme Court rules in favor of birthright citizenship, for example, and Trump announces he’s not bound by the Supreme Court, the uproar will be deafening. 

Or the economy will bite him in the butt. As prices continue to rise and job growth continues to slow — due to Trump’s bonkers import taxes (tariffs), his attempt to take over the Fed, and his attacks on immigrants — America will fall into the dread trap of “stagflation”: stagnation and inflation. After months of this, his base is likely to turn on him — remember, many voted for him because he promised to bring prices down — and he and his Republican lackeys in Congress will be toast in the 2026 midterms. 

Or his brazen corruption will do him in (he’s personally raking in hundreds of millions from crypto, for example). Or Putin will do him in (if Ukraine falls to Russia or an emboldened Russia strikes Lithuania). Or the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. 

He no longer has any truth-tellers to advise him — he has purged all of them. And a president who’s flying blind, without anyone around him to tell him he’s about to crash, will inevitably crash. Many innocent people will likely suffer “collateral” damage. But at least the nation will see him for who he is and consign him to the dustbin of history. 

None of this argues for complacency. We must continue to fight — demonstrate, phone your representatives and senators, boycott corporations and organizations that are caving in to tyranny, protect the vulnerable, make good trouble. 

But please do not fall into denial or despair, and don’t let anyone else.

 

TUMBLER RIDGE

Something terrible happened at this school.  Humans feel they are not safe. Not protected by agreements of civilization. 

There's a sense, a feeling, that those given the task of living in peace and fairness have forgotten what their world needs.

It's like being naked in a cold winter storm.

We need a sense of civilization. Agreements to live and let live. But we are being brainwashed to believe this world is full of excitement, prizes, opportunities to prove our worth by what we can buy.

It's a terrible lie. We need to feel that others care. Not everyone but some of us. Why?

Because we were raised on the notion that we are lovable, useful and smart.

You are worthy of protection, peace and love.

or read this from 

TUMBLER RIDGE

 

This is the bleak reality. We forgot something important and can't remember what that was. It's gone now. Was it justice? Was it wealth for all?

What is wealth? Wealth for all to find contentment instead of contempt? Emphasis on life rather than jewels? 

Acceptance on diversity. Respect for humans and animals? 

I think wealth is HOME!

This planet is home for all who live here and who will be born.

This means we have lost 'SUPERIORITY'.

TUMBLER RIDGE. We Know What The Problem Is!

It's us. People. 

We have been trained to see ourselves as consumers. 

We buy what we want or do without. 

Pride comes in what we purchase.

A new handbag.

A diamond ring.

Something new to impress our friends

who think we don't deserve it.

We fume inside the mind

which otherwise could invent

something new

-- now that would be rewarding.

Something like

diamond rings or bracelets

something to spend our savings on

to make us look rich.

We have made it!

Forget clothes, food or furniture

no matter how much they cost

we can't wear them

and pretend we forgot we had them.

If we had servants 

we would forget them.

To forget we are rich

that is status.

Janet Vickers

TUMBLER RIDGE Jailbreak by Kim Goldberg

 

for the love of breaking hearts and sleepless nights I will select a few poems submitted under this title as your submission to create a poem under this name "TUMBLER RIDGE"

Jailbreak

 

the robots are so good now

they can manipulate scissors

they stand at their stations and snip

each // word // from the // story

stripping all context, this is

The Great Decluttering

dawn of our brave new age where everything 

can be anything and anything 

everything, the words drift 

to the immaculate 

floor (for robots are not dirty)

where they spontaneously 

resequence into poems about locks and 

shrikes, seamless horizons and keys

the jailbreak 

is now complete

~ Kim Goldberg

Thank you Nanaimo poet Kim Goldberg 

Way Beyond Time for Poems "TUMBLER RIDGE"

 

for humanity to realize, we,  all life on this planet is at risk of becoming extinct. Why? Because (for centuries) we humans are far most impressed by stories of shootings, killings, threat of war, strength and wealth than human nature. But there is a very deep message in our grief.

It's not that we don't have  the answer, its that there is so much heartache we feel overwhelmed.

The working title for this book will be Tumbler Ridge. I am not looking for blame or names or what's wrong with us, but for encouragement to believe we will find an answer in lovingkindness.

Scrolling through internet for information on humanity's history

 

This is not a history. Just a few items on the problems of being human.  We love to believe in "success". Ours and others we love to promote.

The problem with "success" it can mean whatever we want it to mean. Which is mostly in my opinion, power. Proof of our power.

But I have come to the conclusion it's a record of "greatness" according to this creatures ego. And that is the problem.

For the sake of  ego I believe humanity is destroying  our planet. It records its achievements by monetary wealth. Yes we have people who have great courage like those who survived Auswich and who see progress as our ability to look at our big mistakes.

Racism. Watching the despair unfold in the US. The automatic assumption that the top of the human race is the white man. 

I don't feel bad or guilty for what the USA is doing to humanity. I feel bad when I fail to do the right thing.

It's a trap in my brain. Not a mistake. I feel bad when I have made the wrong decision.

I know I am NOT superior to others based on my education, my attempts at presenting myself as trustworthy, my habits or beliefs.

FORGET SUPERIORITY IN ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING!.

Humility and respect for others comes first. No-one cares how morally superior this old woman  named Janet Vickers has become. She never made it as Danielle or Washahid. They inspire comfort to me as I mourn for my own attempts to save the world.

All I know is racism is evil, struggling to win in the superiority game is destructive to my ego. So I keep trying to love others. That's all.

I love people. I hope for their success. And I will try over and over again to care for humanity with the help of my friends and family.