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Melancholia of the Moment
Tonight on Facebook I posted:
A chill, dark wind blew through my soul tonight; a premonition that in the distant future, I will in solitude reflect on these days, and see only the dear faces of friends who died young or grew old fighting for America.
I’m gloomy tonight because I know that politically, culturally and financially, we’ve been losing our grip on the cliff face for some time, and as is my habit, I projected myself forward in time, to grandchildren, old age and memories. I know that my most precious, desperate memories will be of Andrew Breitbart, my friends at National Review, Ricochet, and at Hollywood’s most secret, delightful gatherings of conservatives. I will remember the happy warrior mentality that most maintained from 2008 right up to the disappointments of 2016 and beyond. I made some of my best friends for life during these days of high hopes and hard work.
Mostly though, I will remember their faces; from the very famous to the unknowns who clamored to be heard at CPAC and FreedomFest; chins up, eyes shining with the challenge of beating insurmountable odds, all in the hope of winning back freedom.
This is not to diminish my love for family and non-political friends. As a life-long political nut, my life has necessarily been divided between a “normal” place where it’s impolite to talk about politics and religion, and a rather colorful existence as an vocal activist, sometime writer, booking agent and marketing manager in California.
Perhaps historians will someday explore the phenomenon of rebellious freedom warriors like us, who found each other and fought together in the midst of calamity, but then again, they say only winners write history….so.
Hence the melancholia. Although the best will fight on, it is likely that a great many lights of the revolution will go dark after the election. If we are to have another President Clinton, (and this one unconcerned about her legacy or her popularity), some will quietly give up, exhausted and broken. Pundits and political cartoonists will be further marginalized. Some may heed history and realize the danger of crossing the kind of brazen power that she will hold. Still others will note the examples that are made of unfortunate souls. In the end, the idea of America may only be a guarded memory.
Published in General
Well said. A lot of us are haunted by similar visions of America falling apart while we try to keep family together and safe.
We are at a last chance to stop the rush to the darkness. It may be inevitable, but we need to hold on.
I have faith some parts will survive and perhaps re-emerge, but it will not be pretty , safe or fun.
I have had my run, but my grandchildren will be tested.
I live in a state where the legislature just voted to shut down one third of electrical generating capacity to save the planet. Tern years after that, they will not buy fossil fuel generated power from outside the state.
Rationed power will be the only solutions, with long outages. I intend to leave before the inevitable disaster occurs.
That is just the beginning.
The darkest hour is always before dawn. Remember, America, as is life is a roller coaster ride with ups and downs. There will be unexpected ‘up’s just around the corner. Whatever happens in November, it won’t stop the sun from rising or you from enjoying your growing family, which is what’s most important. Smile M. :)
How about zoom and boom instead of gloom and doom? Maybe we will lose but we don’t have to go down without giving it our best.
I like this excerpt from a book I read by Randall Wallace.
I had always intended to pursue conservative politics, but Reagan got elected, and in 1988, my first child was born into a world of shining cities on hills. The focus of too many of us shifted, and in 2009, we woke up, but it was too late.
I’m bone tired and sad, and will have to take a little break from writing portentously dark little pieces like this.
I sure appreciate the words of good cheer, too. It’s only occasionally things turn out as bad as I think they will, after all.
Indeed they will. They will diagnose us as suffering pathoheterodoxy syndrome:
Needs a little deep philosophy to round this out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlBiLNN1NhQ
This is great but we are finite beings that only live a finite time. I have no expectation of living to the next up.
Nothing the a little re-education won’t fix.
Just the same, Comrade, you not only organize and execute good things, but you inspire them as well. So take your lap around Melancholy Park, and try a cigarette from twenty years ago as you walk home in the dark; realize again that of course it’s all trash and return to form the next day. Or week.
You’re entitled.
Thank you, I was thinking the same thing – despair is neither attractive or effective. I’ll take a week.
Well, it’s not despair when you’ve decided to sell the portfolio and invest in ammo. And I am not suggesting taking a week from posting or any such thing. Just as much time as you feel you need to go through the turn, and by all means, post away. Not all valid points are cheerful ones. We all go through these.
Welcome. I’m so hard into the turn it looks like NASCAR over here. Y’be aight.
How about brooding in a taciturn far off looking way? With the right heels anyone looks attractive. Or so I have heard.
With practice at gloomy pessimism, you can get to where things never turn out as bad as you think. Then you can always be cheerful because they didn’t.
At this point, I’m gathering my things, and making practical plans for a more reticent, cautious life after Hillary takes the throne. My friends who still believe that somehow we’re going to rally 4-8 years from now to resurrect hard core conservatism “because in their hearts, everyone is really conservative”, are tragically mistaken. I’m with Michael Walsh on this – if Hillary is elected, it is all over.
Oh, 6’2″…
I am working on a full-length response to your lament. From the point of view of an American Israeli who saw the Oslo Agreement coming and lived through the consequences.
SPOILER ALERT:
1) Sometimes it takes a lot of time and pain for the public to learn.
2) Tough times don’t last, tough people do.
3) HaShem is my Shepherd, I shall not want.
I don’t know if you’ve ever read The Man Who Was Thursday, but you might find it a tonic of encouragement in times like these.
Not this guy! As a Fed, I had to hunker down during the Clinton and Obama years, and that’s the strategy I’m going to take into the future if the Wicked Witch of the West Wing gets elected.
The ongoing news about Hillary and her e-mails, her influence peddling, and her health could very well make the Dems draft a Biden/Warren ticket out of desperation. Therefore:
That is a cryptic message – is this where we are headed 6 ft? As a Christian, these days were predicted by the Jewish prophets of the Old Testament and they are spoken of by the apostles of the New Testament – dust off and read – it is army boot time – that’s right – good and evil – head to head – God can work through those that understand His message – His Message is that He is the Creator of Heaven and Earth – all that is seen and unseen – through free will, we choose – every minute – You are making a difference – He knows every hair on your head – throw off despair and worry – politics and anything else than mere mortals can conjure are no match for God who holds you in the palm of His Hand.
As you know, I never drank at all until I went on my first NR Cruise back in 2010. I have since discovered for myself the miraculous medcinal power of alcohol. I probably won’t make it to the NR cruise this year, but I’ll try – just to hang out with the Stads :)
Good words, friend. Michael Walsh’s The Devil’s Pleasure Palace, weaves together God, Good & Evil, Music, the Western Tradition and popular culture into what is the best thing I’ve read in years. I highly recommend it.
You live in Vermont? There’s a reason I left.
Nope! My official residence is Michigan. In 2010 we got a Republican Governor, Republican Legislature, and conservative Supreme Court -so things are getting better; liberal concealed carry, no state involvement with homeschoolers, unlimited choice in charter schools and a solid Right-To-Work law.
So you live in Un-Vermont. Understood.
I now live in North Carolina and never plan on leaving. I mean my house. Ever.
Six,
No not you! You can’t give up Six, you can’t.
Regards,
Jim
We left our oldest daughter at Hillsdale last Sunday to start her freshman year. I cannot describe how good a place and how virtuous the ideas there… We are so thankful for this outpost of Christian western heritage and our daughter’s opportunity to attend.
You need to make a pilgrimage, 6’2″. You will be with your people. Victor Davis Hanson is speaking at Hillsdale next week on the 9th. If you’re unable to make it, just watch this:
FWIW, I’ve been thinking about this song a lot lately
The Stars Go Over the Lonely Ocean
by Robinson Jeffers
Unhappy about some far off things
That are not my affair, wandering
Along the coast and up the lean ridges,
I saw in the evening
The stars go over the lonely ocean,
And a black-maned wild boar
Plowing with his snout on Mal Paso Mountain.
The old monster snuffled, “Here are sweet roots,
Fat grubs, slick beetles and sprouted acorns.
The best nation in Europe has fallen,
And that is Finland,
But the stars go over the lonely ocean,”
The old black-bristled boar,
Tearing the sod on Mal Paso Mountain.
“The world’s in a bad way, my man,
And bound to be worse before it mends;
Better lie up in the mountain here
Four or five centuries,
While the stars go over the lonely ocean,”
Said the old father of wild pigs,
Plowing the fallow on Mal Paso Mountain.
“Keep clear of the dupes that talk democracy
And the dogs that talk revolution,
Drunk with talk, liars and believers.
I believe in my tusks.
Long live freedom and damn the ideologies,”
Said the gamey black-maned boar
Tusking the turf on Mal Paso Mountain.
Believe in your tusks. Long live freedom, and damn the ideologies.
Seawriter