TRUTH AND CONSEQUENCES

     Why is it that the idea, the act of telling the truth seems to be so difficult for some? The truth of the matter is that the truth always, always, comes out, even if it takes time and even the worst evildoers in the modern world, the Nazis, knew that the truth would out though they tried to hide it by burning and burying and scattering and explosions. But it did not help. So why is it that people still think that they can lie their way out of a situation?
     This avoidance of truth appears to be endemic to the world, local to international. When the hand is in the cookie jar and the crumbs are scattered on the face and clothing of the thief, there is still that tendency to lie. Why? I cannot understand it and quite frankly, have  a great deal of aversion to those who do not tell the truth. If there was anything I tried to teach my kids, biological and educational, it was to tell the truth - always - and take the punishment that was coming their way but to understand that it would have been worse had they lied about it.
     Would that our politicians would accept that precept and promise. Here in CV we have been promised transparency. So where is it? Is that IFI supposed to be it, a sudden appearance of some proposals for painting of UCO and  doors for the guardhouse, two small contracts? Are these a sop to what should be, such as the RFPs for cable, for roads, for repaving of bus stops, for serious spending? And these proposals were so varied the question then arises what exactly was the RFP looking like? Was it still the clumsy inadequate one that Jack Adams has been trying to fix lo these many a year and constantly ignored? If so, then why. Please, the truth.
     I would like the truth about the waterways. Granted, for the past few weeks, even months, we have been pretty dry, never mind yesterday and today. The level of the lakes and canals is low, yes, but NEVER before have we had such scummy green brackish waters. When I came  back on Monday to the Village, as I opened the blinds I took a look at Wellington Lake and GROSS!! It looks like the green and scummy ponds one sees off site somewhere, contaminated and abandoned, ignored and polluted. Never before has it gotten to this point. What do we need to do? Should we take a couple of buckets of the skim of it over to UCO and David's office and over to Eva's office, so perhaps they will understand. People from that camp are always whining about the resale value, but let me clue you in on this. The resale value of the homes around Wellington Lake are definitely adversely affected by these disgusting waters. Put that in your pipe and smoke it and then come up with the new excuses and avoidance of the truth. And by the way, do not forget the risk of insect problems such as Zika virus mosquitoes that just love standing water. More food for them, more breeding grounds for them. And look at the bodies just hanging around the waterways! Us!!!
     Our politicians and lawmakers at the county and state levels are mostly no better. Yes, we have a couple here or there that actually serve the people but where are the rest? Gone to parties and deals and pork barrels and shady deals and pocket lining and shedding their remaining principles at a fast rate. The nasty atmosphere that this engenders is then reflected in the bills passed at the state level such as the new South Carolina bill that made it illegal to have abortions after 19 weeks - 19! And no exceptions for rape or incest either unless the mother's life is at stake. How generous! We worry where people will pee, evidently wanting people to have their birth certificates with them and then what? Check their genitalia? Will we have a new government department for this? An equivalent to TSA? Where are we going with this? What is the matter with us? For Pete's sake, just put doors on all stalls and everyone can have privacy, even if a transgender has still not completed the final steps. Where does this end?
     It will end with a Fascist at our helm, one who denies the truth, is an expert at lies and who wants, and indeed needs, to squelch all opposition and their speech. Hmmm, sound familiar? It will make it illegal to criticize the government and begin by coming back at critics with nastiness and threats. When Julia Ioffe's article about Trump and his wife Melania came out with some information that Melania wanted to be kept on the QT, wow!!! the reaction was ballistic - and heaped with anti Semitic slurs and remarks as Ioffe happens to be Jewish and no, I am sorry, for the excuse for this   to be the constant refrain that his daughter is now Jewish and he has Jewish grandchildren - uh uh, no go, no good, for history records too many times how Jewish relatives and in-laws, spouses and children were left by the wayside in order to make one's way thru life.
     One of my grandsons, a flaming liberal, exactly where and what he should be at 18, said half jokingly that if Trump won the election, would he then end up in an internment camp for reeducation. I laughed, but maybe it is not so funny, not when there are statements such as this one: He’s not Hitler,” she said. “He wants to help America. He wants to unite people. They think he doesn’t but he does. Even with the Muslims, it’s temporary.” Lordy, Lordy. Is that where we are at, that hate is temporary? That it will go away when the time is right? Hate to blow it all, but that never happens in real life.

     As for the rest of the world, just look at it. Where has truth gone? Russia is indignant that its entry to Eurovision did not win, and worse, the winning song was from the Ukraine, entitled 1944, referring to the tragedy suffered by the grandmother of the singer, Jamala, a Tatar, referring to the behavior of the Russians and the Soviets to the Tatars in the Crimea. They whine, not fair and why is everyone picking on us, making up lies that our athletes engaged in state sponsored doping at athletic competitions for years and that our planes are playing not so nicely with other planes and the list goes on. Despite the fact that these accusations are true, Russia denies it - cookie crumbs and all. And how are others to react? How is Poland to trust that they will not be invaded again or Hungary or the three Baltic Republics?

     Palestinian officials say they want  peace but first they have to have all their conditions met and then they will come to the table. That is like a kid eating up his sister's chocolate bar and then saying let's talk about it. Are there consequences? Yes, not pleasant ones, not for anyone, but truth seems to be fleeting and difficult to catch at times.
     Truth and consequences. I wish the consequences were clearer and fairer and quicker on the uptake. Don't you? And if not, then ask yourself - why not?