BOOT CAMP

    Every Wednesday afternoon I partake of an hour's worth of boot camp. No, I do not aspire to the Marine Corps, nor would they take me! It is a method of building up one's resistance to change in movement disorders and positively building up muscles, cognition, interactions, and confidence. It is hard, really hard, and people who join in who have no movement disorder are stretched to their limit as well - and pushed beyond.
     Boot camp hours challenges oneself. It demands that you actively participate in your own welfare, assurance and demands, that you take responsibility for what you can. It is a measure of defiance and hope. And, best of all, one works so hard that a scoop of ice cream after the hour is perfect!!
     It all got me to wondering if perhaps boot camp for America is what we need now. No, not planks and slam balls and balancing tasks and challenges based on physical demands, but balancing acts that a democracy needs and if it fails at that, well, that is kaput for the democracy. It is a boot camp that demands that we measure our growth, that we face our challenges, that we correctly assess our needs and the manner in which to meet them. It demands that we challenge ourselves and if not, if we think to take the easy way out, or let the other guy do the heavy work, well, then we end up with what we are unfortunately beginning to see clear outlines of right here in the country.
     The direct opposite of a positive boot camp is what we now have with this insane megalomaniac at the head of government. He has come out forcefully, vocally, openly and strongly against free press He has banned reporters who annoy him or demand answers to hard questions, who will not let go of their job - to ask the questions and provide information and a transparent government to the people of the country. But when one is told to specifically, in the very words, to not believe what you are seeing or hearing, only to believe what comes out of that damned mouth of Trump, well, be afraid people and line up for a boot camp of life.
     There is no easy path to fixing this mess we are in. We have fascists in the offing who threaten to impeach Rosenstein for standing up to the President and Congress, who defy their twisted motives. It is simply yet another method of shutting down freedom in our country.
     We have a man who lies with every breath he takes, makes huge announcements and pronouncements and yet it all comes to naught, other than harming us and the country, and indeed, even the world. We have a group at the head of the line who wish to encourage hatred, dissension, a growing abyss within the population of the country for it only strengthens them. They support horrific deeds such as stealing children and yes, stealing, and losing them!! This is kidnapping and every single one who participated in this act, in this process, from ripping them out of a mother's arms, to using false pretenses, to harsh treatment in prison cages and yes, the kids were in prison, no mistake about that - every single one should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. That we could have people willing to do this! NO, no order excuse, no I'll lose my job excuse, no it's the law excuse. Laws can be wrong, immoral, and we need to use that measure of evaluation before we act upon them.
     We need boot camp. A boot camp that will stress morality, humanity, honesty, justice and hope. Yes, hope, that maybe, just maybe we can salvage our country, get rid of the scum that has risen to the top and rebuild our country in the image it should have and be.
     I worry, and have so stated many times. If we do not rid ourselves of this man and his twisted followers, using all legal methodology, if we do not do it this way, then the bubble will burst in another way and oh, yes, we will then need a physical boot camp. Do not think that the anger is so deep, too deep to burst, to hit the surface, and if it does, say hello to civil war. This country cannot stand for much more, so much wrong, so much evil, so much diametrically opposed tenets to our tenets of democracy and freedom. When it decides it has had enough - the choice is there. Does one join the boot camp of life, or lay down and give in and let Trump and his cruel and nasty and creepy minions tramp all over you?
    Boot camp anyone?