US

     Saw the movie US yesterday after hearing all the raves about it. Interesting premise and a bit more class and bite than the usual blood and gore scary movies. The younger generations took the smacks and cuts more easily than I did, as I flinched with every whack, but that is for another day. What is interesting about the movie are the questions and thoughts it raises.
     Without any spoilers, as I urge you to go see it, but go with a friend, the theme is an old one, raised throughout history in politics, philosophy, religion and bull sessions in dorm rooms since the beginning of time. "We have met the enemy and he is us." Famous saying and that thought comes up here in the movie though I must say that the thoughts have no time to gel during the action!
      Are we our own enemy? I fervently believe so. From the kid in school who keeps on with the same nonsense, to the adult who perseverates with his self destructive behavior, to the disastrous choices of people in their leaders - we are our own enemies.
     However, this film also shows us the heroes buried within us, and surprising as to exactly who steps up tothe plate, who grows in times of stress, and who needs the time to accept and adjust. It is not every person who can jump on a grenade, literal or figurative, to save companions. It is not every person who can break the intraining of abhoring violence, learning to use it when the need arises. It takes an innocent to look at the intruders and describe or state the truth. " They're us." And it is so true.
     In the world today we have no one to thank for the mess we are in other than - us. Who has allowed global warming to rise to such a dangerous level, so much so that the very "seed ark", the Doomsday Vault, which contains seeds from the world, to enable the world to reboot after an apocolypse - well, it is suffering its own climate change and bad ones, too! We are not thinking ahead, allowing those who chase the bottom line and never mind what is trampled in their headlong and heedless rush, to lead the way.
     We ignore the rumblings of war and look away from  the outbreaks in countries which appear to be of little value to us, forgetting that the earth is a small globe in a vast space, and we are all connected, all human beings, all, as the integration heroine stated,"made by the same G-d". (Now that is a movie to go see in two weeks.)
     Comey now speaks out against what happened and is not happening with the Report. The politicians speak in harsh and most undemocratic terms and Trump et al go along with Sanders's nasty faux March madness chart, Trump threatens to 'punish' evil men, chases after the FBI like a dog after a car, rants and raves about the press, not very sporting about democratic values, is he, and we, us, well, we just keep muddling along, allowing the chasm in the nation to grow even more, deeper and wider.
     Meanwhile, Barr is playing his expected role of barricade against the truth, no great surprise, for he wrote his unsolicited 19 page opinion last year on the absoute right of the President to do whatever the hell he wants. No laws. No barriers. King Donald I. And remember the dynasty that seems to be growing? Well, there ya' go. Junior is not ruling out running for office!! Dear Lord!!!! We have met the enemy - and he is US. For sure.
     So who are we really, as people, as Americans, as ordinary citizens trying to lead a normal life? Are we the greedy ones who roll over anyone and anything in their path? Are we those who are more altruistic, who value others? Are we those as yet unsung and unknown heroes who will grow to meet the stresses and attacks upon our way of life, our values? Or are we the very demons we fight? Who is US? Who are we? What the hell are we? Who are US?
     It is not easy to look deep within our souls, dig deep and true, and truly assess that which we find. It is not easy to have the moral strength to understand and adapt, hopefully in a positive manner. Who is the US we talk about? The movie posits almost opposing thoughts and answers, leaving it up to US to decide the US we wish to be.
     At this point, well, look at the growing gaps between classes of people. We are turning back into history when there was barely any middle class, just a have and have not division, a taxed and untaxed division. We had better shape US up or it will be too late That deadline of 12 years to natural disaster for the Earth is not comforting. As Pogo would say, "US need to better." Soon.