HYPERBOLE? WOW!!!

     What a change. What a refreshing air coming in. No rantings. No ravings. No curses. No invocation of hatred for others who are to 'blame' for our problems. No threats. No outrageous promises. Only pleas for unity, for sense, for cooperation. And hyperbole! The "former guy" does not even know the meaning of the word, let alone how to use it twice in a short speech of gentle, but powerful import.

 And the hope and the scolding. If we do what is sensible, if we continue to follow directives, there is hope that we will be able to celebrate a more independent July 4th. With common sense. Always. Included in the short but powerful speech was a scolding that anti Asian attacks and accusations must stop. Period. Add in the gently put but so obviously there criticism of Trump for doing nothing, worse than nothing, when the pandemic first hit. Oh, hyperbole indeed. My educator's heart overflowed with joy. A literate President again.

 On the other hand, for contrast purposes, shall we say, we have the crude, uninformed, bully words and tactics of Tucker Carlson who just took on the wrong crew. Basically, he has attacked our entire armed forces. Wow!! Perhaps he needs to look up the definition of hyperbole. What a load of muck and mire he has fallen into. The best words of the day belong to Senator Tammy Duckworth, a combat veteran who lost both legs as a result of action. Oh yes, hyperbole indeed!

"F--- Tucker Carlson," Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran and Purple Heart recipient, tweeted. "While he was practicing his two-step, America's female warriors were hunting down Al Qaeda and proving the strength of America's women."

 A further contrast? As the Democrats ask for unity, point out inclusion efforts, the Republicans continue on their lonely and destructive path of isolation and nastiness. To a one they voted against the relief bill even as they took credit for its provisions in their talks with their constituents. Wow! Talk about walking on both sides of the street at the same time. Meanwhile, they continue their disgusting retro activities and inclinations to return Jim Crow laws and atmosphere to our country as they concentrate on blocking voting access to so many. What will be the future? A new version of a summer of Freedom Riders? A new tragedy of three young men kidnapped, beaten, killed and buried in a swamp?!

No hyperbole here, folks. We have a clear choice. No obfuscation here. Either we go with those of sanity, of calm and purpose, of knowledge that progress means planning, or we go with those who mean trouble. Who mean hatred. Who mean a return to a very troubled past.

Maybe, just maybe, we have had an introduction of fresh air into the staleness of the past five years. Maybe, just maybe, we can begin to hope again, to look forward to some return of normal life - but always tempered with common sense. Maybe, maybe, we can hope for a truly united United States of America. Maybe, just maybe, we can return to the roots and desires of our founding, of our years as a democracy, of our efforts, failures and successes over the years, to move forward, to lead and be an example to the world. Maybe,  just maybe, there is room for optimism. And this is no hyperbole!!

Oh yeah!!!