Joel, thanks so much. We share the same concern for our humanity. I'm just writing what I feel... can we rise to the occasion and pass the test of decency and concern for all people? I hope so or America, the land of the free, will be no more. 😳 Thanks for being here, man. I appreciate it. ✌️
Agreed! Why can’t we just play nicely with each other? I think humanity is an experiment gone badly wrong. Also, the project 2025 thing scares the hell outta me, too!
We’re connected to each other 24-7. I think that has something to do with it. Everyone has something to say (myself included) and an opinion on everything. I think the internet has allowed us to digress, and we don’t even realize it. Thank you for your perspective! 💙💙💙
Oh I agree! It's so easy to be an arm chair quarterback when we have no idea whats really going on behind the scenes ... and you sure cant trust corporate media for unbiased info. Thank YOU Kelly! 💙✌️
My dearest Susan, I most certainly share your dismay but let me share a bit of our country's wild ride from someone who has lived through quite a bit of it.
I came into this world in Memphis, Tennessee in 1951, when Harry Truman was president and the Korean War was raging. Since then, I've had a front-row seat to some of the most tumultuous and transformative decades in American history.
My earliest years coincided with the McCarthy era and the birth of rock 'n' roll. From the sleepy '50s, I rode the wave into the revolutionary '60s, watching Elvis, a fellow Memphian, shake up the music world just as the Civil Rights movement was gaining momentum. I remember Rosa Parks' brave stand and the struggle of the Little Rock Nine.
Our family's move to Ohio came as the Cold War was intensifying. I recall the collective held breath during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 and the profound shock of JFK's assassination in 1963. Then came another move to Mississippi, just 90 miles from Memphis, placing us near the epicenter of civil rights struggles.
The turbulent late '60s brought a whirlwind of events: the assassinations of MLK and RFK, the Vietnam War escalating, the moon landing, Woodstock, and the Stonewall riots. I witnessed the Freedom Rides, the passage of landmark civil rights legislation, and felt the tremors of social change.
As I entered adulthood in the early '70s, I saw the Kent State shootings, the Pentagon Papers, and then Watergate in 1972 - the same year a young Joe Biden entered the Senate. The mid-'70s brought the fall of Saigon and the end of the Vietnam War, while the late '70s saw Three Mile Island and the Iran Hostage Crisis.
The '80s unfolded with events like John Lennon's assassination, the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan, the Challenger disaster, and the fall of the Berlin Wall. The '90s brought the first Gulf War, the Oklahoma City bombing, the Rwandan genocide, the Columbine shooting, and the Clinton impeachment saga.
Then came the new millennium with the contentious 2000 election, followed by the devastating attacks of 9/11 in 2001. I watched as we entered wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, saw the catastrophe of Hurricane Katrina, and felt the impact of the 2008 financial crisis.
The 2010s brought historic moments like the Arab Spring, the killing of Osama bin Laden, the Sandy Hook shooting, the legalization of same-sex marriage, and the rise of Black Lives Matter. In 2016, we experienced the historic election where Hillary Clinton won the popular vote but lost the Electoral College to Donald Trump.
Now, in my 70s, having just lived through a global pandemic, witnessed an assault on the U.S. Capitol, and seen Joe Biden - a figure I've watched throughout my adult life - become President, I find myself reflecting on this incredible journey.
From Memphis to Ohio to Mississippi, I've seen our country face incredible challenges and transformations. Through it all - the triumphs and tragedies, the progress and setbacks - I've witnessed the resilience of the American spirit. So let me tell you about this wild ride we call American history, from someone who's been on it for seven decades and counting. It's a story of challenges and change, of setbacks and progress, and ultimately, I am banking on hope.
Now, after recounting all these events, I'm about ready to take to my fainting couch from the mental fatigue of reliving seven decades of American history! But you know what soothes my soul after this whirlwind trip down memory lane? Knowing that as a proud American who's seen it all, I'll be casting my vote for President Joseph Robinette Biden to serve a second term. After witnessing the ups and downs of our nation's journey, I believe his steady hand and wealth of experience are just what we need to guide us through the next chapter of our ongoing American story.
Another Susan here. Also from the Midwest. A few years older (I was in graduate school in the early 70’s.) I’m with you 💯%. I’m no expert at politics (or anything really.) But I do have a few things to say. I’m grateful for my midwestern farm/small town upbringing for giving me good common sense. I’m grateful to college/graduate school for encouraging me to think for myself and open my eyes to a larger world around me including different beliefs and cultures. I thank my maternal grandpa for being the very best person to model my life after.
Hi Susan! My maternal grandmother was my rock and my role model-my time on the farm was central to the person I am today!! And she would be heartbroken to see what’s happening in America right now. 😭. Glad you’re here!!
I am sitting here on my patio reading your post took the challenge to think of one thing that the Republicans have done that has contributed to the goodness of our country. . . . For everyone. . . Nothing comes to mind. But then I realized what they would say: “Well, we elected Ronald Regan . . . .twice. Still thinking. . . ..
Hi Anne....well, please let me know. I'm not an expert on politics and I'm sure many would read my column and think I'm so naive. But isnt the role of our government officials to make our lives better and help the citizenry? I just dont see a lot of evidence of this in the GOP. 🤷🏼♀️
This is such a brilliant and inspiring piece Susan! Thank you! Yesterday was tough, but you have helped to strengthen my resolve! John’s video brought me to tears; tears for all of us who want a better future for all! I hope that you are doing well and I’m sending you a coffee. Enjoy and never stop fighting the good fight! We need you!
I'm humbled, Lisa....like the rest of us, I'm seriously concerned about that state of our country and our politics but the way people are acting...the way we're talking to each other. UGH! We gotta do better to be better...you know? THANKS for the coffee. That means the world to me! ❤️❤️❤️✌️
Joanne... Thanks. It's like, WTH is wrong with people!? Our species needs to improve our ability to think and reason and behave properly. Good Grief! Thank YOU for being here!
Great column. Yeah, I like John Cena. Seems like a good guy, very tolerant and kind. Yes, our discourse has continued to decline and vitriol has increased, accelerated during the last 8 years. Coincidence? The rise of such an egregiously vulgar figure as you-know-who has brought it out of people. Name calling, insults, and ridicule are his standard "speech" mechanisms, to go along with the incessant lying. There are no policy ideas, no workable solutions offered, no actual positions of governance, just bombast and braggadocio. And a fair number think he's a viable candidate.
How did our society get so susceptible to the politics of resentment?
We must find a remedy to the proud ignorance, the hateful actions, the blind obeisance to the cult of personality of someone who has no business being in a position of elected leadership. Our future depends on it, as you said.
I couldn't agree more...it seems too easy for people to slip into "proud ignorance, the hateful actions, the blind obeisance". Gosh, we are a weak species. Someone commented, "How are people being raised?" I know I wasn't raised to be that way! I need to read more about cults and cult behavior, I guess. Have a great day, Hl2thDoc! Thanks for being a subscriber! 💙✌️
Bless you Susan. You exemplify the best of American citizens. All your works, and writings are indicative of beauty, decency, compassion, integrity, and Patriotism. And humor! And, your community reflects those qualities as well. I’ve been sharing your substack with like minded friends and family. Your talent and observations should be shared, widely.
Shakespeare said “Brevity is the soul of wit.”
A bit of brevity, for you (hopefully!)
Oh Donny Boy,
The Bars the bars are callin
From Jail to Jail, and to the big hoosegow
The Potus’ gone, and all the lies are falling
It’s you it’s you must go, and I must smile
But come ye back, when Meadows is in the slammer
Or when Juniors hushed, and strung out on his blow
It’s I’ll be here, in joyous exultation
Oh Donny Boy oh Donny Boy, I loathe you so
But when you come and all your lies are dying
If they are dead, as dead as lies will be
You’ll come and find the place where I am laughing
And I shall laugh in peace with you in Prison, tee hee hee!
The two-party system has been flawed for a long time, but now it's toxic and broken. After living in Europe for some 12 years, I think the US would be better served by a parliamentarian system, such as seen in Europe and Scandinavia. When a single party lacks the vote to govern alone, it's forced to form a coalition one or more parties. It might not be perfect, but it's a way for parties to compromise and resolve differences to solve a problem.
I'm sorry, but nobody says it as well as you do.
You can speak for me. It's just that way.
Thanks for your words. Your outlook brings a sense of peace and serenity.
Joel, thanks so much. We share the same concern for our humanity. I'm just writing what I feel... can we rise to the occasion and pass the test of decency and concern for all people? I hope so or America, the land of the free, will be no more. 😳 Thanks for being here, man. I appreciate it. ✌️
Agreed! Why can’t we just play nicely with each other? I think humanity is an experiment gone badly wrong. Also, the project 2025 thing scares the hell outta me, too!
We’re connected to each other 24-7. I think that has something to do with it. Everyone has something to say (myself included) and an opinion on everything. I think the internet has allowed us to digress, and we don’t even realize it. Thank you for your perspective! 💙💙💙
Oh I agree! It's so easy to be an arm chair quarterback when we have no idea whats really going on behind the scenes ... and you sure cant trust corporate media for unbiased info. Thank YOU Kelly! 💙✌️
That video was great Susan. You did a good thing. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Thank you- it really moved me!
My dearest Susan, I most certainly share your dismay but let me share a bit of our country's wild ride from someone who has lived through quite a bit of it.
I came into this world in Memphis, Tennessee in 1951, when Harry Truman was president and the Korean War was raging. Since then, I've had a front-row seat to some of the most tumultuous and transformative decades in American history.
My earliest years coincided with the McCarthy era and the birth of rock 'n' roll. From the sleepy '50s, I rode the wave into the revolutionary '60s, watching Elvis, a fellow Memphian, shake up the music world just as the Civil Rights movement was gaining momentum. I remember Rosa Parks' brave stand and the struggle of the Little Rock Nine.
Our family's move to Ohio came as the Cold War was intensifying. I recall the collective held breath during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 and the profound shock of JFK's assassination in 1963. Then came another move to Mississippi, just 90 miles from Memphis, placing us near the epicenter of civil rights struggles.
The turbulent late '60s brought a whirlwind of events: the assassinations of MLK and RFK, the Vietnam War escalating, the moon landing, Woodstock, and the Stonewall riots. I witnessed the Freedom Rides, the passage of landmark civil rights legislation, and felt the tremors of social change.
As I entered adulthood in the early '70s, I saw the Kent State shootings, the Pentagon Papers, and then Watergate in 1972 - the same year a young Joe Biden entered the Senate. The mid-'70s brought the fall of Saigon and the end of the Vietnam War, while the late '70s saw Three Mile Island and the Iran Hostage Crisis.
The '80s unfolded with events like John Lennon's assassination, the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan, the Challenger disaster, and the fall of the Berlin Wall. The '90s brought the first Gulf War, the Oklahoma City bombing, the Rwandan genocide, the Columbine shooting, and the Clinton impeachment saga.
Then came the new millennium with the contentious 2000 election, followed by the devastating attacks of 9/11 in 2001. I watched as we entered wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, saw the catastrophe of Hurricane Katrina, and felt the impact of the 2008 financial crisis.
The 2010s brought historic moments like the Arab Spring, the killing of Osama bin Laden, the Sandy Hook shooting, the legalization of same-sex marriage, and the rise of Black Lives Matter. In 2016, we experienced the historic election where Hillary Clinton won the popular vote but lost the Electoral College to Donald Trump.
Now, in my 70s, having just lived through a global pandemic, witnessed an assault on the U.S. Capitol, and seen Joe Biden - a figure I've watched throughout my adult life - become President, I find myself reflecting on this incredible journey.
From Memphis to Ohio to Mississippi, I've seen our country face incredible challenges and transformations. Through it all - the triumphs and tragedies, the progress and setbacks - I've witnessed the resilience of the American spirit. So let me tell you about this wild ride we call American history, from someone who's been on it for seven decades and counting. It's a story of challenges and change, of setbacks and progress, and ultimately, I am banking on hope.
Now, after recounting all these events, I'm about ready to take to my fainting couch from the mental fatigue of reliving seven decades of American history! But you know what soothes my soul after this whirlwind trip down memory lane? Knowing that as a proud American who's seen it all, I'll be casting my vote for President Joseph Robinette Biden to serve a second term. After witnessing the ups and downs of our nation's journey, I believe his steady hand and wealth of experience are just what we need to guide us through the next chapter of our ongoing American story.
Another Susan here. Also from the Midwest. A few years older (I was in graduate school in the early 70’s.) I’m with you 💯%. I’m no expert at politics (or anything really.) But I do have a few things to say. I’m grateful for my midwestern farm/small town upbringing for giving me good common sense. I’m grateful to college/graduate school for encouraging me to think for myself and open my eyes to a larger world around me including different beliefs and cultures. I thank my maternal grandpa for being the very best person to model my life after.
Hi Susan! My maternal grandmother was my rock and my role model-my time on the farm was central to the person I am today!! And she would be heartbroken to see what’s happening in America right now. 😭. Glad you’re here!!
I am sitting here on my patio reading your post took the challenge to think of one thing that the Republicans have done that has contributed to the goodness of our country. . . . For everyone. . . Nothing comes to mind. But then I realized what they would say: “Well, we elected Ronald Regan . . . .twice. Still thinking. . . ..
Hi Anne....well, please let me know. I'm not an expert on politics and I'm sure many would read my column and think I'm so naive. But isnt the role of our government officials to make our lives better and help the citizenry? I just dont see a lot of evidence of this in the GOP. 🤷🏼♀️
This is such a brilliant and inspiring piece Susan! Thank you! Yesterday was tough, but you have helped to strengthen my resolve! John’s video brought me to tears; tears for all of us who want a better future for all! I hope that you are doing well and I’m sending you a coffee. Enjoy and never stop fighting the good fight! We need you!
Lisa🫶🏼
I'm humbled, Lisa....like the rest of us, I'm seriously concerned about that state of our country and our politics but the way people are acting...the way we're talking to each other. UGH! We gotta do better to be better...you know? THANKS for the coffee. That means the world to me! ❤️❤️❤️✌️
🫶🏼
Susan, excellent and omg, exactly how I feel and what I’ve been saying all along! Thank you for this!
Joanne... Thanks. It's like, WTH is wrong with people!? Our species needs to improve our ability to think and reason and behave properly. Good Grief! Thank YOU for being here!
Well said, Susan! Spot on … but I have faith we can do better!! 🇺🇸💙🇺🇸💙
Thanks Joan...I sure hope we can. "Make America Civil Again". 💙💙
Great column. Yeah, I like John Cena. Seems like a good guy, very tolerant and kind. Yes, our discourse has continued to decline and vitriol has increased, accelerated during the last 8 years. Coincidence? The rise of such an egregiously vulgar figure as you-know-who has brought it out of people. Name calling, insults, and ridicule are his standard "speech" mechanisms, to go along with the incessant lying. There are no policy ideas, no workable solutions offered, no actual positions of governance, just bombast and braggadocio. And a fair number think he's a viable candidate.
How did our society get so susceptible to the politics of resentment?
We must find a remedy to the proud ignorance, the hateful actions, the blind obeisance to the cult of personality of someone who has no business being in a position of elected leadership. Our future depends on it, as you said.
I couldn't agree more...it seems too easy for people to slip into "proud ignorance, the hateful actions, the blind obeisance". Gosh, we are a weak species. Someone commented, "How are people being raised?" I know I wasn't raised to be that way! I need to read more about cults and cult behavior, I guess. Have a great day, Hl2thDoc! Thanks for being a subscriber! 💙✌️
Spot on.
Hey, Jagged Jeanne....thanks for being here! 💙✌️
Bless you Susan. You exemplify the best of American citizens. All your works, and writings are indicative of beauty, decency, compassion, integrity, and Patriotism. And humor! And, your community reflects those qualities as well. I’ve been sharing your substack with like minded friends and family. Your talent and observations should be shared, widely.
Shakespeare said “Brevity is the soul of wit.”
A bit of brevity, for you (hopefully!)
Oh Donny Boy,
The Bars the bars are callin
From Jail to Jail, and to the big hoosegow
The Potus’ gone, and all the lies are falling
It’s you it’s you must go, and I must smile
But come ye back, when Meadows is in the slammer
Or when Juniors hushed, and strung out on his blow
It’s I’ll be here, in joyous exultation
Oh Donny Boy oh Donny Boy, I loathe you so
But when you come and all your lies are dying
If they are dead, as dead as lies will be
You’ll come and find the place where I am laughing
And I shall laugh in peace with you in Prison, tee hee hee!
Papa
Beautiful !I sang it as I read.
Thanks you for such kind words….that means so much! And now, I will have that song stuck in mat head forever! 😂😂😂 So glad you’re here! ✌️
The two-party system has been flawed for a long time, but now it's toxic and broken. After living in Europe for some 12 years, I think the US would be better served by a parliamentarian system, such as seen in Europe and Scandinavia. When a single party lacks the vote to govern alone, it's forced to form a coalition one or more parties. It might not be perfect, but it's a way for parties to compromise and resolve differences to solve a problem.
Definitely something we should explore. It sure isn’t working now.
Check out my friend James Strock on Substack
Susan Niemann: You have the right core values and you are striving with all your might for justice, due process of law, and diversity.
We depend on each other and will be there for each other, irrespective of what the future brings.
It isn't for naught that Joyce Vance points out, "We are in this together!"
Now, get out there and enjoy some guilty pleasures -- a nice barbeque with fries -- and take joy in the Fourth!
The Fourth is for good people like you to be able to take a break and to take joy in life!
Thanks Armand! I hope your day is joyful! 💙✌️
Yes, we deserve better and must fight to stop the insanity.