Hillbilly Elegy
Lament for a dying country
The announcement has just been made. Former President Trump has picked J.D. Vance to be his running mate for Vice President. Although I haven’t been completely vested in any politician running right now, I had hoped for this from day one.
I will never forget walking through the Columbia University bookstore in New York City with my youngest son. We were about to lay down another credit card worth of required books and as we walked past a table of new reads, he casually stated “that’s supposed to be a good book.”
Well, who was I not to believe this bright child of mine? Okay then, our Kevin from Home Alone said so, so I bought it. We never really felt like parents. More like his children. Which isn’t a cut. It just is what it is in some families with curious and interesting children that fell off a planet you were never on.
For the first time in a long, long time, there is a voice in the game that could actually make it to the top. Maybe a president for all someday? One, like a few other politicians, who have ran for political positions, coming out of single parent homes, and/or a deeply poverty stricken community. Some made it but don’t really represent where they come from, and some who didn’t make it, might have been an asset to communities that are suffering.
The heart of America.
J.D. Vance’s book, Hillbilly Elegy, is worth a read. I suggest getting it today. You will be done in a few days. I saw the movie after I read the book. It’s excellent, but the book is better. Most books are better.
After this past Saturday, my mind is ablaze. My mind looks at a president that needs to retire. Heck, my husband needs to retire. Enough. Go out now, so maybe he could do that some day. We are blessed, but we could sure use our last years without the stress of small business in California (not a good cocktail). I also look to RFK and think to myself, “I like him.” He is in the good fight. He’s got good ideas. He was vilified during the pandemic and I looked to all of who were in that same position. Why? I came up for breath realizing that there are few heroes in this world that will state certain truths. Who won’t back down. That’s worth considering. When he announced his veep running mate, I didn’t see anything relatable to the most deeply hurting places in our country. Maybe, the same old corporate money isn’t everything.
Then there’s Saturday, July 13th, 2024. Everything shifted. The Titanic, called our country, hit an even bigger iceberg. Enough. The game is changing. The self-centered vilifying theater, that we are all forced to endure, must stop.
Everyone: we. have. been. put. on. notice.
I have a lot to think about. We are the change.
“When the whole world is running towards the edge of a cliff, he who runs in the opposite direction seems to have lost his mind.” - C.S. Lewis
Nope…
That does sound excellent and rather inclusive. So many are left out and struggling. I will give it a go. Thanks, Deb!
I have never read it, but thank you, Deb, I’ll have to add it to my list!