Tom Glenn's Blog, page 23

Getting Colder

It should come as no surprise to me that the weather is cooling. The fall equinox is already past. It arrived on Thursday, September 22, 2022, at 9:04 p.m. eastern daylight savings time in the northern hemisphere. It has gotten colder since then and is now occasionally as low as the upper thirties (Fahrenheit) at night—although at the moment as I write (seven in the morning), it’s above sixty. But, surprise or no surprise, I don’t like it.

It’s that time of year for me, time to complain. My sensitivity to cold springs, as I have mentioned here before, from period between 1962 and 1975 when I spent more time in Vietnam than I did in the U.S. providing signals intelligence to U.S. and friendly forces on the battlefield. I became acclimatized to the tropical weather in South Vietnam and never readjusted to the cooler climes of the U.S.

So every year at this time, I shiver as I adjust, first to chilly autumn, eventually to cold winter. I’m already resorting to warm underwear and sweaters. Soon I’ll be wearing heavy jackets even indoors. Already, nights are longer than days, and they will continue to extend. I’m in for cold short days and long cold nights.

My susceptibility to cold is one of the prices I paid for my time working as a spy on the battlefield in Vietnam. The other biggie is Post-Traumatic Stress Injury (PTSI). Both bring on suffering. But I’m proud of my time defending my country. My misery notwithstanding, I’d do it all again. Unfortunately, we lost the war.

Violent Language

As I have written here recently, I am more and more disturbed by the use of violent language by politicians, commentators, and the press. With increasing frequency, I’m hearing references to crushing and outgunning opponents, attacking miscreants, and slaughtering adversaries. Most of the people using these terms are Republicans working under the leadership of Donald Trump. Most recently, Trump, as I reported earlier, in an obvious incitement to violence, wrote on his social media website that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky) “has a DEATH WISH.” But even the Democrats are leaning into more pugnacious words.

I think that it is time that we as a nation expressly denounce violence and violent incitation. That means, among other things, condemning the push toward insurrection by Trump and his supporters.

Except for the January 6, 2021 insurrection led by Trump, we haven’t attacked each other with intent to inflict physical harm or kill since the civil war. Let’s not allow Trump and company to resort to violence after we have achieved so much as a nation.

The time to change course is now.

Inequity

I’ve written here before about my concern over American inequity, how our political and economic systems are skewed in favor of the well-to-do. I return to the subject as the pandemic grinds on and I see the unfairness continue.

Some facts: The wealthiest 10 percent of Americans own more than 50 percent of the nation’s household income. The top 1 percent take home 21 percent of all the income in the United States. In the year 2022, three multibillionaires own more wealth than the bottom half of American society–160 million Americans. And 45 percent of all new income goes to the top 1 percent. CEOs of large corporations make a record-breaking 350 times what their workers earn. In the wealthiest country in the world, nearly 40 million people (11 percent) live in poverty.

I am reminded of the falsehood of Ronald Reagan’s “trickle-down” description of the economy. As a man of great wealth himself (net worth $120 million), he slashed taxes on affluent Americans with the promise that this extra money would go to the middle class. It never did, and I’m sure that he and his advisors knew perfectly well that it wouldn’t. The rich are remarkable in their ability to find ways to avoid paying taxes.

It’s long since time that the Democratic party take on the income inequality in the U.S. and find ways to even out the distribution of wealth. One way would be to make college education affordable for all—those with a degree are better paid than those without. College education used to be affordable, when state universities charged very low rates for citizens.

But that’s just one step. Another would be to eliminate all the tax shelters and escapes used by the rich. Still another would be to establish decent minimum wage. It’s now $7.25 an hour; it ought to be at least $15.00 an hour.

We Americans must face up to our responsibility to make the U.S. the promised land. Income inequality in the U.S. is the highest of all the G7 nations, according to data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. It’s time to change.

Republican Vote Suppression

Because the Republicans, led by Donald Trump, are outnumbered by Democrats in the U.S., they are attempting to suppress votes in hopes of winning elections. The following is a list that regularly shows up on the internet of actions Republicans are taking to discourage people from voting:

—Making it a crime to give food and water to people in line to vote

—Making it harder to register to vote

—Allowing state officials to overrule local Democratic authorities

—Restricting vote by mail

—Reducing early voting opportunities in majority non-white communities

—Banning drive-through voting

—Banning ballot drop boxes

—Making it harder for people with disabilities to vote

These restrictions affect minority voters more than they do the general population. I have no doubt that it is the Republican intent. Where they are enforced, they do indeed reduce the number who vote. And Republicans have good reason to fear the outcome of a free election. According to multiple reports, two in three Americans view the Republican Party as a threat to the country largely because of abortion bans, political violence, and extremism.

Election day for this year is less than a month away: November 8, 2022. I urge all who are eligible to assure that they cast their vote. It is more important than ever that we make our voices heard.

Living a Long Life (2)

Continuing from yesterday:

Even though I quit smoking, the damage was already done. I came down with lung cancer and nearly died. I think I was too stubborn to give up the ghost. After many months of radiation and chemotherapy to reduce the size of the tumor, the upper lobe of my right lung was removed. It took literally years for me to recover, but I did.

I learned my lesson. Now I go out of my way to live a healthy life. I sleep more than anybody I know. I keep my weight in check by sticking to a strict diet of mostly fruits and vegetables. I work out by weightlifting for a couple of hours every other day. And I drink a lot of water. The result: I am a pinnacle of health for my age. I’ve already lived past the age expectancy for American men (late seventies), and I fully intend to live past a hundred. The evidence so far is that I’ll succeed.

If I can do it, anybody can. But it takes discipline. And Americans as a group are not well-known for their self-restraint. Chances are that the early death rate will continue.

Living a Long Life

We Americans are in many respects reckless and spoiled. One result is that we don’t live as long as we could if we took better care of ourselves.

 There are four general principles of healthy living: a good diet, moderate exercise, not smoking, and keeping body fat under control. But 97.3 percent of American adults get a failing grade on healthy lifestyle habits. Each year, nearly 900,000 Americans die prematurely. America is rated number 35 out of 169 countries in terms of overall citizen health.

Four factors—poor diet, high blood pressure, obesity, and tobacco use—are identified as primary causes of early death (defined as occurring before age 86) in the United States. I have no figures on those of us who eat poorly or suffer from high blood pressure, but four in ten American adults are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And an estimated 30.8 million adults in the United States currently smoke cigarettes. More than 16 million Americans live with a smoking-related disease. But there’s hope: current smoking has declined from 20.9 percent (nearly 21 of every 100 adults) in 2005 to 12.5 percent (nearly 13 of every 100 adults) in 2020.

I am a living example of a reformed smoker who nevertheless suffered the consequences. I started smoking cigarettes when I was a teenager and smoked heavily during the thirteen years (1962 to 1975) I spent more time in Vietnam than I did in the U.S. Then I realized that smoking was a threat to my life. I quit. But it took years. First, I switched to nicotine gum, then to ordinary chewing gum. I’m still addicted to chewing gum.

More next time.

Veteran Suicides

There is little in life that horrifies me as much as suicide. The very idea that people could consider ending their own life sends shivers down my spine. My feelings notwithstanding, almost 46,000 Americans died by suicide in 2020, the most recent year for which I could find complete statistics. Suicide is the twelfth leading cause of death in the U.S. Every day, approximately 125 to 130 Americans die by suicide.

The rate of suicides among veterans is substantially higher than that among the general population. Veterans account for of 13.5 percent of all deaths by suicide among U.S. adults but only make up 7.9 percent of the U.S. adult population. Why do so many veterans choose to die by their own hand?

Experts agree that the reason is Post-Traumatic Stress Injury (PTSI). That is the mental damage caused by participation in the savagery of combat on the battlefield. I call it a wound to the soul. Its symptoms are irrational rages, panic attacks, nightmares, flashbacks, and depression. I suffer from PTSI as a consequence of my years assisting U.S. and friendly forces during combat by providing signals intelligence on the enemy. I understand the feeling that the memories are so painful that I can’t stand to go on living with them. But I—and many like me—choose to continue living despite the anguish.

I’ve learned that the most effective antidote for PTSI is pride. I am justifiably proud of my service to my country and the lives I saved by tipping off friendly forces to where the enemy was, his strength, and his intentions. I counter my bouts of PTSI by reminding myself of the good I did on the battlefield. And I seize every opportunity to spend time with other combat veterans. We don’t need to talk. A look in the eyes, a quiet smile, and a firm but gentle fist bump to the upper arm is all it takes. That reminds them—and myself—that we are not alone.

In short, I understand why men who have been through combat might choose death over suffering through unbearable memories. But I know that life is a priceless gift to be cherished and honored. And I do all I can for my fellow veterans to help them live fulfilling lives.

Benghazi!

My review of Ethan Chorin’s Benghazi is now online. You can read it at https://www.washingtonindependentrevi...

Let me know what you think.

Once More with Feeling

At the risk of repeating myself: I am at a loss to understand how any American citizen could vote for the Republicans these days. The vast majority of Republicans continue to support Donald Trump. Despite overwhelming evidence that the 2020 election was valid, 121 House Republicans and seven Republican Senators helped Trump try to overthrow our democracy by voting against certifying Joe Biden’s victory. And 43 Republicans voted to acquit Trump of all charges in the Senate Impeachment Trial. All this in the face of proven Trump transgressions:

—Encouraging Russian interference in our elections.

 —Threatening Ukraine to force it to dig up dirt on his political opponents.

 —Cozying up to Kim Jung Un and other foreign adversaries.

 —Abandoning our closest allies.

 —Defunding the Post Office.

 —Proposing $30 billion in cuts to Social Security.

 —Caging migrant children at the border.

 —Attacking freedom of the press.

 —Building a racist border wall.

 —Inciting the January 6th Capitol insurrection.

 —Threatening state officials to force them to rig the 2020 election.

 —Imposing a transgender military ban.

 —Denying the severity of COVID-19.

— Telling 30,573 lies while he was president, including denying that he lost to 2020 election.

Somebody explain to me how anybody could support such a party headed by such a perpetrator.

Reminder

Just a quickie: I’ll be hawking and autographing my books next Saturday, October 8, at the Hickory Ridge Flea Market. See the announcement below. Hope you can stop by.