Iran: Politics and Nuance Both Matter

I have a multitude of thoughts swirling around regarding the increasingly dire situation between Israel, the United States, and Iran. I will have time to write more later, but I wanted to share some of the the brief thoughts I intend to discuss with my Global Issues class today. 

Please email me at doctorshrader@gmail.com or comment below on other such nuanced points we ought to be considering, and I'll share them with my class (with full anonymity, of course).

Multiple things can be true at the same time:

1—Iran should never have nuclear weapons and 85% of Americans agree (June Harvard/Harris/Caps poll), but there is no verified intelligence showing they are in possession of such weapons.

2—Regime change in Iran is a long-time coming, but who could own the rebuilding of the country’s government other than the US and American taxpayers?

3—The U.S. can support Israel, yet be highly suspect of Netanyahu and his political schemes.

4—Israel doesn’t need a permission slip to defend itself if legitimately threatened, but that doesn’t mean it ought to act with impunity.

5—Trump ran as the “peace candidate,” but doesn’t give a flying damn about any promises or commitments he has ever made.

Bonus: Why has the United States willingly given Israel and Netanyahu full consideration on everything they have demanded or asked for, yet has made Ukraine--who is in the fight of its life and on the front line of defending democracy--jump through hoops for continued support? 

The GOP Death Cult Thrives

I just had the most surreal experience at my local barber shop here in Manchester, NH that reminded me exactly how deeply our nation’s present crisis truly runs. 

After a few minutes of sitting next to one another, an older gentleman in the waiting area started chatting. Sadly, he said that he is suffering from lung cancer and lost his apartment. He fortunately received government assistance to find a new, smaller place and relies on Meals on Wheels and food stamps to eat. He also told me he survives on his pension, but fears that it may go away all together or be drastically reduced. 

When the man arose for his turn in the big chair, he turned to shake my hand. I immediately noticed he was sporting a Trump hat! 

Despite the nightmare scenario he is living through, the fact that he relies upon vital programs Trump and company wish to terminate, and the administration’s overt fetish for inflicting as much pain as possible on the most vulnerable among us, this individual remains loyal to the cult. 

It is immensely discouraging to see people making their own lives—and those of hundreds of millions both here and globally—worse because of their senseless and irrational devotion to the Trump/MAGA/Republican Party death cult. 

Generally, I am an optimist in the mold of Ronald Reagan and Jack Kennedy, but it is nearly impossible to maintain said optimism about the future of our nation and the future of democracy when you experience these tragedies in real-life. 

We all have an obligation to defend America  and the people from this death cult that was once a proud, great political party. However, it is nearly impossible to do so when our fellow citizens live in an alternate universe of denial, irrationality, and fear.