How all the latest news makes me feel

I think I'd help myself professionally, as a part-time pundit, if I weren't so publicly emo. The model for column- and opinion-writing is generally to have a take and to be confident in it, to be prepared to argue and generally look strong and authoritative. At least, if you're a man. None of that is my strong suit, and I'm fairly sure I invite some contempt for it. (Then again, maybe that's all in my head.)

So. Let me tell you how all the news today -- 

...about the fires in California...

...about the president's lying to Americans about COVID...

...about the White House ordering security officials to downplay threats from Russia and white supremacists...

...and so much more...

-- makes me feel.

It makes me feel helpless. 

I don't have a smart or analytical reaction. Mostly, I just feel (in the case of the fires) that we're reaping what we've sowed, climate-wise, or that too many of my fellow citizens like what our president is doing. Mostly I know that what is happening is bad and that there's almost nothing I can do to stop it or make it better.

And that feeling is even worse because I have a son who is going to have to live with the consequences of what happens now. We're giving him a terrible, terrible world, and I cannot protect him from it.

God help us.

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