Thank you for your detailed response, I now have a better understanding.
Well sure, no worries comrade (my apologies if you're not, not meaning to besmirch anyone by my presumptions)........and also I always expect some dissent/pushback from anything I post, anywhere, anytime.
Sometimes it get ugly.
I do my best to stay out of the mud, but sometimes it's unavoidable. And I believe a little nasty interaction (as long as it doesn't get too personal) from time to time benefits the hell raiser in a cathartic way. Venting a little "steam" if you will, or angst is healthy for the spirit. Just be smart about it. Pick your battles (if that's what it happens to be) wisely and don't be afraid to lose. It comes with the territory.......metaphorically speaking.
I can honestly say I truly dig this venue and all the people I've had the privilege to interact with. Sure it's not the same as "face-to-face". But what the hell? As far as I know this is one of the few places left online where you have a moderate amount of "free speech". And I say that respectfully because someone pays the bill to keep this presence alive. They have every right to limit what goes on here as they see fit. Their actions define them. I'm grateful for the path they have chosen for the present. I'm sure it could change at anytime.
It still leaves me astonished that it functions as well as it has/does. "Hats off" as they say to the owner(s) and moderators.
Again, much of my rambling is persuant to my personal opinions, observations, or perhaps more succinctly labeled "world view". One of the multitude. I'm just a micro-spec in the
macrcosm of life. I'm nothing remarkable in anyway. Just another commoner. Another hapless clod plodding my way through life grateful for what life has allowed me, and at times wondering why I've been allowed to prevail in this world while so many "close to home" have not in the past 3yrs. When I'm thinking......every day above ground is a good one!
While I get somewhat dismayed and aggravated at what I call "extremism", I quietly empathize and understand the plight of the participants. And even though I believe we are all accountable to ourselves in the end (although some chose not to be anyway all the way to their ultimate demise), the extremism I view today in the USA is not ultimately unique, or new per history.
When the electorates needs and desires are not being met by the duly elected, those needs become more important than the system of government designed to do so. As absurd as this analogy may appear to others........it is not unlike the bonding of slightly dissimilar materials in electronics on a moderate scale. One example being the bonding of P-type silicon material that has been doped with impurities to provide a "hole" in its chrystaline structure. The hole being a pseudo-depletion of a valence electron leaving it at 3 instead of 4, thus making its potential "positive" . The N-type material has impurities doped within that provide a additional valence electron, thus making it "negative". When the aforementioned are abutted, a electrostatic barrier between the two ensues.
The aforementioned barrier potential is akin to our constitutional checks and balances of power as manifested in the functioning (or dysfunctioning....as it were) of the Executive, Judicial, and Legislative branches. The N-material is akin to the political party in power, with the most potential power when the majority politically is of the same party in the Exectutive, Judicial, and Legislative branches. The P-material is akin to the minority power. The impurities doped thereto the P and N material are akin to the moderate base. Under a moderately well designed device, utilized within its operating parameters, when the P-material is excited with a positive potential, and the N-material is excited with a negative potential, the barrier potential acquiesces. Electron current flows. Life is good.
When the aforementioned materials are excited with opposing charge (i.e.......P-material excited with negative potential, N-material excited with a positive potential), the electrostatic barrier widens and no electron current flow occurs until the barrier catastrophically fails...current may flow for a short time in the opposite direction from design, or not at all. The barrier potentials strength and effectiveness is dependant upon the presence of impurities in not only number, but proper placement with in the chrystaline.
However, the electrostatic barrier has it's limits. When a large enough dissimilar potential occurs at either or both, the electrostatic barrier potential is overcome and collapses allowing either current flow in the opposite direction and/or distruction of the device.
Under normal operation, the device's chrystaline impurities decay and diminish over time, and the device is less effective. Eventually it fails. The device fails sooner under harsher conditions.
I view this country as the aforementioned device. I view it at the precipice of failure, staring into an evil abyss. What to do? That is the highly contentious and rhetorical question of the day.
Perhaps it can be said the cycle is close to rebirth except we are not fighting mother England, but ourselves. Slowly dying as a country. The best days in the rear view mirror.
I sure as hell don't have any answers, only humble observations.
And therefore, at least of the moment,
I waffle between conservative extremism and centrism as far as this great constitutional experiment called USA. Of one mind I say, hell no we have to fight, we have to be loud, we can't let up. We have to be in the face of the opposition. Whatever it takes. That minds heart goes out to the MAGA constituency and all participants of JAN 06. The desired outcome was not achieved. The heartfelt martyrism not appreciated and met with ridicule, scorn, and petulance. Unless we were there, we'll never know all the facts, nor have the big minds eye picture. I don't agree with what they did, but I don't hold them in contempt for it either. The politics of the day put many behind bars for it and continues to under the guise of overt "sedition".
There has to be a better way. Brute force did not work. Really....that's mostly what I'm trying to say. I fully expect scorn, ridicule, and all manner of vitriolic, invective piles of shit heaped upon me. So be it. Go for it. I'm not fighting anyone on this, not that that matters. It doesn't. I dig this forum and all I've interacted with to date.
And sorry for painting with too broad a brush
@Picasso. My bad.