I realize I’m about to kick a hornet’s nest by putting my thoughts into words.

I have friends that are Republicans, Democrats and Independent. I have friends that are straight and friends that are gay. I have friends that are black and friends that are white. I have friends that are Christians and friends that are not. I have friends that are young and friends that are old.

I hope after sharing this I still have those friends.

Reflecting on what took place this past week I find myself torn. When my wife first asked me if I had heard what was going on in DC I assumed she was referring to the electoral vote. She was not. She informed me that people were protesting at the capitol. I thought for a moment, “Sounds patriotic. I’d love to be there.” Except I hate crowds.

Then I turned on the television set and reconsidered what I’d previously thought.

Personally, I wonder about this election. I find it strange that the votes were going swimmingly even up until a certain point. Then one side wasn’t receiving very many, while the other side was receiving a landslide.

I found it odd that one candidate had massive crowds at his events while the other had very few. Then again, everyone loves to see a wreck at a NASCAR race.

I find it perplexing that one side didn’t care for the previous administration, but waited it out, while another party raised cane for four solid years.

I find it odd that the protesters that rioted and damaged cities, federal buildings, businesses, and churches for weeks were presented in one way by the media, while the ones we saw this week were described in another. It appeared that the ones in charge of guarding the building totally dropped the ball or did not perceive it to be the threat that it actually was.

Protests can be a good thing. Riots and chaos aren’t.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not condoning the actions of either group. I’m just a guy that is sitting back, contemplating on all that’s happened.

If you’re interested in my politics I will share a little with you. In my lifetime I have admired two presidents. Eisenhower and Ford. As more time passes I’m tempted to add Ronald Reagan to the list. The others? Not so much.

I was a registered Democrat for years. At one time it was the party of the working class. Then after Clinton signed NAFTA into law I began to have serious doubts.

I voted for Bush the first time he ran because I thought Gore was a quack. Then I thought Bush was a quack when he tried to finish his daddy’s war. Also, the stock market crashed at the end of his administration.

I voted for Obama because I wanted that hope and change he talked about. After three years I gave up hope, and didn’t care for the change. Reluctantly I voted for the next loser. By the time the next election rolled around I would have voted for a turnip rather than to vote for a Democrat.

That brings me to the current administration. Honestly, this guy did almost everything he said he was going to do when he ran for the office. I thought he accomplished some good things. However, I haven’t cared for his demeanor. I find him uncouth. Then again, I’ve known and worked with a lot of folks like that over the years. Still, they were good workers and I could overlook the things about them that irritated me. So it was with him.

I ended up voting for him twice. Not because I thought he was a great guy, but because I felt like he accomplished good things.

Until the other day. I’ve decided he must be a Dylan Thomas fan. A kicker of hornet’s nest. Thomas wrote;

Do not go gentle into that good night,

Old age should burn and rave at close of day;

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Why on earth couldn’t he have kept his big yap shut and gone quietly into the night.

But he didn’t. It just wasn’t in him.

My father once told me that it takes a lifetime to build a good reputation, but it only takes a moment to ruin it. Trump’s daddy should have had that same talk with him.

I hope the next administration surprises me. I hope they accomplish good things. I don’t normally like surprises, but this time I would like one.

When it’s my time to leave I hope it’s quick like a firecracker going off. BAM! It’s over. No raging against the good night. Just smoke that lingers for a few moments and quietly drifts away.

But before I go BAM I’m probably going to change my registration to independent.

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Rick Algood
January 9, 2021