Sister Pearl's World

A Story of The Death Bringers

My grandparents live in Sun City, which is an old folks community, so deaths out there occur regularly. The community is on the edge of the desert, just across from the White tank mountains, so they get desert occupants from time to time, you know, normal things.

But I have noticed something disturbing.

At night, when the air has calmed and the crickets and night-birds stop their song, there comes over the air the sound of howling. Like the wild things from the desert had caught some prey, and were celebrating their meal before they devoured it with gnashing teeth.

Coyotes, you might say. And you’d probably be right. But something I’ve noticed about these late night or early morning calls: they always announce the death of an old person. Always.

The House voted to condemn Trump’s racist “go back where you came from” Tweet. Good. But let’s look at how the Republicans responded.

They didn’t defend Trump. Instead they attacked Pelosi for using the word “racist.” In their view, the reasonably overt racism was less a problem than talking about racism. Three observations:

1) This is a prime example of moral cowardice. Nobody defends what Trump said—but they pretend to be flustered that anybody would talk plainly about what is actually happening.

2) When “decorum” has become your highest moral end, your moral ship is sinking.