The Big Wake

 So, the opposite of "woke" would be asleep. Do I have that right? I guess then it would be important for all of those nominally in charge to be "woke" rather than asleep at the switch. 

The Bobbsey Twins of the U.S. House of Representatives were at it again this week. Lauren Boebert of Colorado tossed this little explosion out on Twitter: "We require people to be 21 to purchase alcohol beverages, and 21 to purchase tobacco products. Why is it so unreasonable to require people to reach a certain level of maturity before making life-altering decisions about their sexuality and identity?" I am sure that her tiny little mind meant this to be a rhetorical question, not imagining that anyone would have anything but blind acceptance for her "wisdom." Part of me wishes I knew all sorts of salacious details about Ms. Boebert's adolescence, like when she had her first beer. Or when she sneaked a smoke. Or when she lost her virginity. There is a much larger part of me that cringes at that thought, so you'll excuse me if we move on. Maybe she has lived a life free of question, curiosity and doubt. Maybe she has been able to follow the narrow path she describes herself and truly can't imagine the challenge of growing up anything but straight, white and god-fearing.

If that's the case, how can she claim to be a "representative" of anyone who hasn't quietly in a room, worshiping her second amendment rights and waiting for the next imbecilic notion to creep into that space between her ears?

Which brings us naturally to Marjorie Taylor Greene, who went after one of her favorite targets this week after David Hogg suggested that a license should be required for purchasing a gun. Her royal witlessness responded, "We have one, it’s called the Second Amendment. Also, you should try hanging out with actual deer hunters. It will help you learn to be more masculine and you will appreciate how we will get our food supply when Biden’s inflation makes buying food unaffordable." If it seems like there is a lot to unpack there, remember that Ms. Taylor Greene has been chasing after Mister Hogg for some time now, trying to - well, it's unclear what exactly she is trying to do. She has succeeded in harassing a survivor of a mass shooting, so maybe we'll just leave it at that. The suggestion that Hogg should try hanging out with real deer hunters is a very thinly veiled shot at his masculinity. Suggesting that only "real men" kill deer. Queer or not, you are still required by state law to purchase a license to hunt deer. Which may still be an affordable way to skirt the high price of meat generated by Joe Biden's inflation. The inflation he is responsible for because of supply chain issues that began two years ago. During a global pandemic.

And then there's Madison Cawthorn. The youngest member of Congress. And perhaps the most un-woke human to appear anywhere, let alone the House of Representatives. In a tirade that is ostensibly his brand, young Madison provided his own definition of what a woman is: “XX chromosomes, no tallywacker.” This was his way of clarifying a question put to Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson last week by Senator Marsha Blackburn. For the record, Judge Brown Jackson replied, "I'm not a biologist." And quite obviously, neither is Madison Cawthorn. 

That sound you hear is the untimely and unfortunate sound sleep of at least two of our nation's "leaders." Wake up, America.