Substack emailed me last week that I have over 100 subscribers now, and I want to thank you all.
I had intended to post more, but the last couple of years have been very bad ones for me. In addition to all the other things going on that have no doubt impacted you as much or more than they did me, my 30-something daughter died of an opioid overdose in late 2021.
She had serious mental health issues that were not helped by a medical system neither she nor I could afford, a minimal social safety net, and doctors who charged Medicaid for opioid prescriptions that were subsequently discontinued. Like so many others, it looks like she turned to heroin, with the common end to such an addiction.
I earnestly hope that none of you will ever know how I feel about that. Losing a child, adult child or not, is definitely the worst thing that can ever happen to a parent. The only “good” thing about the experience is that it focused my attention even more strongly on the sick system that allowed my daughter to die because treating her wasn’t profitable enough.
Even now, I can be overwhelmed by waves of grief, anger and sadness that can strike without warning. I know it’s normal. I know it fades over time and the limbic system waves become less frequent. I know it still sucks, but that I can live with it, thanks in large part to the support of my wife, without whom I may have done something…let’s just say rash.
Enough of that. For all intents and purposes it’s done. I will complete the series on how the American kleptocracy has tried, and is still trying, dominate the entire world with its criminal capitalist system. I will write about the authoritarian-libertarian divide that became so visible with the Covid mandates, who supported them, who opposed them, and why socialists must support the libertarian/anarchist side in order to take power in the United States.
That will no doubt delight anarchists and upset some authoritarian communists of whom I am very fond, but I welcome their critiques in advance. After all, I am an American descended from an artilleryman in the Continental Army who fought for the Bill of Rights long before it was a thing.
Free speech works both ways or not at all.
Thank you for reading, subscribing, contributing, and maybe even for sending me a buck or two if you think my work deserves it.
You got one more paid subscriber, OB. I acknowledge how the past few years have rained down on some more than others as it has on you. The feelings are there for a reason, my a brother of another mother. And, as far as the limbic system and fading over time goes, well... I don't see that being the case with my sister who lost her first born in 2003. at the age of 25.. Just about for the same reason, which primarily is a failure of an industrialized country to respond to its people. They shall not fail to hear from me and we need a community to do that for as long as it takes.
My condolences to the death of your daughter. When my BIL died, his mother said;
"no parent should suffer the death of his child". However troubled your daughter was,
just try to remember the good times with her to ease some of your pain.
Why is it that when I hear of the deaths from drugs, especially now from Fentanyl my
mind jumps immediately to the CIA? The supply comes from somewhere in the
country. I refuse the explanation of Southern Cartells. With effort they could be
stopped, imho.
As far as other issues are concerned: The ring closes at certain points where far
right and far left meet and agree. It has been so for decades. I don't believe in any
ideology, because they are not applying to the real world. May be principles could.