And we as the general public, and the victims, with the estimated number growing by the hour, must wait beyond forever and a day? It might take, literally, an act of congress, after that astute body recently heard lots of testimony about the personal stories behind a mega-sex-trafficing ring. This has none of the suggested glamour of that old “Vehicle” soul-sung song often played on the radio. But when Dio sang “Invisible,” his tiny voice rang loud.
It is obvious that the only reason for stalling the release of the Epstein Files by the GOP at the highest levels of government is political, partisan and privileged, even if only done partially when dragged to that point.
— With fall not even really here yet, if you don’t count the temps — and unless they’re being disbanded, as a new agency, that would be the federal side of things — we already have the annual autumn decor and Halloween decorations. There was a time when a creepy front porch was a Hillybilly/Texas Chainsaw Massacre thing, but with October nowhere near yet, one can already see two area porches decked out and running almost-length-of-house wide if not deep with parallel-to-the-road spooky characters. Any Epstein figure sightings? Also, a local farmstead that runs a business out in the yard where there sell, well, just about anything rustic, has added an inflatable 40-foot-high gorilla in the corner, that I presume since it’s new is intended as a Halloween happening. The hobby yard also is known for its sign frequently in the driveway that says “sorry we’re closed,” and me-thinks they were shut down by that King Kong.
This in a time frame that has also seen a bonanza of fall potted flowers for sale, some leaves starting to turn in clumps at the tops of trees, a new type of cattail-topped-type of roadside rusty colored bush, and the fact not going unnoticed that there’s been a resurgence of both bald eagles and turkeys, frequently seen along some of those same roadsides, often birds on both sides of the roads. —
If there is a fear for more damaging territory being entered as far as files disclosure, such as the privacy of the victims of the late, rich pedophile, given as the only real reason for dragging their feet, take this into account: Since most if not all victims of sex crimes WANT their stories to be told, wouldn’t showing what is in court documents be the first step? (I do get that such victims will want to tell their delicate story in their own words, that courtroom questioning can be brutal, and even that the court can get things wrong.) But I ran this past a friend who had been abused, and she concurred, that what is paramount is not privacy but fighting back against privilege if that is what’s standing in the way of full public disclosure and education.
And this thought on “grooming” for such acts, which I think is not something that happens with one mere touch on the shoulder, or as the friend said, a day of flattery and faux friendship. The point is that this makes the actions even more heinous, since this is not a one-second blurt of a bad word or an uncalled for shove, but a consistent and thought-out and systematic plan — that could be aborted at any time. If you keep doing the grooming, it’s the presence of evil in you.
These thoughts have resonated with others with whom I have talked, and include the idea that at some base level of physical stimulation, such contact feels “good.” This was said by an incest victim with whom I’ve been acquainted, and that fact was maybe the biggest one she grappled with. So I can see how someone could be a victim of grooming.
That said, the following paragraphs unveil many more questions.
The news showed women as they left the congressional hearing, and does this not reveal their identities? A senator said that at issue is the release of court-owned videos. Can’t he drop at least one couched example of a “frailty,” which he said was a type of thing holding him back from releasing the files?
Protecting the president? Mike Johnson, speaker of the house, said that was “obvious” nonsense. I’d say it’s anything but nonsense as the president appears to be “stonewalling,” to quote another GOP congressman who has said that primarily of GOP senators. And Johnson’s straight-faced reaction belied being actually stunned by the testimony.
And to the idea that the files have mostly been released already, at a 97 percent clip? What about the other three percent? Must be pretty damning.
Investigate more? We’ve had years of it already. And gathered 34,000 pages of documents. Now maybe up to 40K. How long to just to black out the names of victims — which probably are not listed anyway.
These are not always bi-partisan issues. Maybe the National Guard should be put to better use to round up these ICE-ish-catching offenders? And seriously, do the guard members really need the cool sunglasses? Some news images show guard members in what appears to be not plainclothesmen but full riot gear. Do we really need that for community policing?
ICE has now been said to be showing its presence in Chicago. Hell, it’s even on record as being here, this time in plainclothes, in little ol’ Hudson.
One would think we were a hotbed of crypto-currency, as the Trump family always defends its interests — and they just enjoyed a 5 billion stock windfall from such business that was just as tainted, because of Daddy’s conveniently laid policies, as his red carpet was for Putin.
Well, OK. The rich always get richer. But some Republicans have the gall to make the comparison to what was made — now full circle after repayment and amounting to zero — by Hunter Biden in tax misdoings. He was found guilty of claiming $1.4 million in admittedly questionable business deductions. Hey, the M word is a whole lot different than the B word, even though — to this point — the Trump family has not been hauled in, at least on this matter, by a bailiff. Dad’s legal status is far more tenuous. That don’t keep the boys from making a buck or two.
— Speaking of saving money, with the growth of ICE, and Doge, I think we need more initials, in this case DDD, the Department of Diabolical Disinformation, also known as Lies, Damned Lies, or LDL, or Lamentation on Stats Department, or LSD. Ask anyone asked to skew info that is so basic it’s hard to otherwise obviously misinterpret — see Chicago crime data.
So with numbers, I think that even though my nephew is closer to seven-feet than six, and paler than pale, if he works one more month on his summer job, he might get tanned enough to be in danger of deportation. So be careful later in September. As in being multi-colored, (not multi-cultured?) Innocent people have been pulled over for less.
So in what languages would the crucial killer ICE information be? What would be on the office door? “Entrance?” That’s almost sacrilegious to the word.
And though whiskey is not his thing, I must point out that as a college freshman, options for he above and others are growing more limited. Five companies that distill such brew have at this point (end of August) declared bankruptcy. Tariffs take a sum total.
Even though this may not have been intended, a Hudson mayoral candidate put on his flyer on our last time around, reasons that I “voted for Rich.” That might be his first name, but it also describes, you know … Touting re-election. Figures.