In Defense of Our Home

by Pa Rock

Survivor

The ignoramuses in their red caps can belch about climate change not being real all they want, but I'm here to tell you that they are grossly mistaken - and by "grossly mistaken," I mean they are lying their lazy asses off.

It rained off-and-on last week, but by early Friday afternoon the "off" switch was beginning to wear out and the rains have been fairly constant, and often heavy, since then. Mercifully my house sits on a rise, but water has been pooling in the yard for the past two days as it gathers to run off onto the road where it makes its way down to the local creek - except the local creek has been out of its banks and spilling across the adjoining pastures most of that time

There have been several times over the past couple of days when traffic on the road out front has been blocked going both directions, and the most direct route for getting into town has been blocked almost constantly.   Lots of drivers have turned around in my driveway as they struggled on trying to decide which direction was safer, and more than a few left tire tracks in the yard as well as on the drive.  But I will smooth over their transgressions in a few days, when and if the sun comes out again.

Don't tell me climate change isn't real, not when I have to squish my way to the mail box to see if the mail lady was able to make it this far. Don't tell me climate change isn't real when I am stuck in the house suffering "cabin fever" in April.  This storm has killed at least sixteen (and very likely more). in the midwest and upper south in the last four days.  Those dead bodies are real.

(I listened to the national news report from National Public Radio (NPR) a few minutes ago, and they said that a driver had been killed in West Plains, Missouri (my community) when his vehicle washed off the road.  That was followed by brief comments from our city's mayor, a big bear of a bearded man by the name of Mike Topliff, who sounded like he was struggling unsuccessfully to hold back tears as he encouraged neighbors to stand ready to help neighbors during this weather catastrophe.  West Plains suffered high winds and tornadoes less than two weeks ago.)

As world leaders and their corporate, greedhead oily-garchs manipulate to keep the planet burning our fossil fuel (oil, gas, coal, and wood) resources that they own and control, as they steadily deplete the ozone layer that protects our fragile planet - and while they poison the air that we breathe and the water we drink, why should an old hillbilly in the Ozarks give a rat's ass.  I'l be gone in a few years and it will be somebody else's problem.

But that "somebody else" includes my children, and their children, and their children, people whom I love and care about.

I'm tired of the rain, and I'm tired of the lies, inaction, and bullshit from our leaders.  Climate change is here, it is real, it is the product of the activities of man, and it is killing the planet.  While Vlad, Elon, Don, and even my congressman seem to have no concern or regard for the future of our fragile planet, I do.  This is where my genetics will be struggling for survival.

The planet has been in the hands of privileged few for too long - and they have failed miserably in protecting it and us.   We have lived like there is no tomorrow for too long, and it has caught up with us.

The can we have been kicking has reached the end of the road.

Planet Earth is our home, our only home, and we have a moral obligation to renew and protect it - and we do that by working together, neighbor, by neighbor, by neighbor - and not just talking change, but being the change we seek - and if that involves making some noise, so be it!