Never Promised You a Rose Garden

 I rarely watch network T.V.  Fortunately, I need not.  We have 2 'Smart" televisions, a Roku and our beloved "Prime", all of which allow for selection of some pretty fabulous viewing minus the intelligence-insults brought on by commercials and speeches by the biggest waste of viewing time, Donald Trump. CNN and real news shows are pretty much my limit. I prefer print to audio/visual presentations. I wasn't surprised to hear that our president "does not read" and that he learns all he has to (wants to) know, from FOX. This information, from his own sister who did not know her thoughts were going to go public. She had nothing to gain by being honest about her brother's shortcomings. The truth is the truth. 

So, I must admit, I have spent very little time watching either presidential candidate in real time.  I did catch up on speeches cast by a few key figures during both conventions and via YouTube, and credible news sources, watched, in horror at times, party members boasting about their exploits and promising a better America. I will let you rest in peace about your personal selection and hope for the best. Transparent about this, I cannot promise I will be.  It's too important to me on so many fronts. Furthermore, I don't think either party can or will be totally honest nor will either be able to deliver their personal agendas as they want voters to believe. Rarely has that happened in the history of the presidency. But never, in that history, has our country been so low.  America has always been a place of dreams, a place of honor and a place of power. A place of pride. A place to call "home" and a home of envy. I have never, ever been embarrassed to identify as a citizen of this country and have taken pride each time I answered the question of my residency.

Of course, all of that has changed.

The Rose Garden has been re-designed. The new version, a sign of the times. The roses are gone!

So much has changed.  And, it is getting scarier by the minute, just being an American. I know I am not alone in my fears. I know that my ancestors and yours as well, had fears and many of them are still alive to tell. While they may not have had Smart T.V.'s, or any for that matter, they may have seen newsreels while at the then-affordable theaters in their neighborhoods as they awaited the latest film from the latest Hollywood heartthrobs.  Surely, the film that followed brought comfort but I am certain that most of them left the theater fearful of their futures, having seem images of a world at war and a madman at the center of the destruction of humanity. 

And so, I am left to wonder, as I plow through the images of the past few days, the Republican National Convention, the one during which hundreds of not-so-smart American citizens exposed themselves to what the First Lady labeled as an "invisible" enemy, by flouting all scientifically proven methods of infection control during their attendance at Trump's speech.....what was the message?

Oftentimes, it's pictures that do the speaking. Another reason why I chose to not glue myself to the television. And, with that, I leave you with images. Brand new images. Pictures that might make you think about the images your ancestors who put down their dimes and got a dose of reality before a dose of romance on a big screen. 

The White House Rose Garden, minus the roses. Looks like a triumphant march site instead. Heil!

This is Melania's revision of the once beautiful rose garden.  All set for the tanks on parade.

Melania in her Nazi uniform

Heil America!