It used to be that families would gather around the radio and listen breathlessly to reports of conflict abroad. Conflict that might involve their nation. Conflict that might involve their boys. Most of us have seen the iconic pictures of just such a gathering during World War 2.

Today, many of us are listening to Beyoncé, Post Malone, or Taylor Swift. Or to Kamala Harris claiming to be born into the middle class—and spouting off about “joy.”

We do this as people are needlessly dying and suffering, such as the Israelis recently killed by terrorist acts, and dislocated and terrorized by an unprecedented Iranian ballistic missile attack. No one that I have encountered since news of that attack broke seems in any way stricken, saddened, or bothered. Apparently, no one really cares. I mean, it’s only Israel…and Jews, right?

So let “joy” ring out!

Nearly a million people have been killed or injured in the Russia-Ukraine war? “Joy!” Hackers, train derailments, food processing plants burning, airplane parts falling from the sky? “Joy!” Inflation and crime rates rising? “Joy!” Illegal aliens swarming the nation, tens of thousands of convicted rapists and murderers among them, along with fentanyl, sex trafficking, and looting? “Joy!” Families coming apart, nation ever more divided, one’s sex/gender meaningless, unknowable? “Joy!” Christianity disdained and mocked? Ode to joy! Birth rates plummeting, testosterone and sperm counts at the lowest levels ever measured? “Joy!” That means fewer people and less toxic masculinity! Doubly joyous!!

The almost unimaginable death and destruction caused by Hurricane Helene? Crickets. It’s really not that big of a deal, says the mainstream media. Not when compared to, say, Ukraine or diversity. Except that it proves man caused climate change is real! Unimaginable joy! And the fact that it primarily devastated the Deep South, the majority of whose citizens vote Republican? Bonus joy!

Known and unknown hackers are screwing with all things American. Russia is threatening to use nuclear weapons against the West. Iran has just attacked Israel via what is apparently the largest ballistic missile launch in history.

There is no referee. There is no alpha male to stop them. Things are getting very dicey.

We need Trump.

Image by Andrea Widburg.