On If Momma Ain't Happy

5-16-2025

On If Momma Ain’t Happy: One of the saddest parts of what’s going on in our nation today is our unjustified descent into self-pity and the false comfort of retribution. We’ve adopted the line “If Momma Ain’t Happy, nobody happy” as our entire national policy. We’ve given up on making “Momma happy”, and instead are intent on the “Nobody happy” part.

What are people cheering about? Deporting millions of immigrants, many of whom have led productive and contributing lives here for decades. Firing tens of thousands of public workers who were convinced were gifted “no-work” jobs at our expense. Ending food programs for the elderly, poor and school kids because hunger is a character builder. Slapping huge shotgun tariffs on our allies because we’re tired of “being taken advantage of”. Eliminating healthcare for the working poor and disabled because why should they get if for free? Making women have every baby because the Bible intends women to die in childbirth, accept the results of rape and must understand their only real purpose is to serve men. Getting rid of those environmental protections so we don’t have to be bothered by the call to change our polluting ways. Get rid of those researchers and medical experts so we can die in blissful ignorance. Cut education because uneducated folks can be forced to serve us out of desperation. Bullying as our major government tactic, because it just feels so damn good!

There are limits to how much pain and suffering we can inflict on others, until it doesn’t excite us anymore. In the long run, its counterproductive. We’re seeing that already, but we’re so juiced up on the “punishments” we’re dealing out, we’re in denial about the consequences. If we truly deport ten million undocumented immigrants, there will be an additional shortage of people we need to do the work of our nation. We’re finding out that those public workers actually did important work. Taking away basic needs like food, healthcare and educational opportunity has even the R’s worried about their electability. Those attacks on women and DEI efforts are generating a counter-force that is a storm gathering. Indiscriminate tariffs have created a backlash that remind us that we don’t call all the shots around the world. But mostly, we’re running out of people to demean and ways to draw blood. Slowly we’re realizing that while we’re tasting the sweet fruits of “getting even”, our own circumstances aren’t getting any better. In fact, we’re being pickpocketed by the best opportunists and greed-mongers the world has ever known.

We’re into this “America First” mantra. As if our 340 million people are destined to rule the 8 billion other people we share this planet with. At best we’re enamored with the idea that we can live in isolation from everyone else. Blinded by the idea that the rest of the world has somehow taken the wealthiest nation in the world and “done us wrong”. Yep, we’re gonna stop that shit too.

Perhaps, if we get to a point where we’re all equally miserable, we’ll decide we want to get together and lift everyone up. Maybe the new Pope will turn us away from the punitive Almighty and get more of us to refocus on the servant teachings of that same book. Maybe we might gain some respect for the sovereignty of other nations as they show us they have power too. Maybe when the long arm of the corrupted law comes for enough of us, we’ll come behind the Bill of Rights. Maybe the reality of climate change will force us to become active stewards of our planet. Maybe when the rich have it all, we’ll realize we’ve been snookered into being mad and jealous of the wrong people. Maybe we’ll look in the mirror and decide we don’t like the ugliness and heartlessness that is staring back at us. Maybe.

What we need is an American Renaissance. A rebirth of our ability to be empathetic, creative and optimistic. A national program to take us out of our mental depression and restore the character that built our nation, hope. Were essentially going through a “divorce proceeding” with the status quo. Anyone who’s gone through divorce, knows it’s the craziest of times. What we need to focus on is what our mutual relationships will be into the future. What will give us that positive outlook that generates hope? What will stop us from cannibalizing each other and link arms to insist on the opportunity for everyone to feel good about our nation. We need Momma to be happy again?

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