Fossil Records

More thoughts from the childless cat lady's cats

Jul 31, 2024

“Before mass leaders seize the power to fit reality to their lies, their propaganda is marked by its extreme contempt for facts as such, for in their opinion fact depends entirely on the power of man who can fabricate it.” - Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism

Last night while I was lying in bed reviewing the events of the day and trying to convince my body it was time to rest, it occurred to me to wonder why we seem to be reliving some of history’s worst moments. I’ll spare you my list of those moments, since I’m sure you have lists of your own, but let’s just say that a lot of what the Orange One and his cronies are spouting sounds eerily like the points on this “Early Warning Signs of Fascism” poster from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Click the image to read more from the Washington Post article entitled, The 12 Early Warning Signs of Fascism.

The image at the top of this post is my attempt to bring some levity to my rather depressing late night musings, but it’s also my way of asking everyone to pay attention - to stay awake and aware of what is being said and proposed on both sides of the aisle - to understand what is at stake in this election.

Because permafrost is indeed melting due to climate change - causing frozen organic matter to melt, decompose, and release methane and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. That tells me that we need a President who is aware of the existential threat posed by climate change and is ready and willing to do something about it. We do not need a President who denies that climate change even exists.

And, though I doubt that any orange-haired Liar Fish will be unearthed any time soon, a recent episode of Short Wave - NPR’s science podcast - reminded me of how much we still have to learn about our planet and the interconnected web of life our own lives depend on. The episode, entitled Ancient predatory worms have scientists rethinking the history of life on Earth, featured a paleontologist who’s just discovered that a marine worm (Selkirkia) thought to have become extinct 500 million years ago is still alive and thriving today. This is exciting news for science - because who doesn’t love a good mystery story - and a reminder that we need to continue to invest in both scientific research and science in the classroom. Children are our future and need all the help they can get to be prepared for the challenges they’ll face.

When Kamala Harris announced her intention to run for President a wave of hope and excitement washed over this country. Her record as a prosecutor, as Vice President, and as the daughter of a brilliant scientist, activist, and teacher speaks of her commitment and ability to be an effective and celebrated President. Yes We KAM!

P.S. The illustration of the fish in the image at the top of the page was created by Creozavr 2567670 on Pixabay: https://pixabay.com/users/creozavr-2567670/ (with some editing by yours truly).

Previous Kamala Harris Posts

Resources