Barrett Rainey's Second Thoughts

Here we are at the opening days of 2023. This is the period when nearly all mass media put together a “review” of the year.

I’ve always disliked the practice. If you’ve ever read or listened to more than one year-end round up of the “top 10” or the “12 most important stories” of the previous 12 months, you’ve probably discovered why I don’t like ’em.

They’re all different. No two are alike. Which makes them meaningless.

That’s because most of ’em are one person’s pick of stories or events. Someone was assigned the task of putting together a “year-ender” so that list is of the random choices of just one person or a small group, like an editorial board.

If you’re going to look back at the 12 months we’ve all just lived through, it seems to me the importance of those events is purely personal. In other words, how did the totality of events impact you?

For me, 2022 was a year I’d like never to repeat. I say that because, if you boil down the entire 365 days, there have been just two over-powering events in our lives and both of them impacted everybody.

Covid-19 and Trump. Everything else was far less important to us as a nation.

At the moment, Covid and its various medical mutations, are wreaking havoc on young and old. Hospitals are, again, filling up with victims. New requirements for mask-wearing, social distancing and other precautions have been implemented in many places.

Even the vaccinated and the boosted are among the casualties though the shots seem to have weakened some of the effects and the death count is not high. Except in China.

Covid is, once more, forcing us to take counter-measures and alter some of our daily routines. More boosters may be offered in the coming year. The damned thing just won’t go away.

Same thing for Trump.

In thinking about Donald – which we’re forced to do by his continued, belligerent presence – I tend to let what I want to happen to him overshadow what is more likely in the legal system.

What I want is for him to be tried, convicted of a crime de jour, sentenced and sent to a deep hole so we don’t have to see his face in media reports – multiple reports – every day.

However, we have a good legal system with laws and rules.

Oh, he’s more-than-likely to be charged with something – or several somethings – after prosecutors wrestle with charging a former President with a crime.

In my mind, some level of government must charge DJT – former President or not. If he’s not charged, some criminal act by a future executive can go unpunished as he/she points to Trump as evidence of Presidential immunity and wrongdoing(s) being given a pass.

Also, the issue of someone – former President or not – being above the laws the rest of us live under can’t be allowed to happen. What that would mean as a precedent for future legal actions anywhere is just unthinkable.

No. More than likely, some grand jury in Fulton County, Georgia, the District of Columbia, New York State or the Southern District of New York will indict. Then, the issue becomes the step of arresting and the perp walk that goes with it. So be it. Get it on.

Yes, there were other events in my personal 2022 worth remembering and a few worth forgetting. That’s true for each of us. The good. The bad. The ugly. The usual properties of life.

As is usual, I’ve made no New Year’s resolutions. Waste of time. As is also the usual case, those euphoric thoughts are soon forgotten. If I’d written a list, I’d probably stepped on several the first week.

An old Chinese practice is to add a year to everyone’s life the first day of a new year. Under that practice, I’m four-score-and-seven. Never ceases to amaze me. Same age as the opening line Lincoln used in his Gettysburg address.

As for you, I offer my best wishes for a stressless and calm12 months in which good things happen. May the bright light of truth guide your ways and the stars of night keep you on course.

Happy New Year!

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