PTSD

The goings on in Los Angeles today, and a couple of days ago in Minneapolis, and other places, remind me of the awful days in the wake of the killing of George Floyd on May 25, 2020.

The second day after the killing at 38th and Chicago, word got around and demonstrations began followed by numerous fires in Minneapolis and St. Paul mostly set by unknown assailants.  The details are recorded elsewhere.  What I had was television in the suburban area of St. Paul, 15 minutes away from the evolving chaos.

Sometime on the first night came a call from a relative in North Dakota reporting that marauders from Chicago were heading for St. Paul.  She was a relative – what can I say.  The transpiring events along with her phone call caused me to panic.  Behind my recliner was our patio, and on it were two heavy iron pieces of lawn furniture.  What if we were targeted?  On reflection the panic was irrational, but at the time it was sincere.  I dragged in the furniture.  Later I took this picture.

I’ve never really let go of those terrible days, and the photo is a constant reminder of how real it all seemed at the time.

To this day, I would guess that the perpetrators of the most of the fires have escaped identification and punishment.  It was, after all, in the heat of Covid-19, and masks were essentially mandatory ‘dress’.  And the incideents was at night, and the city emergency services were disabled.  This, too, is covered in detail elsewhere.

For me, it was a contemporary example of PTSD, or at least that is how it evolved for me, personally.  I was proximate to a war, and a place I knew well, Gandhi Mahal, was a casualty – it burned to the ground.

Today in Los Angeles the past comes fresh to mind, along with an uprising in the Lake Street area of Minneapolis two days ago, also covered in the news.  Are we heading in a similar direction again, this time the war against a certain population.

Anyone can watch what has and will happen in Los Angeles.

In the wake of Minneapolis-St. Paul 2020 – a few days later in fact, June 2 – came the then-President Law and Order photo with a Bible at the church near the White House.  The Law and Order narrative had a good ring to it.  Indeed, many of his most zealous supporters were active duty police and military.  A active resource to be used by the Commander in Chief.

Five years ago the President at least had counselors who kept him from going over the cliff; this time I’m not sure he has the internal constraints, and as I write he’s meeting with military and other officials at Camp David to determine next steps to go after California and wherever else, ending who knows where.

It is a situation worth watching carefully.  As I write, it is just beginning.  Jan 6 2021 comes to mind, of course.  All of those perpetrators were pardoned by this very President.

Be aware.

(I’m not inclined to PTSD kinds of reactions.  This one feels closely related.  As it did when I moved in that lawn furniture five years ago…and decided to record it for posterity.)

POSTNOTE: I shared this post with three good friends. Carol had this to say: “It was a horrid time.  My grandson who lives in So. Minneapolis was graduating from high school – except school was shut down.  Lake Street is very close to where they live.  They were sleeping downstairs on the floor, with baseball bats at the ready.

south minneapolis early a.m. May 29, 2020, Presumably smoke is from Gandhi Mahal area which was 1 1/2miles away.