My wonder years

Here are some things that occasionally cross my mind and make me wonder:

• If politicians – actual lawmakers – can ignore lawful subpoenas without consequence, then can I? And if not, why not? Money? Power?

• Is ignoring a subpoena also conscience of guilt?

• If you don't believe in science, was that a waste of your elementary school education? Or is ignoring science simply willful ignorance? Were you even listening? Or did you once believe in science but then got derailed by politicians who ignore subpoenas? Or by social media spreading misinformation?

• I wonder what the world would be like if we protested against polio vaccinations? Or smallpox vaccinations?

• Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers, tennis star Novak Djokovic and Brooklyn NBA star Kyrie Irving are all prominent anti-vaxxers. The No. 1 seeded Packers lost to No. 6 San Francisco last night; Djokovic has been denied entry in the current Australian Open and Irving can only play in road games. Sure, it's unrelated. But still, Karma, I wonder?

• When San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the national anthem in 2016, he set off a firestorm of pushback with many NFL fans vowing never to follow pro football again. That didn't last long. Ratings for the recent NFL regular season are soaring again (up 10 percent from last year). 

It should be further noted that Kaepernick was not protesting the American flag but rather the violent and perhaps unconstitutional actions of numerous police agencies against black people. I wonder if it's been forgotten that Kaepernick got the idea of taking a knee from Green Beret special forces soldier Nate Boyer, a white man who once played for the Seattle Seahawks?

• Did the United States really make child separation from families seeking asylum at the Mexican border four years ago actual federal policy? Or am I confusing that with 1930s geopolitics? Child separation. Really. In the United States.

• Do walls designed to limit illegal immigration actually work? Hmm. Hadrian's Wall, the Berlin Wall, the Great Wall have all been breached or bypassed at one time or another. Historically, the only thing certain about walls is that people die at them.

• After the most secure presidential elections in United States history, why are GOP controlled states working so hard to suppress voting rights? Florida is even proposing "election police", which by definition sounds a whole lot like third-world fascism. (see 1930s geopolitics).

• Are we getting more snow this coming weekend? I've seen several early forecasts of a potential superstorm coming our way. Don't get me started on climate change...