Why did I Decide to Become a Substack Writer

I Lost My Way after My First Post

I was really excited to learn about Substack; that what I wrote would include having my own copyright.

It was my intention to tell the story of my life from birth until now. I should have known better than to think I would get very far with that.

Prior to Substack I was following the horrors of Donald Trump from well before he ran for the Whitehouse. But I found the Comments section of the Washington Post. That was my downfall.

Articles and Opinions regarding Trump attracted thousands of angry commenters and trolls. As many of you may have noticed, my comments on others' posts are very lengthy, often drawing many “Likes” and appreciative replies. On WAPO, you're likely to comment with no”Likes” or maybe one. Replies usually came from trolls.

My pleasure at having my opinions appreciated in posts by other Substack members distracted me from continuing with my original post.

Today I'm in a bad place personally. Current personal issues have caused me to have a meltdown. Health issues prevented me from doing things on time.

But it was California's way of destroying the life of an elderly person by insisting we take a written driver's test in order to renew our license that really brought me down.

I was hospitalized with pneumonia around my birthday in April. My recovery has been slow and frustrating.

I needed to get the license taken care of. California DMV offers 4 separate sample tests online. I practiced them over and over until I got them all right.

However, I'm convinced the system is rigged. My laptop doesn't have a camera. I filled out the application online but had to go to the DMV to take the test in person. Here are the details:

1. Wait for my number to be called.

2. Go to the desk and complete the interview to get started. The clerk said she couldn't pull up my application online so I had to answer the application questions in person. Then she had me take an eye exam. Even though I'm an elderly gentleman, my eyesight is still almost perfect. The exam hangs from the ceiling. The letters were the same size from top to bottom with no Bold letters. The test is covered with glass which glares under the ceiling lights. I couldn't read them. Clerk told me I had to go to an optometrist and bring back the papers. Then she charged me a $40 fee which was eligible for help for Veterans. Didn't happen. Next was a thumb print and the printout. She had put my birthday in wrong. She said it didn't matter, it would come out right on the end result.

3. Another thumb print, photo taken.

4. On to the test. There were only two computers for the disabled. Get this. You are allowed three chances to pass the test. Each question had to be answered within 3 minutes. Big surprise: those 4 online practice tests questions only had 3 or 4 of the questions on the computer test.

5. I failed 3 times. I've been licensed to drive since age 16 and have no accidents on record. I've driven cross country plenty of times with no incidents.

6. I got up and reported to the clerk I'd failed. In a very cheerful voice she said, “Oh no! You'll have to pay the fee again!"

That did it ! I was so pissed I told her I'd sell my car before going through that again.

So, I have done nothing, not even at least get an ID card. I've been without a valid ID since April.

I called my elderly friends in Texas, Georgia, Tennessee, Washington DC, and Ohio. I called family members in Michigan. Not a one of them had to go through the bullshit California puts us through. Indeed, my friend in Georgia told me the Veterans Administration pays for all state auto expenses in Georgia.

It no longer matters to me that California is the Bluest State. A gallon of gas here is over $4.60 a gallon. Groceries are affordable to the low income folks if you buy the store brand or something even cheaper. Meats are extremely expensive and need to be done in a slow cooker or pressure cooker to be edible. The cheapest loaves of bread are $2.99. most are over $5.00 a loaf. Vegetables look fresh and good but aren't.

At this point all I want to say is, “Fuck Calif ornia! It does no good even say that. My Social Security won't get me beyond the city limits if I want to leave.

American Greed is lethal for we elderly. No one gives a shit that we become homeless time and again only to discover that those who can afford to live in this country don't want us to be put under a roof near any of their neighborhoods because the gods forbid we should be safe. Why? They don't want their snotty little brats to see just how little America cares for the unfortunate.

I'm glad I'm old. This country isn't worth the time some of us have put into making the country work. If companies don't like having hundreds of puptents lining the sidewalks then why do they expect the taxpayers to do something about it while the bastards laugh their way to the bank.

I guess I've made my point. I don't even think carrying on with my first post is worth bothering with. It's just about a gay Yankee boy whose family moved me to the segregated, hate mongering mother fuckers of the Southeastern States. I had black friends in Michigan. In Florida it would be suicidal for me to even smile and say hello to a black person.

I kept up with the news of the Freedom Riders and MLK, Jr. entirely in secret.

Today, thanks to America's extreme white supremacy, hate groups control much of what happens in all 50 states. There are around a thousand such groups.

If you're the least bit curious, the Southern Poverty Law Center has a page of the map showing where the groups are located and lists of the leaders' names and their greatest concerns, anything that doesn't fit into what they want to do something about. They all claim to be Christians. Not.

Our government has known about the groups for as long as they've existed. Since our government is made up of such a large number of these group members, nothing has been done about their existence.

Think about it, those in favor of women's healthcare, citizens who aren't white and what's left of Christianity, the LGBTQ COMMUNITY, anyone who doesn't fit into Donald Trump's preferred followers, bend over backwards and kiss your asses goodbye.

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