The term "advance or die" can be found in Childe Harold's Pilgrimage Canto III, "For 'tis his nature to advance or die;" It was used freely by the American armed forces for generations. In the armed forces across all strata, it is generally known who the 'enemy' is. It is for the most part a declared and clear ideation.
For us, the vision of what is a threat to us is more of a shapeshifting full roaming vapor, turning, twisting, taking shape only for a breath before evaporating into the void only to arrive like the wind in its terrible ephemeral front to appear in another way, for it should like to confuse us.
When we lay it all out on the map table in the war room, it suddenly becomes a dark truth that sits in the stomach like a rock. None of this is easy. Essentially all of this, all of this conflict, natural disasters, unraveling of some of the more troubled minds, the trauma of watching our 'leaders' behave like liabilities, it all takes a masters level in humanities, sciences, and history to gain a full grasp. It isn't possible.
We see a type of chasm happening because of this. The right and left minds, the spiritual and the fundamental systems thinkers all fill up chalk boards like Oppenheimer's teams during think sessions.
What we do know is that one very terrible threat, against all possible odds, against all aims of justice, against the very fabric of our brittle codes of righteous standing, may very well gain control of a critical mission, world power nation once again.
The astonishing factor is that even before this very dark day, he is telling us who he is. What he is, and there can be no question now.
To pander to the self-defeating ideas that this all is overblown and we can get through this as we have in times past is an exercise in futility and willful ignorance. It may be impossible for some to understand, that as unbelievable as it is, there is simply no going back now.
The very nature of what is happening is offering clues to its attributes that do not assimilate well into the belief systems of nearly half of America. For the other half, it is fodder for fanaticism, extremism, lack of reason, over-spiritualization, and loss of reality. This chasm is unlike anything that has happened, even during the world wars. Even during Hitler's time. What is an acceptable truth and to whom?
Soldiers have over the years attempted to pen the remarkable human endeavor that happens when an unbelievable event befalls them. The choices are near zero, the information limited, and the only thing they know is that at this moment, they must advance or die. The outcome for some is based on a faith system and for others chance.
We may not have the time for perfect analysis and summation. Oppenheimer's team in Los Alamos had an understanding of what they were introducing into the world, but on the day of detonation even Oppenheimer himself said, "In one hour's time, we shall find out".
I'm watching symposiums, debates, and work sessions from what this nation calls the smartest minds, from the greatest universities and annuls of history, politics, and science and the most they can do is essentially just debate. No one man accepts the philosophy of another.
And so, we are left with that moment. That one moment where in a set of circumstances so contrary to experiences past that we must make that very simple decision.
Though the date in November is largely more ceremonial and quiet in it's aspects, determines a set of defining events that shape history, a dichotomy of repeating itself while simultaneously entering an era never before navigated.
263 days and 7 hours until that date in November. No matter the origins, we've got one choice.
