Do we not all “live” at the Hotel California?

“You can check out anytime but you can never leave…”

Bombs and rockets rained down last night.  Russian missiles struck at least three cities in western and central Ukraine, and there were reports of fierce fighting on the outskirts of Kyiv. — according to the this morning’s New York Times.

This photograph was heart rending.  War makes orphans and widows.

We ought to be involved with men in this war.  That is my feeling even as I understand how existentially horrific the decision would be for all Americans.  Are we to risk nuclear Armageddon over the erasure of Ukraine, the elimination of cities and many thousands civilians?  Given that nuclear weapons are a fact, as are unhinged sociopathic rulers, an affirmative answer must be given.  Resist or live without freedom as a servile people – that is everyone’s choice, everywhere.

At Starbucks fellow Americans seated on either side of me, close enough to overhear conversation — discuss business affairs, or personal problems and aspirations.  All of this seems silly, the babbling of children by comparison to events in Ukraine.

We Americans are not so different from our Russian citizen counterparts, or from the men, women and children living in Ukraine.  Do we not remember whipsaw of life under our own sociopath Trump?

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The Eagles perform Hotel California, a parable about your life and my life in these times.  Are we not dancing, “some to remember, and some to forget”…”prisoners here of our own device?”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZ1RP84QLdY

Hotel California

By The Eagles

On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair
Warm smell of colitas, rising up through the air
Up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering light
My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim
I had to stop for the night
There she stood in the doorway
I heard the mission bell
And I was thinking to myself
“This could be Heaven or this could be Hell”
Then she lit up a candle and she showed me the way
There were voices down the corridor
I thought I heard them say

Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place (Such a lovely place)
Such a lovely face
Plenty of room at the Hotel California
Any time of year (Any time of year)
You can find it here

Her mind is Tiffany-twisted, she got the Mercedes bends
She got a lot of pretty, pretty boys she calls friends
How they dance in the courtyard, sweet summer sweat
Some dance to remember, some dance to forget

So I called up the Captain
“Please bring me my wine.”
He said, “We haven’t had that spirit here since nineteen sixty nine.”
And still those voices are calling from far away
Wake you up in the middle of the night
Just to hear them say

Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place (Such a lovely place)
Such a lovely face
They livin’ it up at the Hotel California
What a nice surprise (what a nice surprise)
Bring your alibis

Mirrors on the ceiling
The pink champagne on ice
And she said “We are all just prisoners here, of our own device”
And in the master’s chambers
They gathered for the feast
They stab it with their steely knives
But they just can’t kill the beast

Last thing I remember
I was running for the door
I had to find the passage back to the place I was before
“Relax,” said the night man
“We are programmed to receive
You can check-out any time you like
But you can never leave!”

Lyrics by Glenn Frey, Don Felder