Who are you? Who, who, who, who?
I really wanna know
Who are you? Who, who, who, who?
Come on tell me who are you

You see the images coming out of Washington D.C. The city is surrounded by men and women in uniforms trying to police the protesters. You have the city cops, the National Guard, some military and then there’s anonymous protectors. They have uniforms, helmets, shields and batons. What they don’t have is anything that identifies who they are. Nothing about which branch they represent. Nothing showing their rank. Nothing about their name.

It’s like being at a baseball game before 1930. Back in the olden days when there were no names or numbers on the back of the player’s uniforms. The problem is players like Babe Ruth only carried a bat. These guys carry weapons. You can’t even tell who they are with a program.

I woke up in a Soho doorway
A policeman knew my name
He said, “You can go sleep at home tonight
If you can get up and walk away.
I staggered back to the underground
And the breeze blew back my hair
I remember throwin’ punches around
And preachin’ from my chair

We know they were called in by the current federal administration, but that’s all we know. Protesters try to talk with them and there’s no response. Journalists ask them to identify themselves and they get nothing. Even the city’s mayor doesn’t have a clue. Nothing. Nada. Zip!

Military troops and tanks roaming the streets is a scene that we’ve only seen in other countries. It’s a site that seems normal in places like China and North Korea. Seeing this in the USA shakes most of us to our core. Most of us already distrust the current administration. Seeing unidentified troops adds to our mistrust.

2020 has been anything but normal. Impeachment, pandemic, unemployment, protest have all become part of what is now the new normal in Trump-world. Maybe this is, too. Still, I just have one question….

WHO ARE YOU?

Who are you? Who, who, who, who?
Come on tell me who are you?
Who are you? Who, who, who, who?
Alright who the fuck are you?
I really wanna know
Oh, I really wanna know
Come on tell me who are you, you, you, you

*Song lyrics from “Who Are You” by The Who

Related Post: Donald Trump, the pandemic, protests and 2020: Great for writers, bad for humanity

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