Today I'm reminding myself that people have lived under repressive governments for millennia, from restrictive religious communities to grinding autocracies. They suffer, but they learn to laugh and love and live within the limits they face.

I'm reminding myself that the leaders of such societies tend to be megalomaniacs who demand constant praise, no matter how false and fawning it becomes. The sycophants willing to shower such leaders with false compliments are many, but in their hearts they know what tiny people they are.

I'm reminding myself that most people don't pay much attention to the government until it intrudes on their personal patch. When the incursion goes too far they will finally rebel, and there won't be a pleasant outcome.

And I'm reminding myself that the hardest part for me or any thinking individual is not being able to do anything about the injustice. I have to remember that while the wheels grind slowly, they never, ever stop.