Shirly

Retired. That says it all.

[Shirly @sapkirk]

@FreddyLA7 My Mother's Day shirt.
My favorite Mother's Day gift!

[Mike Netter @nettermike]

Sentiments of Venezuelans

I’m going to say this once, and I don’t care if it makes people uncomfortable.

If you have never lived in Venezuela
If you did not grow up there
If you did not watch your country collapse in real time
If you did not stand in food lines
If you did not watch your parents lose everything they built
If you did not have to leave your home with nothing

Then shut the fuck up.

You do not have an opinion.
Your opinion does not matter.
And you don’t get to lecture anyone about what’s happening there.

I’m Venezuelan.
I lived there most of my life until my early twenties.
I watched my country go from a functioning democracy to full blown socialism right in front of my eyes.

This is not politics to me.
This is trauma.

Before socialism, Venezuela was not perfect, but it worked.
There was trade.
There was money coming in.
There was investment from the US.
There were jobs.
There was food.
There was medicine.

My family had five businesses.
We had our home
We had investments.
We had a future.

Then the government started nationalizing everything.
Private companies were taken.
Foreign investors were pushed out.
Imports were blocked.
Price controls destroyed production.
Corruption exploded.

And everything died.

Not slowly.
Violently.

People didn’t suddenly become poor because of “capitalism” or “the US” or whatever bullshit slogan people like to repeat online.

They became poor because socialism destroyed incentives, destroyed production, destroyed trust, and destroyed hope.

People today in Venezuela are not debating ideology.
They are trying to survive.

They are trying to find food.
Trying to find medication.
Trying to keep their families alive.

So when I see people in the West posting from comfortable homes, full fridges, stable currencies, and safe streets talking about “imperialism” or “US bad” or “Trump this or that”

No.
It’s not complicated.
You’re just ignorant.

China is not rebuilding Venezuela.
Russia is not rebuilding Venezuela.
Cartels are not rebuilding Venezuela.

They are stealing.
They are extracting.
They are draining what’s left.

If the US comes in and reinvests
If refineries get rebuilt
If infrastructure gets restored
If imports open back up
If food, water, and medicine become accessible again
If people can work and earn with dignity

Then yes.
Let them take all the oil they want.

Because at least something gets built instead of destroyed.

This is something to celebrate.
Not because it’s perfect.
But because for the first time in a long time, there is hope.

Hope that families can eat.
Hope that people don’t have to flee their country.
Hope that Venezuela can function again.

If you’ve never lived through a country collapsing
If you’ve never watched socialism destroy everything around you
If you’ve never had to leave your home because staying meant starvation

Then again
Shut the fuck up.

This isn’t theory.
This isn’t politics.
This is lived experience.

By Stephen Subero

[Shirly @sapkirk]

https://t.co/StfcWXuwVi

[Shirly @sapkirk]

Behind the Scenes: ‘Gethsemane’ Music Video for Easter https://t.co/qOtKPLKKlS via @YouTube

[Cutesy Cute 🤍 @cutesycutee]

@elonmusk Trump is bringing back the World’s Fair!

But this time, it’ll be a whole year and is called ‘The Great American State Fair’ 🤯

[Shirly @sapkirk]

@buitengebieden My best friend 😍💕

[Shirly @sapkirk]

@AirSupplyMusic Your code doesn't work :(

[KSL 5 TV @KSL5TV]

UPDATE: Ten missionaries have made contact with Church leaders in New Zealand, and efforts are being made to contact two remaining missionaries who are in an area where communication has not been restored. #KSLTV
https://t.co/4SKjZScRy7

[Buitengebieden @buitengebieden]

This innocent dog was just rescued after more than 60 hours underneath the rubble in Turkey.. 🥺

Via @Goodable

[Shirly @sapkirk]

@DiaroApp @maphiagurl You don't answer.

[Shirly @sapkirk]

@DiaroApp When I exported my 2022 entries in PDF to print, they exported beginning with December. Why?
How can they be corrected?

[Mark Woodley @MarkWoodleyTV]

This is what you get when you ask the sports guy to come in to cover a blizzard in the morning show.

[Gabriele Corno @Gabriele_Corno]

Double ambush

[Fascinating @fasc1nate]

High winds at the perfect time of day created a previously undocumented 2,400-foot rainbow waterfall in Yosemite National Park

[Shirly @sapkirk]

Watching Sunday afternoon with Naga Returned Missionaries.
Perfect day!
#GeneralConference2022

[GeneralConference @ldsconf]

“Our 2021 expenditures for those in need in 188 countries worldwide was $906 million, almost a billion dollars. In addition, our members volunteered over 6 million hours of labor in the same cause.” @OaksDallinH | #GeneralConference

[GeneralConference @ldsconf]

“Adversity in our lives can cause doubt about the fulfillment of the promises that have been made to us. Please trust in our Father. He always keeps His promises and we can learn what He wants to teach us.” #ElderMontoya | #GeneralConference

[GeneralConference @ldsconf]

“Friends, Jesus Christ is both the purpose of our focus and the intent of our destination.” #SisterBrowning | #GeneralConference

[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints @Ch_JesusChrist]

“When we fix our sight on Jesus Christ, we recognize and we understand that He is the only source and way to receive forgiveness and redemption, even unto eternal life and exaltation.” —Tracy Y. Browning #GeneralConference