Is taking place within this country and around the world. Various 'camps' are firing salvos at each other and the bombardment is heavy at times but words can only do so much damage. Thus, Citadels remain. 

Reputations and credibility are under attack everywhere you look, many times unfairly so, for in war it is hardly the case where battles are fought fairly. Battles are fought by whatever means are necessary. 

Position is hoped to be gained or maintained in the eyes of the public to keep the voters voting favorably and donors offering their support so that policies can be enacted and laws passed which will be supported by duly appointed, ideologically compatible judges who will act to maintain control of regions so that things remain the same, revert back to the way they used to be, or turn into what they 'ought to be' (but not into what they ideally could be). 

Lies and disinformation thus abound. Doublespeak is rampant. Misdirection is employed to divert attention from possible collusion. This faction, or that one, supports a cause which seems to be at odds with the very premise of its existence. Boundaries are blurred and lines are crossed, again and again. 

Social media is the new banner that the troops rally behind. There are likes and dislikes, retweets, reposts, Twitterstorms, and furious platform-enabled fusillades against opponents. Thoughts flow back and forth along digital paths at the speed of light, inspiring, inciting, involving, and annoying readers/viewers, compelling and repelling followers. 

The context from which something that was said is placed within, the particular vernacular that was used, and even the tone of voice that something was uttered in in these hypersensitive times could be cause for vehement response. Flurries of positive/negative reactions issue forth hot on the heels of any newsworthy event. 

Shameless and blameless many have become, who have seen previously closed doors become open to them due to the brash behavior of the ones who have forged ahead, damn any 'rules' of propriety.

Anything goes at this point. Backlashes are weathered like sudden storms then up pops the weasel again. 

Incredulity gives way to resignation. Boys will be boys, and formerly closed Good Old Boys clubs now embrace many women 'on message' with the cause.

Crude and rude gets the job done and if it's ugly, avert your eyes. Remove yourself from the arena if you can't cowboy up.

Bullies rule the playground but bullies were never known to be smart so how long can this last in the age of the smart phone? You did not win that many ones' undying support. Builders of society you are not, though throne sitters you may be, and despite the disease extant at certain levels of the organization the greater body of citizenry quietly follows the tried and true path of survival- cooperation, harmony, and balance. 

It's too bad that reason seems to have had its season and that deviousness is now trying to get its day in the sun but it is what it is. Madness only exists inside The Citadels for outside of nonsense exists order, which must be so for a thing such as The Citadel, wherever it may be, to even exist. 

In olden times pieces of metal would be flying through the air, trying to wear The Citadel down, while those within The Citadel would be launching projectiles intending to harm the attackers. Be thankful now in these times that the only armaments employed are words. In this way we can be said to have 'evolved'. 

This present day war of words will only end when each participant goes within to measure what is being said against what they themselves reason to be true, for truth is desperately being attempted to be obscured by smirking Know It Alls who ask you to accept their version of reality as Said and Done while another version of reality is being presented by a courageous contingent for you to consider. To make matters even more vexing, all of this is being quickly clouded over on a daily basis by the acrid smoke and enveloping mists of an ongoing battle.

But the end is certain. Reason must prevail. The only question is, when? How long can those within the halls of untruth hope to hold out? Fervently they maintain their positions, never giving an inch, for to them doing so means 'death'. Giving in means compromising and not wanting to compromise is what the battle is really all about. Those within The Citadels fear giving up what they have gained for they imagine the enemy to be just as vicious as they. They will be subjugated, reduced in number, and steadily lessened in power for in their minds compassion does not exist, thus they believe this is also true in the minds of 'the enemy'. 

  Holdouts, they are, in a changing humanity, trying to support their cause by hopeless means. Baseless lies and distorted facts only undermine their credibility and over time their base will erode after they see non-results from failed policies. Defections will increase and the media supporting the cause will speak into an ever more hollowed-out and echoey void.

Come eventual ‘victory’ then, vengeance the 'victors' will not seek, for there is room for all in a sane and progressive world.

(The real truth, of course, being that most of us have already moved on).