It is disheartening. Growing up and as an adult, I was very proud of my country. I spoke of patriotism to my kids, to my students and proudly sang the patriotic songs and said the pledge. But today, today is another story.
I still love my country and that is why I am in such spiritual pain at present. I do not recognize my country any longer. Where has it gone? What has happened to it? Where has its heart gone? Its soul? What has happened to the leaders, to those who pledge public service as their career? When has it become the corrupt and uncaring country it is today. When have we insisted on putting labels on everything and everyone and most awful of all, when has it become Party over Country?
Once upon a time we stood as the beacon which lit up the world, which lit a candle of hope for the world, particularly the downtrodden, the oppressed. They came here by the millions and contributed to building this country. Labor unionists , social workers, inventors, manufacturers, capitalists, doctors, lawyers and yes, even crooks. And no, Ben Carson, not the slaves. Yes, they came but not quite the same way, shall we say? And while we did not always welcome them, each generation, each wave of immigrants, seeming to have to overcome the prejudice against them, by generation two they were on the American path to progress. So what has changed?
We have exaggerated our problems. Yes, there are terrorists in the world but yes, there have always been terrorists, people advancing their cause by violence and hate. It appears to be a way of our imperfect world but there is not a terrorist under every bed just as there was not a communist under every bed! We need to take a good long look at what we have wrought. Now every immigrant, every refugee seeking haven on our shores appears to be seeking to do us harm according to some. That does not make sense nor is it true. We have the ability to vet the incomers and we should have the heart and soul to absorb illegals for make no mistake about it, while there are illegals who definitely deserve deportation, there are also bad dudes among our citizens. And all along we have had people who have overstayed their visas or jumped ship or walked across the Canadian border too! We are not the worse off for all that!
But today we are narrow minded and mean. We target the helpless, the poor, the working and the unemployed, the barely making it people, our own citizens as well. We try to convince them that taking away their health coverage is for their own good. We insult them by saying they can choose between a smart phone or medical coverage, the same people who are struggling to put three meals a day two days in a row for themselves and their kids. The world has changed, yes, but our job, our responsibility, is to help others catch up with the world, not do them in, not be nasty and just plain mean. Philosophy is one thing, but reality is another and they must be made to mesh. That is America! Why has that changed? Where has the empathy with others gone? It is certainly not within our supposed leaders. That's for sure.
We have chosen unwisely. We have chosen mean and petty people, those who look out for themselves and the maintenance of their power. They forget the people. They forget goodness and humanity. They even have lost their minds and yet we allow them to serve in office. Oh, people whisper in corners, but where is the bold and righteous soul who can stand up and say, yes, there are no clothes on the emperor and we must quickly check him and others for the truth.
How can we justify a mad person who tweets as an adolescent without thought, or reason or care. Alec Baldwin had it right when he said that Trump is missing the intellectual, physical, or spiritual strength to do it right. Hence we have the insane hours of tweeting, the overblown language, the sheer nastiness. Frankly, it is the language and behavior of a person in the throes of dementia. It is the behavior and voice of one who orders nastiness as easily as a hamburger! Or meatloaf!
Today we are sending law enforcement officials after truly scary people, like a young lady who spoke of her fears of deportation, especially after her brother and father were taken and guess what? She was targeted and taken too and so was another DACA kid. Where are we? What have we become? Are we truly going to give up our right to free speech? Are we so ready to trade it in for what exactly? The chance to have nuclear war with North Korea? The chance to destroy the economy of the world by starting an impossible trade war when the economies are so intertwined and one product can contain materials from five or more countries? What are we doing? What have we become in the name of security? When have we developed such hate? Why are we so fixed on labels.
I supported and helped organize the Women's March here in the Village along with a wonderful group of women. We are not flaming liberals and I daresay we even have differences amongst ourselves yet we are all named as extreme left wing people and it is truly funny. No, I am not left and certainly not extreme in my viewpoints. Yes, I value courtesy. Yes, I value truth. Yes, I am a social liberal and feel that we have a responsibility to all in society, to help them and to aid them in improving their situation. But I am also a political conservative when it comes to foreign policy though again, I daresay that I am out of step with these hate mongering war mongering people who call themselves conservatives.
The world had turned upside down, Those who voted for Trump have come to the realization that he is not good for them or for anyone. They are realizing that he has screwed them in healthcare and they will have to pay more and get less, if they can even afford to pay. They will have fewer social programs and a greatly depleted safety net. There will be nastiness and uproar, feuds in the White House, aides who do not understand nor can control their esteemed leader. And what more? What else?
And worst of all is that we have lost ourselves. We have lost America. And while it is wonderful to see that we have thousands upon thousands ready to stand up nd protest, we need the representatives of these people to stand up too. America was founded on principles and on the courage and strength of those willing to fight for it. Is that where we are now? The despair is setting in for if Trump is not deposed then what will happen. I do not think that we will sit idly by and allow America to disappear, so what then? What then? Who are we and what have we become? Would that you could answer me. Would that you could reassure me.
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