Last night, to me, was a heartbreaker. Away from all sources of news on Saturday, it was not until 9 PM that I became aware of the tragedy of Charlottesville. And so it was that then my heart broke. And so it was then that my fears for the future of my country truly crystallized. And so it was that the war in the streets came to pass while the authorities stood by and did nothing.
I remember Chicago, 1968. I remember Detroit. I remember the Freedom Riders and the tragic deaths of three of these kids. I remember the hatred that flowed in the streets and the hearts of America. But I also remember that we have come so far from then, that at least till now we have learned to lose some of our hatred for 'others", to open up to diversity, to accept the differences between us even as we recognized the similarities.
I was wrong. So very wrong.
We talk now of alt this and alt that. We have politicians urging a more extreme viewpoint, encouraging the electorate to not be accepting of other viewpoints. Even Elizabeth Warren joined in and while showing anger, allowed that we are not to push those who differ outside, her "nevertheless she persisted" rallying cry was heard, chanted by the crowd.
"You won't replace us. Jews won't replace us." These were some of the cries of the supremacists. The governor of Virginia told the hatemongers to go home, and the mayor said the same in a more angry tone. And Trump? He could not bring himself to condemn the hatemongers of the white supremacist movement, saying only a wimpy “We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides.” He then added for emphasis: “On many sides.” Truly, does one think that those who came loaded for bear had any idea of sitting it out? And yes, there were those on the protesters of hatred who also came with shields, perhaps knowing there would be a war. But Senator after Senator, even from the Republican party spoke out against this outrage in larger, firmer words, condemning the lack of strong condemnation from Trump for the white supremacists.
So how far do we go? How far will we go?
Did the police do enough, fast enough? There are those that said no, that they stood there as the fighting commenced and finally went in, ordered in? The tragedy of vehicular murder, the latest example of the latest trend of using everyday items to kill people, anything other than rational voices and behavior is the tragedy of loss.
What loss? Us. Our country? The trust of the world? The hope for the future? And do we have anything that would help contradict this negativity, this fear for the future, even indeed for the future of man? Not really. We have Pruitt conducting his destruction of the EPA and all the good it has done, all the while doing it secretly as if the destructive consequences will be hidden. We have a heavy duty inquiry with many facets into the top administrators of the country, even unto the President, with great possibilities, fearsome possibilities that the president is a traitor and colluded with our enemy. Why? Does that really matter? From ego? For money? For sheer lack of an ethical core? And all the while he has his minions chasing down leakers. The swamp is alive and well in DC.
And meanwhile the war of hatred continues. Neuroticism? Ever hear of that? Well, it is a made up word which is regurgitating the outmoded and hateful use of the claim of "hysteria" against women and why they are not suited to much of anything that accounts or amounts to anything. Google did the right thing by firing the guy but the supporters are there, crying free speech. Free speech, yes. Definitely. Hate speech. No, most definitely not. There must be a line drawn somewhere between the two and if we do not draw that line, and in the right place and soon, very soon, we, as a country, will be no more.
We have a blustery and dangerous fool at the head. We have men who cannot seem to find their manhood and stand up to him, instead sticking to a retro party loyalism that smacks of fascism in whatever form. We have athletes who now sit down during our national anthem and what message does that send to our young who idolize these athletes. I understand them, for it is difficult now at times for me and for others to recite the pledge, wondering what the words actually mean and represent, wondering if what they say is true.
Hatred is corrosive. It eats us up from within and attacks us from without. This hatred infects all aspects of life, leading us to a perilous hate filled and boastful bullyboy exchange re Korea and even Macron is warning on this. Somewhere, sometime soon a voice of reason must be heard, but a true voice, not one that disguises its nefarious purpose under the theme and guise of "making America Great Again" or "Taking it back". Where are we planning to take it? To the hatred of yesteryear? To the wars that left millions dead, millions of lives shattered, countries destroyed? Do we say and so it is, accepting that this is the normal status of life on this world?
Soon enough we must say and "so it is" that it came to pass that the humans of the time came to their senses, stopped the warring, taught out the hatred, had true equality amongst all, men and women, all colors and races and ethnicities, with no favoritism or advantages over another, only care for those who needed it and education for all, a fair shot at life, a good life. America would once again be a beacon of hope for the world and the Kennedy torch would be relit and proudly carried.
Is that a dream? Is it a possibility? It is up to us, the people, to make it so. Jean-Luc Picard on Star Trek would say that, "make it so' and it would happen. Would that it were truly so easy. And I could easily write another page on the hatred in the smaller arenas of life but will content myself with this. Look around you and see what hatred has done to our Village. Look around and see what love of power, the g asping of power has done to the hearts and minds of those who need that power to exist as a person. Look at the similarities between those who push that hatred and those who push it in the outside world, who wish to oppress, who threaten others physically, who demean them at public forums for speaking their opinion and information. The hatred is the same, the results the same, just different in outcome as it adapts to the arena
And so it is? Why must it be so? I do not want that war in the streets. I do not want to live in a war torn country which has no money, no time, no heart to care for its weaker and needier people. Please, let us turn away from the words of hatred. Let opposition be recognized as a legitimate outlet but not words of hate and violence. I am not comfortable being told to blow up or take poisonous drugs or even to move away. Where are our ethics, our acceptance of the values of the Constitution? Where are we as people?
And so it is. What is? Our choice. Make it soon and make it right.
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