TO BE OR NOT TO BE

     Hamlet was not sure of the answer and neither am I - but we are not asking the same thing. He is choosing life or death and I am talking of pride, of hope, of faith, of philosophy of life.
     So let me ask a few questions and answer honestly. As compared to two years ago, are you as sure of a good future. Same comparison for the rest. How do you feel about pride in America? Do you still feel a shiver down your back when you recite the pledge or sing the anthem? Do you have more or less faith in our politicians and supposed leaders? Have you now finally begun to question your choice at the polls? Do you yearn for a change? Are you bewildered by the deep divisions revealing themselves in our society? And do you wonder how we will fix this?
     There is no question that society is changing, evolving, but to what? Will we have a return to past mores, an evilness, that allow men to do whatever they want, to indulge sophomoric dreams, to treat women as chattels, or will we change and learn to respect each other. As I watch and read and listen to the latest in this issue I am not sure of a good result for it has become embroiled in nasty politics. What is all the indignation on the side of the Republicans when it is the Great Molester that they follow as their presumed head? Why are they shouting for an investigation of Franken but willing to back Roy Moore for office as another Senator, as the Republican Party in Alabama supports him in his run? Why are we picking and  choosing between objects worthy of further investigation and those not? Please, tell me the difference and again, why does Trump get off scot free even as he indulges in major hypocrisy as he condemns Franken and not himself nor Moore. The truth is that all these men are pigs, indulging themselves, forgetting that they too have or had mothers and sisters and daughters. Once the line is crossed there is no right to condemn others for the same deeds and yet, are these politicians not doing this and is it not worse than anything when a pastor comes out and says women are the predators - "they are chasing young boys down the road"!!!!!
     Where are the heroes who know how to stand up to the dirt and filth we have in our presumed leaders? Jeff Flake warns his friend that they, the Republicans are doomed if they become the party of Trump and Moore and I hate to break it to him, but they are already there. When Republicans of Palm Beach, a group of Republican Attorneys General and a made up group called the Trumpettes decide to hold galas at Mar a Lago to make up for those who rightfully pulled out, then we know that we have gone wrong, made a wrong turn somewhere as a nation.
     Where is our hope to build a good future for our families, for the world, when the man at the top is obsessed with his former opponent, as if the campaign is still on, still tweeting away, still lying, still threatening, like a tin-pot dictator to haul his former opponent into court!!! For that matter, between tweeting his nasty remarks, adding to his lies which amount to an average of five per day since elected!!! - how and when does he find time to do anything other than wander off to one of his golf courses or another and then golf away the hours of days and weeks?
     We have an army whose nuclear connected general has raised doubts as to action when the president asks for it, raising issues of legality, trust. We have a government that is focused to the point of obsession on immigrants, attacking one of the foundation principles of our nation, trying to set up an algorithm that will recognize the "terrorists" applying for entry into the country and so what if innocents are caught up in this, so what if Americans are by the dozens and hundreds are caught up in this as social media is raked through to see who has criticized the government.
     To be or not to be? Are we to be the United States of America, a proud nation of the world, a nation which is true to itself, a nation which looks to better itself, to weed out the bad, the evil, those who would harm rather than help? Or are we to be the nation of Trump and Moore and McConnell and Nazis and more? Do you not wish to feel pride in our country once more, to recite the pledge with patriotic pride? I do, so very strongly do I desire that. But am I optimistic? Not in any way. There is too much out there that we have to deal with and still too much hypocrisy and blindness and misplaced fear. To be or not to be? To be the United States of America or not? Your choice. Our choice. What will it be?