THE MUCK UNDERNEATH

     These have been bad days, mean days for the country. To find ourselves at this point arguing whether it is okay to lock kids up, whether it is okay to take pre school kids, infants, and lock then up in "tender age" containment centers, otherwise known as prisons! A rose is  a rose whatever name one calls it.
     So what is the muck underneath? It is ugly enough on top, on the surface alone. What is the muck? It is the truth under all this. It is the showing of the flag, the ugly, nasty flag of those who think it okay to do this to kids and one must ask - if it is okay, then jump to the necessary conclusion that what is planned or being done already to the adults must be even more grievous than ever. Simply separating a parent and child  . How are we any better than the Boko Haram or the Shabab, any other terror group that comes to a village and kidnaps all the kids, or breaks into a school for girls and takes them all to be sex slaves and servants. How is it any different?
     The answer is - it is not different, just in  a different place and circumstance, but the end result is the same. Damaged parents, traumatized for life kids and an ugly stain on the soul of our nation. That stain is the indication that under our surface adherence to decency, to democracy, to human rights, under it all is the ugly truth about too many of our people. Truly, the ugly American.
       Who are these ugly people? Well, for one we have the President, who calls these immigrants an "infestation" - dehumanizing them, another fascist act, who signed and ordered this whole nastiness into operation. He is the one ranting about child smuggling! What a crock of ….. These are parents with kids, with babies, trying to take them to a better life and at times, yes, there are no parents, just another relative or friend who has taken it upon themselves to deliver this child to a parent who has gone before. Yes, I am sure there are some bad dudes among these immigrants, but then again, there are bad dudes among us all, else why are the prisons overcrowded and do not get me started on that!
     Think how strong these illegal immigrants are, and their kids. They are trekking for hundreds and even thousands of miles. There is no luxury bus with soft seats and Muzak. There is only feet, or hanging off train roofs, scrambling for food and water when supplies run out. It is conquering fear of uniformed people for the chance to provide a better future for their kids Think of the strength they have, the inner strength. Think of the contributions they can make to us, to our economy, to our schools and think tanks. Think what we are throwing away! Better we should throw some other people away!
     So Nielsen eats in a Mexican restaurant. Hmmm, says something, does it not? She is heckled and rightfully so. Trump is met by members of a Congressional Hispanic Caucus after he gives a ridiculous and abusive meeting to Republicans from Congress. Trump trashes his own Party members, nasty and mean, as usual, and an intern yells an epithet to Trump. Pompeo cancels a meeting after even the last minute, once again disrespecting legislators, still covering up the truth about North Korea - there is no deal, folks. Simply none and saying there is one with no details, no concrete points - there is no deal. Period. The emperor is still naked.
     Our country is splitting apart. When a Texas billboard tells 'liberals' to keep driving and basically get out of town, then where are we as a nation. The muck underneath is oozing upwards, coming into the open and it ain't pretty. The fact that we have people like Ingraham or Lewandowski who can crack jokes about separation of families, Republican legislators who cynically, after making a 1 trillion dollar plus tax cut bill which benefitted the uber wealthy, causing great national debt and so now they are planning to solve it on the backs and lives of Medicare and Social Security!!!!! Filthy motives and deeds.
     Worst of all is the fact that there are so many willing to rip these kids away, ignore their crying, even crack jokes about it and where does it end. Tent cities or internment camps. What is the true name? Imitation tactics of other fascists and the excuse that one is doing his job!!! Been there, done that, have we not?
     Get your wading boots ready and stock up for a long and dangerous journey. We are being overwhelmed with muck, human and otherwise. Our nation is splitting apart. Where will it end? Will we cover over the muck or will it overwhelm us all? Scary future there.