WHAT'S THE MATTER?

     Well, there appears to be lots that matter around. First, what's the matter with us that we seem to look towards the White House, its inhabitant and his buddies to provide us with better humor than the TV shows? Second, what's the matter with these very same people that they think they are okay and right to keep on their stumblebum path?
     But if that were all that was 'the matter', we could manage to make it through, but there are so many other 'matters' that it can be overwhelming at times. People talk with great passion about a book they have read or a show for which they await the end of the last season's cliffhanger. And yes, full disclosure, I have never before seen so many comments and statements that clearly refer to the present administration and not in  a complimentary way either! That in and of itself is a comment on 'the matter' of the times.
     But look around and see the other 'matters', the even more frightening ones. For example, let us look to those responsible for keeping the peace, for upholding the law. So, of course, we have the first man of the nation allegedly violating so many of these laws, opening his mouth with lie after lie that come tripping off his forked tongue with a speed that is unmatched by any other. Yesterday and Saturday he really did a job on himself as he tweeted maniacally re the Trump Tower meeting, shoving both feet and shoes in his mouth.
     But what about the law enforcement people, the Border Control, the ICE people, the guards in the detention centers - adults and children centers - and the everyday police on the streets. No denying that it is a hazardous job and to do it right demands a great deal of energy and patience and compassion and judgement. We seem to be seeing a lack of some of those qualities at present. Why am I always warning visitors to Florida to just keep quiet except for Yes, Sir....No, Sir....if stopped for a traffic violation. Why do we read of so many shootings and the videos do not bear out the police report? Yes, there are times a gun must be used, but surely not so many times.
     And why do we read of violence? We have mistreatment in the centers. We have mistreatment in prisons, especially, it seems in privately run prisons and there is something inherently wrong with that, using a prison to make a profit?! Should not be. Even worse, it appears, and I hope it is only an appearance, that the police take sides - and the wrong side too - in a protest scene. Yes, both sides came loaded for bear. Both sides were composed of mainly extremists. But one side bussed in with the intention of supporting hatred and bigotry and the other was against this so why, tell me why, it appeared to be that the police focused on the anti protesters rather than on the right wing hatemongers?
     We have the news media being denigrated by the President other than his toadies on Fox, of course. We have the very foundations of our country shaking in its footprint. We have children confused and questioning what is going on. We have family and friends shouting at each other, carrying on stilted conversations and we have people asking that we give Trump a chance - after a year and  a half in office? How much more time do we need for all to accept the fact that he is awful and has led our country down a very bad path?
    Why do we have   sign at a memorial for Emmett Till constantly being shot up? Why is Trump taking off after sports figures now? Because for the most part they do not support him? Called freedom of choice. It is a 'free country', right? Still? For a time at least. And why are we letting certain groups of people, especially the elderly and the income insecure, wither away due to lack of healthcare, lack of funds to pay for it, loss of pensions, or parts of pensions, rising costs, and yet big steel nabobs are able to stop any exceptions to the tariff on imported steel so they can sell their more expensive steel to these  companies that are beginning to die on the vine, laying off people, raising prices, cutting production. Good job again, Donald. NOT!
     So what's the matter? You answer that for yourself and then ask the even more important question. What are we going to do about it?