At ever increasing intervals, a wave of despair flows like a tsunami over the electorate here in the USA. More and more, people are beginning to openly state their fears, no longer feeling they are over the top or will be centers of ridicule. Personally, I have been saying these things for a heck of a long time and here they are now.
So that there is no mistake, let me be clear. I believe that Trump is the worst thing that has struck our country in its centuries of existence. He represents all those who are opposed to democracy, to equality, who are throwbacks to the despots of yesteryear and the newer dictators and tyrants of modern times, only these new tyrants are heavy into the murder and imprisonment of so many, that countries cannot keep track of their own victims - nor do they care.
So you say that we are not engaged in government sanctioned death. Right? Up to a point, a point which is swiftly fading into the air. When one praises the violence and over reaction of the police, calling it a "beautiful scene", describing it as "like a knife through butter", then Heaven help us. The sanctioning of official violence, the exaggerated responses, the deaths that have brought about this latest sweeping the nation protests, have highlighted the choices we have.
Either we recognize the inherent and obvious traits of this man, and vote him out, or we had better resign ourselves to the loss of our country, to the failure of America as the Founders visualized it, prepared a future for it, and fought for it. It renders moot the sacrifices of the hundreds of thousands, even millions, of people who have died while fighting to protect this country and its values. To keep a promise to the world to lead the free nations, to speak out for the oppressed and to welcome all to their shores.
Rendered useless are all the social safety net programs, which while imperfect, were first steps and second and third, in the ever ongoing battle to enable all to have a fair chance to fulfill dreams, to keep a roof over the heads and food on the table, to clothe and educate their children, to have a fair and unbiased system of justice. We are now wiping out any advances we have made, throwing them into the ditches, and turning to words of hate as the governing guide for our nation. Worse than that is the fact that other nations are now using our evil excesses and turns in the road as justification for their own misdeeds.
Responsibilities place a huge burden on the shoulders of those responsible. That is clear. It is certainly easier in the short run to abdicate on these duties, to let some other person take it on or forget about it entirely. However, enmeshed in that attitude, tightly wrapped in its behaviorisms, is the fact that such an attitude, such actions or lack of actions, will only implode and destroy us. Soon enough, we will become the maltreated, the despised, those beset by harm, by death, by prejudice, by an overwhelming fear that is strong enough to paralyze their beings.
For years I have been open re calling this man and his followers fascists. No, I was told. You exaggerate. You just cannot stand that man. Well, correct, I cannot stand him. He represents all that is wrong with this country right now, all the harm he has done or condoned, all the scum of the earth that he has enabled to rise to the surface, all the poor deluded should know better people who still maintain, against all odds, that he is the savior of this country. Perhaps they are ashamed to admit their huge error. This, as the market tanks, the virus deaths explode again, the country is wrecking itself from within and without, justice is increasingly being meted out on the moment, in vicious, violent and often deadly manner, and our very precious right of voting is in existential danger.
Yesterday there was an essay using, as the writer called it, "the 'f' word" - fascism, fascist. There are now two books coming out that speak the same language, that have come to the same conclusion, not very good for our future as America. For the very gestalt of 'Americaness'.
Our democracy and the system of maintenance is "broken and on full display". We have lost our way. We have allowed the evil of hate, of atonal dissonance to overwhelm us. There is fear in the air. There is despair in the heart. Yesterday a question was posed to me and I was thunderstruck, unable to contemplate its possibility and meaning. I was asked, "What if he wins again?" No answer. The very idea, the very thought, is so impossible to contemplate, to envision, to see a new and bad country emerge from this very special place - well, I was struck mute. I cannot accept nor contemplate that situation. Battles raging in the streets. Blood spilled. Perhaps we will all have to run to Canada before they build their wall blocking those crazed immigrants bringing crime and disease to their country - those refugee Americans!
See how it grows. See how it taints all. See what a mess we are in. See how that man, that Trump, has enabled all this, brought it about, along with his criminally morally devalued Republican Party and other right wing extremists and cowards, 'fine' people all, who march alongside, behind him, and cower and grovel before him. Truly, fascism.
It's broken. So are we. We will have a tough road to full repair, and beyond, to reach and build a better America. But we must start now. Watch the voting process. Like an eagle. Demand an absentee ballot and mail it in immediately. Or bring it to the office yourself. But vote. Demand that right. Do not let others be disenfranchised. Be American in the full sense of the word. Be a true patriot, not the false ones who turn to fake religion, fake love of country, false words to ruin us all.
If we really wish to Be Well, to Stay Safe, then we will have to face up to the real, the very real, the very possible, the already started, obstacle course growing in the path to that safety. We will have to put ourselves out, speak up, demand truth, demand answers, demand accountability. Or we are finished. Fight against that. That is all. That is everything.
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