THE HEART OF DARKNESS

      That is the title of one of the most profound short novels ever written. Read by me in high school for an assignment and then chosen by me for a focus point in a paper for a college class, it made a lasting impression on me. It also has me feeling as if we are living the book right now, ignoring its warnings, and allowing that 'heart of darkness' to preclude and occlude all that makes us humans and humane.

It matters not where people live. What matters is the heart within that civilization, the heart within the people and the heart of the ruler. And there you have it. Whose heart will rule and whose heart will determine the future of mankind? It is an eternal question, played out over and over again, but this time, I believe we are in a more basic and elemental situation wherein the heart of darkness, should it prevail, will wipe us out, the Sixth Extinction, the end of it all. Certainly of life as we know, or knew it. Certainly of all hope for a future of light and progress. So choice is critical.

Ironically, the man with no character of any worth at all, unless one counts evil as a necessity, declared that we had a day of National Character  wherein we were to be 'nice' to each other, use kind words, be honest, honor our soldiers. This, from the man with no character other than evil, whose every word is coated with hate and tainted with the reek of lies, who calls our soldiers "suckers and losers". 

After my choking fit, not really knowing if I should laugh or cry at the absurdity of it all, I realized how truly sad a moment that was. The man who is a cyberbully, the man who beats all up with his words, and then compounds that with new rules and regulations, dictatorial orders that are shredding our society, whose wife said all should "Be Best", stop the bullying - he speaks of character?! Bizarre to the nth degree. And very telling of a possible future that should frighten you, the heart of darkness winning while the forces of progress face existential danger.

Is there a point beyond which people will finally realize the truth of Trump? His daughter in law excuses his statement that Whitmer should be locked up with all his opponents -  a frightening statement at that - by stating that he is joking, displaying a bit of 'humor'. That is the dark and despairing humor that precedes the death of a civilization, when voices are silenced, when gates and shutters darken the world, and the darkness within emerges to darken us all.

It appears to be that there is no end to the worries of us all. A statement that "I have three Black sons" as  a reason for waiting 11 hours to vote, or the sense of urgency that people have when talking of the desperate need for a safer, more humane society, a future for their kids, is most telling. Ironically, the lies that Trump reiterated over and over again, ad nauseum, re mail in ballots, has now gotten the largest turnout of all early voting, as people refused to allow for any chicanery to negate their voices re their votes. People are bringing in their ballots in droves, insuring that their ballot reaches its destination. The desperation and the determination - WOW!

"unbridled optimism and sheer dread." That was stated by one Democrat, who actually voices what we all feel. Are we right to hope? Are we able to perhaps see victory ahead of us, to allow optimism to surface, or will there be a catastrophe of four years ago, with the dread of that possibility darkening our vision. It is heart of darkness versus light of hope; it is the attempt o cut off food stamps aid for those in desperate need, versus the attempts by others to stop that from happening. How can one lead others down a path where the food insecurity turns into food desperation, hunger of starvation depths, to this country, to their neighbors, to the quietly starving children living next door as their parents run out of options?

Underlying it all is the fear of the extremes that Trump will go to to insure his remaining in office. Will there be violence at the polls? Will we return to eras of voting rights denials? Will force be used to defy the transfer of power? Will we be America or AmeriKa at the end of it all? Will Conrad's Heart of Darkness move out of its African setting and into its American setting, making the point that the place is not the issue, but rather that people and the desires of humanity within them that are the crucial determinants.

So, folks, the choice is clear. 15 days left to our future. 15 days left till the decision. Perhaps more than that as the ballots will all have to be counted and recounted, for sure. Unless, that is, unless we have an overwhelming victory of such proportion that there is no doubt at all, that all the evil machinations of the heart of darkness residing within the chest and soul of Trump et all were to no avail, or rather to positive avail as it brought all those voters out, all that determination to save our country.  

But make no mistake about it. Even with a victory, we have a rough and tough slog ahead of us. The incompetents pushed through for Federal Appeals courts, the cronyism, the corruption that has eaten its way into our national life, all that must be fought against, negated, perhaps impeaching and removing unqualified judges, whatever it takes to restore balance and sanity once again. It will not be easy to return safety regulations, to undo the damage already done. But as that American icon, Bob the Builder, said: "Build we must" - then build we will, a better, smarter, more experienced nation and people.

So get out there and vote! Take the ballot to the office. Take a chair, an umbrella, water, food, a jacket and hat and wait on that line to save America. It is that stark a choice. Every vote counts - every single one. VOTE!