Honestly, for the life of me, I cannot figure that out. What is everything all about? A mighty, powerful example of confusion on so many fronts is the election looming over all, less than100 days remaining. At that point, possibly earlier, we'll all have to make a decision. A very personal one, and on each side of the decision are lines dividing and running through families and friends. Within the topics of concern are explosive ones, challenging the picture of our future, the future of the world and the questioning of its validity in fact.
In the short time remaining one must imagine a clean, blank slate. Upon that slate draw a list of concerns and pros and cons for each topic. Think honestly, objectively as possible and be honest. Rank them, consider the melding of them, the interplay, and what is best for the nation as well as for oneself. How much weight is to be assigned to each area? Decide if one topic of grave concern is weighty enough to outweigh all others. Based on the bottom line - vote and prepare to live with the decision and the national results. This is America, despite recent attempts to dismember it. Should we forget that fact or fight against it, we have gone catastrophically awry.
Full disclosure, while there are many policies and issues which concern me, there are two overriding ones though when one thinks about them, the two and the other areas are generally part and parcel of a whole. The concerns, the fears, the hopes, are tied together via philosophy and ideas. As an American, as a Jew, I seek the whole which most agrees with me. It is the only way I can retain a semblance of sanity in this most crazed world.
Therein is posed the dilemma. Humans are endowed with emotions, that which makes life a bit more like a rollercoaster with it ups and downs, sudden drops and steep climbs. In the mix that we call life it is more often than not extremely difficult to totally separate emotions from rationality. In the midst of a decision make or break time, the cells of the brain shout one thing all the while the cells of the heart are shouting another. This dilemma is the crux of the issue and is, truthfully, often impossible to resolve with any certainty of right or wrong or is worthwhile or useless- and according to what guide or perceived necessity. Add to that the need at times to make a 'useless' gesture for that too carries weight and can serve as a prod to others, to perhaps to serve as a direly needed wake up call.
And so here we are in the fine mess we have generated, not only within the past few years, for the rot was setting in long before. We walked ourselves into the situation, with eyes open or closed, it matters not; only the reality of it and an existential need to resolve and clean it up, ending the sources which feed into it.
I do not know why, only that years ago we began to declare defunct the idea of a melting pot, soured on the idea of a mixing bowl, a salad, and instead, we began to dredge up the differences once thought nonexistent or of little value or even relevance, for we were all - American. It is precisely then that America began to consume herself from within and enabled others to attack us from without. We lost body. We lost spine. We lost heart. We lost soul. We lost ourselves. Every shout of that useless. empty U. S. A., U. S. A. accompanied by up raised fist, pounded on the foundations of our nation. We rationalized and justified it as patriotism, as progress, all for a better America, and we resolutely persisted in hammering away at any intact foundation remaining.
2024. An incredible election now banging on our doors demanding entry. Whether we like it or not, it is now incumbent upon ourselves to decide who are we? What is the true concept of America? Is it relevant any longer? Are we to follow in the nasty footsteps of those nations who have accepted, enabled, the rule of the mailed fist of the dictator or are we going to hitch our pants up and do what we must if we are to retain, to be, America?
Finally, to the crux of my personal situation and the situation of many others. For years a growing uncertainty of acceptance - even rejection - has caused us to increasingly check over our shoulders, eye the side views and step carefully forward. Once clear paths are no longer. The hyphenated American has gone away, subsumed by those who have taken it further - American - and Others. Who defines that American? From whence their authority to do so? Or have they simply usurped it, given themselves the power to do so and to draw other broken souls within. The Kool Aid gulped.
The election. Am I Jewish with precedence over American or am I American with precedence over my Jewish identity? Why is this choice so necessitated - or is it, in fact? I am 5th generation American and myriad generations of Jewish. Why are these two identities deemed no longer compatible? Is that the truth? Or is it simply yet another web of lies thrown over our increasingly confused society?
Do I look at the election choices with stress on policies and attitudes towards Israel, who supports this Jewish nation, or do I evaluate only as to whether Israel is good for America? Why now am I faced with this dichotomy? Why have we allowed hate speech? Violence inciting words and chants? The proliferation of that toxicity? How have we allowed this situation? Universities overtaken by those with agendas diametrically opposed to true American ethos. Wishy-washy authorities unable/or not wishing to carry out their duties, their responsibility to ALL students and members of the university population. These troubled campuses along with the increasingly violent, defiant hate filled 'demonstrations' are representative of a nation ridden with foundational cracks, with a growing deepening of skies and the negation of the best of humankind.
How to connect all our values no matter the differences? How to find, uncover the commonalities? How do we expose the use of faith as cover for hate? How do we manage the concepts delineated, stated so boldly, so bravely, in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States?
We must forcefully reject that bubbling toxic swamp, fill in the growing chasms, build bridges rather than fortifications. Resist the easy way of violence and the abdication of self to the rule of others. We must give up on the idea of a perfect candidate. There are none. We need to prioritize our values, vet candidates carefully and discard the filth and lies of social media. Seek and recognize the truth but know the world is as is, not as we wish it to be, but as we can strive to engender.
At present, looking forward I see bad fruit gone rotten. Erroneous decisions. Our inner environment falling into disrepair even as the physical environment of the planet is severely challenged. We must do better. There are no magic pills or fairy dust. There are no perfect candidates. Inevitably there will be lies and disappointments. Together we can make a difference. Think. Evaluate. Choose for a better world, a better America, a safer world and certainly a secure Israel. Choose one who speaks the truth, at least most of the time, who reaches up, not down. One is, if not the best, at least the better choice. Find it. Vote.
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Sweet boy, I, we, miss you so. As we get closer and closer to your special weekend tears and choked voices increase. Suppressed emotions break through barriers of control and your absence deepens within our hearts.
Love you.
Always and forever. Always and forever.
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