RED LETTERS

  To refresh your memory, the red letter refers to the  that which Hester Prynne was forced to wear for allegedly committing a dastardly deed, a sin against the moral makeup of the village, all the while blatantly ignoring the sins of the village. Meant to shame and ostracize, all others  deserving of their own red letters remained as respected members of the congregation. Hypocrisy at its best. A trait which remains well engrained in the American ethos as well as it remains in practice round the world, particularly among the twisted leaders of society, of religion, of politics, supposed influencers and moral pacesetters. 

We all wallow in the rather dubious pool of morality. Meant to be a clear reflective pool wherein we could look deeper into our own souls, where we could see those parts of ourselves needing repair and attention, it is now a rather murky pool. It reflects nothing but the smirks of those who think they have o'er topped all, beaten and negated all opposition and backlash  to their immoral behavior and incompetence. They, and too often, we, shrug our collective shoulder and move on, cynical and/or  resigned in exhaustion.  

So many, way too many, of us wink and move on, rewarded for their, and yes, our own, immorality, and cynicism,  for their failure to uphold their moral responsibility to those those they purport to protect and serve, to guide them along the right path. We pat ourselves on the back as we assign red letters of shame and blame even if they are to the wrong individuals. The true miscreants scamper away triumphant and ready, oh so eager to continue on, reveling in their  avoidance of censor. Too many times they even receive commendations as heroes of the moment.

Such a moment is now. We are all thankful for the release from hell of Eden Alexander. However, we have run out of or misplaced the letters and certainly there  should be far more assigned. Trump, that degenerate, walks around with his chest all puffed out, almost as puffy as the rest of his body. He is not the hero here. He applied pressure at this moment. It suited his needs. To secure the relief of one young man after 588 days of hell. What was wrong with the previous 587. Where are the remaining live hostages, dying hourly, daily. For that matter, what about the bodies of those killed in Gaza or taken to Gaza and disrespected, denied proper burial and return  to their families. Why now? Because it suited Trump. It suited his blown up opinion of himself  as he conspired with yet another corrupted soul, the Emir of Qatar.  The same Emir who gave monetary and political support to Hamas. The same Qatar that has been playing terrible games in the negotiations as anyone with a modicum of intelligence can see the huge conflict of interest and the absolute so mistaken inclusion into negotiations.

Even as Trump is not the hero here, neither   is Netanyahu. He is guilty of negligence, guilty of corruption, guilty of putting his own retention of political power above the welfare of his nation, above the welfare of those held in the tunnels of Gaza. He played barely any role here, discounted and ignored  by Trump. He has played no role here and neither has the official state of Israel.  Trump has ignored, debased and discounted them as well, this  nation he swore to support. 

Trump's actions in this time, in this moment of history, have contributed to the delegitimization of Israel. He has consigned them to the status of a nation whose basis of existence is not so sure, not so secure and not so correct, even as the intransigence, the misbehavior and misconduct by Netanyahu has contributed to the rise and the possibility of such a moment . He is ignored by Trump and the Arab and Moslem nations who share the Middle East with Israel. 

By this, Trump takes credit for any and all of achievements, as small and as temporary and meaningless  as they  might be. By doing so, in collusion with Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the rest, he has wounded Israel. When the very obvious nation in the center of it all, the nation constantly existentially challenged, is ignored, Trump has now strengthened the voices of those calling for the ending of the state of Israel,  that there is no legitimate basis for such a nation. No right for such a nation. Certainly these three deserve red letters of shame. Netanyahu and Trump. Unfortunately, the  same tree has grown these two.

Apparently we have learned nothing from all the errors of our yesterdays.

Apparently we have continued on the paths so dangerous to the health of our todays. 

Apparently our days of tomorrow are equally as challenged. 

And yes, equally as bleak. 

Will we ever learn? Or we will continue to smirk and revel in our ignorance and our purposeful missing of the right path. 

My two nations, equally endangered by the severely wrong people in the upper echelons of the nation. My own hope, our only hope, is that somehow we, the people of both nations, wake up and understand that if we do not vote these people out of office, if we do not demand their impeachment or by whatever legal means we can use, there is far worse awaiting offstage. 

Avoidance and appeasement do not work. 

When, if ever, will we understand that?