OOMBOTWE

     Translated from a traditional language of Africa, it was meant to be an expression of sharing, of peace as a time of opportunities for all to flourish and not merely a cold peace where the sparks are ever present. A peace where the differences between mankind would be of little significance. Differences of creed, color, religion, appearance would not matter. 

The rest of the opening of the Winter Olympics took on the same coloring and intent. Yet it will inevitably revert to the same old competition, with complaints registered against another from another nation or even from one's own. Sharing, helping, stressing these commonalties, even sacrificing one's own medal so as to aid another, the true embodiment of the theme of this Olympics, fall by the wayside, the message and hope of and for peace seem as far away as ever. Perhaps even further away, more hopeless.

 So much so, that the maxim of the title, delivered to us from Africa via that speaker at the Opening moments, that "I am because we are" fades away into a fairytale time not yet achieved by us, not even ever coming close.  Unfortunately, the temperature of the world's population has risen dramatically. Negativity now dominates and negative emotions have risen to heights which threaten to set the world on fire. Deep cracks have developed among the nations of the world. 

These cracks have been driven by the greed, the selfishness, the lust for power and the amassing of wealth - not so much for the nation, but for oneself, the leader and his miserable cohorts with the same twists within, streaks of darkness over clouding the world. Allies turn against each other. Strange alliances are formed. Even then the bickering grows ever fiercer, ever louder, ever more threatening. 

Exacerbating the situation, being both a cause and result of it all, is that there are no leaders to be found. Yes, there are those who call themselves leaders, those who deluded people call leaders, but there are none to be found. The concern for the nation, for the people within, for people of the world - simply glaring in its absence rather than in its presence. Those who might have served capably, even with excellence, shy away from the position, so twisted is the world today.

 Most unfortunate is the fact that the very person who should be the leader of the free world and the role model for those aspiring to it, fighting for it, is the one who has done most of the wrong, incited much of the chaos and confusion and is intent on fulfilling his ambitions to cause more havoc and fear, certain of his end goal - a nation totally within his crooked little hands, ruled by a perverted mind in every which way, manner and form. 

He threatens all, friend or foe, though it is becoming clearer that many of those who had tread on tippy toes around him, in fear of his evil madness, have now found some courage to defy his insistence and his plans, pushing back. This furthers his deterioration as he sputters with anger and threats, determined to force all to obey his every order, to bow before his might and power. 

I can find only one good point about him. That is his support for Israel, though he is very much   wishy-washy about the whole matter. It has boiled down now to several facets and nary a single one conducive and inducive of faith and trust. It all seems to hinge on his "Peace Board" wherein the sole person of any authority to approve or disapprove, is himself. Period.

The rest are there for show and for money. Again, brazenly so, he has concocted yet another crooked, immoral scheme to enhance his bottom line. Once again to act as a huckster and from within his Oval Office, blackmail, threaten, and fool others, and have them buy into it, to send moneys his way as within his plans lay the routes and methods by which the money for funding this rather shady 'rebuilding' will flow his way for the most part. As has always been the case and here we go again.      

It is all so wrong, so evil, and so demeaning. He and his adherents and enablers have cleared the way before him, allowed his evil plans to flourish, and his most visible and egregious offenses to move forward, brushed under the carpet - or not even that. He and those who foolishly mortgage their futures and soul to this crooked individual, this demented deteriorating remnant of a man, do so perhaps because they too are evil and gullible, with no innate courage nor respect for morality, for that which is right. 

Additionally, they do not fear any consequences as there have been none so far. Nor does it seem   likely that there will be, or maybe only in the history books of the future. Even as we know that had it been any other such person, there would have been mammoth fines, years in a penal institution and exile from any possibility of another chance at power and domination. Why nothing to him, to his abettors? He and his have blatantly, with great immunity, led the way to travesty after travesty, and would do so again. 

Another armed rebellion against this nation and its RIGHTFUL administration and again to build one contravening of all that is right, honest. and honorable. One that maintains the proper dignity of the nation and its leaders. Of all that is beneficial to the nation and the world. Actions of morality, sparkling with justice, truth, and a Constitution honored and valued rather than dismissed and ignored. Or misused as a hammer with which to batter this nation and its proud history and a better future. 

For sure, a proper administration of this nation, a government knowing right from wrong, would not wage war against its own citizens. native born and naturalized. Against guests within its borders. Against those who contributed to it in positive manner. Who have been given permission to be here due to persecution and violence. Or fill jobs going begging. That are crucial to the functioning of this nation. And to their children. Who will fill the empty ranks to contribute to this nation, as all immigrants and first generations have done. As we, the descendants, have done. To fulfill the same dreams and hopes. 

The shameful, ugly, never should have been scenes of Minneapolis and other cities will come to an end. And will never more be resurrected.

We are not the ugly creatures of tasers and masks. And armored equipment suitable for special OPS. We are not a nation which kills its own people, and certainly not for exercising their rights. No matter how objectionable these protestors are to the demented man and followers. We must know that these are aberrations. With no place within our nation. They do not espouse American values, true values. Not fake. Harm and danger are not what we owe our people. Reeking of ugliness and hate, of bias and violence.

We have indeed slid down the wrong trails and missed the ladders that would take us back to what we were, to what we are and to what we should always be.

We have come far from the meaning of Oombotwe. Way off from the pleadings of the Olympics and Italian officials. Of celebrity spokesman. For peace. For cooperation. For recognition that I, we, you and me, us, cannot and would not be here if not for each other. Indeed. “I am because we are.” Because YOU are here, every one of us.

Matisyahu sings of “One day. One day.”

The day of which we all sang. Which many of our children sang out in clear, confident tone at their graduations. The day which has long eluded us.

Its permanence has been missing in our yesterdays.

Its presence and permanence are equally unseen in our todays.

Will it remain so in the tomorrows to come?

One day.

One day.

Up to us, Folks. Up to us.

And we are falling down on the job.