Folks, I don't really like to get political here, but I am urged by recent events to do so.
I must, for my own peace of mind, speak out against the gross administration which currently presides over this nation, with a belligerent manchild at the helm, who is provoked so easily by the simplest of calls to human decency, that he is impelled to write longwinded posts on his proprietary (and failed) social media platform.
In a recent win, Mexico refused a plane carrying deportees. I breathe yet another sigh of relief as Trump's recent attempt to override the constiution and repeal birthright citizenship has been blocked. Yet, I emphasize that this is only a temporary win. We have won the battle, but we have not won the war.
President Trump and the alt right (read: Nazis) have made it clear that they intend to uphold the tenets of fascism, and overturn the very cornerstones of American ideals: freedom, multiculturalism, human rights, and the pursuit of happiness. The right has abandoned all moral principles and has scarcely any diplomacy left, if any. It is clear that they are intent on dehumanizing immigrants (legal or otherwise), Native Americans, transgender individuals, and other marginalized groups.
In history class, we were taught about the greatest human rights violations and tragedies to ever occur: the Holocaust, slavery, internment camps, the gulags... the list goes on. It was (or ought to have been) made clear as day to all of us the role of complacency in empowering these atrocities. Many of us may have thought it could never, or would never, happen again, especially not in America, the world's foremost superpower, thought leader, and icon of liberty. I regret to say that this is not the case - a most diabolical and insidious reality is unfolding before our very eyes, putting on full displays the worst of human nature. Yet, the worst is yet to come.
The consequences of staying quiet on this matter include betraying my integrity and the disservicing all my fellow Americans, to name the best ones. Needless to say, the outcome of standing with the oppressors will be grave, to put it mildly. The dehumanization and loss of rights for the least privileged among us is the loss of freedom for all mankind.
I do not mean to paint such a bleak picture here, but to provide a measured assessment of the current state of affairs. Trump and his cult of fanatics will be quick to read this and to label me as a member of the "radical left." What I propose is not radical, but is in fact the barest expression of concern for this country I love. I am preaching human goodness, love for thy neighbor, and respect for those we cannot come to love. We do not need to agree with everything someone says, but we should at the least grant them respect.
When Donald Trump ran for president in 2016, I was a staunch Sanders supporter. Over time, however, I grown much more conservative. I have time and time again given respect to him and his followers, and it has never been reciprocated. Fascism, nazism, and hate do not and cannot be vessels of love. Period. Simply put, someone who hates you cannot and will not care about you. They do not see you as fully human.
While I have my own biases and personal prejudices, I do not wish to promote them to the level of legal canon. I try, as much as I am capable of, to think neutrally on as many matters as possible, and to act right in the face of my own personal feelings. But, when I witness an abusive cohort of people, who wish to take advantage of those they deem lesser than them, I cannot be secular, nor waver in my beliefs.
I pray for the wellbeing of all, including my enemies, that we may come to a most harmonious and peaceful resolution.