by Dr. Jim B.
It has been some time since I wrote anything. It was not that there was nothing to write about. The number of significant and urgent items was almost overwhelming. It was like drinking from a fire hose. I must confess that it has been difficult to focus.
The events of recent days in Minneapolis have torn me out of my state of paralysis. It was the murders by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and/or Customs and Border Protection (CBP) that stirred me into action. These murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti were simply more than I could bear. What has become of our country?
There are two things I really want to discuss. They are how did we get here, and what can we do about it?
I must confess that I have trouble understanding how Trump got elected the second time. Clearly the man is a criminal who was convicted of fraud in a New York court. Beyond that there is overwhelming evidence of his complicity in the January 6 riot at the Capital. Further, there are many instances of other attempts by Trump to overturn the lawful election of Joe Biden as President.
What we do know is that Trump’s behavior should not be a surprise. Trump has a tremendous ego and has a real thrist for power to feed that ego. Many people are surprised at Trump’s actions, but I think it is all predictable. His need for power is insatiable.
One of the things that brought Trump back to the Office of the Presidency was the misjudgment by the Biden White House of the perception of President Biden among much of the public. He should have know or at least his advisers should have known how difficult things were becoming for a reelection bid, but somehow either they didn’t tell the president or he didn’t listen. It was only in the aftermath of the disastrous debate that the real situation became apparent. The democrats did switch candidates and changed strategies, but it was too late. There was simply too little time to begin a campaign from scratch.
However, the candidate switch and restarting the campaign does not completely explain the loss. Kamala came close and lost many of the states she needed by small margins. This analysis is the painful part for me. Many people simply ignored the clear danger of Trump which could be seen from his first term and many of his statements on the campaign trail. They became much more focused on the high cost of everyday items than the dangers of a man who clearly loved autocracy. Sometimes in life one is often dealt a bad hand. Biden did not cause the inflation that plagued the latter half of his presidency, but he did the best he could to fight it. It was a tough sell to people who were struggling at the grocery store.
I really do believe that most Americans are loving, caring people who for the most part will go out of their way to help others. Somehow, in the face of economic distress they decided that Trump wasn’t that bad, and that maybe, just maybe, he could save them from economic hardship. I am not sure that I will ever really understand what happened, but I remained convinced of the kindness of the American people.
No matter how we got here we need to deal with the realities of an America in Trump’s second term. So, what should we do now?
If one takes the time to analyze much of what Trump says, you will discover that much of his comments are hate filled. He spends a lot of his time playing to the darker side of human nature. The first thing to always keep in mind is that you cannot fight hate with hate. That will simply drag us all down. As angry as these murders make us, we must resist the urge to become violent. As Martin Luther King, Jr., said and I quote, “Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.”
So, protest but do it peacefully. Be of good courage but remember you don’t have to do it alone. Join with groups of like-minded individuals and protest together.
Speak truth to power. One thing the Trump administration is built on are lies. We must combat the lies by showering the country with the truth. We must spread the truth even if it is painful sometimes. Of course, be careful and check your facts.
I find it interesting that the administration is so disconnected with the truth that they will stick with a story that is so blatantly false. They seem to be going with the idea that if you tell a lie often enough people will believe it. Don’t let them get away with it. Keep telling the truth.
Be political. I know that politics has come to be a bad word, but it doesn’t have to be. There are good politicians and bad politicians. Politics is simply the art of getting things done in the public sphere. Practice politics in a good and positive way. To quote the late Congressman John Lewis, “We should get into good trouble.”
Not everyone needs to do the same thing. We are all different. There are many options. You can write or call your elected officials. That activity has more power than you might think. Work with your local party. Knock on doors, make phone calls, or if you feel so called run for office. Discuss the issues with friends, family, and neighbors
I know that this is not a complete list of things to do, but it might give you a starting place. Go forth in love and spread the truth.