We have been left with the pile of wreckage the former president created of the United States. It has become, in many places, a soulless shell of it's former self filled with hate and cruelty.
A young man of high school age, speaking about the death of his grandmother from covid, pleading with this local school board for a mask mandate, heckled by adults in the room. A parent attacked in his car by others after a school board meeting for asking their board to take the same action.
People spout hate and hurl insults at a sitting president that speaks in a slow, reasoned way. They call him feeble and senile. Yet the former president they idolize suggested that if we stopped testing covid cases would go away. Suggesting that ingesting disinfectants might combat the virus forcing manufacturers to plead with customers to use the products only for their intended purpose. Spouted lies, hate, division and fear daily across social media platforms bringing us to the brink of civil war. A war that may still be fought.
We watch as a woman right to chose and all citizen's right to easy voting access are chipped away by state legislatures. Much of our judiciary branch, including the Supreme Court, has been stolen from us. Judges appointed, many highly unqualified for their positions, put into place to ensure restrictive, ultra conservative decisions by the very same people that once complained of progressive judges legislating from the bench.
The media shares blame. Even the so called progressive media question and criticize the new administrations every move yet offer no alternatives. They are addicted to strife, chaos and division. It is "good television". They could, if they desired, elevate the conversation. Debate, offer suggestions and alternatives, move us forward. Instead they throw gas on a fire which is close to, of not already, out of control. Because, you know, ratings and all.
Can we recover or do we call the 250 year old grand political experiment, the United States, a failure. What is needed is empathy. Concern for the well being of people other than ourselves. Acceptance and tolerance of people of different colors, cultures, religions and ideals, just attempting to make their way through the world like everyone else. The country that once, with pride, called itself a melting pot needs to return to that value. We need to create a place where what is best for all is more important than what is good for the individual. Where we move forward instead of becoming stagnant or watch ourselves be turned into a political, social and ideological circular firing squad.
We were once the United States. We are no longer. I fear we may never be again. I hope, for the sake of future generations it is not too late, that we will be able to repair, that this fear does not become a future reality.
