Crying for America!
XIII.) I cry for America, even if others don't or won't
I am concerned about the extra-heightened rhetoric turned against Trump. Yet, I also think he has done a great deal to further perpetuate it.
If the President always goes an inch too far (or hell 100 miles too far) what does that make of the population at large? Up until now, no President in my lifetime dared to go this far in his blistering rhetoric against citizens of his own nation. The closest I can remember to something or someone like Trump is Sarah Palin when she was McCain's running-mate back in 2008. At the time, McCain asked his supporters to use restraint.
McCain is now better remembered for his statesman like actions, despite his red-hot hair-trigger temper and his checkered reputation for being a "bi-partisan" deal-maker, a reputation in which he seldom lived up to (if ever) during the Obama Presidency.
But, Seriously! When a Sitting United States Senator of the President's Party says Trump needs to be baby-sat at all times.... we got some serious issues! When I hear Eminem say, "We hate Trump!" I can't help but cringe at that language yet also be compelled to share it on social media platforms like FB and Twitter.
I'm not looking for an "Us" v "Them" country. Yet, I also realize that the Republican Party as it currently exists has been far and away the greatest enablers of the Trump debacle, that I do not fault people for their expressiveness no matter how much it might further pollute our already toxic civil and political discourse.
I'm concerned though. I don't hate Trump, and I don't hate people that voted for Trump. I'm not coming from that place. I'm also compelled to share what people must say regarding their anger, frustration and disgust with this President. It's been nine months since the Train-wreck Trump Presidency has been in existence, the same time it takes a mother to carry a child to full-term.
I'm profoundly sad that this country is worse off than it ever was with respect to our political and civil discourse. I'm sad that our culture has completely turned away from looking for the best in people. I'm sad that the discussions we have around politics really sucks! I'm also sad that people that already actively avoided politics, avoid it even more now.
Please, don't disengage! We need people that don't want to be involved to speak up. If not, the vacuum that Trump has left with respect to reasonable minds, and reasonable decisions will continue to be filled by rage. And I don't blame people.
I don't hate, yet I don't condemn people for their hateful language against our President. He has set the example for us. Even if he is not only unfit to be President, and a piss-poor leader, by default he is the leader of our country. And we all are suffering the consequences of it! And when I say "ALL" I mean "All of us".
Our Country is really suffering from this toxic discourse. And when it comes to this, there is no "Us" and "Them", because "All of us" are suffering the consequences of it. And when I say "All of us" I really do mean that! It's just a sucky time to feel good about politics. I'm hopeful that strong leadership (even if not from the top) will still prevail.
Peace & Love!
-JPJ