Personality Defect

I had a colleague state triumphantly on the day after election day, November 2016: “now you liberals will learn what we felt every day with Obama in the White House. Trump will restore balance.”

I’m wondering if this fellow is still feeling triumphant? Is the balance where he wants it? Are we a great nation once again? Have our values soared to new heights? Are you proud now?

I don’t speak to this guy anymore. His sense of a healthy nation does not mesh with mine. Only sparks would result. I favor peace. I also know that ‘balance’ will instruct his take on reality one day. Then he will know.

Yes, I am upset every day with ‘he who shall not be named’ is in the white house. I have trouble capitalizing his name, the white house, or the names of the political parties. The reality of our national values are so at odds with what we knew and treasured.

I remember once when a California republican ran for president; I don’t remember his name offhand, but he announced his candidacy at the base of the Statue of Liberty. He pledged his support for closing the borders and fixing the broken immigration system. I wept at his misplaced pledge. At the base of the Statue of Liberty where it states: "Give us your tired, huddled masses yearning to breathe free..."  I could not be consoled. The irony was poison to my soul.

Today, that candidate's name is not remembered. He didn't finish the primaries. He was not in the running for the presidency. Yet, there is another person of the same ilk occupying the white house with the same aim.

We are an immigrant nation. All of us breathe the air of freedom. Others on the planet yearn for what we already have. They are not yet here. We are. We have taken the torch of freedom and saved it for ourselves and for our future generations; and for all the past generations who came before us. We inherited this treasure from them. It is ours to carry forth to others.

There are those, unfortunately, among us who feel those others don't deserve that freedom. Not yet. Not without other conditions are met. Not without passing 'go' and bowing down to some unknown power or icon?

Yes, the immigration system is broken. Has been for decades. But for some hideous reason our elected officials in Congress refuse to address the problem. They let the office of president deal with it, where it can be an even more distorted political football.

Fix the system. But, maintain and deliver the promise of freedom to those who need it. Asylum seekers are granted asylum. They are welcomed into our midst to receive safety. They need this. From us. And we need to provide it to them to keep our social DNA intact. This is who we are.

Or allow our past and future to fall to the defective personality who is the current occupant of the white house.

If this is not what we want, what then do we do about it? And when if not now?

November 29, 2018