By Butch Freedman
Every day is normal and every day is insane. That’s the world we live in now — or, at least the one I live in. I imagine that this situation, under trump and his co-conspirators, that we are living in feels similar to how Jews might have felt in 1930’s Germany and Eastern Europe. I move along with my regular, usually quite pleasant day, taking a walk on the beach, talking to neighbors about the weather, making meals for my sweetie. It’s all quite normal, but then I scroll through the N.Y. Times or watch the news on tv, and I realize that our world is falling apart, on the brink of extinction, and that’s not hyperbole.
I want to believe , like the good Germans and Jews did, that this too shall pass. But will it? It’s a cliché to say that every day the situation becomes more dire, but that is, in fact, the truth. And, maybe, like the deranged dictators of the past, our little nazi will push the boundaries of decency even further — especially if the party of the autocrat stays in power. Many people are already looking for other countries to escape to, away from the horror that is trump, away from the madness of a leader who is certifiably insane, and has no boundaries or moral stance other than to seek revenge on his perceived enemies and line his pockets.
Sure, I feel outrage; I feel anger — intensely so at times. But also, I sometimes simply want to hide. And on those days, I don’t read the Times or watch CNN or anything at all on the television that might have a political edge. Beverly and I escape into cooking shows, silly comedies, and the Antiques Road Show. There’s only so much a person can bear. The slimy president shutters the Kennedy Center because the courts decide he is not allowed to put his name on it. Of course, he then reacts like the spoiled child that he is, and threatens to demolish the building. In one sense, it’s laughable, or would be if this degenerate narcissist was not in charge of the nuclear codes and the fate of humanity. I have to pay attention. YOU have to pay attention, however painful it may be.
This madness must end. And the best opportunity right now is to make sure that the mid-term elections, now only 46 days away, sweep Democrats into office. The polls look good, and I believe that there is enough righteous outrage about the fate of our nation, that good people will do everything in their power to get out and vote, despite whatever vile interference might (will be) attempted. Also make sure to at least try to convince their right-leaning friends to recognize what is happening and why their cost of living is becoming increasingly untenable. And that, yes, trump is responsible for all of this. Sure, there are others behind the curtains manipulating him, but, as he himself proclaimed at the ridiculous mid-term republican convention, “Pretend I am on the ballot.” This malignant boor is so delusional, or so protected from the realities of life in the heartland, that he believes his own lies. I guess that’s the trick for liars. Oh yes, and he also promised a $5,000 bribe to all adults in the country if the republicans retain their congressional majorities. Only in a corrupt and failing administration would such an illegal and immoral payoff be offered. It didn’t work in Hungary and it won’t work here. Then Donny went on to tell his few remaining loyalists that they must pledge to cheat in these elections.
All of this insanity, this corruption, this evil feels unbelievable, but here we are — a pariah state, hated by all our former allies. And only we can stop the madness. Or we can suffer the consequences. Appeasement and cooperation, and pretending that it would all soon pass didn’t work out so well for my forebears in Poland and Hungary and the Ukraine.
If you haven’t yet registered to vote, please do so immediately.
