GRACIAS (por nada) Señor Trump
NOTE: This thought-piece was inspired by having had a brutal day Saturday, February 1st, 2025. I went to the National Building Museum to see the Brutalism Exhibit and then later in the evening to watch the film The Brutalist at Silver Spring’s American Film Institute. A brutalist day indeed. Not unlike what we are experiencing in the USA at these times. Brutal. In Spanish: Brutál, with the accent appropriately enough in that last syllabus for extra emphasis.)
Gracias Señor Trump. Thank you!
Thank you for recognizing that the body of water touching the nations of the USA, Estados Unidos de Mexico, and Cuba rightfully belong to the people of this great Continent – (North) America – and should hereafter be known as The Gulf of America. As a Spanish speaker born and raised in North America (Cuba and USA, respectively) I thank you for your foresight to accept the reality that nations need to share natural resources, talents, and treasures to benefit all, not just the few that extract and exploit. (Oh, wait! That’s not why you did it? Then, gracias por nadaI – thank you for nothing).
As long as we are in the renaming and reaffirming kick, I commit to – during the time that you are President – call this great Nation of which you are the duly elected leader “USA”. Just USA. For those of us that are fortunate enough to speak Spanish, this is quite fitting. You see, USA in Spanish means ‘use’. And that is exactly how you govern (or rather dictate). You ‘use’ people. You use people as commodities, as disposable goods, as transactional instruments.
The chant USA! USA! USA! will have a totally new meaning under your tenure as President. Everytime I hear it, I will be reminded of your abuse of people; of how you, in Spanish “USA y abUSA nuestra gente” – how you use and abuse our people.
Every time I hear someone say (or sing) “I love the USA”, I will be reminded that to you this refers only to that part of USA that will bend their knees to and worship you. I will be reminded that to you “I love the USA” means loving a hyper-consumer society that all too often rapes your soul in the absurd competition to have more stuff. I will be reminded that to you “I love the USA” means love everyone except ⅓ of the folks living in USA, i.e.: many immigrants, federal workers, LBGTQIA+, or Blacks.
You see, when I say or sing “I love the USA” I am reminded of the amazing awesome people I have met in USA during my six decades here. I will be reminded that the vast majority of folks that live in this land are hard-working, empathetic, welcoming, and God-fearing people. I know. I’ve had the privilege of interacting with people from across the social, economic and political spectrum in nearly every State in this great – if incomplete and imperfect – Nation, USA. I have worked with those struggling in the streets of urban USA, those in the halls of political power, those in the ivory towers, those in the C suites, and those that control how capital works (for good and bad). I have seldom met the vile, mean, vulgar, and indecent persons that you so perfectly personify. I’ve certainly met a fair share of people I disagree with, people that I will argue with, people that I feel uncomfortable with. But like you? Very – very – few. It is not lost on me that those that you enticed to storm the Capitol – and later ‘forgave’ – may be like you. But, those are the rare exceptions to a USA full of common folks with common aspirations and common problems who want to live-and-let-live, and (mostly) respect each other – even if some have that sickness of racism and homophobia still in them.
May I remind you Sir, this month, Black History Month (and yes, BHM is still a thing to most of us), that the house in which you reside – the White House – was built by Blacks and is maintained by Latinos. May I remind you, Sir, that your wealth was greatly facilitated by multi-generational wealth, something that is structurally denied to many descendants of slaves and new immigrants. And, may I remind you, Sir, that as much as you’d like to not recognize it, you are in a privileged class of White people, you are a product of another type of DEI – Daddy’s Entitlement & Investments. (And please don’t talk to me about the token Jews in your family, your adoring Black friends, or your new-found Latino lovers, including Rubio and Co. These are all – not unlike you – opportunists; and they will turn on you on a dime when the day comes).
Señor Presidente, here I am to say “PRESENTE”. Present! Present to resist, organize against, and fight your divisive, disruptive, disgusting disarray of malicious dictates. You may have the power of the presidency and the power of the pulpit to misinform and create an impenetrable shield to your cult following who choose self-censorship over critical thinking. You may have conned many – as you would say – ‘good people’ to be swayed by your populist language about high inflation, being left behind, and other very real conditions of a system that is out of whack and in need of fixing. You may actually have some simplistic ideas that merit conversation, dialogue, and debate. But how you go about things, your pompous self-indulgent indecent style, how you dictate, how you are re-interpreting the Constitution and the laws of USA to impose your draconian will on the masses – that approach will not work. Will. Not. Work. The power of the people throughout these United States of America will reclaim USA for the – albeit aspirational – common, collective good sooner rather than later. Anger and rage will be turned into active resistance and practical and pragmatic action.
Sir, you remain a pathetic old man surrounded by useful idiots and pathetic rich people whose adulation is shallow and temporary. You may be able to disrupt, but you will not destroy our determination to be USA – “The United States of America: Unidos Siempre Avanzando”).
Reemberto Rodriguez
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