Author: Reemberto@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wait. Let me get this right. 

MAGA and their lackies in Congress are ok with funding a national police force of masked, unidentifiable goons that can bust into any home or stop any car for whatever reason and rough up – or even kill – any person, including American citizens, without any accountability?!? 

Really?!? You ok with that?!? What could possibly go wrong?!? 

I’ll tell you what can go wrong with that – beyond the fact that it is blatantly illegal and inhumane.

• What is keeping opportunistic gangs from going on a rampage of kidnapping and worse?
• What is keeping gangs from going into immigrant neighborhoods and taking full advantage of the fact that immigrants have been scared into not calling the police or 911?
• What is keeping gangs from skyrocketing their activities and creating full blown ghettos where people live at the mercy of their gang lord?
• What is keeping children from joining these lawless gangs and entering into a virtual circle of violence?

Ah! Wait a minute! I get it! THAT is exactly what the Trump Administration wants to happen. If there is an increase in gang activity, then they will have the perfect excuse – as if they needed one – to bring in the armed forces to fight the gangs that are ‘out of control’, declare martial law, and suspend the elections. Of course, this will only be the case in states with Democrat majority. 

That’s why at this point that the DHS/ICE budget is up for discussion:

• NO! NO funding for DHS/ICE unless they are held accountable.

This time, the Democrats have it right. The 10 demands are common-sensical, simple, doable, and straight-forward:

1. Targeted enforcement

• • • DHS officers cannot enter private property without a judicial warrant. End indiscriminate arrests and improve warrant procedures and standards. Require verification that a person is not a US citizen before holding them in immigration detention.

2. No masks

• • • Prohibit ICE and immigration enforcement agents from wearing masks and other face coverings.

3. Require ID

• • • Require DHS officers conducting immigration enforcement to display their agency, unique ID number and last name. Require them to verbalize their ID number and last name if asked.

4. Protect sensitive locations

• • • Prohibit funds from being used to conduct enforcement near sensitive locations, including medical facilities, schools, childcare facilities, churches, polling places, courts, etc.

5. Stop racial profiling

• • • Prohibit DHS officers from conducting stops, questioning and searches based on an individual’s presence at certain locations, their job, their spoken language and accent, or their race or ethnicity.

6. Uphold use-of-force standards

• • • Place into law a reasonable use-of-force policy, expand training and require certification of officers. In the case of an incident, the officer must be removed from the field until an investigation is concluded.

7. Ensure state and local coordination and oversight

• • • Preserve the ability of state and local jurisdictions to investigate and prosecute potential crimes and use-of-excessive-force incidents. Require that evidence is preserved and shared with jurisdictions. Require the consent of states and localities to conduct large-scale operations outside of targeted immigration enforcement.

8. Build safeguards into the system

• • • Make clear that all buildings where people are detained must abide by the same basic detention standards that require immediate access to a person’s attorney to prevent citizen arrests or detention. Allow states to sue the DHS for violations of all requirements. Prohibit limitations on member visits to ICE facilities regardless of how those facilities are funded.

9. Body cameras for accountability, not tracking

• • • Require use of body-worn cameras when interacting with the public and mandate requirements for the storage and access of footage. Prohibit tracking, creating or maintaining databases of individuals participating in first amendment activities.

10. No paramilitary police

• • • Regulate and standardize the type of uniforms and equipment DHS officers employ during enforcement operations to bring them in line with civil enforcement.

All good demands. Spot on. No giving in. No negotiating. No compromise.

No goons. No gangs.

It is simply by happenstance that this year’s Black History Month begins as I am reading Howard Thurman’s Deep is the Hunger. I first read this classic shortly after it was published in the mid-70s. I came across it when a good friend John Lewis – no, not that John Lewis – accompanied me to a bookstore in Atlanta’s West End, the Shrine of the black Madonna.

https://www.shrinebookstore.com/ The bookstore is still there. It is not an overstatement to say the book changed my life.

The book is as relevant today that’s when it was originally written. Bob Dylan was wrong; “The times” – it seems – are not “ah-changing.”

Thurman makes a compelling case for non-violence, noting that violence never leads to authentic victory. It may lead to a temporary illusion of victory after devastating destruction. (i.e.: the World Wars of last century.) But more often victory through violence intoxicates the victor with a false sense of superiority that leads to, well, Donald Trump.

I am not claiming the World Wars should not have been fought – though I do question the use of the atomic bombs. I would argue that we mismanaged the peace – much like we did after the Civil War – never acknowledging that the cancer the enemy had unleashed had metastasized within our own borders and would grow to be Trump. Oh, we were so naive! We thought Democracy would magically cure all evil and forgot that evil lurks amongst us. 

Many of us in our last third of life grew up with the paradigm that diplomacy is a good thing, a noble endeavor. We (mostly) admired those world leaders who built coalitions in pursuit of peace. We understood that diplomacy is not easy, nor is it expedient. Indeed, we know diplomacy is messy, oftentimes incomplete, and not always definitive nor successful in the eyes of all.

According to the Museum of Diplomacy* – yes, there is such a thing; or at least there was until late 2024 when it was closed for renovations – diplomacy is: 

• • The art and practice of conducting negotiations and managing international relations between countries, institutions, or groups, using dialogue, tact, and mutual respect to achieve national interests, resolve disputes, and build peaceful, productive relationships without resorting to war. It serves as the primary instrument for a nation’s foreign policy, encompassing everything from high-level summits to daily cultural exchanges. 

*The Washington, DC museum is slated to be reopened sometime this year, surely re-writing history to reflect this Administration’s warped views.

Does the definition above sound like anything being practiced by the Trump administration today? Hardly.

In the short span of barely a year the Trump Administration has literally killed diplomacy. Democracy is dead. In the span of barely a year, this Administration has killed any semblance of anything that could be construed as respectful dialogue, intentional deliberations or consensus building to avert war.  They are doing this right in front of our eyes. They’ve done this without any excuse or explanation – except to claim it as the right thing to do. They’ve done this simply in order to grow their power, demonstrate their power, and stay in power.

And they’re doing this brutally. ‘In your face’ brutally. No respect for others; no respect for norms; no respect for precedent.

Bomb Iran. Kidnap Maduro. Bully Greenland.

In all these cases anything that could have been construed as diplomatic efforts were instead simply framed in abusive language, international threats and outlandish demands.

None of this was diplomacy. It was simply instilling fear through sheer power. Zero honest, transparent or respectful engagement or dialogue. Zero attempt at creating a coalition of the willing or bringing along other nations. “Power is  might. The strong survives”.

Long gone are the days of careful calibration of who says what when, measured presence of military might, or negotiations.

Pure power bolstering. As if the almighty, powerful President is saying “I am not going to ask you to like it. I am going to dictate you accept it. Disagree and pay the consequences. And don’t forget to thank me! Or else.” International treaties be damned. Multilateral agreements be damned. Institutions be damned. No need to adhere to these. “Will create our own”, they seem to be saying.

Indeed the President has proudly acclaimed that his only moral compass or guardrail is his own conscience. That. Is. Insanity. 

While the death of diplomacy may seem to be an expedient way of getting things done in the short term in favor of the USA, this is no way to run the country. Unless of course you are intentionally trying to re-establish the international order of the 1890s – or do things that ultimately benefit Vladimir Putin. Or both.

 

 

Lest we forget

We are here. Living in the US in 2026 means being subjected to a national police force that has no accountability. This police force is not new. It’s been around a while. It is the sinister expansion of the limited power entrusted upon existing agencies – and their total disregard for any guardrails on their behavior and actions.  

ICE + USBP = NPF

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) together with the United States Border Patrol (USPS) now becomes the National Police Force (NPF); maybe not officially, but certainly in practicality. They are part of the Department of Homeland Security, created barely 20 years ago after two airplanes hijacked by members of the terrorist group al-Qaeda – and nationals of Saudi Arabia – crashed the planes into the two World Trade Center towers in New York City September 11, 2001. The intent of DHS was certainly noble: Share information across the Federal, State and local governments to help keep us safer.

That noble intent to keep us safe has now been morphed into a para-military unit deployed throughout the nation under the pretext of seeking criminal undocumented immigrants. Be you a citizen, legal resident or undocumented; be you white, brown or black, you are now subjected to the brute force of this new national police. They stop you, harass you and abuse you and you have no recourse. They raid businesses and schools without impunity. You’d better do what they tell you. Or else. Or else they may literally disappear you. Or execute you. Even if you are a white woman, mother of three, a poet, a wife. Nope, this is no longer an exaggeration.

In Memory of Renee Good

African-Americans know best of the evil of this experience – they have been subjected to it forever. Latinos are quickly finding out the severity of the possibilities. And now even White people are being assaulted. 

• • Renee Good. 
  • A victim of the Federal Government’s new National Police force.
  • A mother. 
  • A wife.
  • A poet.
  • An activist.
  • Murdered by an overzealous ICE agent.
  • Murdered by a wrapped, corrupt Trump Administration.
  • Executed by an ethos that has vilified immigrants.

In solidarity with the people of Minneapolis we are responding with empathy. The DHS is so crass they call our empathy “toxic empathy”. We call it simple, humane empathy. 

To many of us, it IS about thoughts and prayers. And pray we do. And. And actions. Non-violent action. Thoughts and prayers without action are empty platitudes. Action – non-violent action – works.

There is no better way to honor the life of Renee Good than to take nonviolent action. I am blessed to live in a community – Silver Spring, MD – that did just this recently. Earlier this week we held a memorial and vigil for Renee Good in downtown Silver Spring. What a wonderful, uplifting event! 

And now it’s time to take action. Opportunities for action and resources are plentiful: https://docs.google.com/document/d/18uev3EE6LyZpJ2_gTmdcd2yFjp_eSqBIN9sLdUDA5Eo/edit?usp=sharing

An event like that doesn’t just happen. It takes committed individuals, organizations, institutions, and local government. A big – BIG – gracias to all who made this memorial and vigil possible:

• • Carrie Kisicki (Chief Organizer)  https://www.facebook.com/carrie.kisicki
  • Montgomery County Women’s Democratic Club  https://www.facebook.com/mcwdc
  • Immigrants Rights Collective  https://linktr.ee/moco_irc
  • Rapid Response Choir  https://rapidresponsechoir.org/
  • County Executive Mark Elrich  https://www.facebook.com/MCGExecutive
  • Councilmember Kristin Mink  https://www.facebook.com/kristin.mink
  • Jacob Newman (Silver Spring Regional Director)  https://www.facebook.com/jacob.newman.921
  • Silver Spring Urban District  https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/silverspring/ss-urban-district.html
  • Montgomery Parks  https://montgomeryparks.org/
  • 3rd Police Precinct  https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/POL/districts/3d/index.html
  • A Wider Circle  https://www.facebook.com/awidercircle
  • And: Telemundo (for making the event the lead story in their 11PM newscast:
  • https://photos.app.goo.gl/numNzjCBjLAUWM9c7

Pictures and short video clips from the event can be found in this album:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/CKVwNKhN3xFU9ape8

Last year I was in Minneapolis and made a point of visiting George Floyd Square: https://photos.app.goo.gl/1N4JnQUuqx9czszn7

I remember when Silver Spring said “presente” – present – in solidarity with Minneapolis then. https://photos.app.goo.gl/MsXQ1oAUfWbw2St4A

And now we did it again in Silver Spring.

Recently I communicated with a friend in Minneapolis. She expressed how the community is exhausted. Exhausted but emboldened. Embolden to take non-violent action by peacefully protesting – and yes with thoughts and prayers too. I assured her that once again Silver Spring is there with them, doing what we can, when we can, how we can, with whom we can. 

So what? And now what?

What is going on today in the US is indeed riveting. Of course we’ve been here before. The genocide of the indigenous people and the stealing of their land. The ravage of slavery. The meanness of Jim Crow. The rounding up and detaining of Japanese-Americans. The economic abuse of Latino farmworkers. The disproportional incarceration of Blacks. And so much more.

But today’s fight is our fight. It’s our turn. It’s our responsibility to respond. 

And today’s government is different. This time the Federal Government is hell-bent on maximum force, gaslighting propaganda, and blatantly disregarding laws. The extent of this Federal assault in selected communities is fierce – and it is only the beginning. ICE has the funding to triple its force. They are bypassing established training and deploying inexperienced agents who are much more prone to abuse their power. (News Flash: And ICE may very well be employing convicted criminals that stormed the US Capitol and have been subsequently pardoned by President Trump).

Make no mistake about it: The Trump Administration knows exactly what they are doing. They are creating a national police force that is responsive only to the Executive Branch and can not be held accountable by Congress or anyone else. Their intent is clear: Bring the people into submission and silence protesters by instilling fear of personal danger – including being killed. Does anyone doubt that there will be other – maybe many more – Renee Good? That is exactly what they want. That is why it is so critical that protests and actions be totally non-violent. 

But, it is simply inevitable that some overzealous protesters and/or instigators will commit serious crimes, thus giving the rationale to the Feds to increase the force of its National Police, and spiral the situation to the point of requiring the declaration of Martial Law, cancelling the 2026 elections; all the while saying it is being done in the name of peace and national security. They say 2+2=5 with a straight, robotic face; and you damn well better believe them – and repeat their message. Or else.

“I am being hyperbolic”, I hear you say. “No way! Not in the USA. We have guardrails. We are better than that!” 

To many of the White, comfortable folks in the US what is going on is causing a first-time trauma that is jarring, even leading to some folks looking to move to another country. 

However, to many non-whites or recent immigrants this is not our first trauma. To some of us what is going on is the re-awakening of the trauma we have experienced before. I was yanked from my country of birth (Cuba) at the tender age of 9 ½. From the family stories and the reality I’ve experienced myself, our trauma is real. And so is the trauma of most immigrants – and certainly the recurring trauma of most Blacks, Jewish and Indigenous people. Our trust in government is suspect. We’ve lived through violent governments and the trauma of exile. We know it’s coming when we see it. We can smell it. 

And today’s Trump Administration smells rotten. 

The temptation may be to simply cocoon ourselves in the busyness of life – particularly those of us that have realized the so-called American Dream. (Or, as some of us call it, “The American Illusion”). And that’s ok. After all, most people throughout the world have to live lives under violent governments. And life goes on. Art, culture, sports, and entertainment are alive and well in many of these violent governments. And people live on. What choice do they have? (Sure, sometimes it gets to the point of revolution; i.e.: today’s Iran. But that is certainly the exception). 

In today’s US it does feel different. The stench is growing. The pains are increasing. The physical and psychological assault is very real. The trauma is undeniable. And they are killing people.

We certainly have the option to cocoon into our drudgery. Or we can take non-violent action for the common good. Some are already doing it. It’s just starting. It ain’t gonna be easy. We may not see the results in our lifetime. Yet, do something we must. Staying silent is not an option. Staying silent will wither you away.

Yet, let’s commit to not turn trauma and rage into hate. Let’s turn trauma and rage into non-violent action. Your grandkids will thank you.

• Think deliberatively. 
• Pray constantly. 
• Protest collectively.
• Act non-violently

To my friends celebrating Maduro’s end: 

None of this is unprecedented or unexpected – it is still inexplicable and inexcusable.

January 3rd, 2026

The USA just invaded Venezuela. Here we are. Been here before though. Nothing new. Not unprecedented. Not unexpected. USA just showing its true color.

Still, inexplicable and inexcusable. Plain wrong. Not the way to do things. I make no apologies for not agreeing with this USA move.

The USA recently pardoned and  returned a convicted major drug pin to Honduras. And now we snatched an alleged drug pin in Venezuela to bring him to trial in New York?!? 

Well, maybe not inexplicable.

The Hondura drug pin is Trump’s friend. The Venezuelan drug pin is his nemesis. Truly – truly – that simple.

We now live in a country where the singular, only measure to understand any action by this President is whether it will benefit him personally. That is it. Nada mas. Don’t waste your time using any other matrix, any other line of reasoning. 

In the case of Venezuela, the War Powers Act – which requires Congressional approval for military action in other countries – be damned. Trump wanted to do this. He did it. (And hey, didn’t Bush do the same with Noriega anyway?!?)

Who is going to be brave enough to say out loud “the end does not justify the means”?  Make no mistake about it: Maduro was in power because he defied the results of an election he clearly lost. Maduro’s governance model was corrupt, inefficient, and authoritarian. He had no tolerance for a free press or dissent. All of that is true and factual. None of it, however, justifies a USA President unilaterally deciding it merits regime change by force. Now go tell China not to invade Taiwan. Now go tell Russia not to march into Kiev.

I will say it out loud: The USA’s invasion of Venezuela today – and the killing of over 100 alleged drug runners by exploding their boats – is an international illegal and unethical act which takes us back to the imperialistic days of the 1890’s. The fact that the end – the removal of a despot ruler – may be a legitimate goal, does not make right the means of doing it. 

I know, I know: Over 100 years ago the US invaded Columbia and created a country (Panama) only to get the Canal built. Before that, the USA also took advantage of the independence movements in Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines to create de facto colonies. Been there before. Not unprecedented nor unexpected.

And now what?

• Who has confidence that a military led by a weekend TV host and a President who is a narcissist, convicted felon are going to establish an aspirational democracy in Venezuela?
• Who doubts that all of this is about the oil in Venezuela that Trump’s oligarch friends want? (And, oh yeah, remember how well that went in Iraq!)
• Who truly believes that the upcoming elections in the USA in 2026 and 2028 will not be pre-determined to keep them in power in the White House, the Senate, and the House of Representatives?

But most important: Who cares?

In the good old USofA there are football games to bet on, new movies to watch, entertainers to follow, social media postings to make, addictions to feed, amusement parks to visit, cars to buy, houses to furnish, yards to manicure, and so much more to do! Indeed, we are simply overwhelmed with our materialistic and consumer pursuits to care about most anything else. Just keep us delusional with the illusion of safety and economic prosperity – and we will be quiet about the dismantling of the social safety net, the widening wealth gap, and the silencing of the press, academia, the sciences, the arts, and other aspects of culture that matters most.

I hear you: You don’t want to hear about the suffering in Africa, or the plight of immigrants and the poor in our own USA . That is somebody else’s problem to fix, I hear you say; that is the job of philanthropy and churches – just like it was in the 1890s.  You are too busy to learn the details – other than what you see in your self-censored fountain of information. Trump just saved Venezuela, I hear you say. You have a celebration to celebrate, I know. The unintended consequences of the invasion can wait, you tell me. Plus, I see how you have now found a renewed sense of believing in your King. He can do no wrong, right? You will say your prayers of gratitude for how great America is, and maybe even send a check to the veterans fund. 

Well: I am praying for you too. But I am also taking action. See you at the other side of the protest and dissident line. 

 

THE SEVERITY OF THE SITUATION CAN NOT BE OVERSTATED: Shut it down?

Reemberto Rodriguez (September 20, 2025)

As Congress gets ready to debate the Federal Budget, we have the opportunity to stand strong and make more than a statement. The severity of the situation today – what is going on in the United States of America – can not be overstated. It may very well be that closing this government – not funding this government – is a legitimate tactic to stop this madness, this undeniable trajectory to an ever more dangerous autocracy intending on centralizing power in the hands of MAGA friendly oligarchs, creating an economy that serves only them, and perpetuating that power through the militarization of the homeland, controlling the press and academia, minimizing science, mass-deporting immigrants and manipulating elections to ensure power remains in the hands of heterosexual white (self-identified) Christian men.

• By the numbers: It requires 60 Senators to adopt the Federal budget. There are 53 Republican Senators, which means seven Democrats must vote yes to adopt the MAGA budget if all Republicans vote yes. If all Democrats vote no, the government shuts down even if all Republicans vote yes.

We have to fight back – without going back. We know we gotta go forward. We know we were a long way away from the aspirational democracy we sought before the Trump devolution started. We know we need fresh ideas to move us forward beyond this nightmare.

As a starting point, in the spirit of a new America counter-revolution affirming the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, we can move forward with new ideas that recapture the aspirational spirit of America. We need to counter the mess they have created with positive policies to:

1. Lower the cost of living – housing, food, transportation and health care;
2. Create good paying jobs by increasing wages and salaries while keeping inflation in check;
3. Tax wealth and the uber rich;
4. Incentivize innovation and local economies; and,
5. Enter into diplomatically achieved trade agreements that support US companies, big and small.

At the same time, we need to counter the MAGA/Trump edicts which tell us:

• Bombs bring peace
• The Department of War will make us safe
• Empathy is lame and woke
• Less federal workers can do more
• Data is for dummies
• Facts is what they say, even if fabricated
• The hungry can feed themselves
• The homeless belong in prison
• The ICE raids are to arrest criminals
• The press exists to serve those in power
• Comedy is not free speech
• Academia is the antithesis of knowledge
• Trickle down economics help the poor
• Science does not need research
• Due process is overrated – it is a thing of the past
• Tariffs are not taxes

In other words, they tell us: 2+2=5. What they say is what they want it to be. It matters not if it does not add up.

Well, they are wrong. They know it. We know. Everyone knows it. 

Time is running out. We have to act now. If we don’t do something now – if we are simply complicit with tweaks and band-aids and vote to keep this government going – it will serve only to consolidate power in MAGA and further the devolution of the American dream with further cuts, more gifts to the oligarchy, and meaner and more incompetent foreign affairs.

So what? What to do?

For starters, let’s reaffirm our values. Let’s remember our collective aspirations. 

Maybe we can adopt the 10 Bill of Wrongs.

Where as this Administration has forced the following 10 unacceptable wrongs that have caused this nation on the eve of our 250th anniversary to endanger our pursuit of happiness and create a more perfect union, we refuse to participate in funding this government until such a time as these ten wrongs are addressed for the goodwill of all persons living in these United States of America.

[1] Re-establish the co-equal branches of the Federal government to continue our path towards an aspirational democracy: An independent judiciary, a Congress that legislates through deliberation without a singular allegiance to any political party, and a President that respects not only laws but also the norms within prescribed limited powers.

[2] Stop the war on cities by removing the armed forces from cities and restricting enforcement agencies (i.e.: ICE) to their singular mandate of pursuing criminals, and do not fund any measures to increase these activities.

[3] Provide funding to provide due process to the persons apprehended without due process in the last 9 months.

[4] Repeal indiscriminate tariffs and restrict all future tariffs to be justifiable with hard data and approval of Congress.

[5] Reconstitute the Federal workforce in all agencies and departments that have been destroyed; reclaim the Federal grants processes that is not at the political whims of the President; and remove any requirement of civil service to declare allegiance to the President.

[6] Fund the Affordable Care Act to fulfill its intended purpose, and do not in any way limit funding for Medicaid.

[7] Establish integrity in data collection throughout the Federal government by respecting the independence of data collection and presentation; and fund academic and scientific research without consideration of unilateral Presidential edicts that are based exclusively on political bias or do not consider the validity of data.

[8] Respect the independence of the press and academia by defunding any program, project or initiative for the Federal government to sue the press or academia as a result of this Administration’s Executive Actions.

[9] Reestablish authentic diplomatic relationships with other nations in the Americas, Europe and the rest of the world to reaffirm basic and essential American values that will yield lasting coherent trade agreements and real peace rather than transactional quick fixes.

[10] Let the arts be the arts, returning the Kennedy Center to its previous Board;  reinstituting a National Endowment of the Arts without political interference; and stop selectively attacking entertainers that express negative opinions of the President and/or MAGA.

And while we are at it, let’s aggressively and conclusively address two items that predate this Administration:

[-] Repeal Citizens United to limit the impact of money on elections.

[-] Mandate the fresh redrawing of all Congressional Districts without gerrymandering. 

Maybe none of these items by themselves merits closing the government over it. However, when taken together these ten wrongs constitute a real and present danger to the very survival of the USA as an aspirational democracy. If we fund this government now, the devolution to an autocratic state will be much more challenging to reverse with each passing day. 

Let’s shut it down?

I get that many sensible folks will disagree with this approach. I get that it is a major risk. I get that killing the filibuster gets around this approach. I get that the ‘end game’ may not be clear and there will be unintended consequences. I get that some people will be hurt with a government shotdown. And, I get that I do not know enough about the inner workings of policy-making to assert that these are the top ten wrongs to be righted. I am sure there are others. I am sure that through the budget process only some can be realistically addressed. Yet, making a strong statement now is indispensable if we are going to have any chance of continuing the fight with any hope of succeeding. Don’t let it be said in the future that we did too little too late. 

Welcome to MASI – Making America Small & Irrelevant 

President Donald J. Trump is making America small and irrelevant – MASI. And he is making America small and irrelevant not again; but rather for the first time.

Since it became a nation state 250 years ago, the United States of America has been a major player in world affairs. During that time – with all its warts, dysfunctions, and setbacks – America has (mostly) been a shining light for good governance, an aspirational democracy. It has expanded its influence in all fields; militarily, economically and culturally. The extreme, self-serving, chest-pumping ‘legend in its own mind’ idea of American Exceptionalism and Manifest Destiny aside, this nationstate has a lot to be proud of, celebrate, and rejoice about. 

Even through its dark history of expanding its territory by displacing Indigenous People, growing its Southern cotton fields by enslaving Blacks, and to this day growing its economy by exploiting immigrants, America has accomplished a lot and become a bona-fide world leader which (until recently) spouse a values-driven world order based on principles, including the likes of mutual respect and the recognition of human dignity. Sure, there were a lot of missteps – atrocities even. Yet, the aspiration to do better – to be better – was always there.

No more. 

Adios diplomacy. Adios human rights. Adios alliance with like-minded nations. Adios coalitions of the willing. Adios academic excellence. Adios independent judiciary. Adios decision-making based on facts and science. Adios elections free of political manipulation. Adios independent public institutions like the Federal Reserve Bank or the Center for Disease Control. Adios a press without coercion. Adios art without government interference. Adios critical thinking in schools. Adios states rights. 

Everywhere you look America is becoming smaller.

• Welcome to an America of a small, ineffective bureaucracy that exists only to serve the whims of El Presidente and his oligarchy friends.
• Welcome to an America led by self-serving MAGAots that are willing to gift power to the El Presidente without a second thought.
• Welcome to an America that is increasingly becoming the butt of international jokes, with world leaders treating El Presidente like a bratty kid.

Everywhere you look America is becoming irrelevant.

• International travel has plummeted. People just do not want to come here.
• Global companies are increasingly doing business without counting on the US market, fed up with childish tariff threats.
• A recent gathering of nations representing 40% of the world’s population – led by China, India, and Russia – shunned America, literally laughing at the ineptitudes and increasing irrelevancy of this wacko of a President.
• At that meeting China displayed its military might, making a mockery of Trump’s wimpy and tiny attempt at a military parade.

And what is Trump’s response?

• Terrorize people that are powerless: round up the immigrants through ICE raids; victimize trans individuals with baseless allegations; run the homeless out of Washington, D.C.; and, defund Medicaid assistance for the elderly.
• Show military force by dropping one bomb on Iran’s nuclear facilities with questionable results, and destroy one alleged boat carrying drugs out of Venezuela. (Never mind that the drug problem is demand driven by Americans. Don’t want drugs coming into the US? Don’t create a demand for them!)
• Relentlessly gaslight messaging about how other world leaders love him – adulation at its worst; firing statisticians that dare demonstrate factually that the economy ain’t doing that well; and firing scientists that dare not follow the absurdities of a deranged Secretary of Health. (Oh yeah. Just in: Renaming the Department of Defense the Department of War. So so so Orwellian!)

In less than a year Trump has managed to make America small and irrelevant. God knows where he will lead us to over the next three years. But it ain’t looking good. It ain’t looking good at all. 

What Trump is clearly miscalculating is the tenacity and fortitude of a good chunk of America. You can fool some of the people some of the time. But you can’t fool all of the people all of the time. While there ain’t no doubt that 30%-40% of Americans are right there with him, agreeing with his draconian measures and applauding his every move, a majority of America has had enough. Some may be quietly taking it; others may be adjusting; and yet others may be simply going along to get along. But make no mistake about it: A good number of Americans are fed up. The day of reckoning is coming. Coming our way: larger protests, more wins in the courts, more international humiliation, and more ‘emperor-has-no-cloth’ moments.

America is bigger than Trump. America is infinitely more relevant than Trump.

Trump is nothing but a petty incompetent developer that has repeatedly failed at many of his warped ventures, is disliked by everyone he associates with, is vindictive, incapable of showing empathy, is a convicted felon, and is just an all around awful excuse for a human being. Yet, yes, I am praying for him and I have him and his family in my thoughts. But… But he is still making America small and irrelevant. 

Reemberto Rodriguez 

September 5, 2025

 

The Trump ghettos are on their way

We just got back from a wonderful vacation at Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park, a well deserved time off from the drudgery of work and the bad news cycles to spend time with family. It was quite a relief to be without television or internet. Yet it was impossible for my mind not to place the experience in the context of the current cultural realities that the Trump Administration is imposing on us all.

The geysers at Yellowstone are a perfect metaphor for today’s America. Some erupt only mildly; others are violent; and yet others are simply bubbling up as if in waiting. There is the story of one geyser in particular – let’s call it the MAGA geyser – that after many years of not erupting, it did so suddenly spewing out all sorts of trash, useless artifacts, and distractions. It was as if the penned up mess had been building up for decades and decided to violently erupt all at once.

Walking around Yellowstone and the Grand Teton it was clearly evident that at least 2/3 of all visitors to these national parks are from other countries; lots of Chinese but also folks from other parts of Asia and from throughout Europe. I could not help but hypothesize that these folks had made their plans before this Administration took hold. It doesn’t leave much to the imagination to think that the number of foreign tourists will plummet in the months and years to come leaving the mostly seasonal workers of the parks to have to find other jobs. Maybe it is these national parks seasonal workers that the current Administration is looking to do the farm work, house cleaning or taking care of the elderly done today by mostly immigrants; the immigrants they are either sending back to their countries or frightening into hiding wherever they live.

Upon our return to the occupied territory of Washington DC we did not see any observable changes neither on the way home from the airport nor on our way to or from church the next day. It all seemed pretty normal. I did catch myself being extra careful to fully stop at stop signs and not go above the speed limit.

And then. 

And then our son tells us that our grandkids – who go to school in DC – will be starting school under a totally new protocol whereas parents are having to set up instant responses to the possibility of ICE raids. So he is having to have “the talk” with his incoming 4th grader son, akin to ‘the talk’ African-American have to have with their kids.

Then early this morning while sitting on the porch doing my morning meditation an unmarked van rolls up and parks in front of my house. I live among Salvadoran families. My heart skips a beat; but I was relieved to see that it was only the delivery of our Hello Fresh meals.

But then my friend who takes care of our dog when we are away comes over. He is a naturalized citizen originally from El Salvador. Both of his children were born in the US. Yet he tells me the story of how he has cocooned himself and his family in their house, going out only when it is indispensable to do so. The psychological and real impact of governing by fright is clearly evident everywhere. My professional friends in the first occupied City (Los Angeles) and the next occupied City (Chicago) are sharing similar stories – and much worse.

People are simply retreating to their own enclaves. Families are sending their US born relatives to the grocery store as if they had less to be concerned about. Folks are simply not going to restaurants. Apartment dwellers are finding neighbors to do their car oil changes and minor repairs. Medical appointments are going unfulfilled. People are gathering at their homes and apartments to celebrate birthdays and watch movies, literally afraid of going to public spaces. And folks have even stopped going to church. All of this is the Trump ghettos in the making.

Add to this fright the increasing presence of militarized policing – including National Guards with weapons – and it all becomes a complete and total recipe for disaster. It does not take a genius to predict what will happen sooner rather than later.

There will be an incident where through no fault of no one – or through the fault of many – someone will be shot. It may be a police shooting to stop a fight, it may be a sniper shooting a National Guard or police. It may be both. Things will then spiral out of control.

And of course the administration will blame the immigrants and create a self-fulfilling prophecy. They will wrench up the military presence in certain neighborhoods, and vola! – we have us a police state. With that will come increased fear in certain neighborhoods and the increased hesitation to leave the neighborhood for anything but the most essential needs. A life spiraling downwards. Neighborhoods becoming less safe. Cities existing in terror.

These neighborhoods where people are frightened to leave and frightened to call the police will create the demand for alternative policing and will be the ideal places for the growth of new gangs and alternative economies. These alternative economies will be mostly safe ways of accessing products in the grey or black market to meet most any need. However, this will be a cash economy and will be fueled by rampant illegal activity, including increasing drug dealing and mafia-like coercion of innocent people for things as simple as keeping your car safe or not having your windows broken; i.e.: a ghetto-like environment.

For the last 250 years the USA has been on an aspirational path towards a more just, equitable, and welcoming society. However, all along the vile hate (and insecurity) of a few in power who want to control those unlike them has always been part of America. Many a dark moment in American history have suppressed and abused – enslavement and exploited – minorities, immigrants, and women. All those dark moments have been overcome by enlightened people and leaders that have demonstrated the capacity to rally the vast majority of folks in the US seeking to continue on (an albeit imperfect) path towards the aspirational democracy that found this nation.

And so here we are again under the rule of a power elite controlled by white nationalist men whose rallying cry is a perversion of Christianity. We’ve been here before – most visibly in the backlash to Reconstruction in the late 1800s and through the first half of the 1900s; i.e.: until the emergence of the Civil Rights movement.

In today’s America, the geyser of hate has erupted again, this time with a MAGA banner. But the geyser of people of good will is a stronger, ever more powerful geyser. Our geyser is like Old Faithful, erupting often, sometimes early, sometimes late – but always quietly without making much noise, systematically and gracefully peaceful. 

May our journey through these turbulent times lead us to a better place.

Reemberto Rodriguez

August 26, 2025

 

Pray, yes. And protest.

Feeling not defeated but certainly with a sense that they are meaner than we are nice. Their callousness seems to be winning the day. Our hopes, prayers and protests seem to be falling short. And so it seems. 

Still finding joy in the natural beauty of life. Yet, it is challenging to gather the strength to counter the prevailing evil storm we are living through.

• Gaza’s death count of children continues to rise.
• Food meant to feed Africa is incinerated.
• Foreign camps to hold migrants in far-away places are overflowing.
• Kiev continues to be bombarded by drones.

And in the US?

• The government is building detention centers – in the US – where  men are held in shackles, forced to eat like dogs with their hands tied behind their backs from plates placed on the ground. (One site being considered was last used to intern Japanese Americans during WWII).
• Due process is a thing of the past as men continue to be sent to foreign gulags.
• Citizens are being threatened to have their citizenship taken away if they complain too loudly. (And, if you are a naturalized citizen – like many of us: Beware. Be very aware).
• The uber rich are getting a tax break at the expense of social programs to feed the poor and fund Medicaid.
• Academia is being coerced into submission by lawsuits.
• The media is being silenced unless they join the propaganda machine.

And what dominates the headlines in the good ol’ USA?

• The President slow walking the release of files that may implicate him in his relationship with a pedophile gangster.
• The President deflecting news by resurfacing a debunked conspiracy theory – debunked by his own first Administration – that a past president tried to illegally keep him from winning.
• The President mandating Coca Cola to put real sugar in Coke.
• The President dictating that Washington DC and Cleveland change the name of their sports team.
• The President causing a nighttime comedian to be fired.

The President rules the airways, sets the news cycle, defines what we talk about. And he certainly does not want to talk about the atrocities (genocide?) in Gaza, Putin playing him, or the cuts to Medicaid he has conveniently delayed till 2028.

The President. The President. The President. It’s all about the President. It is all about him. Yet we know he is full of himself, commanding attention and directing the conversations like a mad orchestra director.

In the meantime friends, family, and conventional wisdom tell us “let it go; get a grip; stop following the news; live life; live the moment; amuse yourself; watch sports, tv, and movies; take care of the house, the garden, the car; plan a vacation; enjoy retirement; etc., etc., etc.” 

Maybe. All of that is good and necessary. And yes, I am doing it 🙂

But. No, not but. And.

And I could not live with myself if I withdrew into a self-absorbed existence that is focused exclusively on me. Me without caring for others is not me. Me without thinking of others is not me. Me without taking action with others is not me. Me without accompanying others is not me. 

For God is in others – not just me. Focusing only on me is shallow, insufficient – and convenient theology.

Indeed, focusing only on me – in theological terms, seeking only my salvation – is a selfish, self-centered way to live. (Oops. Is saying that heretical?) Doing everything with the ‘eyes on the prize of personal salvation in getting to heaven’ is not how I want to live my old age. 

I seek to be compassionate, empathetic, loving, and caring not because it will get me saved, but because it is what we are created to do – or better yet, what we are created to be. It is about doing my part to make happen ‘thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven’. 

Charity, rituals, prayers, meditation, and contemplation are indispensable practices to strengthen my true self, my inner self. But, if I stop there it remains short-sighted and incomplete. Lest I engage in relationships with those who are willing, accompany those in the margins, and collaborate to change systems of oppression and destruction – lest I grow in these actions – all the charity, rituals, prayers, meditation, and contemplation will be for naught. 

It is not either / or. It is both / and.

So I pray – and protest. 

Silly me. I thought we had separation of powers.

Silly me. I was taught in school that there is this thing called “separation of powers” among the three branches of the federal government: The Executive (President), the Legislative (Congress) and the Judiciary (Courts). Congress legislates (i.e.: creates departments and funds the government), the President executes the laws.

But geez, it seems we were wrong! Did you know that any President can rescind a program already funded as long as the majority of Congress says “never mind, we really didn’t mean it when we created that program or funded that initiative”? Think about that. Ultimately the President that has a near unanimous group of lackeys in Congress that agree with him on every whim can overturn any otherwise legally binding contractual appropriation of funds that were entered into before he came into office.

But hey, it’s been done before. Plenty of times. Clinton did it. So it must be okay, right? Well, no. This is just another incident – of many, many – of this President identifying weak spots and fault lines in the American democratic system and exploiting them all at the same time to exert a new-found Executive branch style, the new Imperial Presidency.

As long as this President has a complicit Congress and Supreme Court, the power of this Imperial President will only grow. And, it will culminate in him identifying weak spots and fault lines in the election process to ensure his party stays in power by winning elections in 2026 and 2028. Key examples of what’s to come:

[1] Erasing voters from voting rolls;

[2] Limiting voting locations and times of operation of polls;

[3] Extreme gerrymandering (drawing congressional districts to ensure perpetuity of his majority);

[4] Propaganda messaging with endless money; and,

[5] Instilling confusion, fear and hopelessness in communities that may vote against them.

Be on the lookout for these intentional dubious efforts. This is what we are up against. Of course we can (non-violently) fight these in the streets, the legal system, and the court of public opinion. And so we shall. 

Silence nor passivity – and much less complicity – are options. Onwards.