Author: Reemberto@gmail.com

Trump’s reactionary, bullying, simplistic, national narcissist approach to governing might have played well in the campaign trail but is proving to be right down dangerous – and possibly worse. Six examples:

[1] Emphasis on law and order policing rather than community policing will exasperate the built-up anti-police sentiments in disenfranchised black neighborhoods, leading to more crime.

[2] Insulting Latinos, yanking away undocumented parents of U.S. born children, and indiscriminate I.C.E. operations will convince many youth that the government is against them and they will begin to see gang membership as a real alternative.

[3] Branding a whole religion terrorist destroys decades of authentic efforts by American Muslims to become integral contributors to the American culture; and, will inevitably lead to increase in rare reactionary violence.

[4] Avoiding the plight of millions devastated by hunger and famine in Africa because it has to be ‘America First’ will only lead to more chaos and instability in that continent.

[5] Playing footsie in Syria and being cozy with Russia does nothing to alleviate the real human tragedy going on in that part of the world and instead de-stabilizes the region even more.

[6] Discarding diplomatic protocol and making willy-nilly comments/Tweets about the real dangerous nuclear North Korea does nothing to create peace through strength and rather may lead to the unthinkable.

Does he not get that governing is different from campaigning?

Does he not get that diplomacy is very different from real estate development?

Does he not get that reality is different from reality t.v.?

(Placating those that are with you no matter what may feel good. I guess he is counting on running the Country with 1/4 of the population fanatically with him and 1/4 tactically with him… I guess he is counting that the 1/2 against him will never tip the scale… After all, look at Maduro. He is still in power, is he not?)

This President’s decision making process seems to be the antithesis of what decades of common sense constructive governance has discovered. While far from perfect and very incomplete, we have seen over the last decades a movement towards sensible, inclusive, more democratic governance. We have seen that certain approaches to decision making leads to more sustainable, long term stability and security. Some key characteristics of these successful approaches include being:

• Deliberate
• Thoughtful
• Discerning
• Critical
• Consultative
• Scientific
• Data driven

We’ve seen these approaches leading to actions that are:

• Firm – and measured
• Decisive – and respectful
• Definitive – and explainable

And now we get Trump. An erratic, unstable, fanatical, ‘deal-maker’ that is putting us in a much more dangerous world internally – and internationally.

This is no longer political. It is increasingly becoming a matter of safety, security, and survival.

Not to be a doomsayer, but it is looking increasingly like by this hot summer we will be living in a much more dangerous world; a world in which we will see:

• crime in black communities increase;
• a resurgence of Latino gangs;
• terrorist attacks by misguided Muslims;
• more American troops in Syria;
• Africa in more disarray; and,
• a war in the Korean Peninsula.

(Oh, and did I mention a deteriorating environment?)

God, I hope and pray I am wrong.

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I had to go get a haircut.  So I did.  In the late afternoon.

I walked into Raphael’s, a barber shop owned by an Iranian women who runs the shop like clockwork. There were five folks cutting hair; and about 10 waiting. From the looks of it, the United Nations; people from everywhere.

My turn came up. Ah, it’s Jose! Good. He cut my hair last time so I don’t have to explain how I want it to look. Jose remembered me. We chatted. It did not take long to go to THE issue of the day, immigration. He shared with me that a cousin of his was stuck in Honduras, being extremely vetted. Never mind that his cousin is a native born USA citizen… He may have to miss their aunt’s birthday.

I shared with him that my nephew, a Cuban born immigration lawyer is visiting Mexico with his wife, whose family has deep roots in the American west. (Her family did not cross the border, the border crossed them.) They have old relatives across the Rio Grande. So they took their USA born son to visit relatives. They are sending pictures. From the looks of it, they are having a good time… Hope they have no issues coming back in. They shouldn’t, right? They are all USA citizens. We’ll see. (Why should we even be worried about such absurdity?!?)

Afterwards I went to our unique comic book store, Alliance comics. I wanted to show them the comic books I just found in my attic. These are Archie and Fantastic Four comic books from the late 60’s, mostly in Spanish. The clerk – an African American young man – was really engaging and helpful as we tried to determine whether I want to sell these or keep them for my new grandson. I decided to keep them. I asked if he had some comic books in German, since my grandson’s mother is of German heritage and we want to teach him German as well… He said he did not have any at the time, but would help me get them.

A short walk around the corner – down Bonifant Street – I stopped by to get some local wine from our local wine producer, the Urban Winery, owned by an amazing couple of Greek heritage. On the way there, I ran across the owner of Mandalay, our Burmese restaurant. He tells me he is open on
Sunday… I have to check it out for brunch…

Across the Urban Winery is Silver Spring Books, owned by Mrs. Cynthia, one of our African American matriarchs in the community. Mrs. Cynthia is up in age; she recently fell – but is ok, so tells me the old white guy taking care of the place as she recuperates… (The space is looking for a second tenant to help out with the rent.)

… had to take a walk through Mayor Lane to see how things are going for the Studio Plaza development, a major mix use development – one of five going up in downtown Silver Spring … Lots of commotion and disruption; working on trying to minimize the impacts…

On Silver Spring Avenue I stopped by Roadhouse Oldies, a vinyl record store – one of four in downtown Silver Spring!  They have what has to be the best collection of 70’s soul music LPs. I mentioned to Scooter, the owner/operator, that I may bring over some of my own collection, including one autographed by Gladys Knight. (Yes, THE Gladys Knight, before the Pips. She actually grew up in the same little hometown where I spent a few years of my childhood – Hampton, Georgia.)

Last stop for the late afternoon: Lesaac Restaurant, one of twenty one (yes, 21!) Ethiopian eateries/cafes in downtown Silver Spring, to meet a resident activist who relentlessly advocates for these independently locally owned businesses in the area known as Fenton Village. This white lady is a firestorm of an activist. As a white person living in a very mixed community, she has gained the trust of many – and fear of some – to make things happen in the community… We had a couple of drinks as we ‘talked community’… (Though I had to share with my good Ethiopian bartender that a Cuba Libre is more Coke than rum rather than the strong rum and (little bit) of Coke she brought me. We both laughed. By the way, the injera sushi was great!)

Finally got home. My wife called. She is in Kenya doing the good work of the National Institute of Health in the HIV/AIDs world… Of course she is doing a bit of shopping in a market before coming home.

And so it was. My bubble. Love it!

My hope remains that the rest of America – particularly White America – realizes that connecting with the world is a beautiful, wonderful, positive thing… This crazy ‘chest-pumping’, fear-filled, nativism of the “America First” cry is not only divisive, but also culturally and economically a bad idea.

We have so much to learn from these amazing cultures that come to America to – together – build on this imperfect and dysfunctional Union… Of course not everyone that comes over – or those from the African-American or American-Mexican heritages that have been around here for centuries – are model citizens. Some are right down bad criminals. (Not unlike the Whites, right?) Yes, bad hombres… AND – not but – casting all these folks as dangerous to America is simply a bad idea. And – ultimately – un-American.

As for me, I will continue enJoying my bubble… AND #RESIST this loud, boisterous, warped minority who insist on creating an America that is simply not my America.

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I will not make a habit of this. (That is, to post things found elsewhere… But this list was too good to pass up. It appeared on CNN’s web-site.)

Oh, how we wish we could ‘move on’… Yet, are YOU ok with the complete elimination [i.e.: “zero out”] of these federal programs? Trump’s budget is… This is no joke or exaggeration. He is proposing to ELIMINATE these programs COMPLETELY… (If you do not know what these programs do, we suggest you take the time to Google them. Just because they do not impact you directly – or you don’t think they do! – does not mean they are not worthwhile and worthy of your hard-earned tax dollars.)

• The 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, which supports before- and after-school programs and summer programs
• Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, which funds research including clean energy
• African Development Foundation
• Appalachian Regional Commission
• Chemical Safety Board
• Community Development Block Grant, which in part funds Meals on Wheels
• Community Development Financial Institutions Fund grants, under Treasury
• Community Services Block Grant, under HHS
• Corporation for National and Community Service
• Corporation for Public Broadcasting
• Delta Regional Authority
• Denali Commission
• Economic Development Administration
• Essential Air Service program
• Global Climate Change Initiative
• Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, Chesapeake Bay funding, and other regional programs under EPA.
• HOME Investment Partnerships Program, Choice Neighborhoods, and the Self-help Homeownership Opportunity Program, all under HUD
• Institute of Museum and Library Services
• Inter-American Foundation
• US Trade and Development Agency
• Legal Services Corporation
• Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
• McGovern-Dole International Food for Education program
• Minority Business Development Agency, under Commerce
• National Endowment for the Arts
• National Endowment for the Humanities
• NASA’s Office of Education
• Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation
• Northern Border Regional Commission
• Overseas Private Investment Corporation
• State Energy Program
• Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants program, the second-largest program feds have used to influence local education
• TIGER transportation grants
• United States Institute of Peace
• United States Interagency Council on Homelessness
• Weatherization Assistance Program
• Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

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Unemployment down. Number of people crossing the border down.

Stock market way up. Number of people entering the job market way up.

Woohoo for Trump, right?

He has scared us straight! His tough talk is evidently working. People are falling in line.

No time for questions. No need for the press. America is great again! Whoohoo!

Military might reaffirmed, check. Police power enforced, check. Communications controlled, check… Trump is trumping the world!

Increase the military budget. Embolden police to be more aggressive. Discredit the press.

Don’t you just feel it in the air? Can’t you just sense that we are back? We have the power again!

We knew it all along, right? All we needed was tough talk and scaring others with ‘in your face’ display of power.

Oh you wimpy liberals, progressives, and do-gooders! You thought you were in control. Ha!

We should have seen it coming. We never counted on the vile revenge of the combination of  uneducated whites and educated dogmatic evangelical believers. We never counted on the last hurrah of these two diminishing demographic groups that were not about to give up without one final fight… So they came together to form this toxic concoction that is the Trump administration.

Now, you’d better go back home you illegals. Behave boy! Hombre, pick those apples and shut up! Fix that tail light lest you be charged with driving while black or brown… The Jews? We’ll scare you too with a little fire here and there… Don’t you know your place? Ah, the sweet smell of making America great again!

… or is it the sickening stench?

Oh, how different would it be if we were talking about rebuilding schools at home and abroad; about staffing clinics with addiction counselors in America and building clinics in the third world; about cleaning up the water system in Flint and providing food for the famine in Africa; about celebrating the arts in local communities and throughout the world; and, encouraging neighborhood sports programs and engaging in sports diplomacy…

But no.

Those are frivolous, feel-good, non-essentials priorities of the Left that left and is no more.

We have to show strength. We have to let the world know America is for Americans first. We have to save our own…

“Our own”, that is, as in our own wealthy and wealth creators. Our own owners of the American pie; our own military complex… Never mind that they are the 1% who have been in power all along and our military continues inventing enemies to justify their ever increasing appetite for larger budgets…

Too bad.

For a short while there I truly thought we had turned the corner and America was on its way to shedding its egoist past as it became a member of the world family. For a moment there I thought we would respect other peoples, nations, and cultures and pursue diplomacy from the perspective of mutual support rather than from the zero-sum game of ‘I win you lose’. For a moment there I thought diversity was truly a national value. For a moment there I thought we cared.

Oh how foolish of me.

We are no different, no better, no more caring than anyone else in this dysfunctional crazy world… (At least for now. Under this Administration.)

Our time will come. We will do what it takes to make it be sooner rather than later…. (America is better than this.)

Onwards. Protest. Resist.

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We are told that Trump’s rise to power is all about him ‘telling it like it is’ in ‘everyday language’; in a way that ‘the common man can understand it’.

Hmmm… Same thing for Pope Francis. Populism itself is not bad. Indeed, it can be good. Very good!

He too ‘tells it like it is’ in ‘everyday language’ and in a way that the ‘common man – and women – can understand it.’

Their statements have a simplicity factor to them. You don’t need a college degree to understand them. You don’t need to be learned to relate. They convey the message without filters. They are to the point.

Oftentimes they are also broad ranging, sweeping statements that confront traditional, established norms. Their statement do not adhere to any given traditional style. There is a freshness to it.

And thus their appeal.

‘Tell it like it is!’, we like to acclaim. ‘You are saying what I am feeling’; ‘Yeah, that’s right.’

There’s an uncanny similarities to Trump and Francis approach to getting out their message…

 

EXCEPT.

Except one comes at it from a populism that pulls at our gut’s visceral instinct and the other pulls our heart strings.

Trump’s populism is divisive and void of empathy. Francis’ populism is first and foremost empathetic and forgiving.

 

When either misspeaks or exaggerates, or overly simplifies things we tend to look the other way, chalk it up to them being ‘everyday men’.

EXCEPT

Except that when Trump does it is hurtful, mean-spirited and seemingly intentionally malicious. When the Pope does it, it is humbly simplistic and idealistic.

 

Two very different approaches to populism. Trump’s populism appeals to our worst self. Pope Francis populism appeals our better self.

 

There are gazillion of examples of quotes from these two men out in the Internet… Just three to sum it all up:

Francis: A little bit of mercy makes the world less cold and more just.

Trump: Happy New Year to all, including to my many enemies and those who have fought me and lost so badly they just don’t know what to do. Love!

 

Francis: We must restore hope to young people, help the old, be open to the future, spread love. Be poor among the poor. We need to include the excluded and preach peace.

Trump: The point is, you can never be too greedy.

 

Francis: You can not insult the faith of others.

Trump: Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on. According to Pew Research, among others, there is great hatred towards Americans by large segments of the Muslim population.

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A Capitalist Oligarchy is where a few men, led by one charismatic leader, gain control of most of a country’s wealth, means of production, and communication channels and use them exclusively for their own personal and family enrichment. In a Capitalist Oligarchy at least 1/3 of the population remains enamored with this leadership, and – like useful idiots – are willing to cooperate blindly. This ‘base’ forms the core of the bureaucracy and thus facilitates the implementation of draconian and dogmatic laws and regulations… How do we get there? >

[1] Identify at least 1/3 of the population who will agree with you 90% of the time. Demographically, the largest group in the land: Whites with least education.

[2] Campaign appealing to people’s worst instincts. Fear. Envy. Hate.

[3] Demean most existing institutions. ‘I know more than the generals’. ‘The economy is a mess’. ‘What does the Pope know?’

[4] Lie your way to power, accepting propaganda help only from others like you. Putin.

[5] Once in power, make no attempt to unite people. Instead divide. Set one minority against another. Insult every conceivable group.

[6] Make the press ‘the enemy of the people’. And create your own news feed to feed your useful idiots.

[7] Discredit the independent judiciary. Insult judges. Imply you will not comply with court rulings.

[8] Empower ‘big money’ and Wall Street. Get them on your Cabinet. Promise them deregulation and tax breaks.

[9] Deconstruct government by dismantling departments. Education. Environmental Protection.

[10] Accept no internal dissent. Fire folks. Litmus test for mid-level bureaucratic positions.

[11] Politicize the armed forces. Have your campaign guy sit in on the Security Council.

[12] Create crisis where there is none. Ban Muslims. Build a wall. Deport illegals. Investigate voter fraud.

Most recent examples of these systems includes the longest running Capitalist Oligarchy in modern history, Cuba; the now nearly failed Venezuelan government; and of course, the mother of all Capitalist Oligarchy, Russia.

… and you thought it could never happen in the U.S.A.?!?

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I woke up this morning in the safety and warmth of my house.

I woke up this morning knowing that I am relatively secured in my neighborhood, community, city, country.

I woke up this morning with mundane worries about the weather, things to do at work, and what gifts I should buy for Valentine’s Day.

I also woke up this morning thinking about the millions – yes millions – of people in this country that woke up to a new America. To a new reality. To a new danger.

These are not some hypothetical people from the news. These are my neighbors. My friends.

And it hurts.

So many of them woke up with a level of anxiety unmatched in years. Even the documented folks… (Oh God, I never thought it’d come to this…)

In today’s America if you are black or brown or Spanish surnamed, you woke up to a new reality. A new America. Your federal government suspect you of being in this country illegally. They will come after you. They will deport you if you are here illegally. If you are here legally, they may detain you. For hours; maybe days.

This is NOT a ‘scare tactic’. The federal government’s Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) has clear directive from the President of the United States to vigorously enforce immigration laws. ICE is holding raids to round up suspects. And in these raids if you look the part, you are suspect. And in these raids – VERY different from raids under recent Administrations – they make NO distinction on the severity of your crime. If your crime is simply that you entered this country illegally, you will be detained as firmly as if you just raped someone.

A spokesperson for the President made it very clear that ICE enforces the law unilaterally and without distinction: If you are here illegally, you are a criminal and you will be detained for deportation.

Forget focusing on the rapist. Forget focusing on the gang member. Forget focusing on the serial criminal… “Round them all up! Deport them all!” is the new battle cry from the President to the ICE officials and personnel.

And THAT is what is different. Recent Administrations – particularly recent Presidents – had sent the clear signal to the undocumented community that the federal resources would focus on going after the criminal elements in the undocumented community… And, many – including many in the undocumented community – actually helped the federal government round up this criminal element. (Yes, mistakes were made and overzealous ICE agents disregarded this directive. But that was the exception, not the rule.)

What we have now is a ‘full court press’ – from the top down – to indiscriminately round up people first, ask questions later, and make no distinction of the severity of the ‘crime’. This approach creates a confusion and fear in the community that is unprecedented. And right down dangerous.

For decades local police departments worked hard at establishing trust in these communities. They solicited and gained the trust of folks in these communities so they’d call in when they saw crime happening. Folks knew that the police were there to keep the community safe from criminals, not to round up and deport people. While many local police departments will continue this ‘community policing’ approach, expecting community members to parse the nuance that your local police is with you, but the feds are coming to get you is just an unrealistic expectation.

And what happens when that trust is broken? What happens when the folks don’t feel comfortable calling the police because of a domestic violence case, a drug deal going on at the corner, or other criminal activity? Things get out of control. Folks take things into their own hands. Gangs flourish. Mafia-like and vigilante activities flourish. People lose hope.

And when people lose hope, people do stupid things.

And when people do stupid things all too often the government’s response is to hunker down, display more power.

And when more power is displayed, some people do even stupider things.

And thus the spiral of criminality spirals out of control.

All because.

All because the unfounded fear of some in America that undocumented folks are bad for America, bad for the economy, bad for our communities.

The fact (yes, fact!) is that the vast majority of these undocumented folks come to America to do work that no American is willing to do; they form families and friendships that strengthen communities; and they are value added to the local, national, and international economy. (It is only been days and we are already seen the devastating effect of workers not showing up in the fields of Alabama and the chicken coops of Georgia.) These are facts, not perceptions.

No matter.

The folks in power perceive different and they are hell bent on rounding up these undocumented and deporting them. “Damn the torpedoes!” If things get worst, they will just ‘hunker down’ and bring in bigger guns and more troops. “America First! America for Americans!”

Good freaking luck.

Things will get a lot worse before they begin getting better. AND – unfortunately – when they begin getting better (at most in 3 years and 9 month, November of 2020) – it will take decades again before the trust that had been established over the last decades is reestablished.

In the meantime, to all our black, brown, and Spanish surnamed amigos and familia > Don’t think for an iota of a second “it can’t happen to me”… Got ‘a foreign flag’ hanging on your rear view mirror (take it down)? Got that sticker of Our Lady of Guadalupe on your car (take it off)? Wearing that ‘Si se puede’ t-shirt (don’t wear it)? Got a broken headlight (fix it)? Walking while black/brown (beware)?  > It can happen to you.

Make sure you have the name of a good immigration lawyer on speed dial. And:

• If you were born in this country, have a copy of your passport with you.
• If you are a naturalized citizen, have a copy of your citizenship certificate with you.
• If all you have is a green card, have it with you.
• If you are undocumented, good luck friend.

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I challenge all my anti-T friends and family to spend time – not too much lest you get sick to your stomach – browsing the primary news source of the Trumpistas.

http://www.breitbart.com/

http://www.foxnews.com/

https://www.whitehouse.gov/

http://www.cnsnews.com/

It is relatively safe to say – though, no, I can’t prove it scientifically (as if that mattered anymore) – that most people get their news from a select, limited number of sources. When – and if – they ever venture beyond those sources, it is to ridicule or identify alarming – at least from their perspective – exaggerations.

Now, I know this works both ways – and I am guilty as anyone of it.

Yet:

Can you imagine someone going through their days – their whole life! – immersed on these sources for what forms their conscience?

Add to this, of course, the fact that most of us rather hang out with folks that think like us, and you get the picture: We live in a silo of influence that feeds on itself, reaffirms our ‘greatness’ and accentuates how ‘wrong’ everyone else is.

And, to top all, then we go church were unless the words from the pulpit acclaim our views, we rush to find another church where we can feel good after the sermon because it was all about how right we are in our preconceived notions of the world.

Sad. Sad. Sad.

In times of too much information we have chosen to censor ourselves into a handful of sources and disregard and discredit everything else.

Not just sad, but dangerous.

What happens when we can no longer even talk with each other because we simply do not have the capacity to understand, empathize, and agreeably disagree with those that have been formed differently?

What happens when words that we thought had definitive meaning (facts, lie, data) no longer matter?

What happens when I simply not only don’t trust you but no longer even like you, care for you, or feel for you?

What happens when we reach the point of no return and we lose our capacity to function together as a society?

What happens when we create these circles of acquaintances and friends that are all like us, put up our guards, circle our wagons, and begin talking about getting ready for battle?

It can get ugly. It can get ugly real fast.

So, to my pro-T friends – if any are still out there that would read this far – I say: Get out of your self-imposed censorship world and venture into the world of CNN (gasp!), America Magazine (even if you are not Catholic), and NPR (while it is still around.)

Do it with an open mind – if you have not yet closed yours and thrown away the key.

Believe you me. This is not an either/or zero sum game. Frankly, it is not a “game” at all.

Our future – as in yours and mine – depends on it.

… here’s hoping it is not too late …

p.s.: And, if you respond, I ask you do it in the spirit of charity and not simply ‘spit and fight back’ as if we were in a schoolyard.

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Señor Presidente:

Am I the only one beginning to get the sense that this train is about to derail? This speed is not sustainable. You are playing with fire. And we will get burnt.

You cannot piss off your diplomatic friends, enrage your enemies, and disorient the biggest corporations in the land and expect for there to be no consequences.

Words have consequences. Presidential Executive Actions even more so.

Bureaucrats matter. Bureaucrats care. You cannot expect your orders to be followed without enlisting your troops to believe and embrace them.

Other countries and governments are not your foot soldiers. They will fight back. Figuratively – and literally.

While your approach to ‘making the deal’ of starting with ballistic language and bullying your ‘opponent’ into submission might have worked wonders in the real-estate development world, the world of governance is vastly different.

While your insults may have gotten you elected, governing by insults and decrees is going to get you nowhere.

You have demonstrated zilch – as in zero – capacity to deescalate the volatile situations you have created. Instead you choose to hunker down, double down, and fight fight fight – even if it means perpetuating a lie or further demeaning others.

Well, Señor Presidente, as others have much eloquently than I have said: See you in court!

You may be conducting the train, but we – the people – are its fuel… And, we are not about to let you derail America.

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It is easy to vilify those who think different from us. It is easy to lump them all together as ‘they’ against ‘us’. It is easy to de-friend them on Facebook; stop crossing path with them; stay away from them.

But. But these are our family and friends! The fact that we do not understand, cannot fathom, will never agree with them should not – cannot – mean we disown them.

… and maybe – just maybe – as we engage them in dialogue (and listening) we will gain a sense of why they think like they do. Not that we’ll ‘agree’. (Not likely.) Rather, that we will hold our own pride in check and humbly – and genuinely – listen to their stories, frustrations, anxieties, angst, and aspirations.

(… and, yes: Do it without expecting they do the same.)

One step in that direction might be to stay away from charged language. Don’t use the words you know are laden with pre-conceived negativism. Rather, dialogue from the position of love, showing empathy, care, and authenticity.

(… and, yes: Do it without expecting they do the same. If they do, great! If they don’t that’s ok too.)

It occurs to me that I have always advocated dialogue and diplomacy with enemies and dictators – including the Castros. (And, I’ve always advocated the positive results of ‘people-to-people’ exchanges with those with who we disagree.) So, it would be rather hypocritical of me not to reach out and try to find where my agenda intersects with the Trump supporters.

I do find that humanizing your opposition does help in establishing this dialogue and diplomacy. We do not need to tear them down to make ourselves big. They do not need to be ‘wrong’ for us to be ‘right’. Acknowledging equality of humanity does not have to excuse bad behavior… But, ultimately, we are indeed all humans.

I have real life examples of family and friends with which I am trying – albeit probably unsuccessfully – taking this approach. These are real people with amazing capacity to love. Thus, I am hopeful and prayful they will do the right thing… I am NOT trying to ‘convert’ them. That would be disingenuous. I am trying to have them see the opposition – us dissidents – as real people too. As their family and friends.

[] One is a niece who is totally committed to the cause Trump spouses and clearly sees him as the champion of those causes – and capable of causing change. She is a wonderful mother and wife and seeks nothing more than what she believes is best for family and country.

[] A second is a couple that are God fearing, committed Catholics and see in a Republican Congress (with a marginal Republican President) their best hope to reverse certain social agenda initiatives – and Roe v. Wade. They are wonderful parents and a beautiful family.

[] A third is a local businessman who has strong conservative economic views and sees over-regulation and the like as hurting his bottom line. He sees Trump as a businessman who will understand his plight. He is a wonderful community activist and a great addition to our community.

My hope is that as they – being in ‘power’ – affirm their positions, contact their congressperson, and write letters to Mr. Trump, they will know more, they will have been exposed to other perspectives, they will approach their actions with a tad broader grasp – and a more expansive perspective of their action.

(… and, yes: That is my hope.)

p.s.: This approach in no way shape or form condones or normalizes the extremists (on either side) who insult and demean… (And that – of course – includes President Trump.)

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