I was born and raised a proud American by proud Americans. When I was young I knew this country was great and was on the road to be truly greater.
I had a dream that America would continue to lead the world with the American values of truth, justice, and freedom. I dreamed that America would lead the world forward into space and into the far reaches of science and technology.
I dreamed that America would be a shining beacon on a hill, an example of how democracy can work in the world where it often could not. I dreamed of America as holding a moral high ground, an example of how a country should treat its citizens and all people around the world.
The America I dreamed of was a country that I was proud to be a citizen of, a country that did not exploit, harm, or abuse the trust of its people. I dreamed of an America that was safe, and was a decent place to raise children, a place where people of goodwill could hold differing opinions and still live and work together side-by-side. I dreamed of an America striving for equality of all people. I dreamed of a place where the will of a few would not be imposed upon many, nor the will of many imposed on a few.
I dreamed of an America where personal freedoms of religion and speech were cherished and where diversity was our strength. A country where we did not disrespect nor belittle people who were not like us.
I dreamed of an America I could boast about, and pledge allegiance to, with my whole heart.
Recently I watched a news report where congressional legislators huddled in the nation’s capitol building to sing Happy Birthday. Many of those same people huddled in fear in the same building on January 6, 2021 when ex-president Donald Trump called on his minions to commit political violence. He encouraged them to attack, invade, and destroy the operations of the capitol, and for the first time in our history try to stop the peaceful transfer of power from one administration to another through violence. He had even said his own vice president may deserve hanging. I saw those same legislators who had huddled in fear three years ago now sing Happy Birthday to their tormentor, the would-be dictator who instigated the invasion of the capital that endangered each of them and caused the death and injury of capitol police officers trying to hold back the horde.
The Capitol invasion was a chilling thing to see. So was the birthday serenade.
After the capitol building was invaded and people died in the process, some legislators from both major political parties gave speeches calling for punishment for the lawless capitol invaders and for Donald Trump. But now under the watchful eye of their desired leader, some legislators call the capital rioters political prisoners, patriots, or victims. The hypocrisy and gall of these legislators sickens me. It is their supplication to an evil man, in order to maintain their own political power, that is poisoning and killing my dreams of a great America.
Those legislators, with these actions, betray themselves, betray Congress, and betray the American people they represent. Shame, shame, shame on them and shame on the ogre that they created and now follow. They are not fit for office.
Officials who support a man who tried to forcefully retain power, a man who punished peaceful protesters, alienated our global partners, flirts with the world’s dictators, and would overthrow our government now expose their own unethical, power-blinded nature for all to see.
For the sake of the nation, to avoid authoritarianism, we must not elect Donald Trump back into the White House. And the legislators that support him need to be replaced with strong, ethical people with integrity and backbone.
I thought a very long time before publishing this post. I wondered what people would think. I have family and friends that support Donald Trump and his MAGA movement. Some of them will not like what I’m saying. But this issue may be one of the defining issues in this country’s history.
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Traveling with Friends 