An Unconventional Threat

By all historical and logical standards Donald Trump’s chances of reelection should be close to zero. Past presidents who enjoyed far more initial support were doomed for far less egregious sins. Yet that’s the thing about the Trump presidency; history and precedent do not apply. Time and again opponents and rivals of Trump have used traditional checks and balances and common sense to contain and mitigate an unconventional threat.

There’s a consistent misunderstanding of who Trump is, both as a leader and a person. An almost willful ignorance of what motivates him and sense of denial that convinces others that his agenda is consistent with past presidents. As a result the common analysis is that he’s a loose canon, crazy, illogical and just plain out of his mind. Critics marvel at his incompetence and use quotes such as the one above as proof he knows not what he is doing.

Here’s the truth of the situation. Donald Trump and his caravan of corrupt enablers know exactly what they are doing. They find security in the chaos and uncertainty they sow. They use it to their advantage to consolidate power. They are not blind or ignorant of the risks they create when they withdraw from alliances or dismantle safeguards. Trump himself is no religious zealot. Quite the contrary. He understands cause and effect in the real world; is not blind to science and statistics.

It’s what makes the responses to the risk of this pandemic and systemic racism both so bone chillingly scary and predictable. To Trump the inherent threat of an international conflict, environmental disaster, civil unrest or natural pandemic is not one he seeks to mitigate but to exploit for political and personal advantage. In action and word he actively courts disaster and endangers our nation’s citizenry. Views the ensuing discord as an opportunity to silence dissent and secure his grip on power.

A New Paradigm

This isn’t about politics, it’s about the sustainability of the human race. There are fanatics on all sides. No political party, religion, race, nationality or creed has a monopoly on crazy. To progress requires we push those voices to the perimeters for the time being. Ignore divisive rhetoric peddled by those who seek to advance personal agenda or religious prophecy.

The challenges of the future will not be solved with nationalism, faith and walls but will require coalitions, common sense & compromise. For humanity to survive the impacts of climate change, overpopulation, antibiotic resistant pandemic and drought will require we as a species to collaborate and cooperate.

To innovate for the future we need to look past our differences, cast aside tribal instinct and lean on compassion and empathy. Those who cling to the naive notion that it will never be your child; karma will take note of your hypocrisy. Your children will bear the scars. It may be unpleasant but Mother Nature does not discriminate.

To protect everything dear requires a paradigm change. To prepare for what is to come we must flip our perspective and begin to wonder “what if that was my child” as you take note of the fleeing refugees, cast judgment on the protestors, observe the destructive force of fire, flood, wind and ice, and the tangled bodies of those left in her wake.

To preserve the dream America needs to lead the world into an age of rationality. One where science, reason & logic triumphs over faith, bigotry & fear.

Black Lives Matter

Black Lives matter. If a simple statement of fact elicits negative reaction within you then it is time for some soul searching and self reflection.

Black lives matter. Such statement does not exist in a vacuum. It casts no judgment on other lives. Claims no superiority over other lives. It serves as a necessary reminder.

Black lives matter. It is literal and true. Black lives deserve empathy and respect. They have value and worth. They contribute to our daily existence and must not be dismissed or treated as expendable.

Black lives matter. That is not a threat to other races or colors. Their is no either/or choice here. If it raises your dander then you are the problem. If you are compelled to respond with “all lives matter” or some similar response then you are the insecure and little one. You are the whiny snowflake.

Black lives matter. Shout it from the rooftops. Chalk it on your driveways. Scream it from the streets.

Black lives matter. Black lives are flesh and blood. Black lives are courageous and brave. Black lives are patriots. Black lives are progress. Black lives are compassion. Black loves irreplaceable. Black lives are humanity.

The American Puzzle

Tune out the flash bangs and peer through the fog of tear gas and you’ll see a new America on the horizon. Change will not occur overnight. Systemic transformation takes time and patience. Progress is incremental and requires commitment and resolve. It requires proactive risk mitigation, resiliency and experimentation. The more care and meticulous planning you put into it, the quicker it occurs.

It’s like the world’s largest puzzle. The picture of a more perfect union painted on the box for all to see. The end state a foregone conclusion so long as we extend the effort. The first step is to build a framework that supports the larger picture. To align the like pieces in a shape and order that will govern and guide the upcoming transformation. A border of individual pieces comprised of all shapes, colors and sizes. In spite of the other differences each of these pieces also has one smooth side that marks its importance. That allows it too stand out from the thousand of other pieces in its midst. Enables the builders to quickly identify and link these pieces with its like neighbors.

The border now complete. Now comes the hard part. Like pieces assembled in support of the whole but the picture on that box still far from complete. Thousands of remaining pieces remain in the box. Most of which remain buried or are turned upside with no visible way to identify where they may fit in.

To make order from this chaos requires a detailed examination of each individual piece. A systematic methodology of review and assortment and a clean work space to ensure no pieces are lost along the way. A means to sort through and group like colors and shapes until the pattern of progress reveals itself. Slowly the pieces come together to reveal the future picture. As you move along frustration sets in. You feel like quitting but pull the box cover back out to remind yourself that the end result is worth it.

You get back to work. Mistakes are discovered, pieces are rearranged and even the strangest, most out of place shapes begin to fit in place. Eventually your sorted piles dwindle. The red, white and blue pieces are all that remain. They may all look the same but day after day through trial and error you plug away. As each section fills in your determination to see it through to the end grows. A beautiful picture begins to emerge before your eyes. A perfect union of shapes and colors, interconnected and dependent on each other to form the greater whole. It’s only a matter of time.

Cult of Facism

A cult of fascism now controls our Executive. One that takes no chances and scoffs at traditions and checks and balances. A President’s role is to represent all Americans, his constituency comprised of all citizens. To do otherwise is an abdication of his constitutional responsibilities.

When Trump boasts of record approval ratings within the Republican party people must peel back the curtain to dissect what that means. Charles Manson, Jim Jones, David Koresh and many others enjoyed near universal approval among their followers too. Such does not make them mainstream leaders or representative of a majority. In fact it’s easy to have a high approval rating when your denominator keeps shrinking. When only likeminded members are permitted membership.

Today’s Republican Party no longer consists of patriotic or principled Americans. They abandoned that sinking ship along with the dismissals of Boehner, Kelly, Tillerson, Mattis and Will. Those that remain have no central ideology such as fiscal conservatism. No foreign policy doctrine exists that guides their acts abroad.

On the other hand we have Democratic leaders that continue to point to traditional means as the path to victory. They refuse to act with the proactive urgency necessary to afford transparency but instead point is to the ballot box. They stare blindly ahead and refuse to sacrifice or “go low” even as their opposition chops off their legs.

Tradition and precedent have no place in our current environment. A bloodless coup has occurred in which the enemy has taken control of our most sacred institutions. This is not about political ideology or race. This caravan of corruption does not represent a political methodology or follow a philosophical party platform. They are a cult who advocate for nothing more than God, guns, and money. Anything that stands in the way of those goals is fair game in the “art of the deal.”

Cult of Facism

Two Americas

The time for cognitive dissonance, for denial, is past. It turns out Barack Obama was wrong. We are two Americas. It is true we are not separated by red and blue states. The contrast is far greater than that. Less superficial, more divisive and permanent. We are two hands. Two ambidextrous fists that keep slamming into each other unable to recognize that we are attached to the same body. One tattooed with the word “hate” across its knuckles and the other “love.”

We have denied the obvious for far too long. Handicapped ourselves by alternating which hand was tied behind our back for long stretches of our history. It is time to make a choice. To amputate an appendage and choose our country’s identity once and for all. To advance the dreams of our fathers requires we now pick a dominant side.

This is not a choice that can be prayed away. There are no alternative facts. One hand reflects the audacity of hope and dreams of our ancestors. It appends to those outraged by the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Trayvon Martin, Freddie Gray, Tamir Rice, Eric Garner and the countless other lives lost. Clenches in silent protest of those who kneel in defiance of the institutionalized racism that caused them. Points in condemnation of the prejudice rendered by Lady Justice that renders their deaths hollow.

It is the fist we used to smash through the bonds of slavery and defeat the grasp of Nazi facism. The hand extended by FDR, Susan B, MLK, Margaret, JFK, Ruth Bader and Barack as they took on world leaders and espoused the virtues of American exceptionalism. The fist we raise in pride for our immigrant heritage and in our standing as the beacon for hope and liberty to the world’s oppressed.

The other hand is no less powerful or prevalent in our nation’s history. It is the hand that draws false equivalents between those who protest for equality and freedom with those who represent hatred and ignorance. The one we use to point at and dehumanize people. The hand extended by those who kneel at the heels of Confederate statues and on the necks of our most vulnerable minorities. The one that cracks the whip and pulls refugees from our borders. That locks the cages on immigrant children as if they are less than human. As if they are “animals,” unworthy of the basic inalienable rights bestowed upon all men.

It is the fist that holds the tiki torches, burns crosses, and straps nooses and assault rifles to their bodies to intimidate. The one that targets our sons and daughters in their crosshairs and pulls the trigger as if they are of no more value than an avatar. The hand extended by Jackson, Lee, Cheney, McCarthy, Anton and Trump as they alienated world leaders and espoused the virtues of “America first.” The fist we raise in acknowledgement of white power and to build the walls that defend our borders.

It is time our citizenry choose a hand. The choice appears obvious to me. Love will always trump hate in the end.

Perception and Reality

I once had a boss who was very fond of the phrase “perception is reality.” Used it as an excuse to justify his inaction for almost any employee related conflict. No point in meeting to explain whatever employee issue was being raised that day “perception is reality” he’d say. It drove me crazy each and every time. While it’s true that perception is an individual’s sense of reality. Let’s also be clear, reality is reality. I may perceive the Earth to be flat, but science tells us otherwise.

A transcendent leader, one interested in building consensus and committed to the common good, understands the dangers of false perception. They work tirelessly, oftentimes over communicating with their “constituents” to shape perception to match reality.

Unfortunately, perception is no less important to a leader of ill intent. One who seeks to act only in his own self interest but is nonetheless dependent on the support of the masses to advance his/her agenda. They too work tirelessly to shape perception, only in their case success depends on perception matching a false reality. One that will justify their action and prevent ultimate accountability. One that manipulates others to act against their own self interests.

Our Comrade in Chief and his merry bannon of deplorables have made a career shaping perception to match a false reality. Led by the talentless tycoon turned “reality” show President who bankrupted both real estate conglomerates and casinos at the height of the economy and whose greatest accomplishment is being born into privilege this White House continuously tries to undermine transparency and prevent informed consent. They know the only way to mask incompetence and to hide ill intent, is to mask it. To use misdirection, doublespeak, sleight of hand, technology and sound bites to distract and manipulate the way the brain processes information. Their very hold on power dependent on this perception.

Informed consent is the constitutional responsibility of the American citizenry. Whether dealing with issues of sensible gun control, impacts of climate change, or treason it is our job to push past the sound bites, propaganda and words of those entrusted to represent our interests and find out the truth of the situation. To expose the illusionist and ruin the trick.

Though he didn’t really make the Statute of Liberty disappear David Copperfield once captured the country’s attention when he made the world perceive that he had. Millions clambered for answers wanting to know the truth. Donald Trump on the other hand has in reality rendered Lady Liberty’s words “moot” yet the country continues to chase kneeling squirrels. To quote Twitler, “Sad.”

A Confederacy Of Hate

A confederacy of hate and white supremacy exists in America and within our most sacred institutions. They hide behind the cloak of religion or patriotism to prey on minorities, the underprivileged and those who dare challenge their superiority. They rely on conspiracy theory, fear and alternative facts to connect with constituents who previously sat on the fringe of society and lacked a mainstream voice.

This caravan of deplorables use tried and true methods of organized dogma, scape goating, propaganda and slogan to radicalize new members. They encourage recruits to arm themselves with military grade arsenals and practically dare them to try out their new toys on the deep state, disenfranchised minorities and radical liberals who seek to prevent their ascension.

The time has come for all Americans to protect their standing in the world. To make clear that this group of radical domestic terrorists do not define this great nation or her people. We are the land of the free and home of the brave. Let’s act it.

We cannot wait for a far off Election Day. The constitutional cris is here. The time has come to reconcile America’s identity crisis. To call out and differentiate the majority of us from those who now seek to define our values. Who wish to hit a pause on the progress button and redefine a once great nation’s dreams and ideals.

Empathy Lost

My heart aches for George Floyd and the minority community in this country. Empathy is not supposed to a political trait, but a human one. Yet here we stand in the year 2020 and it is clear that the greatest difference between progressives and conservative lay not in policy but in the ability to empathize with all humanity.

In brief progressives lead and respond to crisis and events with a “what if that was my child” approach while our conservative minded brethren respond to each crisis with a “that would never be my child” mindset. It has evolved to the point where such philosophy extends beyond the individual and is now institutionalized. Our police, judicial system, military, education and economic institutions have all been hardwired to discriminate first. They withhold trust from those most in need of a helping hand. They require the victims of society prove their worthiness first before they extend the compassion and freedoms that all members of humanity are inherently entitled to enjoy.

This is not the America our founders envisioned. The prejudices of their day were real and borne of ignorance and hate. It also fueled the experiment in self governance and social justice they set in motion 250 years ago. By now it was meant to evolve to erase the sins of our ancestors and create a land where all men and women were afforded equal opportunity regardless of skin color, gender or national origin.

Of course some progress has been made in this area but that one national party still exists that fans the fuel of hate is inexcusable. That they fan the flames of hate with false equivalents, stereotypes and outright lies a stain on our Republic. How can our Black men and women trust a society that so clearly does not trust them? That turns a blind eye to the institutionalized ignorance and prejudice that they are forced to endure? How do we move forward when our leaders refuse to face reality? As they knowingly fail to confront and drain the swamp of these small minded men and women who seek nothing more than an extension of the status quo in which the white Christian male reigns supreme?

As a nation we are only as strong as our weakest link. It is shameful but we truly have become a country of deplorables.