One more time...

I was prepared to get this posted a week ago, but unfortunately took a wrong turn right into DCH where I was kept until this past Friday. Was released earlier for displaying good behavior. Here is the latest.

Well, we all have lived through the first few weeks of Trump’s chaos, confusion, brutality, indifference, insensitivity, and just plain ignorance. None of the actions that he has taken come as a surprise, but, I guess, the flurry of his creation of one Executive Order after another as if they were not going to be enacted fast enough. Obviously, what we have experienced is just the beginning of his assault on democracy and the republic’s revered principle of checks and balances which is embedded in the constitution. There was a reason that the Founding Fathers included a mechanism embodied in the constitution that provided for maintaining a government that prevented one person from gaining unabashed control. We’re getting close to that with Trump and all freedom loving Americans need to be aware that the person in the White House is hell bent on being that one person. His authoritarian approach these past weeks is evidence of his inclinations.

The Republicans had a resounding set of outcomes from the recent election. In addition to putting Trump back in the Presidency, they also have a majority in the senate and a slim majority in the House. This has been referred to as a successful trifecta. Indeed, the slim majority of those who voted were significantly dissatisfied with where the country was and where it seemed to be headed. What these individuals may not fully realize is that they have put into motion a dramatic set of changes in how the federal government operates. America, as we have come to know it, will undoubtably no longer exist. With Trump in control there are no parameters or guardrails. He will do whatever he damn well wants to do. Additionally, he will have the support of every component of the federal government. Not just the presidency and legislature, but also the Supreme Court. We have seen how this court has been inclined to be supportive of Trump. This was particularly the case in their decision dealing with presidential immunity. The rationale and line of thinking in this decision was absurd, but it is now the law of the land. The only way there could be changes to rein him in would be through the legislative process and that is not going to happen in the current climate. One glimmer of sanity was evident in the senate’s choice of majority leader. John Thune of North Dakota was chosen over Rick Scott of Florida who was Trump’s choice. Perhaps this provides some modest degree of sanity.

Where the country is headed can be seen in Trump’s early cabinet selections. Selecting Gaetz as Attorney General was the most egregious of those decisions thus far. Here is a person who was under scrutiny by the House Ethics Committee on drug and sex trafficking charges. Who better to be the chief law enforcement officer of the country? What a travesty this would have been, but fortunately Gaetz withdraw his nomination. Another questionable nomination is for the Secretary of the Department of Defense, Pete Hegseth. No one has any idea where this guy came from. He has no background that prepares him to take on this massive job. Appropriate and defensible qualifications are not a factor in Trump’s selection decisions. I can assure you that the craziness is not over and there will be others plucked from obscurity to be included in Trump’s inner circle. Nominating Robert Kennedy, Jr, for Secretary of Health and Human Services is equally indefensible. He has no background in either health or human services. He has been a purveyor of conspiratory theories about vaccines, autism, and fluoride, but has no basis for his positions. He is a recovering addict who has difficulty speaking and explaining his positions. His cousin, Caroling Kennedy, has come out, publicly, sharing her concerns and encouraging senators to turn down his nomination. She referred to him as a predator who has led others into drugs and abusive behavior and provided incorrect information to parents of sick children. There are others, including Tulsi Gabbard, who has been nominated for the intelligence agency and Kash Patel to head the FBI. Each of these individuals have questionable backgrounds that should raise some degree of concern amongst the senators. It was encouraging that Kash Patel parted with Trump on the pardons for those who assaulted police officers during the January 6th insurrection on the capital. Patel did not support this decision. Although Patel parted with Trump on this questionable decision, that does not make him a friend to democracy and individual freedoms. He is a devotee of Steve Bannon’s and that raises its own set of questions and concerns.

As we consider the next four years, there must be concern about what this country will look like. The results of Trump’s brazen, faulty, conspiratorial, indifferent, insensitive, and mean approach to governing and decision making will be fraught with erroneous, misguided, and just plain stupid outcomes. The authoritarian, dictatorial mentality that characterizes Trump will lead to changes that alienate our allies and embrace our enemies. I feel certain that China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran are just sitting back waiting for the craziness in this country to unfold.

Trump has been able to get his way and not be held accountable for his illegal and errant behavior. Even though he was found guilty by a jury on 34 felonies, he received virtually no punishment. I realize that he has a criminal record, but that seems of minimal consequence to him as he continues to flaunt the rule of law. The case dealing with how he handled classified documents as he left the office was dismissed by a judge that he had appointed. In addition, the case that involved his role in the January 6th insurrection was also dismissed. Of all the legal issues that confronted him, he has been able to skirt the law without being held accountable. The supreme court rests solely in his grasp and will continue to do his bidding. Their decision dealing with presidential immunity gives the occupant of that office a carte blanch to do whatever they choose to do. The confusion surrounding the court’s decision on immunity, deals with when specific actions deemed illegal occurred, For example, many of Trump’s actions among the 34 acts, did not occur while he was president so how does immunity come into play?

Trump’s influence with his billionaire buddies was evident at his inauguration where they were given front-row seats leaving his cabinet nominations sitting behind them. How these men of immense wealth can be so controlled by Trump will remain a bit of a mystery. Why are they so beholden to him? Indeed, he is intimidating and blustery in his interactions with others. But he lies, cheats, and has no qualms about what he says or does. What do these men find in him? What can he do to them? A senator or representative has to be concerned about constituents and Trump’s influence on them, but that is not an issue with these individuals. He has virtually no opposition in the republican party. Those in the senate and the house are nothing more than “yes men and women”. The alleged leadership in the two houses seems nonexistent. Will there be any challenges to his flawed leadership. He continues to lie and misrepresent the truth. He loathes those who support him and has referred to them as “basement dwellers”. He has a tendency and is quite adept at taking current events and wrapping them around his pet issues, whether it be immigration, DEI, or something else. An example of this was earlier today at a press conference, he blamed DEI and the Democrats for the tragic plane crash in Washing last night. How perverse can one be? As grieving families gather, he turns the situation into a political statement. Additionally, how can the pardons for those who engaged in illegal, destructive, and lethal behavior on January 6th at his direction be absolved of all that they did? How can those who assaulted law enforcement officers that fateful day be cleared of any wrongdoing, regardless of the 5 deaths among these officers? It is shameful and wrong, but he did it and nothing can be done about it. Trump has the sensitivity of a rock and people will come to realize this more and more as the years come and go.

If there is going to be any challenges to all of this, the Democrats must get their act together. As many stated after the recent election. They need to listen rather than lecture. They need to back away from constantly preaching about various societal ills and listen to what people are saying are their concerns. They need to be looking for those areas where they can come together and join forces to act as a unified party that can effectively and proficiently point to what is wrong with the direction that the country is going. It is my belief that Trump will take some of his actions too far and this will alienate a significant group in the country. If this occurs the Democrats need to be there to take advantage and bring those who are disillusioned into the democratic fold. We’ll see where it goes.

A threat to our societal fabric>>>

White nationalism and white supremacy are terms that have reached into the lives of us all, regardless of our propensity to endorse or not to become involved.  Although these terms are often used interchangeability, they are not one in the same, albeit they are in the same family of words and phrases.  Let me put the difference between the two terms into perspective.  In the August 14, 2017, edition of the Columbia Journalism Review, it is noted that a “supremacist” believes a particular race (or sex, or other genetic or cultural characteristic) is superior to others.”  The article goes on to state that “you must know what the characteristic that is believed to be “supreme”, and an adjective must be attached…” which leads into the addition of “white supremacists”, or Muslim supremacists, or male supremist, etc.

The article states that a “Nationalist is at heart merely someone who strongly believes in the interest of one’s own nation…”   It is noted that adding an adjective to specify what their nation is can then become politically polarizing.  For example, a “white nationalist” generally wants a nation of white people only and like “white supremacists” the “white nationalist” believes that white people are inherently superior.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary explains that “white nationalist is defined as ‘one of a group of militant whites who espouse white supremacy and advocate enforced racial segregation,’ while white supremacist is ‘a person who believes that the white race is inherently superior to other races and that white people should have control over people of other races.’’’

A glaring example of white nationalism was the insurrection that occurred on January 6. There is very little question about the orientation of the majority of those who participated in this egregious act against our government.  The overwhelming number of participants were white. Racial segregation is a hallmark of the white nationalist. Further. it should be recalled that the men who  plotted to kidnap the Governor of Michigan were all white. Within the tenants of white nationalism, there is not a place for an integrated nation and all races must be segregated.  In reflecting on the rise of Nazi Germany, such segregation was ever so apparent.  Although the racial composition was different, Jews as opposed to Blacks, Asians or Muslims, the intent and outcome was consistent with a nationalist mentality

Returning to the historical context of white nationalism it becomes obvious that two men were instrumental in propagating this orientation.  William Shockley and Arthur Jensen are the primary proponents of a white nationalist orientation.  It is interesting that Shockley was a physicist and had won the Nobel Prize in 1956 for the invention of the transistor and was viewed as the single most influencer for ushering in the computer age.  Although a renowned physicist, Shockley was also a eugenicist and argued blacks were inferior.  As a professor of Physics at Standford he had a measure of respectability, but that eroded as he became more and more involved with his views on white nationalism.

The other member of this nationalist duo, Arthur Jessen, is a member of the faculty of another prestigious university.  He is an educational psychologist at The University of California- Berkley.  In this role he provided some measure of academic respectability to theories of black inferiority and public policy that was segregationist by definition.  According to the Southern Poverty Law Center,  “Jensen promoted eugenics as the only practical solution to the problems facing the black community.”  He had the ability “to repackage fringe racial theories in the dry, dispassionate rhetoric of science which made Jensen an instant celebrity in white nationalist circles where he is still revered.”

As white nationalists are viewed more closely, it appears as if they are a fanatical fringe of the larger society.  While this may be true, it should not provide any measure of comfort or lack of concern.  If there is any merit in them being fanatics, these individuals can be the most troublesome.  They are convinced of the “rightness” of their beliefs and are impervious to any attempts to rationale reviews of their position.

Those who are the adherents to white nationalism tend to be easily led to follow others, regardless of the outcome of their involvement.  There is evident an Orwellian Group Think phenomenon that characterizes the white nationalist and those that are involved tend to let others do their thinking for them.  Included in the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights are five freedoms that the government cannot undermine.  These five freedoms include the Freedom of Religion, Freedom of Speech, Freedom of the Press, Freedom of Assembly, and the Freedom to Petition the government to right a grievous wrong.  White nationalists challenge the protections embodied in the First Amendment on a regular basis.  Most often this involves some type of rally, riot or assembly.  In these events the freedom of speech is ever so evident, and a great deal of attention is directed toward the inferiority of the non-white population.  Historically, the courts have protected the rights included in the First Amendment and have provided minimal control over the hate that emanates from white nationalist groups.

A sub-set of white nationalists are those individuals and groups that claim to be Christians.  It is these groups that want to create a Christian nation. Their influence and power in the Republican Party is evident in the role they played in the drafting of the GOP platform.  The 16-page draft shows the influence that Christian nationalism would have if Trump were elected. As stated in a recent  HuffPost article, signs of the ideological influence of Christian nationalism are apparent in the draft platform.  Included in the draft is a plank that addresses immigration and states that immigration laws would be used to keep foreign Christian-hating Communists, Marxists, and Socialism out of America.  Another plank embraces the support for homeschooling, including protecting the infusion of the Bible in the coursework. “The Christian nationalists’ movement has deep roots in anti-communism, antisemitism, white supremacy and isolationism” (HuffPost) During the time Trump was president, the religious right advocated for ending same sex marriage, banning abortion, and denying the existence of trans people.  These ideological beliefs are imbedded in the draft platform of the GOP.  The HuffPost article goes on to state that “The most radical adherents of the movement, which has gained influence on the right, see pluralistic democracy as a roadblock to be dismantled and consider their political standard bearers, such as Trump, to be divinely inspired.” (HuffPost) The draft promises to promote a culture that values the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman.  Also included is the creation of a federal task force, “Anti-Christian Bias” that will be charged to investigate all forms of illegal discrimination, harassment, and persecution against Christians in America.” (HuffPost}

The primary member of the committee that drafted the platform has close ties with Trump.  He has become director of the Center for Renewing America which is a right wing think tank and has an identifiable Christian nationalism focus.  He has also been involved with the creation of Project 2025.  This is a 1000-page agenda that would remake the federal government and remake the country.  Examples of some of the language in this document include abolishing the Departments of Education and Homeland Security.  Further, the Department of Justice would be used to prosecute any individuals who oppose Trump, should he be reelected.  These examples should cause all freedom loving Americans to shutter.

As the push for Christian nationalism gains a measure of traction, it needs to be noted what that entails.  As noted above, there are specific behaviors that are not condone by this group such as abortion, same-sex marriage, etc., but there is also a mandate to incorporate the tenants of Christianity into the classroom.  In Louisiana a recent law states that every classroom from kindergarten through high school displays the Ten Commandments.  Additionally, in Oklahoma a recent law requires the Bible be incorporated into course curricula in the public school.  Other states are moving in similar directions.  Further, there is a movement to censure the use of certain materials in the classroom.  Any reference to sexual behavior is included amongst what is unacceptable.

As noted, within the language of the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights is the prohibition of the establishment of a state religion.  There is to be a separation between religion and the state.  Those who espouse an affinity for Christian nationalism disregard this specific directive.’

‘There is, likewise, a push to censure the use of certain books and other means of communication in the public-school classroom.  A list of 100 such books has been published and is to be used as a guide to what is right and what is wrong.  People need to be a bit careful here because the Bible is on that list.  A study of sexually explicit references in the Bible has been compiled and 29 such references have been identified.  Some are extremely salacious such as the story included in the nineteenth chapter of Gensis where both of Lot’s daughters slept with him, had sex with him, and bore a child fathered by him.  This is but one example of an  explicit description of sexual activity in the Bible.  Throughout the Old Testament there are repeated sexual references and an infatuation with the breasts of females.

In a few weeks we will all know the outcome that this movement has had in the country.  If successful, then there will be a new day that will be replete with numerous expectations that many will find difficult to follow.  As we ponder the potential impact on the country and the basic values that characterize our historical underpinnings, there must be a legitimate degree of concern.  Values that are the hallmark of a democratic representative government are threatened.  Freedom and democracy are in the crosshairs of the white nationalist, including those who champion the creation of a Christian nation.  We cannot sit idly by and “let nature take its course” because we may wake up on Wednesday, November 6, 2024, in a nationalist driven society.  For most of us, that would prove to be catastrophic. 

Out of sight out of mind . . .

Out of sight, out of mind, seems to be the mantra that puts into perspective the catastrophic condition of the American Penal System, especially here in Alabama. In recent years the Department of Justice has completed an extensive analysis of the conditions in Alabama prisons, especially the thirteen men’s facilities.  It is within the chain link fences, cell blocks, and dormitories that the horrors of life in the state’s prisons unfolds.  Do note that in the 19th century, a couple of philosophers, one French and one Russian had a fascination with the American Penitentiary System.  The French philosopher, Alexis De Tocqueville, seemed to be primarily interested in drawing a connection between religion and its influence on the penal system.  More to the point, the Russian, Fyodor Dostoevsky, is alleged to have stated that “the degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons”.  There is some debate as to whether he actually was responsible for the quote but suffice it to say that the message does include, at a minimum, a modicum of truth.  Dostoevsky is the author of Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov, thus the credibility of what he has stated or inferred carries a measure of significance in penal reform.  This backdrop is included to provide a context within which to view what is happening here in Alabama.  Such a context is characterized by a barbaric, inhuman, dehumanizing environment which has become the Alabama Correctional System.  To include the term, correctional, is a cruel euphemism that belies what really exists behind the fences and walls.

The thirteen male prisons and one female prison make up the Alabama Department of Corrections.  As will become evident, it is a cruel correlation between the concept of corrections and the Alabama system.  What transpires within these facilities is as far removed from corrections as any human activity can be.  In a recent editorial, the Washington Post referred to the thirteen state male prisons as “grotesque chambers of horrors”.  Alabama has been singled out as one of the deadliest prison systems in the country, behind Louisiana.  The rate of deaths has seen a dramatic increase even though the number of incarcerated individuals has slightly declined.  Homicides committed by inmate on inmate have seen an increase and there have been at least two homicides perpetrated by staff.  Drug and alcohol deaths are on the rise and contraband has become a staple means of bartering within the prisons between inmates and staff.  In one article it was noted that the sale of marijuana or any other drug could lead to a $2000 transaction between an inmate and staff member. 

In the horrendous environment characterizing the prisons, the previously mentioned Department of Justice extensive investigation produced their report back in 2017.  The report focused primarily on the absence of any attention being given to the mental health needs of inmates.  The rise in suicides was directly related to the absence of any services that addressed this growing problem in the prisons.  It is now 2024, almost seven years after the report was released, and the need for such services are still not available.  The problem of the prison system is one of staffing, accountability, and overall inhumane indifference.  As I noted at the outset of this article, out of sight out of mind.  Prisons are not high on anyone’s list of priorities, but do not lose sight of the fact that the overwhelming number of inmates will be released once their sentences are served.  They will return to the communities throughout the state and what will they bring back to those communities?  Will they have garnered some sense of independence and productivity from their incarceration?  Will they be able to provide for a family through gainful employment?  Will they have a marketable skill or trade that can translate back into the community?  Will they be better from their experience, or will they be mired in resentment, bitterness and hatred and project that onto the community to which they return?

This is not a new problem here in Alabama.  Years ago, back in the 1970s, I along with a couple of colleagues conducted an analysis of some of the cases in the Federal Court in the Middle District of Alabama where Judge Frank M. Johnson was a District Judge.  Two of the cases, Pugh v. Locke and James v. Wallace were specifically addressing the conditions in Alabama’s prisons.  The two cases were merged, and specific remedies were set forth.  The conditions in the prisons at that time were deemed to be in violation of the eight-amendment prohibiting cruel and unusual punishment, yet little if anything changed.  In fact, it seems as if the deterioration has been accelerated and become much more blatant and observable.  Recently, a reference to the beatings and inhumane conditions in the prisons was highlighted in a report on television and the viewer witnessed an inmate being beaten, kicked and maimed by other inmates while correctional staff stood by watching.  The inmate later died from his injuries. Such events are not isolated occurrences but have become a way of life within the prison environment. 

Alabama has also been singled out for its use of nitrogen gas for a recent execution.  According to those who witnessed the execution, the process was fraught with obvious, inhumane and unnecessary problems and it has been a source of controversy within the correctional community.  This action along with the removal of body parts upon the death of an inmate make for ghoulish and indefensible set of environmental and systemic behaviors.  A recent case highlighted the fact that the family of an inmate who died in prison was returned minus the person’s heart.  Upon further revelation, it became apparent that this was not an isolated incident, but something that occurs without any familial concurrence or involvement.  Is this just one more blight on a system in freefall.

The conditions that are so pervasive in Alabama’s prisons are well known, yet very little proactive movement has been forthcoming.  Alabama’s answer is to build more and larger facilitis housing several thousand inmates.  The adage, “build it and they’ll come” will certainly be a self-fulfilling prophecy with this simplistic and unproductive response to the problem.  What is needed is not larger and more facilities, what is needed is to address the inherent problems that plague the state’s system.  There needs to be a better system of classification and inmates need to be separated based on the severity of their offenses and their individual profiles.  Putting a 19 year old drug addict into the same environment as a convicted child molester makes no sense and subjects the more frail and younger person to rape, sexual abuse and physical assaults.  Improving program offerings within the prison can address the preparation of individuals for their release and give them something to work toward.  Revamping the concept of parole and the productive use of it along with the initiation of second chances.  This latter approach gives an individual with a sentence that does not allow for parole the opportunity to petition to have his/her case reviewed and potentially modified to allow for parole.  Finally, repealing the habitual offender statute will have the effect of reducing the number of individuals sentenced to prison.  In my judgment, this ill-conceived statute has created its own inertia and been a drain on an already strained and ineffective system.   

Why has the Department of Justice continued to give opportunity after opportunity to the state to respond to its directives?  Why have there been deadline after deadline come and go with no action by the state?  Why has there not been a Master or Overseer appointed to bring the state into compliance with the provisions of the eight-amendment?  The state’s Attorney General has been very adamant about fighting the Federal Government if it moves to take over the prison system yet has done virtually nothing to address the obvious and well-known problems of the system.  It is time for the Department of Justice to take the initiative and begin the process of changing one of the worst prison systems in the country.

What comes after day one . . .

It has been quite some time since I last wrote a blog and, I like most of the country, have been in a drought.  The drought affecting me was not caused by the weather but was due to setting up a new office.  The office that I had been in for several years was in an old building that was sold.  We had to vacate the building within two months, so I began looking and was fortunate to locate space in a building directly across the street.  Getting ready to move, moving, and setting up a new office has taken more time than anticipated and has diverted me from doing much else. hence, I have been dilatory with my writing.  Now I am back in the groove and share with you my thoughts about the current political chaos created by former president Trump. 

We have become familiar with Trump’s declaration that he would be a “Dictator” only on “Day One”.  The question posed is what happens after “Day One”?  Does “Day One: get extended time-and-time again?  Does Trump renege on his claim to only perform as a “Dictator” on that one day?  Does “Day One” become “Day Two”, “Day Three” and so forth?  Each and everyone of us, whether it is admitted or not, understands Donald Trump has a serious problem with the truth.  We are all ever so cognizant of the multitude of lies, misrepresentations, falsehoods, fabrications, etc. that were so pervasive during his presidency.  He lied when he did not have to do so.  He lied to embellish his own interpretation of the “alternative facts”.  He seemed to bask in the response of his minions when he spewed forth lie after lie after lie.  The Washington Post reported that during the four years of his presidency he had 30,573 false or misleading claims.  The Toronto Star reported 5,275 false claims from January 2017 to June 2019.  Consider the fact that as the years went by his false or misleading claims increased.  In year one of his presidency, he averaged 6.1 such claims, year two, the number increased to 16, in the third year there were 22, and in his final year the number increased to an average of 39 per day.  I have included this detailed information to, hopefully, make the point that what Trump says may or may not be true, and further that you cannot accept what he says he will do to be followed.

He continues to pass on his false or misleading claims.  To make the point, let me mention a recent Fox News Town Hall exchange between Sean Hannity and Trump.  This took place in Iowa on December 5th.  In that clip included in the Washington Post, Trump made 24 of these claims in a five-minute period.  One of his claims which he repeats over and over is that he is responsible for the largest tax cut amongst any of the previous presidents.  This is not true.  His is the eighth largest tax cut and was smaller than two of the tax cuts during the Obama administration.  When he boasted this claim, the audience erupted in applause, but they fail to realize nor accept that his tax cut benefitted the wealthy and corporations more than it did for those clapping in adoration.    

At this point in time, it is known that Trump has 91 criminal charges that have been brought against him and it certainly appears that there is a substantial amount of proof to support most of them.  In Georgia alone, the world listened to his phone call to the Secretary of State demanding that he find additional votes in an amount that would exceed the legal number garnered by Biden.  There is no mystery in this phone call.  It was Trump calling the Secretary and it was the Secretary telling Trump that the vote was accurate and would not be changed.  How blatant could anything be?  As these cases in New York, Washington, and Georgia make their way through the legal system, the 2024 presidential campaign is underway and it is blatantly unfathomable that as Trump’s legal problems unfold, his political support rises.  People seem to be blind to the reality of their actions.  They need to keep in mind that dictatorship in day one will not begin and end at the end of day one with Trump in the equation. People who are so enamored with him need to step back and realize that if he should get elected in 2024 there will be a different America, and not one that is better.

Why can reasonable people not see the fallacy in Trump’s rhetoric and promises?  Why is it so difficult to look at his history that is fraught with illegal, criminal, unethical, immoral and inhumane behavior on his part?  Why can these people not realize that he gave every indication that he believed he was above the law and could do whatever he chose to do, regardless of its legality?  Why can people not come to understand that the very fabric of this democracy that has been so critical to our success as a nation, will be in serious jeopardy if he should have a second term?  He has stated that he would go after the Department of Justice and, basically, make it subservient to him in a second term suggesting that the Department would become his personal attorney.  He has given overt indications that he is and has been an admirer of dictators and authoritarian leaders such as Putin.  He has invoked the language of fascist leaders such as Hitler and Mussolini by referring o his opposition as “vermin”.  This is phrase that has been attributed by historians to these individuals.  He seeks retribution and revenge toward anyone who has challenged him or does not agree with him.  He has and continues to demean anyone who is disabled or challenged, mentally or physically.  He has blatantly made generalized statements stating that migrants are criminals and are known rapist, murders and gang members.  He has categorically labeled the Muslim community as an enemy even though many within this community have fought and supported this country.  The list goes on and on, yet people refuse to make any attempt to look at what the reality is of a second term for Trump.  They need to keep in mind that if he is elected there is no turning back and realizing the error of their ways or undoing their decision.  If he becomes president in 2024 we will have a country ruled by an authoritarian person who flaunts democracy and refuses to follow the constitution that undergirds our democratic approach to governing. 

It is interesting that many of those who were aligned with him during his presidency are now stating that he should never be president again.  A recent article in the Washington Post captured the concerns of these individuals and the article goes on to state: “No president has ever attracted more public detractors who were formerly in his inner circle.  They are closely watching his rise … with alarm.  Among them are his former vice president, top military advisers, lawyers, some members of his Cabinet, economic advisors, press officials and campaign aides…”   The reasons for their opposition include the 91 criminal charges against him, the attempt to overturn the 2020 election, the false claims of election fraud, his incendiary rhetoric when he was in office, the desire to weaponize the Justice Department , his chaotic management style, personnel choices in a second term, and his affinity for dictators.  Every president has his detractors who were at one time close to him.  What makes Trump different is the large number of those who were aligned with him that have come out against a second presidency.

Having laid out my concerns, I would only hope that enough sane, reasonable, and well-meaning citizens would consider their decision thoughtfully and completely considering who Trump really is and what he would do.  Are there enough of these folks?   Let’s hope so!

Again, again, and again . . .

Indicted on 91 felony accounts, yet the Republican base is unfazed by the reality of potential consequences and ramifications of this truism.  The former president is an accused criminal, not convicted yet, but accused.  I recall his statement during the 2016 campaign when he stated he could murder someone on Fifth Avenue in New York City, and nothing would happen.  Are we witnessing this truth coming to fruition?  As the indictments pile up his approval ratings amongst the Republican faithful go up.  Is there no moral compass that resides among this group of ideological zealots?  Is there no recognition of what is right and what is wrong?  Is there no acceptance of the results of one grand jury after another finding enough evidence to proceed with litigation? 

The divisiveness that is so pervasive in the country is exceedingly troubling.  This week a woman shop owner in California is murdered for flying a Pride flag at her place of business.  People are walking around with weapons strapped to their bodies, a scene reminiscent of the “Old, Old West”. Recently,  I was waiting for my wife’ s car to be serviced at a local auto shop and one of their courtesy drivers walked by and I noticed a pistol stuck in his belt in the small of his back.  What has life come to when there is no shame in brazingly displaying a vigilante mentality?  Every day the news begins with a report of another murder in town after town across the country.  When guns are so readily available and no controls placed upon those who have them, it is no wonder that death is the result of some disagreement.  Considering the pervasiveness of gun ownership, there is no haven of safety.  People have been killed in their homes, their cars, the theater, the grocery store, the school, the university, the mall, concerts, the nightclub, and on-and-on.  These deaths have occurred in small towns, Uvalde, Texas and large cities, Las Vegas, Nevada, 

It seems as if the current societal atmosphere is absent of the moral fabric that made this country what it had become.  There was a time when disagreements were settled through discussion, persuasion, and compromise, not by killing the one with whom you disagree.  There was a time when kids could walk to school without fearing being attacked.  The bullying of children and adolescents has risen to epidemic proportions.  The rate of suicide amongst young people has continued to increase.  The mental health of young people has evolved to a very fragile state.  Why is all of this happening?  It is my belief that the former president has created an atmosphere of acceptance of ridicule, dishonesty, exaggeration, and intimidation that has been seen by young people.  He has given license and approval to such behavior and continues to spew forth untruth after untruth.  He has publicly ridiculed a reporter with cerebral palsy, made light of the death of a son of Muslim parents who gave his life fighting for this country, uses name-calling to undermine any who disagree.  His adolescent mentality has, indeed, given license to a boorish mentality.  A recent headline of an article in the Washington Post, stated that the former president has threatened anyone who challenges him and “you should take him at his word”.  With a person who held the highest office in the land behaving as if he is the law and he is the order, is it any wonder that we continue to see what goes on in this country. 

Often the current complexities of the country are compared to the upheaval of the 1960’s, but even then, it was different.  Whether one agreed or disagreed, there were some viable reasons for the unrest.  The conflict in Viet Nam was a frequent divider of people.  There was never a consistent level of support for our involvement.  The atrocious occurrences that were directed toward Black Americans was the outcome of years of battles for those who had been enslaved, thus it provided a level of understanding that led to the tragedies of the 60’s.  Yes, people were killed and injured, but with some degree of viable cause.  Several cities went up in flames fostered by years of discontent and frustration.  I am not justifying what took place, but simply trying to provide a perspective that is different from what is happening today.  People are being killed in mass shootings and massacres at an alarming rate.  The homicide rate on the south side of Chicago is and has been out of control.  Today it seems that people hate anyone that is not of like mind.  There is no civil interaction.  Witness the facial expressions of those who stormed the capital back on January 6th.  They were snarling and spewing forth venomous language toward those in some degree of authority, including the Vice President of the country.

It is my belief that the Internet has been a primary factor in contributing to the unrest that we are living with today.  Anything, right or wrong, can be passed along through social media and people begin to believe what they see and hear.  There is no stepping back and questioning whether there is any truth to what is being put forth.  The absence of control over the dissemination of information is a real threat to the maintenance of a democratic society.  Coupled with the influence of the Internet is the influence of other avenues of media dissemination such as television, radio, and movies.  Often these outlets pass along unsubstantiated information that can influence individuals who are waiting for some justification to create havoc.   Additionally, the sharing of information can easily lead to providing those on the fringe with ideas of what can be done and how to do it.  The Internet and media outlets can be a blessing or a curse.  How they are used goes back to the moral compass of society.  Is there such and how is it used.  Who are the base that are so readily willing to accept whatever the former president says, whether it is accurate, true, or supported with facts.

It is my belief that the following profile depicts who fits into the unwavering base that blindly supports the former president.  The majority are white, working-class individuals whose education stopped at high school.  They are adamant in their Christian religious beliefs.  They are willing to “fight” for what they believe they believe and were overwhelming represented in the mob that stormed the capital on January 6th.  They are entrenched in their acceptance of the “Big Lie” that the 2020 presidential election was stolen.  They turn a blind eye to the fact that over 60 cases that were filed on behalf of the former president’s claims were either dismissed or found to have no merit.  They refuse to accept the reality that common ordinary citizens in New York, Washington, and Georgia have been members of grand juries that have unequivocally found valid reasons to indict the former president.  Even though they expose religious convictions, they continue to support an individual who is void of any spiritual belief structure.  Perhaps more could be added, but what has been presented, hopefully, provides some insight into who are the 74 percent of Repbulicans willing to support the former president.  The magnitude of the level of support should be troubling to all who believe in a democratic society that is fair, equitable, and transparent.