There are so many things to say, so many things that have been running through my mind over the last two-and-a-half months. My mind feels a bit like responsible journalists must feel in their attempts to corral the untruths and contradictions foisted upon us during the presidential campaign. There's so much frustration noise that I can't seem to focus in on one thing. But I shall try!
I don't know about anyone else, but I went to bed upset and I woke up mad.
I don't usually put much stock in horoscopes, but I've always found it interesting that I have such a desire for things to be fair, and I happen to be a Libra which, in case you don't know, is symbolized by a set of scales in astrology.
Fairness. Balance.
That's one of the wonderful things about a democracy, is it not? The majority will carry the day and we will move forwarded guided by the ideas and ideals shared by more than 50% of our fellow Americans. And yet, here we sit, on January 21st, 2017, being led by a President who garnered 2.8 million fewer votes than his principal opponent. It's easy to see that number and not be struck by it's largeness. Consider for a moment that there are Americans who earn $2,864 per month. That's a number I can get my mind around. Now, multiply that by 1000 months. If each dollar earned were to represent one vote in the difference between President Trump and Hillary Clinton, it would take 83 YEARS and 4 MONTHS to earn the 2,864,903 votes that she led by at the end of the election count.
Now, then, hear me out, please. This is not sour grapes. I understand the system we have, and will not get into that in this post.
My frustration comes when I see an age of reason in politics, which goes back generations, being slain by 1,000 tweets. It comes from the blatant contradiction of self in which our new president engages. It comes from the out-and-out lying in which our new president engages without any traction being gained in the effort of the media and others to decry those lies. It comes from his tirades against Hillary Clinton's connections to Goldman Sachs, claiming those connections to be to some extent disqualifying for her to be president, meanwhile he steps into his transition and nominates six Goldman Sachs connections to his cabinet. It comes from these clear and present dichotomies being excused by his supporters with an apparent inability to discern truth from fiction.
What to do with that frustration, with that anger that has been awakened in me as a result of the lack of balance, the void of fairness, and the dearth of truth?
What to do?
Act. That's what. So, today I will be joining with my wife and other ex-pats and German nationals as we march through Frankfurt in solidarity with the Women's Marches around the world. I will move forward, taking action to promote more fairness, more truth, and more balance in the world in which I live. I will work to communicate facts here, provide links to reason here, and act to keep reality accessible in the maelstrom of irrationality that I fear is coming. I pray that my worries will ultimately be proven unwarranted, but at the start of this I will take the following advice: hope for the best, but prepare for the worst so that when the worst doesn't happen you'll be pleasantly surprised.
For some truth about where the country is at the end of Barack Obama's presidency that has, according to President Trump, left "carnage" in its wake, watch this: http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/obama-leaves-legacy-of-extraordinary-accomplishments-858759747686 You can skip to the 6-minute mark if you would like to get right to the meat and potatoes, but the first six minutes are interesting. Enjoy!
I don't know about anyone else, but I went to bed upset and I woke up mad.
I don't usually put much stock in horoscopes, but I've always found it interesting that I have such a desire for things to be fair, and I happen to be a Libra which, in case you don't know, is symbolized by a set of scales in astrology.
Fairness. Balance.
That's one of the wonderful things about a democracy, is it not? The majority will carry the day and we will move forwarded guided by the ideas and ideals shared by more than 50% of our fellow Americans. And yet, here we sit, on January 21st, 2017, being led by a President who garnered 2.8 million fewer votes than his principal opponent. It's easy to see that number and not be struck by it's largeness. Consider for a moment that there are Americans who earn $2,864 per month. That's a number I can get my mind around. Now, multiply that by 1000 months. If each dollar earned were to represent one vote in the difference between President Trump and Hillary Clinton, it would take 83 YEARS and 4 MONTHS to earn the 2,864,903 votes that she led by at the end of the election count.
Now, then, hear me out, please. This is not sour grapes. I understand the system we have, and will not get into that in this post.
My frustration comes when I see an age of reason in politics, which goes back generations, being slain by 1,000 tweets. It comes from the blatant contradiction of self in which our new president engages. It comes from the out-and-out lying in which our new president engages without any traction being gained in the effort of the media and others to decry those lies. It comes from his tirades against Hillary Clinton's connections to Goldman Sachs, claiming those connections to be to some extent disqualifying for her to be president, meanwhile he steps into his transition and nominates six Goldman Sachs connections to his cabinet. It comes from these clear and present dichotomies being excused by his supporters with an apparent inability to discern truth from fiction.
What to do with that frustration, with that anger that has been awakened in me as a result of the lack of balance, the void of fairness, and the dearth of truth?
What to do?
Act. That's what. So, today I will be joining with my wife and other ex-pats and German nationals as we march through Frankfurt in solidarity with the Women's Marches around the world. I will move forward, taking action to promote more fairness, more truth, and more balance in the world in which I live. I will work to communicate facts here, provide links to reason here, and act to keep reality accessible in the maelstrom of irrationality that I fear is coming. I pray that my worries will ultimately be proven unwarranted, but at the start of this I will take the following advice: hope for the best, but prepare for the worst so that when the worst doesn't happen you'll be pleasantly surprised.
For some truth about where the country is at the end of Barack Obama's presidency that has, according to President Trump, left "carnage" in its wake, watch this: http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/obama-leaves-legacy-of-extraordinary-accomplishments-858759747686 You can skip to the 6-minute mark if you would like to get right to the meat and potatoes, but the first six minutes are interesting. Enjoy!
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