I Can’t Believe We’re Here Again

I feel like it’s 2015 all over again. An unqualified, irreputable, person has decided to run for the highest office in our government. Everyone is saying he can’t possibly win. The only difference between then and now is back then I agreed with them.

Back in 2015 when Trump started talking about running for President of the United States of America, I thought “great, all of his skeletons will come out and he’ll never win”. He was a dishonest, failed businessman. He was a sexual predator and unfaithful to his wives. He was talking about running for the party of “family values” and he had no values, family or otherwise. There was no way a majority of our countrymen would vote for someone like that to represent our government.

On November 3, 2015, I learned just how naive I was. Just how absolutely wrong I was about my fellow citizens. I spent the next four years learning that my country had not evolved as I thought it had.

We had not evolved from the days of Reconstruction and Jim Crow, segregation and red-lining; from women being property of their husbands and not having the right to vote, to have credit; or to control their own bodies; from the days of cops beating up gays; gay conversion therapy; and ignoring AIDS because it was God’s punishment for being gay. No, we have not evolved at all.

Now, Here We Are Again! Trump is talking about running for the highest office in our government. Many people support him. Many people say he can’t win. They tell me a lot has changed this time.

Trump showed his true colors throughout his presidency. He acted like a despot rather than an elected official who was bound by the U. S. Constitution. He was impeached twice. He refused to accept the 2020 election results. He tried to tamper with the electoral votes. He tried to overthrow the government and incited a riot that resulted in injuries and deaths. He’s been indicted twice and has numerous other criminal charges waiting in the wings.

I don’t care; I still don’t believe he won’t win. The people who support him don’t care. What I learned in 2015 is that there are a lot of people in this country who will support a criminal to lead our country.

Once upon a time I thought it was only third world countries that elected corrupt politicians. Now I know that my own countrymen will do so too. It makes me sad.

It used to make me mad. It used to make me want to scream. My blood pressure stayed elevated, and my head felt like it would explode. I wanted to shake each and every person and ask, “what is wrong with you?” But I had to come to terms with the fact that I can’t fix this.

I can only do what I can do within my reach. I will follow the teachings of Jesus Christ who said “Love one another”. I won’t call myself a Christian because that term has been hijacked by people who use it for hate and destruction. I will continue to be the person I am and treat people with respect and equality.

I will vote in every election. I will work every election so that our elections can remain free and open to all. I will make sure that every voter who enters my precinct is given the opportunity to vote as is their right.

I will try to focus on what is good and positive about my country and the people around me. That may mean that I have to disconnect from much of the outside world news. Sometimes that’s what I have to do to maintain my hope and sanity.

I hope you will join me in doing what you can to make your part of the world better. If we all do a little bit of good, we might see a lot of good.