I have probably been politically aware from an earlier age than most. This is because it was always a topic of conversation at home. My parents were leftists, union activists and under surveillance by the FBI. I knew about the Rosenbergs’ trial and execution and I felt much empathy for the children they left behind. There is a group I follow on Facebook called “The Rosenberg Fund” started by one of their sons to help children who are victims of political imprisonment and persecution.
If things go as bad as they might, this fund may either be busier than usual—or find themselves being persecuted or disappeared. I, and many others, truly believe that there is a distinct possibility the worst could happen. Two parallel and equally historic movements are currently in process in our country today. Donald Trump has come out of the farce of reality TV to being a likely candidate for POTUS. It feels like saying the name of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named in the Harry Potter series to link his name with that office.
The other co-existing movement is the grass roots eruption of Bernie Sanders. As a civil rights and anti-war activist from my generation, he previously seemed to be a mild-mannered, steadfast, liberal legislator without veering from a fairly straight path. He is now an idol to youth who didn’t know they needed one and a firebrand preaching revolution to the masses.
I hear a lot of people comparing these two movements as somehow in kinship with each other. Nothing could be further from the truth. Trump’s campaign is corporate and political, driven by mass media and preying on the worst emotions of the angriest Americans. Sanders’ campaign is grass roots and appealing to the deepest American hopes and desires for justice, peace and equality. Yes, they both represent a divergence from mainstream party politics—but that is all they have in common.
Like many people, I want to sit down with “Mr. & Mrs. America” and talk some sense into them. I want a huge loudspeaker to broadcast the dangers the Republican front-runners propose for our country. I want to ask them if they value their health and the well-being of their children; the right to be compensated for their labor; financial security when they become old and/or disabled; and last, but not least, if they value their right to be who they are and express how they feel. Move these questions away from the campaigns, and most will agree. The dissonance presents when you talk about the real ways to achieve these things, such as guaranteed health insurance, minimum wage, and government assistance. It is also present when you talk about immigrants, Muslims and LBGT rights. Like the Harry Potter series it seems like Republicans will issue us all magic wands which will ensure we will all be financially successful and all “undesirables” will be escorted from the United States of America. With this magic our country will consist of self-sufficient, native-born white Christians (I may have missed the part where they talk about native-born Native Americans who generally are not white and maybe not even Christian).
As usual, I don’t expect my words to change anyone’s thinking. The most I can hope for that it makes someone angry enough to start a rational discussion and accidentally learn something along the way. I hope there are a few that will agree with me. But mostly, I write for myself because it is the only thing I can do.
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