I didn't pay much attention to Donald Trump until he was running for President the first time. I knew he was a wealthy guy with a TV show, but that's about it. I did see him in close proximity when Wollman Rink reopened in 1986. My friends and I were spending the weekend in New York City and we happened to walk by Wollman Rink when Trump, his wife Ivana, and his children were gathering for the day's opening ceremonies. Coincidentally, I was staying at a friend's apartment that weekend which happened to be the same apartment building that Barack Obama was living in at the time. I didn't know who Obama was then, and didn't meet him during that visit.
When Trump was running for President, I was appalled by almost everything he said and did. During a diner meet-up with friends, I actually walked out because I couldn't believe that a friend I had known my whole life supported what I thought to be Trump's dehumanizing words and actions. How could she support Trump who clearly acted in opposition to the values and rules we had been raised with, I thought.
During that time, I was vocal about my dislike and worry about Trump. I never thought he'd win the Presidency, but at a ball game I was speaking to a Harvard professor who told me he thought Trump would win--clearly that professor was more attuned to what was happening across the country than me. Then throughout Trump's term, I worried about everything he did. When Biden took office and showed such courage in the face of Trump's violent attempt to overthrow the election, I was relieved and hopeful. Biden's humane actions and words encouraged me. Everywhere I went I saw evidence of Biden's selection of an experienced, collaborative, intelligent, dedicated staff. There was an evident spirit of the USA I loved and believed in alive again, though expressions of Trump's volatile leadership remained by way of of irresponsible drivers with Trump flags and dehumanizing acts that harmed, hurt, threatened, and even killed people.
Then it was time for the next election. I was hopeful that Biden would win again, though like many, I worried about his age. Then when he failed to debate Trump with any strength, I was very worried. What would happen now? Clearly Biden demonstrated weakness at that debate. I was in favor of Harris' run for President--Harris had proved herself to be a worthy leader via her decades of public service. She is clearly a very bright woman with our country's best interests as her objective. I knew it was an uphill battle and did what I could to support her, and I was terribly disappointed when Trump won the election. I was worried about how this clearly greedy, self-server would lead, and now more than a year later, it's worse than I ever imagined. Trump is clearly simply leading to enrich himself and perhaps a few other wealthy, racist, self-servers like himself. Trump doesn't care about anyone else's good living or the welfare of the planet in general. It's Trump for Trump and no one and nothing else.
Trump is clearly breaking laws and acting for his own gain. He's actually promoting death, harm, and terror in his wake. Innocent people have been harmed and/or died during immigration raids, imprisonment, and via Trump's military actions--these are lives that did not have to be harmed or lost. Good people are losing their needed health plans and health care because of the Trump team's greedy actions, and good, intelligent leaders are being harmed, killed, and contested simply because of Trump's violence-inciting words or because they won't subscribe to the Trump team's greedy, dehumanizing ways.
Too many American leaders simply do what Trump tells them to do. Why do they act this way? I think for the most part that they act this way because like Trump they only care about their own wealth and good living--they are short sighted, ignorant, greedy self-servers. I also believe that others may fear Trump since I do believe Trump and/or his cronies may have threatened those people.
So what does an ordinary citizen do in the face of such corruption, narrow mindedness, and lack of humanity?
For me, I plan to do the following:
- Join with others in peaceful protest and action to counter the inhumanity, hate, lawlessness, and inhumanity that the Trump team promotes.
- Hold myself accountable to act with humanity, generosity, care, and fidelity to good values, laws and policies.
- Stay informed via multiple media channels.
- Advocate for new laws, policies, and political action to defeat the evident lawlessness, inhumanity and corruption that the Trumpers are promoting.
- Greatly reduce my affiliation with people, places, and businesses that support Trumpist' greed, crime, violence, and harm.
