The Trump Effect is Dangerous

Trump's demeaning speak spews hate and lies in multiple directions. His praise for those at rallies is like the cheap syrup you buy at the corner store--a syrup that is sickeningly sweet, stains your countertops, and leaves you with a bitter aftertaste. His family's all-points support of Trump comes at us via falsehoods and more put-downs and insults. And then his appointed cronies at the White House stand up and speak out in contrast to the president as if the president has not said or done any of the outrageous and worrisome words and actions that we continually see right before our eyes. If these times were a work of fiction, we would credit the author with her ability to create such mystery, emotion, unimaginable characters, and such a twisted plot line, but this is real life with real people, and this tremendous explosion of contradiction, lies, trickery, confusion, and actions against our country's values, freedoms, rights, and respect is wholly worrisome and dangerous.

Yes, dangerous. When the leader of a great, free country uses his time, words, and taxpayer money to

• lead for self over country
• demean good, hardworking people continuously with words like lying, crooked, fake, low IQs.
• compliment and seemingly support foreign adversaries
• incite hate
• defund important supports and promising policies related to education, health care, environmental protection
• heighten prejudice
• hire cronies instead of people well skilled and experienced for important government jobs
• decry diplomacy
• work against our global partners and positive global partnerships
• separate children and their refugee parents to teach immigrants a lesson
• demonstrate little to no loyalty to country, people, or friends
• disregard past practice, knowledge, information
• practice do-it-alone leadership rather than proactive collaboration

we have the dangerous problem of a man who is abusing his power to divide and harm our country.

When you read stories in the history books of leaders who took their countries and people back, you read about leaders like Trump who incited hate, and did not take laws and values seriously. These leaders generally incited hate and created prejudice and divide amongst their people, and the people followed that leadership by demonstrating prejudice and hate through violence and destruction towards people, places, and culture that so many had lovingly and carefully created over time. Leaders like this are narrow-minded, power-hungry people with no real empathy or value for the good living possible, they are do-it-yourself leaders who see only their ideas and worth as important disregarding all the good possible and the wonderful diversity and talent that exists amongst all the people.

I know that this is a troubling turning point for our country. I know that leadership displayed by Trump and his cronies is dangerous for the people as he stands in the way of our forward, positive development as a country, and instead lights a torch to so much of what we have worked together for over time.

This is heartbreaking and worrisome for me. The characters in Thien's book, Do Not Say We Have Nothing, clearly illustrate what can happen when people allow a self-serving, narrow-minded, inhuman leader to divide a country's people and inspire hate and violence. Her book shows us that we all lose out when good people are held back and not allowed to pursue their happiness, live with freedom, and develop a good country or world with the people for the people. 

What can each of us do in light of this--how can we work to retain and better our country's good values, freedoms, and outlook captured in the phrase: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. 

First we cannot accept words or actions that incite hate against one another. Even if we think someone is acting wrongly, we have to speak with empathy, compassion, truth, and good action, we cannot simply meet others with hateful speak, comments, or actions. 

Next, find the truth. We cannot simply stand back and accept the continually changing and contradictory narrative of leaders like Trump and his cronies whose truth changes daily. We have to read the words of many, find the truth, and use that truth to lead our efforts.

Choose the best leaders. We do not have to stay content with leaders who demonstrate a lack of ethics, poor morality, questionable values, disrespect for the truth, narrow experiences, criminal backgrounds, less intelligence, and inability to collaborate--we deserve the best leaders as Americans, and we have to think deeply about who we want to lead our country forward because people follow leaders, and if we choose leaders who exhibit poor behavior, discipline, and respect for people, it's likely the populous will follow that example. We have to choose the best and brightest to lead us--people of good moral character with a willingness to put country over self as he/she leads us ahead.

Contribute time and effort to right our country with well-informed advocacy. Find a group to work with, and use some time and resources to support that group. A country by the people for the people will only move forward if the people get involved to lead the country ahead. Otherwise crooks and criminals will recognize the lack of oversight and investment that exists, and work to take advantage of that to increase their own wealth and power.

Live well. As we know, our actions speak louder than words. When we live in ways that are respectful, positive, generous, and uplifting we send a strong message about what we believe in. Our good acts are contagious and the better each of us lives, the better our country will be.