“Your mind is working at its best when you’re being paranoid. You explore every avenue and possibility of your situation at high speed with total clarity.” ― Banksy
Morning in America
On the morning of Saturday, August 3rd, a young white male, an alleged domestic terrorist, by his own admission and confession, targeted Mexicans in El Paso, Texas at a Walmart near the border of Juárez, killing 22, including U.S. citizens and Mexican nationals and injuring many others after posting a screed on 8chan, an online megaphone for hate groups and gunmen.
In the early morning hours, the next day in Dayton, Ohio, another young white male with a high-powered assault rifle killed nine innocent victims in under 30 seconds in the upscale downtown entertainment Oregon district of Dayton, before first responders working the area, “neutralized” him. Large numbers of others were also hospitalized with varying degrees of critical injuries.
On the morning of Saturday, August 10th, we wake to the news that sex trafficker, Jeffery Epstein, appeared to have committed suicide in the New York Metropolitan Correction Center where he was being held during the investigation and upcoming trial, following the release of documents related to the investigation which included the names of a circle of friends who attended parties or events and/or accepted plane rides with him.
Some of the high-profile associates alleged to have been Epstein’s friend and guest, plus others identified by the accuser in the federal indictment were the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, former President Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, former New Mexico Governor, Bill Richardson, Alan Dershowitz, high-profile constitutional lawyer and academic, and retail billionaire, Leslie H. Wexner.
Later in the day, Trump tweeted baseless conspiracy theories about former President Bill Clinton and former Senator, Secretary of State, and presidential candidate, Hilary Clinton, “…linking the Clinton family to the death of multimillionaire and accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.”
Shortly afterwards, controversial U.S. Attorney General, William Barr announced, according to CNN, “The Justice Department’s inspector general is opening an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of multimillionaire financier and accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, Attorney General William Barr announced on Saturday.”
This morning in America it’s the second anniversary of the deadly Unite the Right white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, when Trump reacted to questions about the violence by white supremacists, “Some very fine people on both sides.”
35 years ago, President Ronald Reagan’s re-election campaign ad, referred to as Morning in America is credited by political commentators for helping Reagan win the election, “… a 1984 political campaign television commercial, known for its opening line, ‘It’s morning again in America.’ The ad was part of the U.S. presidential campaign of Republican Party candidate Ronald Reagan. It featured a montage of images of Americans going to work, and a calm, optimistic narration that suggested that the improvements to the U.S. economy since the 1980 election were due to Reagan’s policies. It asked voters why they would want to return to the pre-Reagan policies of Democrats like his opponent Walter Mondale, who had served as the Vice President under Reagan’s immediate predecessor Jimmy Carter.”
The ad, in my view, was political propaganda at its best, emotional, sentimental, harkening back to simpler times, and hopeful, asking, then answering the question of what kind of America do you want to live in? The question however is, did it deliver on its message? The answer, not for all Americans. Sound familiar?
2020 Vision: Cataracts, Candidates & Critical Choices
Cataracts
It’s important that we remain informed, be selective with our sources for news, information, and the editorials we embrace, that we keep our eyes wide open, listen carefully, and employ critical thinking and discretion.
For readers of my blog, you’re already familiar with my use of metaphors. Cataract surgery is the perfect metaphor for this opinion piece. Earlier this year, due to my age, I had cataract surgery on both eyes. I was a candidate for monovision, simply, a lens was replaced in my right eye for reading and close work, and a lens for distance was placed in my dominant left eye. After retraining my brain, I no longer needed to wear glasses after 57 years, Oh, My!
Where the metaphor applies for me is that vision is critical, the ability to see clearly what’s right in front of you, and the clarity to look ahead to see what’s approaching. Politics is like that. Each voter, each citizen, must be as informed as possible, to look beyond the promises made by the incumbent, evaluate their performance, whether the President, or Congress, and to quote William Shakespeare, remember, “What is past is prologue,” and judge actions, not words as a predictor of the future. Our elected officials need to “walk the walk, not talk the talk.”
Candidates
While we look ahead to the 2020 elections, as difficult as it may be some days to read social media and opinion pieces online, watch the news, and listen to the candidates and political pundits, we need to be as informed as possible.
We have, in my view, since he descended the escalator in Trump Tower to announce his candidacy, a President in the White House who lies, distracts, tweets and retweets unsubstantiated conspiracy theories and hate speech, who supports the NRA because of their donations to his candidacy, protects the profits of corporate America and the 1%, enables his family’s personal gain, and the agenda of white supremacists, whose hate-filled messages fuel the fears of his base, while he bullies his opponents, his own cabinet and staff, and the American public he is elected to serve, especially those that don’t agree with him 100%, and whose skin color, social, economic, or citizen status, differs from his own.
The Democrats who are running against him position themselves on the spectrum from moderate to the far left. Their policies cover the issues most Americans are concerned about: Affordable healthcare and higher education, a living wage, equal opportunity and protection under the law for all people, equal pay for equal work, and laws that provide a path to citizenship for those who qualify and keep immigrant families intact.
It’s critical, and overdue, that we maintain and improve our infrastructure, protect our environment and combat climate change, ensure that women have the ability to make decisions about their own body and reproductive health, and protect the vulnerable from sexual violence and domestic abuse, unfair treatment under the law, and lastly, mitigate background checks and gun registration, Red Flag gun laws, and outlaw assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition. Lastly, dedicate resources to investigate domestic terrorism while protecting First Amendment rights.
Critical Choices
We need to pay attention to the sources of the information we base our decisions on including, social media, broadcast and cable news and their political pundits, newspapers and magazines, both news and op-ed pieces, endorsements, political advertising, presidential debates, or debates online, around the dinner table with friends and family, or the proverbial water cooler at work.
Not to sound too paranoid, but to quote the political-activist artist Banksy, “Your mind is working at its best when you’re being paranoid. You explore every avenue and possibility of your situation at high speed with total clarity.” We need to be careful of interference from foreign governments, special interest groups, lobbyists, and the myriad influencers. See the link to the documentary below, The Great Hack to see how vulnerable our elections are.
Bansky Stencil Mural
Lastly, the worst choice that we can make is to not choose at all. It is our civic duty to vote. Every vote counts and every vote not cast can also make a difference in the outcome. Some people believe that the votes NOT cast elected Donald Trump whether they were prevented from casting their vote due to voter registration barriers, hacking, etc.
Credit: Nick Anderson of the Houston Chronicle
As much as possible, we need to base our selection, not only on the issues, party affiliation, or how a candidate lands on the progressive-moderate-conservative spectrum, but also on their character, truthfulness, and integrity.
We would not (I hope) let a fast-talking, promise-us-anything, narcissistic, self-serving liar into our homes, yet sadly, the American people let him in the White House.
It’s time to evict Trump!
Related Reading from Mixed Metaphors, Oh My!
The Toilet Zone: A Government of Men
The Toilet Zone: Tipping Point
The Toilet Zone: Unhappy Anniversary
Related Reading, Viewing, & Listening
Read: O.P.E.N Personality Test & Big Five Traits
View: The Great Hack
Listen: I Can See Clearly Now