In The Name Of Civility

I'm simply at a loss these last couple of days.  I feel like our fragile bond of civility is careening towards a cliff, intentionally being driven there by both public and private actors, accelerating faster with each month.  The tragic shooting in Las Vegas is simultaneously one of disbelief, sadness and outrage.  It is not just disturbing in its scope, terror and senselessness - it feels like it is part of a broader pattern of collective madness that has gripped our country, coupled with a sense of powerlessness to do anything about it.

I struggle with the fact that Congress is poised to pass a bill actually loosening restrictions on gun silencers and the sale of armor piercing bullets.

I struggle with the reactionary anger over NFL players protesting - peacefully - the epidemic of violence and incarceration in our justice system that is impacting African American communities.   The protest is about civil rights, not vets, the military, the flag, or the anthem (although you may not know that there is a verse of the Star Spangled Banner that celebrated the capture and killing of slaves.  If you don't believe me the full text is here).

I struggle with the fact that the President threw paper towels at hurricane victims in Puerto Rico, told the mayor of San Juan that the people of Puerto Rico are not doing enough to help themselves, suggested that hurricane Maria was not a real disaster like Katrina. 

I struggle with the fact that 9 million children just lost healthcare as Congress let CHIP - the Children’s Health Insurance Program - expire.  CHIP provides funding to provide insurance to children, reducing the uninsured rate of kids to 5%.   A bipartisan approach was generally agreed upon until the last GOP push to kill the ACA got in the way and failed, which derailed the CHIP renewal.

I struggle with the Commander in Chief undercutting his own Secretary of State’s efforts to diffuse the situation with North Korea.  This guy wants a war.

I struggle with Trump and the GOP trying to push through tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans, including the Trump family.

I struggle with Trump referencing some of the white nationalist marchers in Charlottesville as "very fine people".

I struggle with the fact that I didn't even know we had U.S. Special Forces in Niger until we just found out three of them were killed.

I struggle with the knowledge that the Trump campaign may have assisted the Russians in targeting of Facebook ads in key swing districts.

I could go on.  Bill O'Reilly called the Las Vegas shootings the "price of freedom".  No really, he said it.  The White House said "now is not the time" to have a gun debate. 

Are we really powerless to stop this madness?  Madmen gain power when we feel powerless.  But it doesn't have to be this way.  Yes, Donald Trump sits in the highest office in the land.  But he is still a small, insecure bully who thrives off of fear and division.  When we begin to listen to each other, respect each other, care for each other, when we can see each other - we can begin to heal ourselves and our civility.  Donald Trump and the nationalistic crazies only have as much power as we are willing to give them. 

John F. Kennedy said "Those who make peaceful revolution possible will make violent revolution inevitable".  Let us begin our peaceful revolution, one based in love of our fellow human beings.  As Americans, it is our duty to uphold the ideals that, while we have traveled a long way towards reaching, still require us to reach ever further to fulfill.  Let us, We the People, form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, fulfill the promise of the Constitution for the United States of America.