For the first time in many years, I am staying in the foothills of the Sierra, surrounded by trees, fields and streams. It is peaceful country, where Mark Twain and John Muir provide the reference points. as well as much of the content of the historical markers in the area.
My grandchildren run through the fields down the paths to a swimming hole. The dog races free of the constraints of the city.
Getting here meant traveling through Manteca and the small towns to its east into Gold Country. Coulterville is the last small settlement on the route and Yosemite is not far of you keep heading east.
Sutter's Mill, where gold was first discovered, is also near here. John Sutter had his statue taken down recently. He enslaved Native Americans.
Back in San Francisco, the statue of Christopher Columbus at Coit Tower was taken down as well. It had been made by Mussolini's official sculptor.
In various parts of the state, statues of Junipero Serra are being dismantled by the Catholic Church.
In case anyone wonders why, the history of racism and oppression reach far beyond the Deep South.
***
Election Year: As much as I would prefer to avoid taking sides between the Republicans and the Democrats, I cannot in good conscience remain silent about the outrageous charges leveled against his perceived enemies by Donald Trump.
His accusations of treason against Barack Obama are abhorrent. He speaks as if he is wants to incite a mentally deranged person to threaten the former President and his family. He muses over the days when traitors were executed.
Shame on him!
It's the same way he rants against the press. He has asked aides if reporters can be jailed for failing to reveal their confidential sources. (In some cases, they can be, which is one of the risks journalists live with to do their essential work.)
But he has also stated that some reporters who cover him unfavorably should be executed.
Shame on him again!
His poor aides are left trying to clean up the messes he creates. Often, their only explanation is that he was joking.
If so, these are very bad and dangerous jokes.
***
On Father's Day, I got to see two of my children whom I have not seen since the beginning of the year. They are in their 20s and told me they long for leadership that is not so base, so vile. They feel our electoral system ignores voices like theirs, that a sense of decency and inspiration is lacking in this country.
This is the direct result of Trumpism. His words and actions cause immeasurable damage via disillusionment. As a people, we cannot afford to have our newest generation of voters to turn cynical and resentful that the ideals they were taught in school no longer matter.
We need them to believe in the highest ideals of democracy, freedom and equality so that they will choose to strive for the changes we need to wage war against racism, inequality and discrimination. We need them to work hard to combat climate change and transform our economy from one that exploits natural resources to one that is sustainable into the future.
We need our young voices to be heard so that we may form a more perfect union.
That requires a change at the top. And this is an election year.
-30-
No comments:
Post a Comment