Are You Not Entertained?: Just Thought You Should Know 8/5/16

Dear GOP,

You're getting exactly what you deserve.  8 years of petty criticisms of the President, made up threats about immigrants being evil incarnate, the god awful racism not so cleverly disguised as constitutional loyalty (looking at you Birthers), the crusade against education/intellectualism, and the need for your base to be afraid of everything (even their own shadows because they're black) has finally culminated in this absolute farce of a Presidential campaign.  For the first time in our history, we may end up with 3 major political parties in this country because I don't see how moderate Republicans can possibly reconcile their views with their Presidential nominee and his minions.

Trump supporters, I want you to take a good long look at your candidate.  I mean a real look.  Think about the reasons you support him.  It certainly isn't about policy, he hasn't presented one that wouldn't cost more money than it saves. It's not because of his business acumen.  It doesn't exist.  Ask Atlantic City, NJ.  It's not because he's not a criminal like "Crooked Hillary".  She's been cleared of every charge leveled at her by every single Republican-led tribunal/witch hunt the GOP can think of.  Trump, on the other hand, is still in the midst of multiple lawsuits involving possible fraud.  Oh, and he might be a child rapist.  Not kidding.  Is it his superior values?  The values that he thinks permits him to routinely insult anyone who disagrees with him?  Oh I know, "he tells it like it is!"  Except when he's talking about having met Vladimir Putin and then says that he didn't.  Or that he saw a video of Obama personally paying the Iranians and then he says he was mistaken.  Maybe he was straight shooting when he said he would build that wall around us and then admitted he wouldn't?  The #NeverTrump Republicans, who I respect, though I disagree with their vision, at least had the spine to stand up for their principles.  The rest of the party leadership simply fell in line behind this pompous, entitled, ignorant windbag and it may have not only cost them this election but their party's future.  Among voters younger than 30, Trump is polling 4th, behind Hillary Clinton, Gary Johnson (Libertarian Party), and Jill Stein (Green Party).  Think about that.  The nominee for the 2nd biggest party in the country is polling behind 2 people most of the country has. never. heard. of.  The 18-year-olds who are voting for the first time this election are looking at your nominee as the representation of your party and would rather vote for 2 people who are almost guaranteed to lose. Most people stick with the first party they vote for and the upcoming landslide is probably going to render your party irrelevant for the next 50 years.  As much as I despise Trump and what the GOP has become, that isn't a good thing.

Look, the truth is that the core values of the GOP aren't that crazy.  It's founded in the idea that people can take care of themselves if the government should just get out of the way and let us work. Neighbor helping neighbor instead of depending on handouts from Washington.  And there are valid criticisms of our current system.  Money in politics is a problem.  Even Bernie Sanders agreed with Republicans on that.  NAFTA was a disaster for the American worker and there are many non-college educated people who need work.  But too many times those frustrations tend to be expressed as outright racism when the reality is the answers to your frustrations are a lot more complicated than "blame the non-whites"  Our issues can't be boiled down to a few angry tweets and an agenda that's stuck in the nostalgia of yesterday's America.  On a personal note, I'm part of the first generation of African Americans who full rights as a citizen are legally recognized by our government, these are the good old days for me!  The world has changed. You can thank your conservative news outlets for not telling you just how much and what you can do to keep up instead of feeding you a steady diet of things to hate and fear. If you've been eating up Fox News, The Blaze, and Breitbart for the better part of the last decade, all it's gotten you is a pseudo-intellectual who claims to be your voice but has never been anything but an elitist 1% his entire life.  He's never not  been rich so how can he possibly be your voice if he doesn't even speak your language? Trump is the literal embodiment of the ugliness that has infected the principles of the Republican Party.  I would wear out my knuckles on my keyboard if I listed the times he's proven that he's not just a bad candidate but a genuinely bad person.  It's ironic that it took him slandering a Gold Star Muslim family, a religion he's vowed to ban from our country, to get people to finally see it's him that doesn't represent American values.  His nomination is direct evidence that the Republican Party is broken.  So broken that they're willing to trot out a racist demagogue in the vague hopes that they can re-take the White House by appealing to the very worst American fears.  We've reached the point where the house they've built is no longer safe for any American to reside in.  The roof is leaking, the foundation is shot.  The lessons of 2012, which called for inclusion and moderation, have been outright rejected and the results have been predictably disastrous.  If the party leadership continues to ignore the evolution of our country, its only natural that America will eventually ignore them.  Completely.

...Til Next Week!

You can read more about the "Growth and Opportunity Project" that was supposed to transform the Republican Party into a more inclusive party here.

Brexit, Black Republicans, and Faith: Just Thought You Should Know 6/24/16

I love and appreciate you Pastor, but I think you're wrong.

What do you do when your spiritual leader's politics are not congruent with your own?  This week as we mark the anniversary of the Emanuel AME Church massacre, I find myself at a special crossroads. My pastor, Rev. A.R. Bernard Sr., pastor of Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn, NY, revealed this week that he is part of an "evangelical advisory committee" for the Republican presumptive presidential nominee, Donald J. Trump.  Pastor Bernard and 19 other evangelical leaders, including the ultraconservative former Minnesota congresswoman Michele Bachmann, met with Trump on Wednesday in New York, at his request, to discuss various matters of faith and policy before a larger meeting with over 1,000 church leaders.  While not giving his explicit endorsement (it was not required by the Trump campaign to sit on the board surprisingly) Pastor Bernard says he came away from the meeting "impressed" with Trump's sincerity and seemingly dismissed some of Trump's verbal flip flops as him being merely "inarticulate."  He appeared on several news talk shows including Roland Martin on NewsOne , Fox & Friends, and his weekly guest spot on Sirius XM  to explain his position but, and I say this respectfully, I personally find that position troubling.

Trump presents one of more uncomfortable tables for the Christian conservative movement to come to in recent politics. It’s not only his personal story that poses problems, filled as it is with unscrupulous business practices, two tumultuous divorces, and prior liberal leanings on topics like abortion. It’s his current policy portfolio, too. The two immovable pillars of Trump’s presidential campaign are opposition to undocumented immigrants and a fierce rejection of refugees from the Middle East. Those happen to be two of the occasional break points between the religious right and the Republican Party.  -- Trump's New Evangelical Advisors Neither Love Him Nor Hate Him.  They Just Want Him To Listen, Sam Stein, Huffington Post 6/22/2016

Pastor's argument on SiriusXM (unfortunately I can't post the link but it's 6/24/16 edition of "The Armstrong Williams Show" On Demand if you subscribe to XM) is that the neither the Democrats nor the Republicans have done anything for the African-American community so maybe something different is required.  Disappointingly, I heard the usual talking point trotted out to explain why Pastor Bernard, as a card carrying Republican, would be open to a candidate who has spent most of his public life living in opposition to the very values he lives by as a man of faith.

"He's not your typical Republican."

He also made the argument that evangelicals must make character compromises sometimes for candidates who do not have the sterling family record of a Barack Obama, who is still as scandal free as the day he was the elected.  To be fair, he doesn't explicitly defend Trump's most outrageous ideas, like banning Muslims from entering the United States, but he walked a fine enough line with his words to avoid outright condemning Trump for anything.  He didn't hesitate, however, to criticize Hillary Clinton for her husband's infamous "3 strikes" legislation that sent black incarceration rates soaring and on Roland Martin's show, bring up Bill Clinton's infidelity as a moral measuring stick to contrast Trump.  Both are notorious womanizers but neither of those points, in my opinion, can be tied to Mrs. Clinton since she wasn't even a politician in 1994 when 3 strikes became law and penalizing her candidacy for the sexual sins of her husband is wrong.  There are plenty of other, more legitimate criticisms, like the debacle in Beghazi during her tenure as Secretary of State, the e-mail scandal that won't go away, lying about coming under sniper fire in Yugoslavia, voting to go to war in Iraq as a Senator in 2002, and using racism in her campaign against Barack Obama in 2008. 

Look a Sniper! (Photo: Washingtonpost.com)

Neutrality is something Pastor doesn't believe in.  He likened it to being dead in the opening monologue to his radio show this week, but I'm not sure if Pastor realized not only the level of backlash he would receive, but how even granting an audience with Trump, a man who tried to openly sway the black vote earlier in this campaign by meeting with 100 black pastors and failing miserably to get their endorsement, would influence his congregation.  To reiterate, Pastor has not given Mr. Trump his endorsement but there are people who would vote for a cactus if their pastor stood next to one.  Conversely, mistrust of the church is at an all time high and while I'm sure he sits on that advisory board to preach a prophetic word to a potential president, Pastor's party affiliation (R), Trump's track record, his fellow pastors doing things like buying jets at their congregation's expense, and covering up immoral scandals, have even the most devout believers questioning the motives of their leaders.  Does that mean he shouldn't have met with Trump?  If you asked me yesterday I'd have told you he should have slammed the door in his face.  Today?  I can understand why you would want to be at the table in the unlikely event he does become President.  Being an advocate for issues specific to people of color is essential in the halls of power where we are too often forgotten about or subject to laws that are based on stereotypes, not reality.  It probably just disgusts me that it might be Trump's table in November.

Trump retweeted falsehoods like this repeatedly during the primary

Trump is loathed by most people of color and except for the few he finds useful to further his own agenda, the feeling seems mutual.  All of his African American outreach efforts up to now have come across as pandering rather than actual engagement.  Changing that was Pastor's stated goal for attending.  However, Trump's pattern of behavior suggests that not only will he ignore what these Men of God have to say but he'll use this meeting as a wink and a nod to evangelicals across the country without having to actually change anything about himself, his policies, or his politics.  For the latest examples just look to his statements about the Orlando night club shooting, where he made sure to take credit for "being right" before he offered any condolences to the victim's families.  Yesterday, he held an hour long press conference, praising the success of Brexit while touring his golf course, as a win for Britain because it mirrored his own plan for the United States.  Brexit, or British Exit, if you weren't aware, is a referendum in which the UK voted to leave the European Union.  Their decision to leave the organization after 43 years, unfortunately, was driven largely by opposition to the EU's immigration policy of accepting Syrian refugees and the short term economic pain will be excruciating for the working class Brits who voted for it.  We saw a small taste of that economic pain yesterday when the British Pound crashed post vote, instantly wiping out years of national wealth.  Long term, Britain has an even tougher road ahead as the current Prime Minister, David Cameron, immediately announced his resignation effective this October.  His successor could possibly being the bigoted former mayor of London Boris Johnson who was a leader in the campaign to leave and is literally the British version of Trump.  Also, they're now directly competing with the EU for foreign trade agreements and their young adults will now require visas to work anywhere else in Europe which will ultimately cost them even more jobs, likely sending their economy into a deep recession.  There is evidence to suggest that most voters didn't truly understand what they were even voting for as the Washington Post reported that the most Googled phrase in England yesterday was "What is the EU?"  Maybe it is  a preview of what will happen if Trump is elected. Anti-intellectualism at its finest, folks.  Are we going to allow racism to rob us of our future too?

The fact that the Donald is close enough to the Presidency that the man I look to for a spiritual perspective felt the need to grant him an audience is nauseating.  It's as if people expect Donald Trump to morph into a respectable presidential candidate when he's shown again and again and again and again exactly who he is.  It's the crux of his appeal.  I understand the desire for change.  I understand that there are millions of people angry with the direction this country is going right now.  I felt it when I pulled the lever for President Barack Obama in 2008.  More specifically, I understand that the Clinton's track record when it comes to black folks is spotty at best and the "lesser of two evils" thought process we usually use to decide is tougher than ever before.  I'm not sure what the solution is, but I know Trump's policies would be disastrous for the country economically, socially, and politically.  Starting a trade war by taxing imports, building a wall along the Mexican border, and trying to extort payments from our allies will not bring the secure manufacturing jobs of the past back to our shores.  Globalization, as the UK will find out, is something you can't turn back the clock on.  Attempting to do so, instead of preparing for the economy you actually live in, is literally cutting off your nose to spite your face.  Ironically, this is when I would listen to Pastor to see what his views were but after this week, I realize that maybe the bigotry and isolationism is exactly what the people want.  Maybe the dream of a multi-cultural society is just that.  A dream.  Maybe, I really just need to pray for God's will to be done, ensure me and my family are OK and stop placing my faith in anything or anyone other than Him. 

...Til next week.

Congress Grows a Conscience: Just Thought You Should Know 6/17/16

A filibuster for the ages

While the usual script of public figures "sending thoughts and prayers in difficult times" played out in the aftermath of the horrific murders at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT), Corey Booker (D-NJ), and other Senate Democrats made a decision we've been waiting years to see. They decided to actually do something.  Murphy led a 14+ hr filibuster,  stopping all Senate business, and refusing to give up the floor until they got a firm commitment from Republicans on gun legislation.  Murphy's state was the site of one of the most horrific shootings in American history...Sandy Hook Elementary.  That day, 20-year-old Adam Lanza, murdered 20 1st and 2nd graders, 6 teachers, and then killed himself before police could bring him to justice.  Murphy made sure to drive that point home...

Why does it matter?

While it's highly unlikely that the biggest piece of legislation Murphy was pushing for (a bill proposed by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) that would allow the attorney general to ban gun sales to suspected terrorists) would ever pass, cracks are starting to form in that impenetrable wall of "NObama" the GOP has been hiding behind since President Obama's election 7 years ago.  We're reaching a point where the no matter how many campaign dollars the NRA throws at Congress, it can no longer overshadow the rising body count.  Even the most ardent defenders of the 2nd amendment are realizing there is no reason for military grade weapons to be available to the public.  

"Gun owners who occupy the middle ground complain that they are rarely sought out or heard, yet polls show that the majority of gun owners support universal background checks and other controversial limits. President Obama is reportedly considering using his executive authority to impose new ­background-check requirements for high-volume dealers in private sales — and many gun owners may support that." -- Most gun owners support restrictions.  Why aren't their voices heard?, Michael S. Rosenwald, Washington Post, 10/09/2015

This is one of those "controversial" topics that's only controversial because of the amount of money that's been spent by lobbyists to make it that way.  Saying "gun legislation doesn't work because it doesn't cover illegal guns" is like saying the ban on murder doesn't work because Chicago is a war zone.  Really? Are we really going to buy the argument that we shouldn't save any lives because we can't save them all?  We're smarter than that.  Well, those of us who won't vote for Trump are...

What can I do about it?

It's not often you see politicians do something that doesn't involve lining their own pockets.  While I have no doubt that some anti-gun lobby(s) see this as an opportunity to further their agenda, its an agenda that makes sense to anyone, including myself, that's lost someone they love to a "bad guy with a gun."

These Senators get the Wanderer's Voice Gold Star for standing up for common sense:

Chris Murphy (D-Conn.)
Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.)
Cory Booker (D-N.J.)
Bob Menendez (D-N.J.)
Bill Nelson (D-Fla.)
Dick Durban (D-Ill.)
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.)
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.)
Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.)
Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)
Ed Markey (D-Mass.)
Ben Cardin (D- Md.)
Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.)
Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.)
Al Franken (D-Minn.)
Amy Kobluchar (D-Minn.)
Patty Murray (D-Wash.)
Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.)
Gary Peters (D-Mich.)
Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.)
Bob Casey (D-Pa.)
Ron Wyden (D-Ore.)
Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.)
Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.)
Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.)
Mark Warner (D-Va.)
Tim Kaine (D-Va.)
Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio)
Tom Carper (D-Del.)
Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.)
Tom Udall (D-N.M.)
Martin Heinrich (D- N.M.)
Michael Bennet (D-Colo.)
Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii)
Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii)
Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.)
Jack Reed (D-R.I.)
Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.)
Angus King (I-Maine)*


If your senator isn't here, you should seriously re-consider if he or she is the right person to represent your interests in Washington or if its you they're representing at all.

...Til Next Week!

Just Thought You Should Know: 5/13/16

Coming up with topics isn't my strong suit.  I love to write but I have to feel strongly about a topic to put my best and most authentic self into a piece.  Honestly, those moments come too few and too far in between to operate that way and still call myself a writer.  It would be easy to just gush about popular topics but that only takes you so far before you stop being original.  People shouldn't have a hard time telling the difference between you and Polly the Political Parrot (variations of which are employed by every foxy cable news national broadcast network).  It's lazy.  I also love to spread information, not in a know-it-all sense but in a hey-we're-all-busy-but-I-thought-you-should-know-this sense.  Which, not coincidentally, is the title of my new weekly column.  "Just Thought You Should Know" will feature culturally relevant stories that are a bit off the radar...or that I think are just plain funny. Stuff that would come up over a beer with good friends or things you'd tell your relatives "back home" about life in the land of milk and honey.  Hope you find these informative and add a little color to your day!  Enjoy.

  

Barack, you did it my nigga!

Larry Wilmore pissed off a lot of people with his closing speech at the White House Correspondence Dinner last week.  While his last line got the most media attention, it wasn't the most shocking moment. Looking at you Mr. "Alleged Journalist."

U mad, Don?

Why does it matter?

It might honestly be the first time you've seen such unapologetic, usually behind-closed-doors, blackness on full display.  Especially on such a historically non-black stage.  It made a lot of people uncomfortable.  Silly people crying "reverse racism" or "black privilege", black folks who felt embarrassed by the use of a word they've probably said in private dozens of times used in front of "all those white folk," and others who think the word should just be eliminated from the lexicon.

*sigh*

Look, self determination, the basis of individualism and freedom, is the root of American identity, right?  This country (in theory) was founded on the idea that I can be what I want to be.  That includes deciding how you want to be referred to, just like a nickname given to you by family or friends.  Only the people closest to you and/or who you deem worthy are allowed to call you that name.  Same concept. It's not that hard.  The President had no issues with it, why should you?  Even Don Lemon came around...

"Nope. Not mad at all."

The Philippines' President-Elect makes Donald Trump look civilized.

"Pope, 'son of a whore,' go home.  Do not visit us again." -- President-Elect Duterte being asked about Manila's terrible traffic being made worse by the pontiff's Jan 2015 visit (Photo CNN.com) 

Rodgrio Duterte, Mayor of Davao City for 22 years, will be the next President of the Philippines. Here are some quotes from Mr. Duterte during his rise to the top (Via Asiaone.com)

On crime- "Forget the laws on human rights. If I make it to the presidential palace, I will do just what I did as mayor. You drug pushers, hold-up men and do-nothings, you better go out. Because I'd kill you," he said at his final campaign rally in Manila on Saturday, referring to his record after 22 years as mayor of Davao.
- "I'll dump all of you (criminals) into Manila Bay, and fatten all the fish there."

Duterte is pretty high on Human Rights Watch's shit list considering his "Death Squads" are rumored to be responsible for more than 1,700 deaths in Davao.  Duterte also brags about having personally delivered his brand of justice on occasion.  

On women- "They raped all of the women... There was this Australian lay minister... when they took them out... I saw her face and I thought, 'Son of a b****. what a pity... they raped her, they all lined up. I was mad she was raped but she was so beautiful. I thought, the mayor should have been first." -- Speaking at a campaign rally about a prison riot in Davao in 1989 that saw inmates take a female Australian missionary working at the prison hostage before raping and killing her.
- "I was separated from my wife. I'm not impotent. What am I supposed to do? Let this hang forever? When I take Viagra, it stands up."

Charming.

 Why does it matter?

The parallels between him our current presumptive Republican Presidential Nominee are undeniable.  Even if he doesn't think so...

On Donald Trump- "He's a bigot and I am not." -- Mr Duterte rejecting comparisons of him with the presumptive Republican nominee in the US presidential election, Mr Donald Trump.

Obviously, the Philippines are not the United States but they are a legitimate democracy (as opposed to the Russian variety) and Duterte's election proves that being a sexist, murderous, jackass isn't barrier to public office.  Sometimes its a fast track.  His popularity is no accident as the Philippine government is one of the most corrupt on the planet.  It's not hard to imagine being fed up with a government that has abused the public trust so much that the people elect an "outsider" to fix things.  Cultural differences aside, people are people.  The Democrats, and Trump haters in general should come up with a better strategy to beat him than righteous indignation.


16 Black Female West Point Cadets won't be disciplined for...doing nothing in the first place.

Black Hooahs matter.  West Point Chapter (Photo: theRoot.com)

Add "taking a group photo" to the list of things black folks can't do without being suspicious.  I honestly expected better from the Army.  I really did.  The years that I served were some of the best of my life and it was one few times I felt judged by my merits alone.  I got what I earned, no more, no less and I never felt what I was mattered more that who I was...or at least what my rank was.  Unfortunately, the current atmosphere of crazy seems to have penetrated the Army's ranks.  I suppose in hindsight, I shouldn't be surprised, since the Army has always reflected the nation it serves, but it still disappointing to see something like this having gone this far.  The photo they took was a West Point tradition but for some reason John Burk, a military blogger who I have respect for as a fellow vet and no nonsense attitude...but seems to be clueless about racism, jumped to the all too familiar conclusion that certain gestures, when done by black folks, must "mean something."  In this case, he assumed that raised fists must mean solidarity with "Black Lives Matter."  He raised enough of a fuss to warrant an "investigation" which, thankfully, the Army found was much ado about nothing.



Why does it matter?

The usual reasons.  Double standards and hypocrisy.  While soldiers are forbidden to express much individualism while serving, including political statements, this isn't the first time the Army has needed to be reminded that it is a diverse group and that diversity must be respected.  Kudos to the Army, though, for showing that it can adapt to the changing culture and recognize faux outrage when they see it.  Burk, judging by his YouTube persona, seems like a good guy, good soldier, and loyal American. However, like most "mainstream" individuals, he's blinded by what he doesn't know and arrogant enough to assume he does instead of, y'know...asking.  The military might be the last true meritocracy left and that leaves a lot of its soldiers with a false sense that this is how the real world works. Especially if you joined at a young impressionable age.  I wish John the best but I would remind him, and anyone else who thinks they "know what they're talking about", when it comes to other groups to listen first and ask questions, instead of potentially ruining the lives of 16 young women because you care more about your right to speak than their right to live.



...Til next week!

Why Donald Trump is Good for America

The rise of the cult of Trump has caught many of us off guard.  How could a man who espouses such obviously racist viewpoints be so popular?  The reality is that America has always been this way. Just like every other country on the planet we are fearful, paranoid, protectionist, and xenophobic.  For as long as I can remember, Tom Brokaw, Dan Rather, or Peter Jennings were on TV to tell us about another boogie man just waiting for us to drop our guard so they could slip inside our homes to murder our children as they slept.  They were always godless, or at least didn't worship the same merciful, loving God we did. They did horrible, inhuman things to their own people, justifying our fear and loathing of them. President Reagan told us the Soviets hated us because of our freedom and would stop at nothing to drop an A bomb on Washington, subjecting us all to the iron fist of communism.  Communism, of course, being the scourge of capitalism though most Americans couldn't tell you why it was evil  or why capitalism is good .

You will lose...I must break you.

The Bush Dynasty told us Saddam Hussein murdered his own people with mustard gas and would have loved to do the same to us if given the chance.  We were told he was also conspiring with Osama Bin Laden after 9/11 so we had to launch a pre-emptive strike before he could get the chance to kill more Americans.  The news, the government, social media, and our friends tell us these things constantly so we know they're true!  Except they aren't.  Not totally.  Somewhere between our fear of anyone who doesn't speak English and the need to stroke our egos, the people stoking the flames of foolishness conveniently forgot to mention the Soviet Union's equal fear of us bombing them .  They also left out Saddam's status as America's staunchest ally in the Middle East prior to his invasion of Kuwait.  They also might have forgotten to mention the man he was supposedly  in league with, (actually, they hated each other) the man responsible for killing more Americans in the new century than any other, was partially funded by American efforts to train the Afghan mujahideen to fight the Soviets.  Now presidential candidate Donald Trump is telling us that Mexicans are evil murdering rapists that want to freeload on our freedoms, refugees from Syria will invade us and impose Sharia law the first chance they get, and the Washington elite are either complicit or spineless. Refusing to do anything about these threats because they don't love America like he does. Of course, only he and he alone, can "Make America Great Again."  He will.  Just not not in the way he intends. 

You mean we actually have to keep our promises?  Since when?? (Photo: politico.com)

Trump, for all his boorishness is clearly a student of history.  His rhetoric, heavy on anti-immigrant feelings and not much else, evidenced by the lack of policy specifics and insulting deflection every time he's asked to present details on any of his grand promises, demonstrates a mastery of demagoguery.  These guys would be proud.    He's spent years honing the art of getting people to pay attention to him through his reality shows, ingratiating himself into American pop culture like a virus.  In that arena, he's tolerable, harmless, and even entertaining.  Not a man to be taken seriously in the halls of power where his views could affect millions of lives in more ways than just what channel they watch for an hour.  Obviously, this has changed.  The skills that served him well to get television ratings are now getting him votes.  Exposing an ugly truth many of us who aren't part of the mainstream have known our entire lives.  He is forcing America to look itself in the mirror and many aren't liking what they see.  The world is also watching while a man who inspires bigotry and violence, marches seemingly lauded by the media, to our country's highest office.  His popularity proves our most damning critics right, exposing the hypocrisy of a country that prides itself on American Exceptionalism and as a multi cultural melting pot.  Is this really the end result of the great experiment?  We elect a man that appeals to our worst qualities?  The Republicans were so focused on power and stonewalling President Obama that they ignored the real needs of their constituents, unleashing this madness.  Now our country is in a battle for its soul.  America really has to ask itself if Trump, a man who can't decide if he should accept the support of Klu Klux Klan, encourages division not only along racial lines  but within the lines of his own party, who has been a rich man his entire life but claims to know what's best for the middle class, who employed the very same illegals he now calls rapists and criminals to build Trump Tower, who has taken advantage of the same overseas trade deals he now criticizes to make himself richer, has himself exported manufacturing jobs to China , and let's not forget is a long time documented supporter and friend of the Clintons, is really the man Americans want in charge of our military, nuclear arsenal, and public image?  I find it difficult to believe that a man like him would find much international support for American initiatives abroad, when he can't even unite his party behind him.  I also find it difficult to believe that any of our existing American based international corporations would back a President that openly insults their customers. We shouldn't forget, a politician's first allegiance is to the voters, no matter how much corporate money lines his or her pockets, the voters have the ultimate power.  Good luck trying not to "lead from behind" when our international allies threaten to vote out their leaders for following American policy.  The coalition of the willing did exactly that, in aftermath of the 2003 Iraq invasion, leaving the United States shouldering most of the responsibility and the cost as the war grew increasingly unpopular abroad.  When we finally did manage to untangle ourselves from Iraq, these guys filled the void. (Warning: Graphic)  That's a mistake I'd rather we not repeat. 

Donald Trump has forced the American people to a moral crossroads.  Ironically, this fiasco could do what Obama's election was supposed to do. Unite the country.  Neither Democrats nor establishment Republicans nor most of their constituents are eager to see a Trump Presidency.  For the reasons I stated above, he is a clear and present danger to the long term security and stability of the United States.  I am not exaggerating when I say that I believe that his election will not only set back our country back decades culturally, but the rate at which Civil Rights gains are being unfairly challenged , circumvented with biased legislation, and struck down by the Supreme Court, will accelerate.  America needn't be reminded of how years of exclusion, mistreatment, and marginalization of one group of Americans, eventually exploded into the Civil Rights movement.  Imagine if what Trump is proposing does pass and Black Lives Matter grows to include not only African Americans seeking justice, but becomes a banner for all American people of color to rally behind.  I don't see too many Trump rallies ending with sucker punches then.  You'd be dealing with literal human blockades at every venue he tries to book.  I've always believed that the fastest way to unite disparate groups is to present a common enemy big enough to threaten all parties.  Well, I think we've found our lighting rod in the man who sells ties made in China but claims he's all about giving jobs to Americans at the expense of our ideals.  This absurd campaign will bring about either one of 2 things.  Either America proves itself once again to have progressed beyond this type of gutter- level political discourse or everyone knows once and for all how far 240 years of our experiment has risen the level human consciousness.  Either way, we'll all know what we have to do.  I don't know about you, but I'm starting to think the boogeymen we should really be afraid of, are the ones who use boogeymen to keep us in line.